Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to introduce VAT exemptions for counsellors and psychotherapists, in line with those for art and dance therapy practitioners.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Many services provided directly or supervised by registered health professionals are exempt from VAT, meaning no VAT is charged to the final consumer. This does not apply to professionals who do not have statutory registers, such as counsellors and psychotherapists.

The UK’s approach of linking VAT exemption to statutory registration provides a clear and objective criterion for defining ‘health professionals’ for VAT purposes, ensuring that VAT reliefs are tightly targeted. While the Government keeps all taxes under review, there are no current plans to introduce VAT exemptions for counsellors and psychotherapists without statutory registration.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what methods she and her Department are using to monitor and assess levels of freight crime; what steps are being taken to engage with law enforcement agencies and the haulage industry to identify effective prevention measures; and how her Department plans to ensure robust enforcement against those responsible.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

We fully recognise the serious and growing threat that freight crime poses to businesses, drivers, and the wider economy. This Government is determined to crack down on it. The incidence of cargo theft, where criminals rip the sides of lorries and take the goods inside, is frightening for drivers. The perception this crime is low risk and high reward is completely unacceptable.

We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies and invested stakeholders to find solutions to tackle these crimes.

Freight crimes are not currently separately identifiable in the centrally held police recorded crime data. Crimes involving the theft of freight are recorded by the police within broader vehicle-related theft categories. In order to monitor trends, we are piloting the use of a flag on police crime recording systems which officers can use to indicate that the crime they are investigating is freight crime.

We also work closely with Opal, the police’s national intelligence unit focused on serious organised acquisitive crime, including freight crime, and with the National Vehicle Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), a policing unit set up to investigate vehicle crime, including freight crime. We have regular discussions with both units about tackling organised freight crime.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of levels of freight crime; and what steps she is taking to improve prevention and enforcement activity to protect haulage operators.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

We fully recognise the serious and growing threat that freight crime poses to businesses, drivers, and the wider economy. This Government is determined to crack down on it. The incidence of cargo theft, where criminals rip the sides of lorries and take the goods inside, is frightening for drivers. The perception this crime is low risk and high reward is completely unacceptable.

We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies and invested stakeholders to find solutions to tackle these crimes.

Freight crimes are not currently separately identifiable in the centrally held police recorded crime data. Crimes involving the theft of freight are recorded by the police within broader vehicle-related theft categories. In order to monitor trends, we are piloting the use of a flag on police crime recording systems which officers can use to indicate that the crime they are investigating is freight crime.

We also work closely with Opal, the police’s national intelligence unit focused on serious organised acquisitive crime, including freight crime, and with the National Vehicle Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), a policing unit set up to investigate vehicle crime, including freight crime. We have regular discussions with both units about tackling organised freight crime.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will consider introducing legislation to protect residents of new developments when a developer declares bankruptcy leaving developments unfinished.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 76385 on 24 September 2025.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans she has to extend the current section 33 Value Added Tax Act 1994 rule for school sixth forms to include further education colleges.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises that Further Education (FE) funding is vital to ensure people are being trained in the skills they need to thrive in the modern labour market. The 2025 Spending Review provided an additional £1.2 billion per year by 2028-29 for skills and £1.7 billion of capital funding to help colleges maintain the condition of their estate. In addition, the Government is providing £375 million of capital investment to support the FE system to accommodate increasing student numbers.

For their non-business activity, FE colleges are unable to reclaim VAT incurred. We operate several VAT refund schemes for schools and academies. FE colleges do not meet the criteria for either scheme.

In relation to business activity, FE colleges enjoy an exemption from VAT which means that they do not have to charge VAT to students, but cannot recover it either. The Government is not currently planning to introduce a VAT refund scheme for FE institutions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the consultation on firearms will be published.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

We intend to publish this consultation shortly.