Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled Act now: 864,000 sole traders and landlords face new tax rules in two months, published on 5 February 2026, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of awareness of the the new Making Tax Digital for income tax rules among sole traders and landlords.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government is undertaking a range of activities to ensure those needing to use Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax from April 2026 are ready and able to do so successfully.
This includes targeted media campaigns, awareness letters, developing guidance, and working with the software industry to ensure a broad range of MTD‑compatible products is available, to suit different needs and budgets. Free options will support those with the simplest affairs.
MTD will help businesses and landlords keep on top of their tax affairs. It places small businesses on a more digital footing, with digital tools helping to reduce errors and making annual tax returns easier.
HMRC’s latest published assessment of the potential impact of MTD for Income Tax across different taxpayer groups is available at:
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled Act now: 864,000 sole traders and landlords face new tax rules in two months, published on 5 February 2026, what steps HM Revenue and Customs is taking to ensure that sole traders and landlords impacted by the new Making Tax Digital for Income Tax rules are aware of their obligations.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government is undertaking a range of activities to ensure those needing to use Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax from April 2026 are ready and able to do so successfully.
This includes targeted media campaigns, awareness letters, developing guidance, and working with the software industry to ensure a broad range of MTD‑compatible products is available, to suit different needs and budgets. Free options will support those with the simplest affairs.
MTD will help businesses and landlords keep on top of their tax affairs. It places small businesses on a more digital footing, with digital tools helping to reduce errors and making annual tax returns easier.
HMRC’s latest published assessment of the potential impact of MTD for Income Tax across different taxpayer groups is available at:
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Road Safety Strategy published on 7 January, whether she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to include (a) the Safe Drive Stay Alive, (b) Think! and (c) similar road safety campaigns in Key Stage 4 Personal, Social, Health and Economic education.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We welcome road safety programmes which are evidence led and contribute to improving road safety.
The Department has previously funded the RAC Foundation Pre-driver Theatre and Workshop Education Research project, which ran from September 2019 to March 2023. Amongst the conclusions, the report suggests using “shock and tell” tactics and “threat” and “fear” appeals to teach the risks associated with driving does little to improve safety and may be counterproductive. I encourage all those who deliver road safety programmes to avoid this approach.
As part of the Road Safety Strategy, we have committed to publishing national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.
Bikeability, the government owned cycle training programme, is funded by Active Travel England in schools across England. Up to £30m was allocated to the programme for 2025/26 and funding for the forthcoming 3-year period is due to be announced shortly.
Almost 6 million children have received Bikeability cycle training since 2007, with 500,000 children booking onto training in 2024/25. The Bikeability Trust manages the programme across England and provides support and guidance to local authorities, training providers and schools in order to maximise the reach of the programme.
Primary and secondary schools are free to teach about road safety awareness as part of their duty to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, and many do so through their personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) provision alongside the statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) content.
The updated RSHE guidance, published in July 2025, has a new section on personal safety which includes how to recognise risk and keep safe around roads.
This can also include teaching about general road safety when using bikes in different situations. Schools can draw on resources available from many providers including, the Department’s THINK! campaign.
We will continue to look at how we best evolve the THINK! campaign in line with the Road Safety Strategy, but resources currently include interactive games, printable activity sheets, and lesson plans tailored to different age groups from primary school aged children all the way up to secondary school and learner drivers. These materials are regularly shared on THINK!’s social media channels and distributed to schools and educators via newsletters and partnerships with organisations such as the Department for Education.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Road Safety Strategy published on 7 January, whether her Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of existing road safety programmes delivered by (a) Police and (b) Fire services.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We welcome road safety programmes which are evidence led and contribute to improving road safety.
The Department has previously funded the RAC Foundation Pre-driver Theatre and Workshop Education Research project, which ran from September 2019 to March 2023. Amongst the conclusions, the report suggests using “shock and tell” tactics and “threat” and “fear” appeals to teach the risks associated with driving does little to improve safety and may be counterproductive. I encourage all those who deliver road safety programmes to avoid this approach.
As part of the Road Safety Strategy, we have committed to publishing national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.
Bikeability, the government owned cycle training programme, is funded by Active Travel England in schools across England. Up to £30m was allocated to the programme for 2025/26 and funding for the forthcoming 3-year period is due to be announced shortly.
Almost 6 million children have received Bikeability cycle training since 2007, with 500,000 children booking onto training in 2024/25. The Bikeability Trust manages the programme across England and provides support and guidance to local authorities, training providers and schools in order to maximise the reach of the programme.
Primary and secondary schools are free to teach about road safety awareness as part of their duty to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, and many do so through their personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) provision alongside the statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) content.
The updated RSHE guidance, published in July 2025, has a new section on personal safety which includes how to recognise risk and keep safe around roads.
This can also include teaching about general road safety when using bikes in different situations. Schools can draw on resources available from many providers including, the Department’s THINK! campaign.
We will continue to look at how we best evolve the THINK! campaign in line with the Road Safety Strategy, but resources currently include interactive games, printable activity sheets, and lesson plans tailored to different age groups from primary school aged children all the way up to secondary school and learner drivers. These materials are regularly shared on THINK!’s social media channels and distributed to schools and educators via newsletters and partnerships with organisations such as the Department for Education.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the role of media literacy in helping children identify misleading or harmful online content.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Media literacy is currently covered in the citizenship, relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) and computing curricula.
Following publication of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review’s final report on 5 November 2025, vital applied knowledge and skills in media and digital literacy relevant to identify misleading or harmful online content will be embedded into the revised curriculum from 2028.
The department will engage with sector experts in working out how best to reflect this in the updated curriculum. There will be public consultation on the updated curriculum programmes of study, to seek views on the content before they are finalised.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Road Safety Strategy published on 7 January, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing (a) road safety and (b) Bikeability into the national curriculum for both (i) primary and (ii) secondary school children, as part of the Lifelong Learning for Road Users.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We welcome road safety programmes which are evidence led and contribute to improving road safety.
The Department has previously funded the RAC Foundation Pre-driver Theatre and Workshop Education Research project, which ran from September 2019 to March 2023. Amongst the conclusions, the report suggests using “shock and tell” tactics and “threat” and “fear” appeals to teach the risks associated with driving does little to improve safety and may be counterproductive. I encourage all those who deliver road safety programmes to avoid this approach.
As part of the Road Safety Strategy, we have committed to publishing national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.
Bikeability, the government owned cycle training programme, is funded by Active Travel England in schools across England. Up to £30m was allocated to the programme for 2025/26 and funding for the forthcoming 3-year period is due to be announced shortly.
Almost 6 million children have received Bikeability cycle training since 2007, with 500,000 children booking onto training in 2024/25. The Bikeability Trust manages the programme across England and provides support and guidance to local authorities, training providers and schools in order to maximise the reach of the programme.
Primary and secondary schools are free to teach about road safety awareness as part of their duty to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, and many do so through their personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) provision alongside the statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) content.
The updated RSHE guidance, published in July 2025, has a new section on personal safety which includes how to recognise risk and keep safe around roads.
This can also include teaching about general road safety when using bikes in different situations. Schools can draw on resources available from many providers including, the Department’s THINK! campaign.
We will continue to look at how we best evolve the THINK! campaign in line with the Road Safety Strategy, but resources currently include interactive games, printable activity sheets, and lesson plans tailored to different age groups from primary school aged children all the way up to secondary school and learner drivers. These materials are regularly shared on THINK!’s social media channels and distributed to schools and educators via newsletters and partnerships with organisations such as the Department for Education.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Southwark (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel about the killing of three Palestinian journalists by a targeted strike on a vehicle on 21 January.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Local journalists in Gaza have done an extraordinary job reporting on the conflict in Gaza, often while they and their families are in danger, displaced and suffering from shortages of food, fuel and other basics. We call on Israeli authorities to ensure that media workers can conduct their work freely and safely. Civilian reporters covering conflicts must be afforded protection under international humanitarian law.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to help ensure regulatory co-operation with China does not impact on UK standards in financial supervision.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The agreements reached at the first UK‑China Financial Working Group in Beijing will strengthen cooperation with China in ways that support the UK’s position as an open, competitive and well‑regulated international financial centre, supporting jobs and growth in the UK.
As set out in HM Treasury’s press release and the joint readout of the first UK-China Financial Working Group meeting (FWG), the FWG provides a new formal mechanism for structured, substantive and technical dialogue between UK and Chinese financial authorities on issues including financial stability and resilience, capital markets, market development and sustainable finance.
Specific outcomes include the designation of Bank of China’s London Branch as the UK’s second renminbi (RMB) clearing bank, which will broaden the range of services available to UK businesses trading with China and strengthen London’s role as a leading international financial centre. Technical discussions were also held on long-term initiatives to support the UK’s capital markets, as well as green finance and asset management sectors. Alongside the FWG and the Prime Minister’s visit, the UK and China also agreed to pursue new cooperation on innovative financing, such as RMB-denominated sovereign biodiversity bond issuances, cementing the City's role as the global hub for green finance.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how the schools identified to receive support through the National Youth Strategy will be selected; and whether schools on the Isle of Wight will receive support.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government's National Youth Strategy is a 10-year plan designed to ensure that every young person nationwide has somewhere to go, someone who cares for them, and a community they feel a part of. Schools are key to implementing the strategy including through enrichment activities, especially for disadvantaged youth.
DCMS, in partnership with DfE, will invest £22.5 million over 3 years to enable up to 400 schools across England to deliver a youth-voice led, tailored enrichment offer. This funding will help schools meet the Enrichment Framework benchmarks and ensure disadvantaged pupils have access to good enrichment activities, supporting their wellbeing, personal development, and life skills.
The programme is currently in the design phase, and we will share the selection criteria in due course.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she has taken to ensure UK firms are impacted the designation of the Bank of China’s London Branch as the UK’s second renminbi clearing bank.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The agreements reached at the first UK‑China Financial Working Group in Beijing will strengthen cooperation with China in ways that support the UK’s position as an open, competitive and well‑regulated international financial centre, supporting jobs and growth in the UK.
As set out in HM Treasury’s press release and the joint readout of the first UK-China Financial Working Group meeting (FWG), the FWG provides a new formal mechanism for structured, substantive and technical dialogue between UK and Chinese financial authorities on issues including financial stability and resilience, capital markets, market development and sustainable finance.
Specific outcomes include the designation of Bank of China’s London Branch as the UK’s second renminbi (RMB) clearing bank, which will broaden the range of services available to UK businesses trading with China and strengthen London’s role as a leading international financial centre. Technical discussions were also held on long-term initiatives to support the UK’s capital markets, as well as green finance and asset management sectors. Alongside the FWG and the Prime Minister’s visit, the UK and China also agreed to pursue new cooperation on innovative financing, such as RMB-denominated sovereign biodiversity bond issuances, cementing the City's role as the global hub for green finance.