Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to introduce an indexation mechanism linking the Approved Mileage Allowance Payment rate to (a) inflation and (b) motoring cost indices.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAPs) are used by employers to reimburse an employee's expenses for business mileage in their private vehicle. The AMAP rate is advisory, so employers can choose to pay more or less than the advisory rate. Employees reimbursed less than the AMAP rate may be able to claim tax relief on the difference, depending on their circumstances. Amounts reimbursed over the AMAP rate are classed as earnings and subject to Income Tax.
In recognition of the pressures facing drivers, the Government announced in May the first uprating of these rates since 2011, backdated to April 2026. For 2026/27, mileage rates for cars and vans will increase from 45p to 55p per mile for the first 10,000 miles annually, followed by 25p per mile thereafter. These rates are UK-wide so apply to Northern Ireland.
The 25p per mile rate for mileage above 10,000 miles remains unchanged, reflecting that the average motorist drives fewer than 10,000 miles for work and the need to balance targeted support with overall fiscal responsibility. Employees can also claim an additional 5p per mile for each fellow employee transported. Mileage rates for other vehicles, including motorcycles, remain unchanged.
Looking ahead and beyond 2026/27, the Government has already committed to a review of these rates and will set this out at the Budget. More broadly, the Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 set out the meetings his Department's special advisers have had with Labour Together since he was appointed.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Special Advisers are required to comply with the Special Adviser Code of Conduct at all times and are required to make declarations on meetings with senior media figures in line with published transparency guidance.
Where a Special Adviser accompanies their Minister to an official meeting with a senior media figure, the Special Adviser's attendance does not need to be separately recorded as the Minister will be the main attendee. Where an 'informal' lobbying approach is granted time or resource by Government, it should result in a diarised engagement and therefore be recorded.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the cost to the Exchequer and expected economic impact on families of the temporary reduction in VAT on children's meals and summer attractions; what categories of business and attraction will be eligible for the scheme; what assessment she has made of the proportion of the tax reduction likely to be passed on through lower prices; and whether the Government intends to publish an evaluation of the scheme following its conclusion.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
From 25 June to 1 September the Government is introducing a temporary reduced rate of VAT on children's menu meals and eligible family attractions.
This is a targeted and temporary scheme to reduce the costs of children’s meals in restaurants, children’s tickets for theatres and cinemas and tickets for everyone for attractions like soft play, adventure centres, and theme parks, helping families enjoy a day out for less. Individual businesses should consult HMRC’s guidance to determine how the rules apply in their circumstances.
The temporary reduced rate is estimated to cost about £300m. All costings will be subject to certification in the next OBR forecast in the usual way.
The Government expects participating businesses to pass savings on to families by lowering the prices people pay on eligible children's meals and tickets, so the VAT cut is reflected directly at the till.
The impact of the measure will be kept under review through communication with affected taxpayer groups.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has undertaken comparative modelling of the costs of financing infrastructure supporting new towns through (a) private investment arrangements and (b) direct government borrowing.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Between 23 March and 19 May 2026, we consulted on the Draft New Towns Programme. That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, sought views on a range of issues, including in respect of financing the programme.
We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
The precise funding offer for each new town location will be confirmed once final decisions have been made on the programme.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has undertaken an assessment of the estimated lifetime cost to the public sector of financing infrastructure supporting new towns through private investment arrangements.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Between 23 March and 19 May 2026, we consulted on the Draft New Towns Programme. That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, sought views on a range of issues, including in respect of financing the programme.
We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
The precise funding offer for each new town location will be confirmed once final decisions have been made on the programme.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department intends to publish any assessment comparing the costs of alternative financing models for infrastructure supporting new towns.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Between 23 March and 19 May 2026, we consulted on the Draft New Towns Programme. That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, sought views on a range of issues, including in respect of financing the programme.
We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
The precise funding offer for each new town location will be confirmed once final decisions have been made on the programme.
Asked by: Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what they mean by “enhanced parent–infant relationship support” in the updated Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies guidance; and how equivalent support will be defined, delivered, and funded in local authorities that are not in receipt of that programme funding.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Through the Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies guidance, we have a set a series of expectations for local authorities to support them to design their local service offer. The enhanced perinatal mental health and parent-infant relationship support is intended to build on existing provision within the system. Local authorities are empowering the workforce to be able to confidently identify and address need. They are providing high-quality support in a range of ways, such as virtually, one-to-one, and through peer support, and working across the system to strengthen referral pathways.
Through the 10-Year Health Plan, we commitment to rolling out Healthy Babies to match expansion of Best Start Family Hubs. While we do not expect local authorities who are not receiving funding to provide equivalent support to those that are, through the guidance we have set ambitions that we encourage them to work towards, which will lay the foundations for roll out. This includes equipping staff to offer emotional and wellbeing support, promote early attachment and connect families to appropriate services.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what process is available to businesses that require steel grades not available from suppliers on the approved UK domestic supplier list under the UK Steel and Trade Measures.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The measure is designed to only cover steel requirements that can be made in the UK. In some instances, this is not feasible for technical reasons, for example where single product codes contain different sizes of steel products.
Quotas aim to allow sufficient imports to ensure continued availability of these goods to UK downstream users.
We will monitor implementation of the measure and review after twelve months to ensure it remains effective, and the balance is right for both producers and downstream users.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Lord Mandelson, whilst Ambassador, was given permission to undertake any private work or second employment.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Civil servants are required to adhere to the Civil Service Code and the terms and conditions of their employment, including requirements relating to outside interests and external employment. Any such activity must be formally approved and must not conflict with an individual's official duties. In line with long-standing practice, the Government does not comment on the detail of individual personnel matters.
Asked by: Iqbal Mohamed (Independent - Dewsbury and Batley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department’s policies of reports concerning revisions to electoral rolls in India which excluded Muslim voters from recent elections in Bengal.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our High Commission in New Delhi, together with our network of Deputy High Commissions, is following the Special Intensive Revision process, including in West Bengal. We will continue to monitor the situation.