Committee publication · Correspondence · 10 February 2025 · HC 530
Letter from the Prime Minister relating to his appearance before the Committee on 19 December 2024, dated 6 February 2025.
From: Liaison Committee (Commons)
Inquiry: The work of the Prime Minister
Summary
Prime Minister's letter to the Liaison Committee (6 February 2025) providing supplementary information following his 19 December 2024 appearance. Covers the International Investment Summit (£63bn pledged), Local Housing Allowance freeze, childcare expansion (30 hours from September 2025), child poverty strategy, and disabled employment support including the new Connect to Work programme.
Key findings
- International Investment Summit 2024 announced £63 billion of business investments; PM credits government policy interventions including Critical National Infrastructure changes and £8 billion carbon capture cluster agreement.
- Local Housing Allowance frozen at 24/25 rates for 25/26; government prioritising £1 billion Household Support Fund extension and Discretionary Housing Payments over rate increases due to fiscal constraints.
- Childcare entitlements expanding: eligible working parents access 30 hours of subsidised childcare from September 2025; early years pupil premium increased by 45% to £570 per eligible child from April 2025.
- Child Poverty Strategy under development via Taskforce with thematic expert sessions; strategy focuses on four levers: increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience, and better local support.
- Disabled employment support includes Disability Confident scheme (19,000 employers), Keep Britain Working review, and Connect to Work programme launching spring 2026/27 to support 100,000 disabled people and those with complex barriers.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Prime Minister, Dame Meg Hillier, Florence Eshalomi, Helen Hayes, Debbie Abrahams, Keith Anderson (ScottishPower CEO), Child Poverty Taskforce, Disability Confident scheme
Notable line
“The Government accepts that there are difficulties for low-income families in the private rented sector.”
Key Quotes
“… the Government has shown us a way we are going to clear the blockages, we are working in partnership with our government and we are saying great, we'll speed up our investment”
“The Government accepts that there are difficulties for low-income families in the private rented sector. We have inherited a challenging fiscal situation and need to take difficult decisions to prioritise the Government's funding.”
“We will publish a Long-Term Housing Strategy this spring which will reform the housing market so that it works better for communities …”
“… from September 2025 eligible working parents can access 30 hours of high-quality early education and childcare, from the term after their child turns nine months until they start school.”
“It is concerning that there are growing levels of economic inactivity caused by long-term sickness, disability and poor health of the working age population.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗