Written questions by Bennett.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of businesses in the social care sector that will pay the increase in employers National Insurance contributions (a) nationally and (b) in each constituency.

A Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the Employer National Insurance changes was published by HMRC on 13 November. The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance costs. This does not include support for the private sector, including private sector firms contracted by central or local government. This is the usual approach Government takes to supporting the public sector with additional Employer National Insurance contributions as was the case with the previous Government’s Health and Social Care Levy. The government considered the cost pressures facing adult social care and wider local government spending as part of the Budget process in the usual way. The government is providing a real-terms increase in core local government spending power of around 3.2% in 2025-26, including at least £600m of new grant funding provided to social care, which can be used to address the range of pressures facing the sector.

What estimate her Department has made of how much businesses in the social care sector will pay as a result of the increase in employers National Insurance contributions (a) nationally and (b) in each constituency.

A Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the Employer National Insurance changes was published by HMRC on 13 November. The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance costs. This does not include support for the private sector, including private sector firms contracted by central or local government. This is the usual approach Government takes to supporting the public sector with additional Employer National Insurance contributions as was the case with the previous Government’s Health and Social Care Levy. The government considered the cost pressures facing adult social care and wider local government spending as part of the Budget process in the usual way. The government is providing a real-terms increase in core local government spending power of around 3.2% in 2025-26, including at least £600m of new grant funding provided to social care, which can be used to address the range of pressures facing the sector.

Whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of social care providers affected by the increase in employers National Insurance contributions.

A Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the Employer National Insurance changes was published by HMRC on 13 November. The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance costs. This does not include support for the private sector, including private sector firms contracted by central or local government. This is the usual approach Government takes to supporting the public sector with additional Employer National Insurance contributions as was the case with the previous Government’s Health and Social Care Levy. The government considered the cost pressures facing adult social care and wider local government spending as part of the Budget process in the usual way. The government is providing a real-terms increase in core local government spending power of around 3.2% in 2025-26, including at least £600m of new grant funding provided to social care, which can be used to address the range of pressures facing the sector.

What estimate her Department has made of the (a) overall cost to businesses in the social care sector of the increase in employers National Insurance contributions and (b) average cost to each business in this sector.

A Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the Employer National Insurance changes was published by HMRC on 13 November. The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance costs. This does not include support for the private sector, including private sector firms contracted by central or local government. This is the usual approach Government takes to supporting the public sector with additional Employer National Insurance contributions as was the case with the previous Government’s Health and Social Care Levy. The government considered the cost pressures facing adult social care and wider local government spending as part of the Budget process in the usual way. The government is providing a real-terms increase in core local government spending power of around 3.2% in 2025-26, including at least £600m of new grant funding provided to social care, which can be used to address the range of pressures facing the sector.

Whether he is taking steps to increase awareness amongst GPs of the signs and symptoms of cardiomyopathy.

As part of the 2023 England Rare Disease Action Plan, NHS England’s Genomics Education Programme has developed GeNotes, to increase the awareness of genetic and rare diseases amongst healthcare professionals. GeNotes puts information on genetic and rare diseases at the fingertips of healthcare professionals, including general practitioners. The GeNotes resource has a cardiology speciality section and includes several pages on cardiomyopathies. Further information on GeNotes more generally and about the cardiology speciality section specifically is available, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.genomicseducation.hee.nhs.uk/genotes/https://www.genomicseducation.hee.nhs.uk/genotes/cardiology/Furthermore, cardiac networks of care, established locally to ensure joined up patient pathways, provide support in raising awareness of inherited cardiac conditions, including cardiomyopathy, across healthcare providers, in accordance with the services specification for inherited cardiac conditions, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/cardiology-inherited-cardiac-conditions-all-ages/

What steps her Department is taking to enable people with autism spectrum disorder conditions into employment in Mid Sussex constituency.

We recognise that autistic people face particular barriers to employment, which is reflected in a poor overall employment rate. In our plan to make work pay, we committed to raising awareness of neurodiversity in the workplace. Our forthcoming employment White Paper considers how to improve employment outcomes and experiences for disabled people and people with health conditions. We are exploring how we can build on the earlier, independent, Buckland Review which was focused more narrowly on autism and employment, to improve understanding and support for all neurodivergent people at work. We also have a range of specialist initiatives which can provide support to neurodivergent people to get back into work and stay in work, including support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants.Employers will also be a large part of our success in this work. Our current support to employers includes a digital information service for employers, and the Disability Confident scheme. We will be considering how to enhance our work with employers in the months ahead.

When she plans to publish guidance for the Transitional Tax Free Allowance Certificate.

Legislation concerning the abolition of the Lifetime Allowance (LTA) was included in Finance Act 2024. The legislation introduced transitional arrangements including Transitional Tax-Free Amount Certificates (TTFACs). Guidance was published alongside the legislation. Further regulations to address some discrete technical areas were laid on 7th and 9th of October 2024, with effect from 18th November (subject to parliamentary process). Once effective, they will apply retrospectively from 6th April 2024 onwards. Further information will be provided in HMRC’s November newsletter and HMRC’s existing guidance will be updated in due course.

Whether he has made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of regulations on battery energy storage systems.

There is a robust regulatory framework that addresses the health and safety risks associated with grid-scale battery storage. Specifically, the Health and Safety at Work Act and secondary legislation places legal duties on employers to manage risks to employees and anyone else who may be affected. It is the policy of the Health and Safety Executive to continue to review its regulatory framework to make sure it works in a time of innovation.

Communities and Local Government, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to make (a) the Environment Agency, (b) the Health and Safety Executive and (c) local fire and rescue services statutory consultees on applications for battery energy storage systems.

The Government has no plans to make these bodies statutory consultees on applications for battery energy storage systems. I would encourage applicants to refer to the relevant Planning Practice Guidance, which details what applicants seeking planning permission for battery energy storage systems can do to ensure they consider any potential risks.

What recent assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of trends in the level of economic inactivity owing to ill-health.

There are 9.4 million working age people who are economically inactive in the UK, an increase of 860,000 since the start of the pandemic. Inactivity due to ill health is a major reason for economic inactivity and stands at a near-record high of 2.8 million people. To tackle economic inactivity, we will publish a White Paper to Get Britain Working.