Written questions by Snowden.

With reference to the news story entitled Chancellor takes on the blockers to get Britain building, published on 15 October 2025, what the 34 infrastructure projects are; and what the (a) outcome and (b) duration was of each judicial review case.

Last week the government announced that we will work with the judiciary to take forward further procedural changes to ensure Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) are dealt with more quickly and consistently. Lord Banner’s independent review into legal challenges against Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (published in October 2024) contains detail and links to statistics requested. It is standard practice not to comment on the specifics of discussions between ministers and the judiciary. Finally, members of public will still have the right to pursue judicial review. The Government remains committed to this important principle, and ensuring that local communities can effectively challenge the decisions which impact them. These reforms are about ensuring cases move through the courts more quickly and efficiently, not about limiting the right to challenge decisions.

With reference to the news story entitled Chancellor takes on the blockers to get Britain building, published on 15 October 2025, what discussions she has had with the Lord Chief Justice on proposed reductions in judicial review timelines.

Last week the government announced that we will work with the judiciary to take forward further procedural changes to ensure Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) are dealt with more quickly and consistently. Lord Banner’s independent review into legal challenges against Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (published in October 2024) contains detail and links to statistics requested. It is standard practice not to comment on the specifics of discussions between ministers and the judiciary. Finally, members of public will still have the right to pursue judicial review. The Government remains committed to this important principle, and ensuring that local communities can effectively challenge the decisions which impact them. These reforms are about ensuring cases move through the courts more quickly and efficiently, not about limiting the right to challenge decisions.

With reference to the news story entitled Chancellor takes on the blockers to get Britain building, published on 15 October 2025, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of proposed judicial review reforms on rights to (a) environmental and (b) community consultation.

Last week the government announced that we will work with the judiciary to take forward further procedural changes to ensure Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) are dealt with more quickly and consistently. Lord Banner’s independent review into legal challenges against Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (published in October 2024) contains detail and links to statistics requested. It is standard practice not to comment on the specifics of discussions between ministers and the judiciary. Finally, members of public will still have the right to pursue judicial review. The Government remains committed to this important principle, and ensuring that local communities can effectively challenge the decisions which impact them. These reforms are about ensuring cases move through the courts more quickly and efficiently, not about limiting the right to challenge decisions.

How many people were unable to benefit from the Residence Nil Rate Band due to not having direct descendants in the most recent year for which data is available.

The residence nil-rate band was introduced under the previous Government in April 2017. The then Government set out in a tax information and impact note at the time of its introduction that there was no evidence to suggest that this policy would have significant adverse impacts on those with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. The tax information and impact note is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/inheritance-tax-main-residence-nil-rate-band-and-the-existing-nil-rate-band/inheritance-tax-main-residence-nil-rate-band-and-the-existing-nil-rate-band. HMRC publishes annual statistics about the use of nil-rate bands, reliefs and exemptions. 30,600 estates used the residence nil-rate band in 2022-23, and £7.72 billion of chargeable estate value was removed from an inheritance tax charge as a result. HMRC does not collect comprehensive data about the reasons for an estate not using the residence nil-rate band.

If her Department will conduct an equality impact assessment of the Residence Nil Rate Band in relation to inheritance tax.

The residence nil-rate band was introduced under the previous Government in April 2017. The then Government set out in a tax information and impact note at the time of its introduction that there was no evidence to suggest that this policy would have significant adverse impacts on those with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. The tax information and impact note is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/inheritance-tax-main-residence-nil-rate-band-and-the-existing-nil-rate-band/inheritance-tax-main-residence-nil-rate-band-and-the-existing-nil-rate-band. HMRC publishes annual statistics about the use of nil-rate bands, reliefs and exemptions. 30,600 estates used the residence nil-rate band in 2022-23, and £7.72 billion of chargeable estate value was removed from an inheritance tax charge as a result. HMRC does not collect comprehensive data about the reasons for an estate not using the residence nil-rate band.

If she will take steps to engage with (a) stakeholders and (b) members of the public on inheritance tax policy.

The Government published tax policy making principles on 12 June 2025. These principles underpin the Government’s approach to delivering tax policy changes, including setting out how it will engage with stakeholders during tax policy development. This is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/tax-policy-making-principles.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the ceremonies undertaken during the state visit by President Trump on economic growth.

During the state visit, we announced a record-breaking £150 billion of inward investment from US firms into the UK economy – supporting 7,600 jobs in all areas of the UK which will drive economic growth and create real opportunities for working people.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of a property tax on landlords on the availability of rental properties in the private sector.

The Government does not comment on speculation about tax changes. All tax policy is kept under review and tax decisions will be made at the Budget, in the usual way. The Government recognises that the private rented sector plays an important role in the UK housing market. Boosting the supply of housing is essential in making rent more affordable, which is why we have committed to building 1.5 million homes over the course of this Parliament.

Whether the cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce is maintaining a formal record of stakeholder engagement; and whether the Credit Hire Organisation was consulted.

The government’s Motor Insurance Taskforce, led by the Department for Transport and HM Treasury, is engaging with a range of interested stakeholders, including the Credit Hire Organisation. The taskforce plans to publish its final report in the autumn.

With reference to the letter of 10 January 2025 from the then-Economic Secretary to the Treasury to Anthony Hughes of the Credit Hire Organisation, when her Department plans to meet representatives of the credit hire industry to discuss the Motor Insurance Taskforce.

The government’s Motor Insurance Taskforce, led by the Department for Transport and HM Treasury, is engaging with a range of interested stakeholders, including the Credit Hire Organisation. The taskforce plans to publish its final report in the autumn.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the level of ground rents on mortgage lending decisions.

The pricing and availability of mortgages, including how ground rents factor into mortgage applications, is a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene. More widely, the Government remains firmly committed to its manifesto commitment to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents.

Whether guidance has been issued to (a) banks and (b) financial services firms on (i) detecting and (ii) reporting transactions linked to sanctioned people smuggling networks.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has designated 25 individuals and entities under the new Global Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Persons Sanctions Regulations 2025, and previously published statutory guidance. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), responsible for implementing and enforcing financial sanctions, has produced an extensive suite of guidance to provide industry with further clarity and support to comply with financial sanctions, such as the OFSI general guidance, threat assessment reports and FAQs.For further information view OFSI’s general guidance here, and its full suite of guidance here.

What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on increasing funding for the resilience of defence infrastructure supply chains.

The Government is committed to ensure a strong defence sector and resilient supply chains across the whole of the UK, including for defence infrastructure. The forthcoming Defence Industrial Strategy, due for publication in Autumn, will set out how we will establish long-term partnerships between business and government, promote innovation, and improve resilience. Following Spending Review 2025 further detail on how the Ministry of Defence will spend its budget will be set out in the Defence Investment Plan, which is also scheduled to complete in the Autumn.

Whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the (a) cost to the NHS of prescribing weight loss medications and (b) the projected cost savings from reduced obesity-related illness.

The Chancellor regularly discusses a wide range of policy issues with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.For medicines to be provided by the NHS they must meet strict cost-effectiveness thresholds set by NICE. For tirzepatide, a weightloss jab, evidence submitted by NHS England to NICE last year suggested a potential cost of £19.4bn for the drug, the patient management and the associated care over the first five years from launch if made available to all eligible patients. The NHS is working with partners, including supplies of medicines for weight management, to develop and evaluate innovative delivery models which may support more efficient implementationNICE recommended the NHS begin rolling out trizepatide, for people with a BMI of more than 35 and at least one weight-related illness. In total around 220,000 people are expected to benefit in the initial three year roll out period.The obesity crisis currently costs the NHS an estimated £11.4 billion per year and has significant wider economic and social costs, so tackling this will help to drive long term economic growth.That is why the 10 year health plan, published on 3rd July 2025, set out Government’s plans for decisive action on the obesity crisis, easing the strain on our NHS and creating the healthiest generation of children ever.The Plan sets out a commitment to support people living with obesity, doubling the number of patients able to access the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme and brokering pioneering relationships with the biggest pharmaceutical companies to expand access to weight loss services and treatments across the NHS.The Plan also committed to fulfilling manifesto commitments to restrict junk food advertising and ban sale of high-caffeine drinks. Additionally it announced new proposals to reduce obesity including for large food businesses to report against standardised metrics on healthier food sales along with new targets to increase the healthiness of sales, and updating the Nutrient Profile Model to bring the current advertising and promotion restrictions up to date and make them more impactful.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions on employment levels in the hospitality sector in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer National Insurance contributions (NICs). The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts.The Office for Budget Responsibility also publishes Economic and Fiscal Outlooks (EFOs), which set out a detailed forecast of the economy and public finances.With all policies considered, the OBR's March 2025 EFO forecasts the employment level to increase from 33.6 million in 2024 to 34.8 million in 2029The Government decided to protect the smallest businesses from the changes to employer NICs by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. This means that this year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, and more than half of all employers will either gain or will see no change.

What steps she is taking to support people who were ineligible for government financial support measures during the Covid pandemic.

Decisions on eligibility for Covid-19 financial support were taken by the previous government.The previous Government provided support through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) and Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). The support was based on two principles: a) targeting support at those who needed it most; and b) guarding against error, fraud, and abuse, whilst reaching as many individuals as possible. Those ineligible for the schemes may have been eligible for other elements of financial support provided by the previous Government. The current Government is working to improve living standards for everyone across the country. We are taking immediate action to support individuals, such as committing to no increases in employee National Insurance, Income Tax or VAT as we want to keep taxes low for working people. Driving growth is the Government’s number one mission, which will help individuals by boosting wages and putting more money in people’s pockets.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of fiscal policy on levels of food inflation in Fylde constituency since 4 July 2025.

HM Treasury does not produce forecasts of the UK economy. Forecasting the economy, including the impact of Government policy decisions, is the responsibility of independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), which published its latest forecast on 26 March 2025. The OBR does not publish estimates of the impact of policy decisions on levels of food inflation, nor on inflation at a constituency level. The Office for National Statistics publishes food inflation data based on observed price movements at a national level, which is not disaggregated to constituency level.

Whether the Growth and Skills Levy will be of the same value as the Apprenticeship Levy; and whether that levy will apply to companies paying over £3 million in wages.

The Government is reforming the Apprenticeship Levy into a Growth and Skills Levy. Alongside existing high-quality apprenticeship routes, this will enable employers in England to invest in a broader range of high-quality training, including foundation apprenticeships and short courses in priority sectors. Skills England, a new national skills organisation, will consult a wide range of partners to ensure that levy-funded training meets the needs of employers, providers, and learners, and delivers good value for money. These reforms focus on expanding the types of training that employers in England can fund through the Levy. There are no plans to change the way employers pay the UK-wide Apprenticeship Levy. The levy will continue to be paid by all UK employers with an annual pay bill over £3 million, at a rate of 0.5 per cent. All taxes are kept under review as part of the Government’s tax policy making process.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025 on levels of business confidence in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

HMT monitors several business confidence and activity measures, none of which are available at the constituency level. According to the Lloyds Business Barometer, in June UK business confidence rose to its highest level since November 2015. HMT does not produce forecasts of the UK economy. Forecasting the economy, including the impact of Government policy decisions, is the responsibility of independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The OBR does not publish estimates of the impact of policy decisions on business confidence.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing tax relief for pensioners undertaking unpaid caregiving responsibilities.

This Government is committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement, including those who are unpaid carers. The Government has launched an independent commission, chaired by Baroness Louise Casey, to start a national conversation about what care and support working age adults, older people, and their families expect from adult social care, including exploring the needs of unpaid carers who provide vital care and support. Providing tax relief for pensioners undertaking unpaid caregiving responsibilities would not benefit those earning under the Personal Allowance, and would have a cost at a time when the Government has already had to take a number of difficult but necessary decisions on tax, welfare, and spending to restore economic stability, fix the public finances, and support public services.