Written questions by Snowden.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the new Electric Vehicle Excise Duty mileage charge from April 2028 on Electric Vehicle uptake.

The Government intends to create a fair motoring tax system while supporting the automotive industry and ensuring EVs remain an attractive choice for consumers. As announced at Budget 2025, the Government is introducing Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) from April 2028, a new mileage charge for electric and plug-in hybrid cars, recognising that EVs contribute to congestion and wear and tear on the roads but pay no equivalent to fuel duty. While it is fair for EV drivers to contribute for their car usage, the government is also committed to ensuring that driving an electric vehicle is an attractive choice for consumers. Therefore, the rate of eVED paid by electric vehicle drivers will be half the fuel duty rate paid by the average petrol/diesel driver, ensuring that it will still be cheaper to own and run an EV for the majority of EV drivers. The Government is also providing generous additional support to incentivise the use of electric vehicles, including £1.3 billion of additional funding for the Electric Car Grant (ECG), £200 million for chargepoint rollout, and increasing the Expensive Car Supplement (ECS) threshold to £50,000 for EVs. This support will be introduced before the tax takes effect to support continued momentum in EV take-up. The Government has set out the expected impacts from eVED and other Budget measures in the Budget 2025 Policy Costings document at GOV.UK: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/692872fd2a37784b16ecf676/Budget_2025-Policy_Costings.pdf

What replacement scheme will support energy efficiency for low-income households after ECO4 ends on 31 March 2026.

The government has committed to additional grant funding of £1.5bn which will be directed to upgrading low-income households, benefitting those in fuel poverty. This will take total Warm Homes Plan funding to around £15 billion; more details will be set out soon. The government continues to improve home energy efficiency through Warm Homes: Social Housing Decarbonisation, Warm Homes: Local Government and the ongoing Boiler Upgrade Scheme supporting thousands of households to upgrade their heating systems.

What estimate she has made of the number of households in Fylde who will be brought into paying income tax or higher tax bands as a result of extending the freeze on income tax personal allowance.

The number of people forecast to pay tax by marginal rate can be found in Table 3.19 in the OBR’s November 2025 Economic and fiscal outlook – detailed forecast tables: receipts, linked below: https://obr.uk/download/november-2025-economic-and-fiscal-outlook-detailed-forecast-tables-receipts/?tmstv=1764165511

If he will make it his policy to publish data relating to carbon offsetting for all government flights.

The Government does not have a general policy of carbon offsetting flights. Prime Ministerial flights are carbon offset where that is possible. The yearly payment to carbon offset flights using the G-GBNI aircraft is calculated at the end of each financial year based on the flights that have taken place to ensure accuracy.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of ringfencing receipts from the international student levy for funding in higher education and skills.

As set out in the Budget Document, the income raised by the Levy will be fully reinvested into higher education and skills, including to fund maintenance grants for disadvantaged students studying priority courses.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the administrative cost to local authorities of implementing the High Value Council Tax Surcharge from April 2028.

The Government has set out, in its guidance, that it will carry out a new burdens assessment to ensure local authorities are fully funded for these costs.

When she plans to provide an answer to Question 22764 on Government Securities: Public Sector Debt.

A response was provided for Question 22764 on 13 January 2025. The government does not comment on specific financial market movements.

When he plans to provide an answer to Question 89730 on Chronic Illnesses: Diagnosis.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 November 2025 to Question 89730.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 November 2025 to Question 91601 on Prime Minister: Climate Change Convention, on what basis possibility is assessed in respect of publishing offsetting data.

Prime Ministerial flights are carbon offset where that is possible. This takes into account a range of factors. GBNI flights are carbon offset at the end of the financial year. Information about official overseas travel is published as part of the Cabinet Office transparency returns and made available on the GOV.UK website, in line with the approach of successive administrations.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the recommendations of the Cunliffe Review of the water regulatory system.

The Government will respond to the recommendations in full via a White Paper, published later this year. The White Paper will outline the Government’s vision for the future of the water sector, marking the most fundamental reset to our water system in a generation. Following this there will be a new water reform bill, which we will introduce during this Parliament, bringing forward root and branch reform to secure better outcomes for customers, and the environment.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of regulations governing the use of Microgeneration Certification Scheme certification branding in subcontracted solar PV installations.

Under any DESNZ schemes, microgeneration technologies including rooftop solar must be installed by an MCS-certified installer or equivalent. The installer must use an MCS-approved product and carry out the installation to the relevant MCS installation standard. However, the Government inherited a fragmented consumer protection framework for installation of energy efficiency measures. We are currently reviewing the broader consumer protection landscape and will bring forward wider system reforms to ensure consumers can have confidence in the quality of installations and protections when upgrading their homes.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to reform water sector regulation to help tackle (a) water pollution, (b) water scarcity and (c) long-term infrastructure resilience.

The Government will respond to the recommendations in full via a White Paper, published later this year. The White Paper will outline the Government’s vision for the future of the water sector, marking the most fundamental reset to our water system in a generation. Following this there will be a new water reform bill, which we will introduce during this Parliament, bringing forward root and branch reform to secure better outcomes for customers, and the environment.

What discussions he has had with Trading Standards on the enforcement of rules pertaining to misleading use of certification logos, accreditations and compliance labels.

All products placed on the UK market must be safe and comply with relevant rules regarding certification, accreditation, or compliance. For example, for products that require UKCA marking, it is an offence to apply a mark that misleads or wrongly claims to show legal compliance.The Office for Product Safety and Standards, in my Department, and Local Authority Trading Standards have powers to enforce the rules and work together to protect consumers from unsafe or non-compliant products.In addition, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 also prohibits unfair commercial practices, including misleading consumers by falsely describing products or omitting material information.

If she will take steps to ensure that contractors have the same right to (a) settlement and (b) negotiated concession of their tax bills that are provided to large companies.

HMRC applies the law fairly and consistently in accordance with its published Litigation and Settlement Strategy (LSS). This ensures every taxpayer, no matter who they are, pays the tax due under the law.Central to the LSS is that HMRC will not settle a dispute by agreement for an amount which is less than it would reasonably expect to obtain from litigation.HMRC’s LSS can be found on gov.uk: www.gov.uk/government/publications/litigation-and-settlement-strategy-lss

What proportion of the £400 million allocated to UK Defence Innovation in 2025-26 will be available to firms outside the designated factory locations, including in the North West.

UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) will support high-tech businesses across the UK, including the North west. The ringfenced budget of £400 million for 2025-26 will focus on novel technologies, including dual-use systems. UKDI will invest in structures to support business growth and to increase investment into SMEs, start-ups, and non-traditional defence suppliers to support a diverse and agile supply chain across the UK.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 89705 on Child Benefit, how many of the 23,500 enquiries excluded from the PAYE check were found to be eligible for reinstatement after the checks were completed on 14 November 2025.

HMRC’s Chief Executive wrote to the Treasury Select Committee on 14 November 2025 about this matter including the corrective action that HMRC is taking. This letter was subsequently published by the Committee on 18 November 2025. There are no plans to publish a report.In the response to the Treasury Select Committee, HMRC provided figures for those customers subsequently confirmed as eligible through a PAYE check or customer contact up to and including 31 October 2025. This time period reflects that figures are only validated after the month end. Where there was evidence that customers had continued UK employment, HMRC reinstated payments automatically without any need for customer contact and those payments have been backdated. By the end of November 2025, HMRC will have written to all customers who have not yet contacted them to provide a further 4 weeks in which to make contact. HMRC holds information by postal address although HMRC would be unable to release to such a granular level due to the risk of breaching taxpayer confidentiality. HMRC’s pilot last year using international travel data prevented around £17m in incorrect payments. This led to a wider rollout and investment in an additional 180 counter-fraud staff, announced at the Autumn Budget 2024, which is expected to save around £350 million over the next five years.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 89705 on Child Benefit, whether HMRC plans to publish a report on a) the circumstances of the error and b) lessons learned from the review into suspended Child Benefit claims, including methodology, criteria for suspension, and the results of PAYE checks.

HMRC’s Chief Executive wrote to the Treasury Select Committee on 14 November 2025 about this matter including the corrective action that HMRC is taking. This letter was subsequently published by the Committee on 18 November 2025. There are no plans to publish a report.In the response to the Treasury Select Committee, HMRC provided figures for those customers subsequently confirmed as eligible through a PAYE check or customer contact up to and including 31 October 2025. This time period reflects that figures are only validated after the month end. Where there was evidence that customers had continued UK employment, HMRC reinstated payments automatically without any need for customer contact and those payments have been backdated. By the end of November 2025, HMRC will have written to all customers who have not yet contacted them to provide a further 4 weeks in which to make contact. HMRC holds information by postal address although HMRC would be unable to release to such a granular level due to the risk of breaching taxpayer confidentiality. HMRC’s pilot last year using international travel data prevented around £17m in incorrect payments. This led to a wider rollout and investment in an additional 180 counter-fraud staff, announced at the Autumn Budget 2024, which is expected to save around £350 million over the next five years.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 89703 on Child Benefit, if she can advise what is the most localised level for which data is available.

HMRC’s Chief Executive wrote to the Treasury Select Committee on 14 November 2025 about this matter including the corrective action that HMRC is taking. This letter was subsequently published by the Committee on 18 November 2025. There are no plans to publish a report.In the response to the Treasury Select Committee, HMRC provided figures for those customers subsequently confirmed as eligible through a PAYE check or customer contact up to and including 31 October 2025. This time period reflects that figures are only validated after the month end. Where there was evidence that customers had continued UK employment, HMRC reinstated payments automatically without any need for customer contact and those payments have been backdated. By the end of November 2025, HMRC will have written to all customers who have not yet contacted them to provide a further 4 weeks in which to make contact. HMRC holds information by postal address although HMRC would be unable to release to such a granular level due to the risk of breaching taxpayer confidentiality. HMRC’s pilot last year using international travel data prevented around £17m in incorrect payments. This led to a wider rollout and investment in an additional 180 counter-fraud staff, announced at the Autumn Budget 2024, which is expected to save around £350 million over the next five years.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 89705 on Child Benefit, what steps HMRC will take to ensure that customers affected by the suspension of Child Benefit payments are formally notified of the apology issued and compensated for any financial hardship caused.

HMRC’s Chief Executive wrote to the Treasury Select Committee on 14 November 2025 about this matter including the corrective action that HMRC is taking. This letter was subsequently published by the Committee on 18 November 2025. There are no plans to publish a report.In the response to the Treasury Select Committee, HMRC provided figures for those customers subsequently confirmed as eligible through a PAYE check or customer contact up to and including 31 October 2025. This time period reflects that figures are only validated after the month end. Where there was evidence that customers had continued UK employment, HMRC reinstated payments automatically without any need for customer contact and those payments have been backdated. By the end of November 2025, HMRC will have written to all customers who have not yet contacted them to provide a further 4 weeks in which to make contact. HMRC holds information by postal address although HMRC would be unable to release to such a granular level due to the risk of breaching taxpayer confidentiality. HMRC’s pilot last year using international travel data prevented around £17m in incorrect payments. This led to a wider rollout and investment in an additional 180 counter-fraud staff, announced at the Autumn Budget 2024, which is expected to save around £350 million over the next five years.

What guidance her Department provides to local authorities on support for schools in cases of (a) snow and (b) other extreme weather.

It is for individual settings and responsible bodies to decide on closures based on their own risk assessment. Closures should be a last resort, and the priority is to keep settings open where it is safe to do so.The department’s emergency planning guidance outlines how schools should provide remote education when schools are closed due to snow and other forms of extreme weather, such as extreme heat, flooding and storms. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/emergency-planning-and-response-for-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings/emergency-planning-and-response-for-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings#exam-and-assessment-disruption.We have also issued non-statutory guidance on providing remote education guidance for schools, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/providing-remote-education-guidance-for-schools/providing-remote-education-guidance-for-schools. Both sets of guidance are available online for local authorities to use.All schools and colleges must also have contingency plans to ensure exams and assessments proceed during disruption. Detailed guidance on managing exam or assessment disruption can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/exam-system-contingency-plan-england-wales-and-northern-ireland/what-schools-and-colleges-should-do-if-exams-or-other-assessments-are-seriously-disrupted.