Written questions by Begum.

What estimate she has made as to the number of people who (a) receive Personal Independence Payment and (b) will no longer be eligible for the award as a result of the introduction of the four point requirement on a single descriptor on the daily living activities assessment criteria who are living in (i) absolute and (ii) relative poverty after housing costs.

Statistics on the number of individuals living in families that are in absolute and/or relative poverty and where at least one member is in receipt of Personal Independence Payment are published on Stat-Xplore ( https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/) in the Households Below Average Income dataset. The latest statistics were published on 21 March 2025 and are for the financial year 2023/24. The government's impact assessment regarding Health and Disability Reform is available at Spring Statement 2025 health and disability benefit reforms - Impacts. No assessment has been made of the number of people who will no longer be eligible for a Personal Independence Payment award as a result of the introduction of the four point requirement on a single descriptor on the daily living activities assessment criteria who are living in poverty. However, the department has estimated that 250,000 families who were estimated to be in relative poverty after housing costs before the policy change will lose income as a result of this policy change in the financial year 2029/30. Estimates are rounded to the nearest 50,000 families due to uncertainties inherent in the modelling approach. Analysis is at a Great Britian level, although to ensure consistency with the Households Below Average Income methodology, the relative poverty line has been calculated at a UK level. Changes to PIP have been modelled on an England and Wales basis given it is a devolved benefit. The analysis does not model any labour market impacts of this reform. We are consulting on how best to support those who are no longer eligible for PIP and linked entitlements, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the two child benefit limit on (a) the levels of child poverty since July 2024 and (b) the projected levels of child poverty in each year until 2029-30.

No assessment has been made using current methodological practices on this basis. However, the department has previously produced a poverty impact assessment using OBR Spring Statement 2025 Round 2 economic assumptions on an outdated version of the DWP Policy Simulation Model. Using this methodology, the department has estimated the poverty impact removing the two-child benefit limit. Removing the two-child benefit limit has been estimated to decrease the number of children in relative poverty after housing costs by 300,000 (2.2%) in 2025/26, 300,000 (2.3%) in 2026/27, 300,000 (2.3%) in 2027/28, 350,000 (2.6%) in 2028/29, and 350,000 (2.6%) in 2029/30. Estimates have been rounded to the nearest 50,000 and are on a UK basis. The poverty impacts are independent of the underlying trends in poverty so they are not an estimate of the total change in poverty over time. The model used to produce this estimate is a pre-Spring Statement model and will be updated with the policies announced at the Spring Statement in due course. Delivering our manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty is an urgent priority for this Government, and we will bring forward the Child Poverty Strategy as soon as we are able.The Strategy will look at all available levers across four key themes of increasing incomes, including considering social security reforms, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience; and better local support especially in the early years. This will build on the reform plans underway across Government and work underway in Devolved Governments.

Pursuant of the Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 42958 on Pathways to Work and her Department's Green Paper entitled Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working published on 18 March 2025, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of that Green Paper on the number of (a) children and (b) adults in relative poverty in each region in the 2029-30 financial year.

No assessment has been made on this basis. The government's impact assessment regarding Health and Disability Reform is available at Spring Statement 2025 health and disability benefit reforms – Impacts. Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

Pursuant of the Answer of 7 March 2025 to Question 42058 on Poverty: Children, whether her Department plans to make an assessment of the potential impact of the measures in the Green Paper: Pathways to Work, published on 18 March 2025 on (a) the number of children in relative poverty and (b) the societal health inequalities of children.

The government's impact assessment regarding Health and Disability Reform is available at Spring Statement 2025 health and disability benefit reforms – Impacts. Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

What estimate she has made as to the number of people in receipt of Personal Independence Payments who are in (a) full time and (b) part time work.

No estimate has been made. The information requested on (a) full time and (b) part time work is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. The June 2024 Green Paper Modernising support for independent living: the health and disability green paper - GOV.UK included an estimate that around 16% of PIP claimants are in work.

What estimate she has made of the number of people receiving Personal Independence Payment and no longer eligible due to the introduction of the four point requirement on a single descriptor on the daily living activities assessment criteria in (a) full time and (b) part time work.

No estimate has been made. The information requested on (a) full time and (b) part time work is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. The June 2024 Green Paper Modernising support for independent living: the health and disability green paper - GOV.UK included an estimate that around 16% of PIP claimants are in work.

What criteria will be used to determine suspicious bank account activity that would result in the Department requiring access to the individuals bank account under the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill.

DWP’s information gathering powers may be used where there is a reasonable suspicion of fraud. In such cases the Department can issue an information notice, where necessary and proportionate, to any information holders who DWP believe hold relevant information, including banks. When gathered, this information can be used to either prove or disprove the allegation of fraud.This is distinct from the new Eligibility Verification measure contained within the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill, where banks and financial institutions will be required to share limited data with DWP on benefit-receiving account holders and accounts relating to specified benefits, where it suggests someone may be receiving an incorrect payment. For example, where a person is in receipt of Universal Credit and has savings over £16,000. This is done without any presumption of fraud.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has had discussions with mortgage-lenders on ensuring that existing leaseholders with (a) unregulated and (b) uncapped ground rents are able to secure buyers for their properties.

The government remains firmly committed to its manifesto commitment to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents, and we will deliver this in legislation.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that existing leaseholders with (a) unregulated and (b) uncapped ground rents are able to secure buyers for their properties.

The government remains firmly committed to its manifesto commitment to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents, and we will deliver this in legislation.

If she will take steps to help ensure that UK Border Force eGates are configured to permit entry to holders of Irish passport cards travelling from outside the Common Travel Area.

Irish nationals can travel to the UK on either an Irish passport or associated passport card. In line with other identity cards, Irish passport cards cannot be used at eGates and there are no plans to change this.If an Irish national wishes to use their passport card to enter the UK from outside the Common Travel Area, they are required to present it to a Border Force officer.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Code of Practice in the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill in protecting the (a) rights and (b) privacy of (i) vulnerable people and (ii) people living in poverty.

As outlined in the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill, DWP will publish three Codes of Practice to sit alongside its Information Gathering, Debt Recovery and Eligibility Verification measures. These are in development and we are already engaging with key stakeholders on the principles of the Codes. There will be public consultations to provide an opportunity for all interested parties to review and respond. It is important to note these Codes of Practice are not legislation and so will not contain statutory provision themselves. They offer guidance and guidelines on how the Bill’s measures will be operationalised and detail the Bill’s practical application including the application of safeguards included in the Bill itself. The Department is confident the Bill’s powers are compliant with the government’s duties under the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR), including the right to private life under Article 8. The measures are justified, lawful and proportionate and the Departments’ detailed analysis on ECHR is set out in the published ECHR Memorandum, available here. The Impact Assessment which accompanies this Bill can be found here. The Bill includes safeguards to provide assurance the new powers are used proportionately and effectively, and in a way that protects vulnerable people and people living in poverty. More information can be found here: Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill 2025: factsheets - GOV.UK

Pursuant to the Answers of 20 December 2024 to Questions 19855 and 19857 on Climate Change: Demonstrations and to Questions 19852 and 19853 on Arms Trade: Israel, Question, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the implementation of the (a) Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2023 and (b) Public Order Act 2023.

The right to peacefully protest is a fundamental part of our democratic society.We have committed to holding expedited post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 beginning in May 2025. This process will review how the legislation has operated since it came into force. We will carefully consider the outputs of this review.The full Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 will also be subject to post-legislative scrutiny between April 2025 and April 2027. This will include a review of sections 73, 74 and 79, as well as the other public order measures in the Act.

Pursuant to the Answers of 20 December 2024 to Questions 19855 and 19857 on Climate Change: Demonstrations and to Questions 19852 and 19853 on Arms Trade: Israel, Question, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of (a) the policing of protests and (b) trends in the number of (a) arrests and (b) convictions for protest related activities.

The right to peacefully protest is a fundamental part of our democratic society.We have committed to holding expedited post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 beginning in May 2025. This process will review how the legislation has operated since it came into force. We will carefully consider the outputs of this review.The full Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 will also be subject to post-legislative scrutiny between April 2025 and April 2027. This will include a review of sections 73, 74 and 79, as well as the other public order measures in the Act.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 December 2024 to Question 20272 on Social Security Benefits, whether she plans to conduct a statutory public inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 into (a) deaths and (b) serious harm linked to the social security system.

The department is fully supportive of the Work and Pensions Select Committee’s ‘safeguarding vulnerable claimants’ inquiry, which is examining how the department supports vulnerable benefit claimants and whether its approach to safeguarding needs to change. I look forward to reading the Committee’s report and recommendations when this inquiry concludes.We are reviewing the approach we take as a department to safeguard our most vulnerable customers – we are working to introduce and publish a DWP ‘safeguarding approach’. This will tell customers what support is available, how they access it and the level of service they can expect.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 19048 on Gaza: Israel Defense Forces, whether any products made by Elbit Systems exported before 2 September 2024 were used by Israel Defence Forces in operations in Gaza.

Following the suspension of export licences announced on 2 September, there are currently no extant export licences for items that we assess might be for use by the Israel Defense Forces in military operations in the Gaza conflict (except for F-35 components, which have been excluded from the ambit of the suspension). We continue to keep export licences for Israel under continual and careful review.Licences where there is no clear risk the items could be used in military operations in the conflict remain extant. These cover items such as body armour for NGOs, journalists, components for trainer aircraft, items for re-export to third countries, or non-military controlled items such as technology for commercial aircraft, chemical manufacturing equipment, commercial satellite, and spacecraft components.

Pursuant to the Answers of 20 December 2024 to Questions 19855 and 19857 on Climate Change: Demonstrations and to Questions 19852 and 19853 on Arms Trade: Israel, Question, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the (a) Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2023 and (b) Public Order Act 2023 on (i) the policing of protests and (ii) (A) arrests and (B) convictions for protest related activities.

The right to peacefully protest is a fundamental part of our democratic society.We have committed to holding expedited post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 beginning in May 2025. This process will review how the legislation has operated since it came into force. We will carefully consider the outputs of this review.The full Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 will also be subject to post-legislative scrutiny between April 2025 and April 2027. This will include a review of sections 73, 74 and 79, as well as the other public order measures in the Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether she has any plans to abolish the Shared Accommodation Rate as part of the Government’s Universal Credit review.

Individual policies cannot be considered in isolation and there are currently no plans to abolish the Shared Accommodation Rate (SAR), which is the rate of housing support for individuals under 35 living in the private sector. Government will prioritise the best way to achieve its mission goals within the current challenging fiscal situation at the appropriate fiscal event.The Government’s housing strategy will set out a long-term vision for a housing market that works for communities and builds 1.5m high-quality homes, including the biggest increase in affordable housing for a generation. We continue to work across-Government to support the development of the strategy and through the Inter-Ministerial Group on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping.Meanwhile the Department is committed to reviewing Universal Credit to make sure it is doing the job we want it to, to make work pay and tackle poverty. Parliament will be updated on progress and future changes accordingly.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to implement recommendation 58 of the report by the Law Commission entitled Home ownership: exercising the right to manage, published on 21 July 2020.

The government is committed to enacting remaining Law Commission recommendations relating to the Right to Manage.On 10 February, we laid regulations in Parliament to implement the reforms contained in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 concerning the Right to Manage and these will come into force on Monday 3 March.The changes will increase the non-residential limit on Right to Manage claims and remove the requirement for leaseholders to pay the freeholders’ process costs.Amending the threshold for premises excluded from the Right to Manage will allow more leaseholders in mixed-used buildings to take control of their buildings and bear down on poor service and spiralling costs. Ensuring that going forward both parties to a claim bear their own costs will save leaseholders money and reduce the incentive for freeholders to inflate costs and stifle the process.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to increase the security of tenure of houseboat dwellers.

The government recognises that while the occupants of residential boats have the benefit of protection under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 and wider consumer protection legislation, they do not enjoy the same level of tenure security as those in the private rented sector.We will consider what action might be necessary to provide houseboat residents across with greater security in their homes.

Communities and Local Government, when she plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Poplar and Limehouse dated 29 August 2024, reference number MC2024/19996, on support for a public inquiry into the New Providence Wharf fire.

The Department provided a response on 6 January 2025.