26 Jun 2025·Department of Health and Social Care·Answered
AskedHow many sickle cell patients (a) with and (b) without the Ro subtype were unable to receive a matching transfusion due to low supplies in the last 12 months.
ReplyNHS Blood and Transplant is responsible for collection of blood donations and supply of blood and blood products to hospitals to meet patient need in England.Data is not held centrally on the purpose for which each blood product is requested and supplied.
26 Jun 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, whether her Department has commissioned research into the potential impact of universal basic income on (a) homelessness rates and (b) housing security.
ReplyThe government has not commissioned research into the potential impact of universal basic income on homelessness rates and housing security. A universal basic income is not government policy.
26 Jun 2025·Treasury·Answered
AskedWhat discussions she has had with her Welsh counterpart on the universal basic income pilot scheme in that country.
ReplyThe Chancellor regularly meets with the Welsh First Minister. During their last engagement, the issue of universal basic income was not discussed.
26 Jun 2025·Department for Education·Answered
AskedPursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2025 to question 57351 on Students: Loans; what assessment her Department has made on the reason for the gender difference in the number of borrowers whose loans have increased despite making regular payments.
ReplyThe previous government considered gender differences in lifetime repayments, including detail on changes to average lifetime repayments, when introducing Plan 5. The full equality impact assessment was produced and published in February 2022 and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reform-equality-impact-assessment.Student loans are not like commercial loans and carry significant protections for borrowers. Borrowers will be liable to repay after leaving study only when earning over the relevant student loan repayment threshold.The system is designed to ensure that those who benefit financially from higher education contribute towards the cost of it. This is why repayments are linked to income and not the loan balance, with regular repayments increasing with borrower income. Those earning below the student loan repayment threshold repay nothing.Crucially, at the end of the loan term, any outstanding loan balance, including interest built up, is written off after the loan term ends, or in case of death or disability, at no detriment to the borrower. This subsidy is a conscious investment in the skills capacity, people and economy of this country.
24 Jun 2025·Treasury·Answered
AskedWhether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of international trials of universal basic income.
ReplyHM Treasury does not prepare forecasts for the UK economy. These forecasts, including any assessment of the macroeconomic impact of policy decisions, are the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The OBR publish their forecast in their Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO). The OBR’s latest EFO can be found here: Economic and fiscal outlook – March 2025 - Office for Budget Responsibility. This includes the OBR’s assessment of government policy announced at Spring Statement 2025. Universal Basic Income is not a government policy and therefore no assessment has been made of its economic or distributional impacts.
24 Jun 2025·Treasury·Answered
AskedWhat assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of universal basic income on (a) income distribution and (b) wealth inequality.
ReplyHM Treasury does not prepare forecasts for the UK economy. These forecasts, including any assessment of the macroeconomic impact of policy decisions, are the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The OBR publish their forecast in their Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO). The OBR’s latest EFO can be found here: Economic and fiscal outlook – March 2025 - Office for Budget Responsibility. This includes the OBR’s assessment of government policy announced at Spring Statement 2025. Universal Basic Income is not a government policy and therefore no assessment has been made of its economic or distributional impacts.
24 Jun 2025·Treasury·Answered
AskedWhether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of universal basic income on (a) GDP growth and (b) economic activity.
ReplyHM Treasury does not prepare forecasts for the UK economy. These forecasts, including any assessment of the macroeconomic impact of policy decisions, are the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The OBR publish their forecast in their Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO). The OBR’s latest EFO can be found here: Economic and fiscal outlook – March 2025 - Office for Budget Responsibility. This includes the OBR’s assessment of government policy announced at Spring Statement 2025. Universal Basic Income is not a government policy and therefore no assessment has been made of its economic or distributional impacts.
24 Jun 2025·Treasury·Answered
AskedWhat assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of universal basic income on (a) consumer spending and (b) local economic growth.
ReplyHM Treasury does not prepare forecasts for the UK economy. These forecasts, including any assessment of the macroeconomic impact of policy decisions, are the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The OBR publish their forecast in their Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO). The OBR’s latest EFO can be found here: Economic and fiscal outlook – March 2025 - Office for Budget Responsibility. This includes the OBR’s assessment of government policy announced at Spring Statement 2025. Universal Basic Income is not a government policy and therefore no assessment has been made of its economic or distributional impacts.
24 Jun 2025·Treasury·Answered
AskedWhat assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of implementing a universal basic income on inflation.
ReplyHM Treasury does not prepare forecasts for the UK economy. These forecasts, including any assessment of the macroeconomic impact of policy decisions, are the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The OBR publish their forecast in their Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO). The OBR’s latest EFO can be found here: Economic and fiscal outlook – March 2025 - Office for Budget Responsibility. This includes the OBR’s assessment of government policy announced at Spring Statement 2025. Universal Basic Income is not a government policy and therefore no assessment has been made of its economic or distributional impacts.
24 Jun 2025·Department for Work and Pensions·Answered
AskedWhat steps she is taking to (a) review and (b) incorporate international best practices from Universal Basic Income trials into domestic policy considerations.
ReplyUniversal Basic Income is not being considered as an alternative social security system by the Department for Work and Pensions.
24 Jun 2025·Department for Work and Pensions·Answered
AskedWhether she has had discussions with her international counterparts in countries that have trialled Universal Basic Income on (a) their experiences and (b) key challenges.
ReplyUniversal Basic Income is not being considered as an alternative social security system by the Department for Work and Pensions.
24 Jun 2025·Department for Work and Pensions·Answered
AskedWhat assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Universal Basic Income on (a) job-seeking behaviour and (b) participation in the gig economy.
ReplyUniversal Basic Income is not being considered as an alternative social security system by the Department for Work and Pensions.
24 Jun 2025·Department for Work and Pensions·Answered
AskedWhat estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of Universal Basic Income on (a) absolute and (b) relative poverty in the UK.
ReplyUniversal Basic Income is not being considered as an alternative social security system by the Department for Work and Pensions.
24 Jun 2025·Department for Work and Pensions·Answered
AskedWhat comparative assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of (a) Universal Basic Income and (b) existing social security benefits in reducing poverty.
ReplyUniversal Basic Income is not being considered as an alternative social security system by the Department for Work and Pensions.
24 Jun 2025·Department for Work and Pensions·Answered
AskedWhether her Department has undertaken research into the potential impact of implementing a universal basic income on (a) employment rates and (b) workforce participation.
ReplyUniversal Basic Income is not being considered as an alternative social security system by the Department for Work and Pensions.
24 Jun 2025·Department for Work and Pensions·Answered
AskedWhat assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for her policies of the outcomes of national trials of Universal Basic Income conducted in the UK.
ReplyUniversal Basic Income is not being considered as an alternative social security system by the Department for Work and Pensions.
19 Jun 2025·Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs·Answered
AskedFood and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to increase awareness of the potential impact of air pollution from domestic wood burning on public health.
ReplyFollowing the publication of the Air Quality Information System (AQIS) review in March, we are working to increase awareness about air pollution and make air quality part of everyday conversations.
19 Jun 2025·Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office·Answered
AskedCommonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to promote the protection of minority rights in India.
ReplyThe UK Government takes all allegations of human rights violations very seriously. We have a broad, deep and respectful partnership with the Government of India. This includes sharing perspectives on human rights and minority issues and finding common ground. Our High Commission in New Delhi and our network across India monitor human rights across the country. We engage Indian stakeholders on a range of human rights matters, working with Union and State Governments, and with civil society. This includes raising issues of concern where we have them.
19 Jun 2025·Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office·Answered
AskedCommonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of alleged misinformation from India on diaspora communities in the UK.
ReplyIndia and the UK have a broad and deep relationship. The unique Living Bridge, including a 1.9 million-strong Indian diaspora in the UK, connects our countries and people across culture, education, food, sport and more. The UK Government is committed to media freedom. An independent and responsible media is an essential feature of robust democracies. We are conscious that mis/disinformation overseas can be picked up by diaspora communities in the UK. This is one reason we support independent media reporting and engage with legitimate concerns in the UK and globally around the ramifications of online hate speech and polarisation. These are issues that we work alongside partners, including India, to address.
19 Jun 2025·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
AskedWhat steps his Department has taken to track the final destination of military equipment transiting through UK airports.
ReplyResponsibility for the enforcement of UK export controls on military and dual use and sanctioned goods rests with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). HMRC works closely with Border Force, other government departments and international partners to assist in identifying high-risk movements, conduct customs checks, and where necessary, seize goods at the port.Military exports transiting the UK do not require a licence if they comply with certain handling conditions, do not include specific goods and are not for specific destinations, as set out in Article 17 of the Export Control Order 2008.