Written questions by Kruger.

Representing the Church Commissioners, how much (a) the Church Commissioners distributed to and (b) was certificated by the Archbishops’ Council under section 2(6) of the National Institutions Measure 1998 in each year since 1998; and how much was granted by the Church Commissioners pursuant to section 1 of the Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 2018 to the Archbishops’ Council in each year since 2018.

Section 1 of the Miscellaneous Provisions Measure 2018 (“the 2018 power”) came into force on 1 March 2019 and has only been used for grants made since the start of 2020. Between the Archbishops' Council’s inception at the start of 1999 and the end of 2019 all grants from the Commissioners to the Council were made under section 2(1) of the National Institutions Measure 1998 (“the 1998 power”).Since the start of 2020 some grant streams clearly fit under the 1998 power (e.g. Lowest Income Communities Funding) and others have been made using the 2018 power (e.g. support for the Parish Giving Scheme and the energy cost support provided to parishes through dioceses in 2022).Other grant streams (e.g. the Diocesan Investment Programme) fall within the broader provisions of the 2018 power, but some or all aspects of individual grants may also fall within the 1998 power. It has not been possible to ascertain which proportion of each such grant falls within the scope of the 1998 power. The table below states the total of grants that were entirely within the scope of the 1998 power (which would also have been possible under the much broader 2018 power), those made under the 2018 power only, and those which were partially covered by the 1998 Measure and entirely covered by the 2018 Measure (which are not mutually exclusive). Church Commissioners’ grants to Archbishops' Council2020202120222023 £m£m£m£m1998 Measure49.643.537.933.52018 Measure17.220.138.338.0Partially covered under 1998 Measure Entirely covered by 2018 Measure (not mutually exclusive)28.025.752.081.4Total94.889.3128.2152.9 Source: Church Commissioners annual report and accounts exclusive of discount applied to multi-year grants. The Archbishops’ Council provide the Commissioners with an annual certificate under section 2(6) of the National Institutions Measure 1998. There are some differences between the amounts in the annual certificate and the amounts in the Commissioners’ accounts due to differing rounding, accounting policies and the discount factors applied to multiyear grants.

What the terms of reference will be for her Department's review of universal credit.

The Department is committed to reviewing Universal Credit to make sure it is doing the job we want it to and meeting our objectives of making work pay and tackling poverty. We have already begun this work with the introduction of the new fair repayment rate announced in the Budget. We will continue to work closely with stakeholders as the review progresses to seek views on proposed areas of focus and untapped opportunities in UC. Parliament will be updated on progress and future changes accordingly.

Whether her Department (a) made and (b) has since made an assessment of the potential impact of Autumn Budget 2024 on trends in the level of income inequality.

HM Treasury have published distributional analysis showing the estimated impact of tax, welfare and public service spending decisions on household incomes, across the household income distribution. This can be found here Impact_on_households.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

What her planned timetable is for responding to her Department's closed consultation entitled Modernising support for independent living: the health and disability green paper, published on 29 April 2024.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 October 2024 to question number 6515. The answer can be found here: Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament.

Whether she plans to publish a consultation on fit note reform.

The call for evidence was launched under the previous government to seek views on how the current fit note process works and the support required to facilitate meaningful work and health conversations. It closed on the 8 July 2024 and received around 1,900 responses. We are still in the process of thoroughly analysing the responses received. These responses will play a crucial role in shaping our ongoing policy development.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of issuing a commencement order for curfews for non-compliant parents refusing to pay child maintenance.

The Child Maintenance Service already has a suite of strong enforcement powers at its disposal. These include using Enforcement Agents (previously known as bailiffs) to take control of goods, forcing the sale of property, removal of driving licence or UK passport, deductions directly from earnings and bank accounts or even commitment to prison. The Department has explored how curfews could be implemented as an additional enforcement measure to improve compliance. Several enforcement initiatives aimed at improving compliance are currently in train. These initiatives need to be implemented and their effects assessed before we can best see how curfews might fit with them. The Department plans to enhance effectiveness in collecting arrears payments by delivering changes via regulations, thereby streamlining the enforcement process. This will remove the requirement to obtain a court issued liability order and instead allow the Secretary of State to issue an administrative liability order. The introduction of this simpler administrative process will enable the CMS to take faster action against those Paying Parents who actively avoid their responsibilities.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Autumn Budget 2024 on trends in the level of household income.

UK living standards, as measured by Real Household Disposable Income (RHDI) per capita, have not grown at the pace many would have hoped for over recent years. If RHDI per capita had grown at the same rate between 2010 and 2023 as it did between 1997 and 2010, people’s incomes would have been over £4,000 higher in 2023. The 2019-2024 parliament was the worst for living standards growth since ONS records began in the 1950s, with average annual growth of just 0.2%. In their October 2024 Economic and Fiscal Outlook, the OBR forecast living standards to grow by an annual average of 0.5% over this parliament. This is more than double the pace of living standards growth observed in the 2019-2024 parliament. GDP per capita, an alternative measure of living standards that captures higher spending on public services, is set to grow even faster, at an annual average of 1.1% over this parliament. This compares to a 0.1% annual average decline in GDP per capita over the 2019-2024 parliament. Through the growth mission, the government is restoring stability, increasing investment, and reforming the economy to drive up prosperity and living standards across the UK.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the number of people claiming (a) Universal Credit and (b) other benefits.

The Employment Rights Bill Impact Assessments show that by boosting protections and the quality of work for the lowest paid in the labour market, who are concentrated in more deprived areas of the UK, the package will help to raise living standards across the country and create opportunities for all. We believe the risk to employment prospects for these groups is small, with the benefits the Bill delivers to them being greater.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Autumn Budget 2024 on trends in the number of people living in poverty.

We are committed to tackling poverty. We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty so this will be the foundation of our approach. Backed by £240m investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched on 26 November will target and tackle economic inactivity and unemployment and join up employment, health, and skills support to meet the needs of local communities. We are taking the first steps to tackle poverty through our commitments to triple investment in breakfast clubs to over £30 million, introduce a Fair Repayment Rate for deductions from Universal Credit, and increase the National Living Wage to £12.21 an hour from April 2025 to boost the pay of 3 million workers. Alongside this, we are committed to reviewing Universal Credit and we will set out the details in due course. HM Treasury have published distributional analysis showing the estimated impact of tax, welfare and public service spending decisions on household incomes, across the household income distribution. This can be found here Impact_on_households.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Autumn Budget 2024 on the number of people living in poverty by household type.

We are committed to tackling poverty. We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty so this will be the foundation of our approach. Backed by £240m investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched on 26 November will target and tackle economic inactivity and unemployment and join up employment, health, and skills support to meet the needs of local communities. We are taking the first steps to tackle poverty through our commitments to triple investment in breakfast clubs to over £30 million, introduce a Fair Repayment Rate for deductions from Universal Credit, and increase the National Living Wage to £12.21 an hour from April 2025 to boost the pay of 3 million workers. Alongside this, we are committed to reviewing Universal Credit and we will set out the details in due course. HM Treasury have published distributional analysis showing the estimated impact of tax, welfare and public service spending decisions on household incomes, across the household income distribution. This can be found here Impact_on_households.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

What her planned timetable is for responding to her Department's consultation entitled Child Maintenance: Improving the collection and transfer of payments, published on 8 May 2024.

A consultation on proposed reforms to the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) was published by the previous Government on 8 May 2024. These proposed reforms included removing Direct Pay and managing all CMS cases in one service to allow the CMS to tackle non-compliance faster, as well as exploring how victims and survivors of domestic abuse can be better supported. This consultation followed the Child Support Collection (Domestic Abuse) Act which received royal assent in July 2023. The consultation was extended by this Government at the end of July and ran until 30 September 2024. We are analysing the responses we have received, and the Government will publish a response in due course.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Household Support Fund.

The Department for Work and Pensions is currently conducting an evaluation of the Household Support Fund that ran from April 2023 to March 2024, to understand the benefits of the awards made across England during this period. This will be published in due course. Management information on the Household Support Fund from April 2023 to March 2024, including details of how funding was spent is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/household-support-fund-4-management-information-for-1-april-2023-to-31-march-2024

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on Hezbollah’s non-compliance with UN Resolution 1701.

The announcement of a ceasefire agreement to end hostilities between Israel and Lebanese Hizballah offers hope. The UK was the first G7 country to call for an immediate ceasefire in September and we have worked relentlessly since, with our allies and partners, to apply pressure to end this conflict. We strongly urge all parties to use this agreement to open a pathway to a lasting peace. A long-term political settlement, consistent with UN Security Council resolution 1701, is the only way to restore security and stability for the Lebanese and Israeli people. The UK will continue to support the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon's (UNIFIL) essential role in maintaining peace along the Blue Line and the Lebanese Armed Forces, as the only legitimate military force in Lebanon.The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have spoken to counterparts from Israel, Lebanon and the US in recent weeks. Any deliberate attack against UNIFIL contravenes International Humanitarian Law and UN Security Council Resolution 1701. UNIFIL plays an essential role in Southern Lebanon and all parties must ensure freedom of movement for UNIFIL personnel.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to tackle hare coursing.

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England and Wales only. This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. That is exactly what we will do, and we will be outlining more detail in due course. The previous Government made changes to address illegal hare coursing through a package of measures in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. This broadened the circumstances in which police can investigate and bring charges for hare coursing related activity. We plan to work with the police to ensure they can enforce the laws set out in the legislation.

Representing the Church Commissioners, what the (a) charitable object and (b) nominal current value is of each (i) trust and (ii) other fund held by the Church Commissioners; and what document defines each such charitable object.

The Church Commissioners' are a statutory body corporate and its charitable purposes are set out in a range of statutory provisions. There is no single instrument which specifies each of the purposes for which the Church Commissioners may apply their funds.The Church Commissioners' was incorporated by the Church Commissioners Measure 1947 which makes provision for the Commissioners to hold a general fund from which it discharges the expenses and obligations which fall to the Church Commissioners' in the due discharge of their functions. Consistent with usual practice in the sector the Church Commissioners' undertakes some of its investment activity through subsidiary entities.The Church Commissioners’ net asset value is calculated annually, and detailed in the charity’s annual report which is available in the library of the House of Commons, and the most recent report is available here.

Whether she plans to review the effectiveness of the National Police Air Service.

The National Police Air Service (NPAS) is a police-led collaboration governed by the NPAS National Strategic Board (NSB), which is made up of Chief Constables and PCCs representing each policing region. The NSB sets the direction for the National Police Air Service and reviews its effectiveness on behalf of the other police bodies of England and Wales.Representatives from West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) recently met with the Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention to discuss policing’s air service requirements, including both crewed and uncrewed aircraft.The Home Secretary has regular discussions with both Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, which cover a wide variety of subject areas.

Whether she has had discussions with police forces on aerial service needs.

The National Police Air Service (NPAS) is a police-led collaboration governed by the NPAS National Strategic Board (NSB), which is made up of Chief Constables and PCCs representing each policing region. The NSB sets the direction for the National Police Air Service and reviews its effectiveness on behalf of the other police bodies of England and Wales.Representatives from West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) recently met with the Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention to discuss policing’s air service requirements, including both crewed and uncrewed aircraft.The Home Secretary has regular discussions with both Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, which cover a wide variety of subject areas.

Whether she has had discussions with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) relevant stakeholders on levels of police grants in the context of procuring new aircraft for the National Police Air Service.

The National Police Air Service (NPAS) is a police-led collaboration governed by the NPAS National Strategic Board (NSB), which is made up of Chief Constables and PCCs representing each policing region. The NSB sets the direction for the National Police Air Service and reviews its effectiveness on behalf of the other police bodies of England and Wales.Representatives from West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) recently met with the Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention to discuss policing’s air service requirements, including both crewed and uncrewed aircraft.The Home Secretary has regular discussions with both Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, which cover a wide variety of subject areas.

When he expects that the initial operating capacity of Ajax armoured fighting vehicles will be delivered.

The Armoured Fighting Vehicle AJAX Programme trials continue to progress and remain ongoing. Reliability Growth Trials (RGT) are ongoing and on schedule to complete by December 2026.Regarding the Armoured Vehicle Programme (AJAX) Initial Operating Capability, I refer the hon. Member to the answer that the Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry gave to Question 438 dated 22 July 2024, which remains extant.

What discussions he has had with the Army Board on the future of the Hydra 400 jet-propelled drone development programme.

There is not, and has never been, a dedicated Hydra 400 programme in the Army. The capability was assessed in early 2024, and the Army has no current plans to pursue it further. Work continues to develop the Army's strike capabilities. As part of this ongoing work, the Army will refine the concept for a layered approach to deliver strike capabilities at the Battlegroup, Brigade and Divisional levels.