Written questions by Morello.

What assessment she has made of the impact of rural cost of living pressures on people in West Dorset.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment her Department has made of the impact of rurality on the cost of delivering services in rural areas.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the impact of inflation on food costs in West Dorset.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she is taking to help lower the cost of living in West Dorset.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment her Department has made of changes in the level of insurance costs for thatched properties in West Dorset constituency in the last five years.

The government has not made a specific assessment regarding the availability of home insurance for thatched buildings. Insurers make commercial decisions about pricing and the terms of cover they offer based on their assessment of the relevant risks. The UK’s home insurance market is competitive, with many providers offering a variety of insurance products. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the independent regulator of financial services, has a statutory objective to promote competition in the interests of consumers. The government would always recommend that consumers shop around to find the most suitable cover at the best price. For more specialised risks, such as thatched roofing, it may be helpful for consumers to consult an insurance broker, who will be able to help search the market for specialist providers.

Whether her Department is taking steps to support owners of thatched homes facing increased insurance premiums in West Dorset constituency.

The government has not made a specific assessment regarding the availability of home insurance for thatched buildings. Insurers make commercial decisions about pricing and the terms of cover they offer based on their assessment of the relevant risks. The UK’s home insurance market is competitive, with many providers offering a variety of insurance products. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the independent regulator of financial services, has a statutory objective to promote competition in the interests of consumers. The government would always recommend that consumers shop around to find the most suitable cover at the best price. For more specialised risks, such as thatched roofing, it may be helpful for consumers to consult an insurance broker, who will be able to help search the market for specialist providers.

Whether she has held discussions with relevant stakeholders on insurance premium increases for thatched properties.

The government has not made a specific assessment regarding the availability of home insurance for thatched buildings. Insurers make commercial decisions about pricing and the terms of cover they offer based on their assessment of the relevant risks. The UK’s home insurance market is competitive, with many providers offering a variety of insurance products. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the independent regulator of financial services, has a statutory objective to promote competition in the interests of consumers. The government would always recommend that consumers shop around to find the most suitable cover at the best price. For more specialised risks, such as thatched roofing, it may be helpful for consumers to consult an insurance broker, who will be able to help search the market for specialist providers.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Valuation Office Agency delays on people in West Dorset constituency.

I refer the Member to the answer given to Question UIN 126456 on 20 April 2026.

What steps her Department is taking to improve Valuation Office Agency service delivery in West Dorset.

The Valuation Office is improving performance in a number of ways, including moving people onto areas of high customer demand, continued investment in IT improvements and piloting using new technology to streamline ways of working. Performance is improving month-on-month and integration with HMRC offers further opportunities to improve how it delivers its services and accelerates modernisation. It is working as quickly as possible to clear cases and continues to prioritise older cases and cases where customers are experiencing financial hardship.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Valuation Office Agency delays on residents in West Dorset.

The Valuation Office is improving performance in a number of ways, including moving people onto areas of high customer demand, continued investment in IT improvements and piloting using new technology to streamline ways of working. Performance is improving month-on-month and integration with HMRC offers further opportunities to improve how it delivers its services and accelerates modernisation. It is working as quickly as possible to clear cases and continues to prioritise older cases and cases where customers are experiencing financial hardship.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce processing times within the Valuation Office Agency.

The Valuation Office is improving performance in a number of ways, including moving people onto areas of high customer demand, continued investment in IT improvements and piloting using new technology to streamline ways of working. Performance is improving month-on-month and integration with HMRC offers further opportunities to improve how it delivers its services and accelerates modernisation. It is working as quickly as possible to clear cases and continues to prioritise older cases and cases where customers are experiencing financial hardship.

What steps her Department is taking to enable disabled young people to access funds held in Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs when they turn 18.

Disability refers to a range of conditions, many of which do not prevent holders of Child Trust Funds and JISAs accessing them in the usual way. Where parents and carers need to engage with provisions under the Mental Capacity Act to manage the finances of a child, the Ministry of Justice has provided a guide, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-how-to-guide-to-help-families-access-trust-funds-of-disabled-young-adults

What steps her Department is taking to simplify the process for families seeking access to Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs for disabled young people.

Disability refers to a range of conditions, many of which do not prevent holders of Child Trust Funds and JISAs accessing them in the usual way. Where parents and carers need to engage with provisions under the Mental Capacity Act to manage the finances of a child, the Ministry of Justice has provided a guide, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-how-to-guide-to-help-families-access-trust-funds-of-disabled-young-adults

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the costs associated with legal processes required to access Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs for disabled young people.

Disability refers to a range of conditions, many of which do not prevent holders of Child Trust Funds and JISAs accessing them in the usual way. Where parents and carers need to engage with provisions under the Mental Capacity Act to manage the finances of a child, the Ministry of Justice has provided a guide, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-how-to-guide-to-help-families-access-trust-funds-of-disabled-young-adults

Whether her Department plans to review the apprenticeship levy threshold in light of changes that increase costs for small levy-paying employers.

The Apprenticeship Levy was introduced in 2017 and is only paid by large employers with a total annual pay bill of over £3 million.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of unpaid HMRC liabilities following corporate insolvency on the economy.

No specific analytical assessment has been made of the potential impact of unpaid HMRC liabilities following corporate insolvency on the economy.

Whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on the potential merits of expanding eligibility for the Rural Fuel Duty Relief Scheme to rural constituencies such as West Dorset constituency.

The Rural Fuel Duty Relief Scheme has provided a 5p reduction to motorists buying fuel in certain areas since its introduction in 2012. The areas included in the scheme demonstrate certain characteristics such as: pump prices much higher than the UK average; remoteness leading to high fuel transport costs from refinery to filling station, and; relatively low sales meaning that retailers cannot benefit from bulk discounts.The Chancellor holds regular discussions with her Ministerial colleagues about a broad range of matters. The Government has no plans to amend the list of locations eligible for Rural Fuel Duty Relief.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending the Rural Fuel Duty Relief Scheme to West Dorset constituency.

The Rural Fuel Duty Relief Scheme has provided a 5p reduction to motorists buying fuel in certain areas since its introduction in 2012. The areas included in the scheme demonstrate certain characteristics such as: pump prices much higher than the UK average; remoteness leading to high fuel transport costs from refinery to filling station, and; relatively low sales meaning that retailers cannot benefit from bulk discounts.The Chancellor holds regular discussions with her Ministerial colleagues about a broad range of matters. The Government has no plans to amend the list of locations eligible for Rural Fuel Duty Relief.

Whether she will make an assessment of the potential impact on fraud victims of allowing the Financial Ombudsman Service to dismiss cases deemed too complex.

The government takes the issue of fraud very seriously and is dedicated to protecting the public from this appalling crime. As set out in our manifesto and as part of our Plan for Change, the government will introduce a new, expanded Fraud Strategy encompassing the modern-day threats that so many people become a victim to. The government recognises the important role the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) plays in providing consumers with a cost-free and quick route to resolve disputes with financial services firms. However, the government’s review of the FOS concluded that in a small but significant minority of cases, the framework in which the FOS operates has resulted in it acting as a quasi-regulator. That is why, as part of the Leeds Reforms, the Chancellor announced the most significant package of reforms to the FOS since its inception to provide greater certainty and predictability for consumers and firms who use the FOS. The government’s consultation on the proposed reforms closed on 8 October and it will set out next steps in due course. Victims of fraud who wish to make a complaint about their financial services provider will continue to be able to bring complaints to the FOS, and the proposed changes to the legislative framework under which the FOS operates will not affect the FOS’s role in handling these complaints. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) expects all firms to maintain strong systems and controls with regards to fraud prevention to deliver good outcomes for customers, including seeking to avoid foreseeable harm. It has made tackling fraud one of its priorities in its 5-year strategy from 2025 to 2030. The FCA is continuing to prioritise fighting financial crime, including by working with firms to strengthen their anti-crime systems, working with other relevant agencies who tackle crime to share intelligence and coordinate action, and working with consumers to raise awareness and ensure they have the tools they need to protect themselves.

What steps she is taking to ensure that fraud victims retain access to Financial Ombudsman Service investigations without being forced into civil court proceedings.

The government takes the issue of fraud very seriously and is dedicated to protecting the public from this appalling crime. As set out in our manifesto and as part of our Plan for Change, the government will introduce a new, expanded Fraud Strategy encompassing the modern-day threats that so many people become a victim to. The government recognises the important role the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) plays in providing consumers with a cost-free and quick route to resolve disputes with financial services firms. However, the government’s review of the FOS concluded that in a small but significant minority of cases, the framework in which the FOS operates has resulted in it acting as a quasi-regulator. That is why, as part of the Leeds Reforms, the Chancellor announced the most significant package of reforms to the FOS since its inception to provide greater certainty and predictability for consumers and firms who use the FOS. The government’s consultation on the proposed reforms closed on 8 October and it will set out next steps in due course. Victims of fraud who wish to make a complaint about their financial services provider will continue to be able to bring complaints to the FOS, and the proposed changes to the legislative framework under which the FOS operates will not affect the FOS’s role in handling these complaints. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) expects all firms to maintain strong systems and controls with regards to fraud prevention to deliver good outcomes for customers, including seeking to avoid foreseeable harm. It has made tackling fraud one of its priorities in its 5-year strategy from 2025 to 2030. The FCA is continuing to prioritise fighting financial crime, including by working with firms to strengthen their anti-crime systems, working with other relevant agencies who tackle crime to share intelligence and coordinate action, and working with consumers to raise awareness and ensure they have the tools they need to protect themselves.