Written questions by Asato.

Whether her Department has (a) implemented a domestic abuse policy for staff and (b) trained line managers to effectively respond to staff who are experiencing domestic abuse.

HM Treasury provides ongoing guidance to all staff on how to handle domestic abuse. The guidance provides comprehensive information on how to recognise the signs of domestic abuse and outlines the steps managers can take to offer appropriate support. HMT is also a member of the Employers Initiative on Domestic Abuse which provides additional resources to ensure all of our staff are able to recognise key signs and have additional support materials to hand to enable them to support staff members who may be experiencing domestic abuse.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of a mandatory disclosure regime for financial services providers on activities to improve financial inclusion.

Ensuring individuals have access to the appropriate financial products and services they need is a key priority for the Government. This is why I have committed to publish a Financial Inclusion Strategy later this year which will examine the barriers consumers face and further action industry and Government can take in partnership to address them. This includes a focus on: (i) digital inclusion and access to banking; (ii) savings; (iii) insurance; (iv) affordable credit; (v) problem debt and (vi) financial education and capability.

If she will take steps to ensure that (a) banks and (b) financial services providers increase access to (i) products and (ii) services through the Financial Inclusion Strategy.

On 5 December, I convened a Financial Inclusion Committee which has been established to tackle the problems of financial exclusion. Through this committee, I will work with consumer groups and industry on the development of a Financial Inclusion Strategy. This strategy will aim to tackle barriers to individual and households’ ability to access affordable and appropriate financial products and services. This will include access to banking, credit and insurance.

If she will make an assessment of the impact of financial exclusion on (a) care experienced and (b) older people.

Ensuring people have access to appropriate financial products and services is a key priority for the Government and is vital to supporting people’s financial resilience and wellbeing. It is also an essential part of achieving inclusive growth and ensuring individuals are able to fully participate in the economy. On 5 December, I convened a Financial Inclusion Committee which has been established to tackle the problems of financial exclusion. Through this committee, I will work with consumer groups and industry on the development of a Financial Inclusion Strategy. This will consider a range of barriers to inclusion for excluded groups, with a particular focus on access to banking, credit, and insurance.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) VAT reductions, (b) tax breaks and (c) other financial incentives for businesses engaged in (i) upcycling and (ii) the sustainable production of textiles.

The Government has inherited a challenging fiscal position, with debt near 100% of GDP and borrowing more than double what it was before the pandemic. In addition to this, a Treasury audit in July 2024 revealed an additional £21.9 billion pressure on departmental spending. As a result, the Government will have to take difficult decisions in relation to tax, spending and welfare at the budget. Defra are convening a taskforce of experts to help to develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England. The Taskforce will consider the evidence for action right across the economy, and as such the Taskforce will evaluate what interventions may need to be made in the textiles sector as it helps to develop the Circular Economy Strategy.