Written questions by Platt.

With reference to the Government’s response to the consultation entitled Child Maintenance: Improving the Collection and Transfer of Payments, published on 23 June 2025, what steps she is taking to improve enforcement of non-payment via Collect and Pay.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to ensuring separated parents support their children financially, taking robust enforcement action against those who do not. The CMS has a range of strong enforcement powers that can be used against those who consistently refuse to meet their obligations to provide financial support to their children including deducting directly from earnings, bank accounts and forcing the sale of a property. The Child Support (Enforcement) Act 2023 proposed regulations to support the introduction of administrative liability orders (ALOs), removing the requirement to obtain a court issued liability order. Introducing this process should enable the CMS to take faster action against those paying parents who actively avoid their responsibilities and get money to children more quickly. We are working with His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service and the Scottish Government to establish a process for implementing ALOs and plan to introduce regulations to Parliament by the end of this year.

With reference to the Government’s response to the consultation entitled Child Maintenance: Improving the Collection and Transfer of Payments, published on 23 June 2025, what steps she plans to take to ensure that forms of income not disclosed by paying parents are captured outside the proposed HMRC data-sharing pathways for automatic child maintenance calculations.

Information about the paying parent's gross income is taken directly from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for the latest tax year available. This allows calculations to be made quickly and accurately. Any income subject to income tax including bonuses and overtime received by an employed paying parent, is included within their gross weekly income when calculating a child maintenance liability.The Government has been conducting a review of the child maintenance calculation to make sure it is fit for purpose and reflects today’s social trends. The review will also consider the treatment of unearned income and assets within the automatic calculation. A consultation on the calculation will be published before the end of this year. Unearned income and assets can still be captured through the current variation process up until changes are introduced. Cases involving complex income can be investigated by the Financial Investigation Unit. This is a specialist team which can request information from financial institutions (such as banks, investment companies and mortgage companies) to check the accuracy of information that the CMS is given. If any discrepancies are found, then they can implement a correct maintenance liability that is supported by CMS legislation.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of including a national services framework for dementia as part of the NHS 10-year Health Plan.

The 10-Year Health Plan will address the challenges diagnosed by Lord Darzi and will set the vision for what good joined-up care looks like for people with a combination of complex health and care needs, including people living with dementia. We are carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with dementia, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, as we develop the plan.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that veterans with severe, long-term PTSD qualify for automatic exemptions from repeat disability assessments.

Currently, Work Capability Assessment reassessment referrals are prioritised for customers on Employment and Support Allowance and the health element of Universal Credit who report a change in their health condition. The frequency of when reassessments occur is determined by available capacity in our system. Our wide-ranging package of reforms to health and disability benefits, set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, will improve experiences of the system for those who need it. This includes the resumption of reassessments initiated by the Department. These will initially prioritise people who are most likely to have had a change in their circumstances including those who have short-term prognoses, for which we can reasonably anticipate a change in health condition has occurred. Over time, we will then prioritise available reassessment capacity for other cohorts who are likely to change award. The functional impact and severity of a condition can significantly vary across individuals, which is why we will continue to ensure that those with the most severe, life-long health conditions, who will never be able to work, will not need to be reassessed. I have attended today an online event with veterans, as one of the series of consultation events on the proposals in the Pathways to Work Green Paper.

Whether veterans receiving Armed Forces Independence Payment will still qualify for the health element of Universal Credit under the new system.

The Green Paper, “Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working” announced that we would be scrapping the Work Capability Assessment and moving to a single assessment for financial support related to health and disability benefits. This single assessment will be the PIP assessment and those who are eligible for an award of Daily Living in PIP would also be able to access additional financial support in Universal Credit. We recognise that claiming certain other benefits can impact whether or not a claimant applies for or can get PIP, including Armed Forces Independence Payment. We are currently considering how the future system will operate and will provide further information in the upcoming White Paper

Whether the War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme will be categorised as income for means-tested benefits.

The receipt of War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) awards is already fully ignored when calculating eligibility for Universal Credit.The first £10 per week of a War Pension or AFCS award is disregarded in: income-related Employment and Support allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance and Income Support. Armed Forces Independence Payments are fully disregarded in these benefits and can also allow the recipient to qualify for an additional disability amount.By default, the first £10 per week of a War Pension or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme is disregarded in Housing Benefit. Furthermore, a discretionary scheme allows local authorities to disregard them fully. Furthermore, these are legacy benefits, in the process of being replaced by Universal Credit, in which War Pensions and AFCS are ignored.There are no plans to change the ways in which War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) awards interact with means tested benefits.

What steps she plans to take to ensure that the reintroduction of face-to-face benefit assessments does not negatively impact veterans with PTSD or mobility impairments.

We already undertake a number of face-to-face benefit assessments. However, as announced in Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, we intend to do more while preserving alternative health assessment channels to meet the specific needs of people who require a different channel, for example as a reasonable adjustment. In all cases, the Healthcare Professional (HCP) aims to complete the assessment using the customer’s health questionnaire and any supporting medical evidence provided. Should this not be possible the customer is invited to a consultation. Before sending an invitation to a consultation, the HCP considers whether a specific assessment channel is needed due to the customer’s health or circumstances. Otherwise, customers are offered the next available appointment, which can be changed if they inform us that a reasonable adjustment is appropriate in their circumstances.We are committed to ensuring equal access to our services, in line with the Equality Act 2010. Customers are encouraged to inform us of any reasonable adjustments at any stage. If notified, the assessment provider will consider an alternative assessment method.On 25 June, I attended an online event with veterans, as one of the series of consultation events on the proposals in the Pathways to Work Green Paper.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing veteran aware training for jobcentre plus staff.

Armed Forces Champions (AFCs) are available within each Jobcentre district, providing specialist support to veterans. They will have completed the full work coach learning and had the opportunity to embed their learning prior to becoming an Armed Forces Champion, and they are provided with point of need learning which covers the knowledge and skills to provide tailored support for armed forces leavers, including signposting to specialist organisations and charities. As part of the Armed Forces Covenant the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has initiatives which help current and former Armed Forces personnel and their families. This includes the role of the Armed Forces Champion in every Jobcentre. Armed Forces Champions develop and maintain joint working relationships, provide specialist support to all Jobcentre staff and act as the first point of contact in communities for organisations and services. All Jobcentre Plus staff new to DWP receive mandatory learning to support customers which includes learning for armed forces leavers. The learning provides an overview of armed forces leavers and assists colleagues in understanding what help is available to them, their spouse/partner when resettling into civilian life. DWP Work Coaches receive comprehensive learning to support vulnerable customers. Their learning journey includes a module on armed forces leavers.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle aggressive begging.

Begging is a complex issue, though where it causes a nuisance or distress to communities, local areas need appropriate tools to maintain community safety. The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 already provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of flexible tools and powers to respond to ASB, including ASB that occurs in the context of begging. The Home Office will be updating their statutory guidance to ensure it is clear to agencies how ASB powers could be used in this context if an individual’s aggressive begging reaches the ASB threshold. The Home Office have also introduced measures in the Crime and Policing Bill to tackle exploitative organised begging facilitated by others.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a new Pupil Premium subcategory for persistently disadvantaged pupils.

The department recognises that there are disparities in outcomes for children attracting pupil premium and we are committed to doing more to improve the life chances of our most disadvantaged children, breaking the link between background and future success.The department is reviewing how we allocate pupil premium and related funding to schools and local authorities to ensure it is targeted to those who need it most, and we will provide more information in due course.

What funding his Department provides to the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.

Funding for the forthcoming Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy will be confirmed when the strategy is published in the coming months.Health does make an important contribution to tackling violence against women and girls. For example, NHS England spent £52.8 million on the provision of sexual assault and abuse services in 2023/24. Figures for more recent years are not yet available. The Department also funds the ongoing collection of data on female genital mutilation attendances in the National Health Service.

To make an assessment of the capacity to deliver Early Access Programmes for people with motor neurone disease.

Companies may put in place Early Access Programmes (EAPs) to allow early access to new medicines that do not yet have a marketing authorisation. Participation in EAPs is decided at an individual National Health Service trust level and under these programmes, the cost of the drug is free to both the patients taking part in it, and to the NHS, although NHS trusts must still cover administration costs and provide clinical resources to deliver the EAP.NHS England does not undertake any initiatives to encourage participation in EAPs, which are the responsibility of individual pharmaceutical companies and subject to decision-making by individual NHS trusts.There are no common clinical, data, or regulatory standards for company-sponsored EAPs, meaning each one demands a new protocol to be devised and delivered by each participating trust, which can create significant pressures on clinical and financial resources. Companies providing a sponsored EAP also reserve the right to limit or to close registration of new patients at any time, meaning that any financial and clinical investment made by trusts to establish an EAP could be undermined by a commercial decision that would most likely happen in the event of a negative decision by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.NHS England has published guidance for integrated care systems (ICS) on free of charge (FoC) medicine schemes, including EAPs, providing advice on potential financial, resourcing, and clinical risks.ICSs should use the guidance to help determine whether to implement any FoC scheme, including assessing suitability and any risks in the short, medium, and long term. The guidance is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/free-of-charge-foc-medicines-schemes-national-policy-recommendations-for-local-systems/

What steps she is taking to support supply teachers in (a) Leigh and Atherton constituency and (b) nationally.

Supply teachers make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools across the country by filling posts on a temporary basis and covering teacher absences.Schools and local authorities are currently responsible for the recruitment of their supply teachers. There are various approaches to providing supply teachers, such as using private supply teacher agencies.The department, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, has established the agency supply deal, which supports schools to obtain value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers.

What steps her Department is taking to monitor private supply teacher agencies.

Supply teachers make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools across the country by filling posts on a temporary basis and covering teacher absences.Schools and local authorities are currently responsible for the recruitment of their supply teachers. There are various approaches to providing supply teachers, such as using private supply teacher agencies.The department, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, has established the agency supply deal, which supports schools to obtain value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of including directors’ dividends in the initial calculation of child maintenance payments.

Information about the paying parent's gross income is taken directly from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for the latest tax year available. This allows calculations to be made quickly and accurately. Any income subject to income tax, including bonuses and overtime received by an employed paying parent, is included within their gross weekly income when calculating a child maintenance liability. Where a paying parent is the Director of their limited liability company, they are legally an employee of that company and are treated the same as any other employee for child maintenance purposes. If the receiving parent believes that the paying parent has additional income from dividends, they can apply for a variation to take this into account. Variations can be requested on grounds of unearned income, where the paying parent receives extra unearned income of at least £2,500 a year. This includes rental income from property or land, dividends, and interest from savings and investments. Cases involving complex income can be investigated by the Financial Investigation Unit (FIU). This is a specialist team which can request information from financial institutions (such as banks, investment companies and mortgage companies) to check the accuracy of information the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is given. The Child Maintenance Service has committed to reviewing the child maintenance calculation to make sure it fits current and future social trends. This review looks at fairness, family relations, sustainability, compliance, simplifying rates, work progression, including unearned income and assets, and how it interacts with other policies, such as Universal Credit.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reforming the application of VAT to the hair and beauty sector, in the context of levels of competition with other self-employed businesses in (a) Leigh and Atherton constituency and (b) elsewhere.

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is the UK’s third largest tax, forecast to raise £180 billion in 2025/26. The Government recognises the important social and economic role of the hair and beauty sector, which not only contributes to people’s well-being, but also plays a vital role in supporting local economies across the country.

Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on the number of times the guidance set out in the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice on (a) fee transparency on charging commission on Gift Aid and (b) giving equal prominence to a zero fee or tip option has been breached in each of the last three years.

Fundraising platforms are commercial organisations that provide an important service to charities and donors. Many charities ask online fundraising platforms to claim Gift Aid on donations made on their platform for the charity, and pay a fee for this service to be provided because it is cost effective and efficient to do so. No estimate has been made at this time on the potential impact of banning the charging commission on Gift Aid on revenues to charities.Most platforms are registered with the Fundraising Regulator, which is the independent, non-statutory regulator of charitable fundraising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Fundraising Regulator’s new Code of Fundraising Practice, which will come into force on 1 November 2025, includes requirements for fundraising platforms to include information for donors about how fees, including any voluntary tips, are calculated. The Fundraising Regulator will engage with fundraising platforms to ensure they are clear on the new transparency requirements for fees and tipping sliders before the new Code comes into effect.DCMS does not hold information centrally about breaches of the Code of Fundraising Practice. The below information was provided by the Fundraising Regulator.The Fundraising Regulator issued guidance for fundraising platforms on 17 February 2023.To date since the guidance was published, the Regulator has closed a total of 20 cases where there were complaints about a "tip" being taken by a platform. None involved a breach of the Code because information about fees, including the tip, was provided even if it could have been clearer or made easier for donors to choose not to tip. In the same period, there were seven complaints relating to Gift Aid but none were about commissions, fees or tips on fundraising platforms so there was no breach of the Code.DCMS will continue working with the Fundraising Regulator, charities, and online giving platforms to support best practice across all forms of charitable fundraising.

Media and Sport, whether she has made an estimate of the potential impact of banning the charging commission on Gift Aid on revenues to charities.

Fundraising platforms are commercial organisations that provide an important service to charities and donors. Many charities ask online fundraising platforms to claim Gift Aid on donations made on their platform for the charity, and pay a fee for this service to be provided because it is cost effective and efficient to do so. No estimate has been made at this time on the potential impact of banning the charging commission on Gift Aid on revenues to charities.Most platforms are registered with the Fundraising Regulator, which is the independent, non-statutory regulator of charitable fundraising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Fundraising Regulator’s new Code of Fundraising Practice, which will come into force on 1 November 2025, includes requirements for fundraising platforms to include information for donors about how fees, including any voluntary tips, are calculated. The Fundraising Regulator will engage with fundraising platforms to ensure they are clear on the new transparency requirements for fees and tipping sliders before the new Code comes into effect.DCMS does not hold information centrally about breaches of the Code of Fundraising Practice. The below information was provided by the Fundraising Regulator.The Fundraising Regulator issued guidance for fundraising platforms on 17 February 2023.To date since the guidance was published, the Regulator has closed a total of 20 cases where there were complaints about a "tip" being taken by a platform. None involved a breach of the Code because information about fees, including the tip, was provided even if it could have been clearer or made easier for donors to choose not to tip. In the same period, there were seven complaints relating to Gift Aid but none were about commissions, fees or tips on fundraising platforms so there was no breach of the Code.DCMS will continue working with the Fundraising Regulator, charities, and online giving platforms to support best practice across all forms of charitable fundraising.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help ensure compliance with the Fundraising Regulator's Code of Fundraising Practice on the transparency of fees on fundraising platforms.

Fundraising platforms are commercial organisations that provide an important service to charities and donors. Many charities ask online fundraising platforms to claim Gift Aid on donations made on their platform for the charity, and pay a fee for this service to be provided because it is cost effective and efficient to do so. No estimate has been made at this time on the potential impact of banning the charging commission on Gift Aid on revenues to charities.Most platforms are registered with the Fundraising Regulator, which is the independent, non-statutory regulator of charitable fundraising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Fundraising Regulator’s new Code of Fundraising Practice, which will come into force on 1 November 2025, includes requirements for fundraising platforms to include information for donors about how fees, including any voluntary tips, are calculated. The Fundraising Regulator will engage with fundraising platforms to ensure they are clear on the new transparency requirements for fees and tipping sliders before the new Code comes into effect.DCMS does not hold information centrally about breaches of the Code of Fundraising Practice. The below information was provided by the Fundraising Regulator.The Fundraising Regulator issued guidance for fundraising platforms on 17 February 2023.To date since the guidance was published, the Regulator has closed a total of 20 cases where there were complaints about a "tip" being taken by a platform. None involved a breach of the Code because information about fees, including the tip, was provided even if it could have been clearer or made easier for donors to choose not to tip. In the same period, there were seven complaints relating to Gift Aid but none were about commissions, fees or tips on fundraising platforms so there was no breach of the Code.DCMS will continue working with the Fundraising Regulator, charities, and online giving platforms to support best practice across all forms of charitable fundraising.

What information her Department holds on the level of profits earned by social fundraising platforms from charging commission on Gift Aid in the last 12 months.

The Government recognises the vital role played by the charity sector and the generosity of the British public. That is why we support charitable giving with over £1.6billion in Gift Aid each year.Charities have the flexibility to decide on their own strategy for fundraising and are free to partner with other organisations to process their Gift Aid claims. It will ultimately be a commercial decision on the part of a charity to work with a fundraising platform and whether it is appropriate to pay a fee for any services provided.The Government does not provide financial support or subsidies to social fundraising platformsOrganisations that process Gift Aid and charge commission must report their annual income to HMRC. However, HMRC do not specifically request them to separately report how much income is earned from commission. Therefore, HMRC does not hold the information you have requested.