Written questions by Glen.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2025 to Question 29436 on Manufacturing Industries, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of including food and drink manufacturing in the Industrial Strategy.

Growth is the number one mission of the government. The UK's food and drink manufacturing sector plays a significant role in the UK economy, contributing £35.1bn to GVA in 2022. The UK presents many opportunities for investment right across the food and drink supply chain stages of product development. The Industrial Strategy, alongside Sector Plans for the growth-driving sectors, will be published in Spring 2025, aligned with the multi-year Spending Review. These Sector Plans will set out the specific sub-sectors of focus, identify key barriers to growth, and describe how government and industry intend to achieve long-term growth for the sector.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 November 2024, to Question 12389 on Civil Servants and Ministers: Workplace Pensions, whether the automatic lump sum death benefits under the Civil Service Classic scheme is subject to inheritance tax.

As announced at Autumn Budget 2024, from 6 April 2027 most unused pension funds and death benefits will be included within the value of a person’s estate for Inheritance Tax purposes.Some lump some death benefits from pension schemes are already within scope of Inheritance Tax. As with other registered schemes, lump sum death benefits under the Civil Service Classic scheme will be subject to Inheritance Tax from 6 April 2027.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 14946 on Government Departments: Communication and Consultants, what the baseline aggregate annual cash figure of government spending on consultancy was on which the estimated reductions in spending of (a) £550 million in 2024-25 and (b) £680 million in 2025-26 are based.

The baseline aggregate annual cash figure for the 24-25 savings target is based on an in-year monthly forecast outturn figure from the government’s cross central financial management system. In-year forecast outturn figures at this level of detail are not released publicly due to their security classification and sensitivity. The baseline for the £680 million 25-26 saving is based on a 50% cut to the average figure that HMG spent on consultancy across the six financial years 2017/18 to 2022/23. This figure was calculated using HM Treasury estimates from spending figures published via the annual release of data from the Online System for Central Accounting and Reporting (OSCAR) database.The government’s policy is to reduce consultancy spending by £550m in 2024-25 and to halve spending in 2025-26 against a baseline of average HMG spend on consultancy across the six financial years 2017/18 to 2022/23. This figure was calculated using HM Treasury estimates from spending figures published via the annual release of data from the Online System for Central Accounting and Reporting (OSCAR) database. This financial reduction in spending will deliver cash savings of £680m. The estimated baseline spending on consultancy in 2024-25 prior to the planned reduction of £550m is based on an in-year monthly forecast outturn figure from the government’s cross central financial management system. In-year forecast outturn figures at this level of detail are not released publicly due to their security classification and sensitivity.

Whether the Spending Review Phase 2 is zero-based.

Phase 2 of the Spending Review launched on the 10th December 2024. At launch, I asked every department to conduct a zero-based review of government spending to assess whether it is a priority for this government and represents value for money. This is the first time that a line-by-line review of government spending has taken place in 17 years, offering the opportunity to undertake a more thorough review of spending.

How many times the new Chair of the Office for Value for Money has formally met with (a) the Chancellor and (b) the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

David Goldstone CBE was appointed as the independent Chair of the Office of Value for Money on 30 October 2024. His published terms of reference state that he will have monthly regular check-ins with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and that he will provide a regular update to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Since his appointment, the Chair has provided regular updates to the Chancellor and me on his progress. As part of this, the Chair has had three meetings with me; and one meeting with the Chancellor.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 22013 on Economic Situation, whether bond yields will be included in the other metrics of financial market indicators in relation to economic stability.

As the Prime Minister set out in the Plan for Change document, the Government’s milestones for change can only be delivered on the foundations of a stable economy, secure borders, and national security. Economic stability requires concerted action to ensure macroeconomic stability, financial stability, fiscal stability, and long-term policy stability.The commitment to our tough fiscal rules is non-negotiable, and we will meet the fiscal rules at all times.HM Treasury considers a wide range of information to assess financial conditions, including a range of financial market indicators, and works with the financial sector regulators to monitor markets.

What information her Department holds on when the Financial Conduct Authority plans to respond to its consultation entitled Proposed amendments to Guidance on the treatment of politically exposed persons, published on 18 July 2024.

The Government has been working closely with the FCA to follow up on the findings of its review into the treatment of Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) by financial institutions and to ensure firms improve their practices where necessary. The FCA expects that the revised guidance will be published and brought into effect in the first half of 2025.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 21692 on Public Expenditure, over which financial years the (a) efficiencies and (b) savings target by 2029 relates to; whether the 5% target is for each year or over the whole spending review two period; and how the target interacts with the spending reductions announced at the (i) Fixing the Foundations statement in July 2024, (ii) Autumn Budget 2024 and (iii) phase one of the Spending Review.

To help drive out waste and ensure all funding is focused on the Government’s priorities, all departments are expected to find at least 5% savings and efficiencies from within existing budgets by the end of this SR period (2028/2029). Any spending reduction announced at the (i) Fixing the Foundations statement in July 2024, (ii) Autumn Budget 2024 and (iii) phase one of the Spending Review that apply to the year 2025/2026 will be captured within the savings and efficiency target of 2% set across all government departments as part of phase one of the Spending Review.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 22929 on Treasury: Employers' Contributions, which Strategic Suppliers to the Department have contractual terms and conditions that require a pricing review as a consequence of the higher National Insurance contributions to employers.

No such terms and conditions are included in HM Treasury’s contracts with strategic suppliers.

How his Department intends to define the subsectors within Advanced Manufacturing in the forthcoming Industrial Strategy.

The Government committed in the Industrial Strategy Green Paper – Invest 2035 to identify subsectors within Advanced Manufacturing that meet our objectives and for which there is evidence that policy can address barriers to growth. This includes consideration of the contribution to Net Zero, regional growth, and economic security and resilience. Input from the Sector roundtable’s and industry feedback from responses to this Green Paper to inform this programme of analysis. The industrial strategy, alongside sector plans for the growth-driving sectors, will be published in spring 2025, aligned with the multi-year spending review.

What steps he (a) is taking with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to encourage (i) growth and (ii) investment in food and drink manufacturing and (b) plans to take to support food and drink manufacturing through the forthcoming Industrial Strategy.

Growth is the number one mission of the government. The UK's agriculture food and drink sector plays a significant role in the UK economy, contributing £146.7bn to GVA. The UK presents many opportunities for investment right across the food and drink supply chain stages of product development. All sectors can shape and will benefit from policy reform through the Industrial Strategy’s cross-cutting policies alongside the broader Growth Mission. This will create the pro-business environment for all businesses to invest and employ, with growth that supports high-quality jobs and ensures that the benefits are shared across people, places, and generations.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of his Department's support for advanced manufacturing within the industrial strategy on food and drink manufacturers.

The Industrial Strategy Green Paper identified eight growth-driving sectors, including advanced manufacturing. All sectors can shape and benefit from policy reform through the Industrial Strategy’s cross-cutting policies alongside the broader Growth Mission. This will create the pro-business environment for all businesses to invest and employ, with growth that supports high-quality jobs and ensures that the benefits are shared across people, places, and generations.The UK’s food and drink sector plays a significant part in the UK economy, with £146.7bn contribution to GVA. The government is engaging with the food and drink industry regularly to explore all avenues for growth.

What steps he is taking to tackle ADHD medication shortages.

The Department has worked intensively with industry and some supply issues with ADHD medicines have been resolved. We continue to engage with suppliers and also the NHS to resolve the remaining issues as quickly as possible, and improve the planning of future demand. I understand concerns in this area and would be happy to give my time to MPs, to sit down with the experts, to explain this further.

When he plans to provide a substantive response to the Freedom of Information Act of 26 September 2024 from the Rt Hon Member for Salisbury, reference RFOI2024/13851.

A response to FOI2024/13851 was sent on 31 January.

When he plans to publish the call for evidence on implementing a ban on unpaid internships.

The Make Work Pay plan is a core part of the mission to grow the economy, raise living standards across the country and create opportunities. It aims to tackle low pay, poor working conditions and poor job security.The government is committed to banning unpaid internships except when they are part of an educational or training course. A call for evidence on this will be published in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the land use strategy will include policies on managing (a) farm pastures, (b) road verges, (c) urban parks and (d) other grasslands.

The Government plans to publish work in this area in the first year of its time in power. A broad range of views will be under consideration.

If she will publish the internal equality impact assessment under the Equality Act 2010 for changes to (a) agricultural and (b) business property relief.

The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms. It is expected that up to around 2,000 estates will be affected by the changes to APR and BPR in 2026-27, with around half of those being claims that involve AIM shares. Almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief (or those claiming agricultural property relief and business property relief together) are expected to be unaffected by these reforms. In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.

If she will place in the Library a copy of her Department's equality (a) impact assessment and (b) screening in relation to the changes to employers' National Insurance contributions in the Autumn Budget 2024.

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer; the economic impacts of the policy; and the impacts on individuals, businesses, civil society organisations and an overview of the equality impacts. The Office for Budget Responsibility also published the Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO), which sets out a detailed forecast of the economy and public finances

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2024 to Question HL1343 on Prime Minister's Chief of Staff: Pay, what the annual salary amount that the Chief Secretary to the Treasury approved in the senior approvals pay process was.

Salaries of special advisers of equivalent standing to the Senior Civil Service are published in the relevant year’s Annual Report on Special Advisers.

What estimate she has made of the number of first-time buyers paying stamp duty in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26; and what the average amount of stamp duty a first time buyer will pay in each year is.

An estimate of the number of first-time buyers paying Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) and average amount of SDLT paid by first-time buyers is not available because there is limited information on first-time buyers. HMRC can only identify First Time Buyers that are claiming First Time Buyers’ Relief in the SDLT return. First Time Buyers purchasing a property for less than £250,000 do not need to claim First Time Buyers’ Relief under current SDLT rates and those purchasing a property for more than £625,000 are not eligible to claim the relief.