Written questions by Whittome.

What discussions she has had with (a) UK Finance, (b) individual lenders, (c) credit reference agencies and (d) other relevant organisations to ensure that (i) credit reference agencies and (ii) lenders differentiate between individuals who (A) responsibly manage their debts through (1) payment plans or (2) debt management plans and (B) those who are subject to (a) court or (b) bankruptcy proceedings.

The Government recognises that credit, when provided responsibly, can be crucial for people facing unexpected expenses or managing their cash flow. That is why it is committed to expanding access to affordable credit, so that everyone has the opportunity to access products and services which support their financial wellbeing and goals. In December 2023, the FCA published the final report for the Credit Information Market Study, proposing twelve remedies to improve the market. This included a mandatory data sharing proposal to improve the availability of accurate, consistent and comprehensive credit information,which is intended to support the responsible provision of credit services, and a proposal to streamline the processes regarding vulnerability markers. The FCA and industry are jointly establishing a new Credit Reporting Governance Body, which will be responsible for overseeing the sharing of credit information and implementing these recommendations. More broadly, HM Treasury regularly engages with the consumer credit sector to discuss a range of policy matters, including provision of affordable credit, which also forms a key part of the financial inclusion strategy work announced last year.

Whether if Further Education colleges will be eligible to o reclaim VAT for renewable energy installations.

Further Education (FE) colleges cannot reclaim the VAT they pay on goods and services.However, FE colleges benefit from a zero rate of VAT on installations of qualifying energy-saving materials if their buildings meet the definition of being used “solely for a relevant charitable purpose”. This VAT zero rate is in place until March 2027, after which it will revert to the reduced rate of VAT at five per cent. This relief – worth over £1 billion – will aid households and charities in improving the energy efficiency of their buildings, help to reduce carbon emissions, and ultimately help us to reach our ambitious Net Zero by 2050 target.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the overseas development assistance budget to 0.7% of gross national income without applying a fiscal test.

The Government remains committed to international development. This is why we allocated £13.3 billion to ODA in 2024/25 and £13.7 billion in 2025/26 at Autumn Budget 2024. We will restore Official Development Assistance (ODA) spending to the level of 0.7 percent of GNI as soon as the fiscal circumstances allow, but this isn’t currently affordable. The government will continue to monitor future forecasts closely, and each year will review and confirm, in accordance with the International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015, whether a return to spending 0.7% of GNI on ODA is possible against the latest fiscal forecast.