Written questions by Duncan-Jordan.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of making advance payments for a qualifying vehicle under the Motability Scheme taxable at the standard rate of VAT on people with disabilities from July 2026.

The package of reforms to the Motability Scheme announced as part of the Budget will ensure the Scheme delivers fairness for the taxpayer, while continuing to support disabled people. The Scheme will continue to offer a choice of affordable vehicles to meet a range of accessibility needs and offer vehicles which require no advance payment, meaning that people will be able to access a suitable vehicle using only their qualifying disability benefit. Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) will apply to leases at the standard rate, bringing tax treatment in line with commercial leasing firms. Existing leases and vehicles substantially designed for, or adapted for, wheelchair or stretcher users will continue to benefit from VAT reliefs on advance payments and the IPT exemption, in recognition of the additional costs associated with these vehicles. Motability Foundation, the independent charity with responsibility for overseeing the Scheme, will continue to offer means-tested grants to support eligible people who would otherwise struggle to afford the advance payment.

Whether the Government has instructed that Access to Work criteria should be applied more strictly.

There has been no change to Access to Work policy. The published guidance remains the same and continues to be applied, though as a part of the continuous improvement of the service there has been a focus on ensuring consistency in decision-making.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of making advance payments for a qualifying vehicle under the Motability Scheme taxable at the standard rate of VAT on the level of (a) poverty and (b) financial hardship for people with disabilities.

The package of reforms to the Motability Scheme announced as part of the Budget will ensure the Scheme delivers fairness for the taxpayer, while continuing to support disabled people. The Scheme will continue to offer a choice of affordable vehicles to meet a range of accessibility needs and offer vehicles which require no advance payment, meaning that people will be able to access a suitable vehicle using only their qualifying disability benefit. Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) will apply to leases at the standard rate, bringing tax treatment in line with commercial leasing firms. Existing leases and vehicles substantially designed for, or adapted for, wheelchair or stretcher users will continue to benefit from VAT reliefs on advance payments and the IPT exemption, in recognition of the additional costs associated with these vehicles. Motability Foundation, the independent charity with responsibility for overseeing the Scheme, will continue to offer means-tested grants to support eligible people who would otherwise struggle to afford the advance payment.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of applying Insurance Premium Tax to certain vehicles under the Motability Scheme from 1 July 2026 on access to (a) employment, (b) education and (c) health appointments.

The package of reforms to the Motability Scheme announced as part of the Budget will ensure the Scheme delivers fairness for the taxpayer, while continuing to support disabled people. The Scheme will continue to offer a choice of affordable vehicles to meet a range of accessibility needs and offer vehicles which require no advance payment, meaning that people will be able to access a suitable vehicle using only their qualifying disability benefit. Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) will apply to leases at the standard rate, bringing tax treatment in line with commercial leasing firms. Existing leases and vehicles substantially designed for, or adapted for, wheelchair or stretcher users will continue to benefit from VAT reliefs on advance payments and the IPT exemption, in recognition of the additional costs associated with these vehicles. Motability Foundation, the independent charity with responsibility for overseeing the Scheme, will continue to offer means-tested grants to support eligible people who would otherwise struggle to afford the advance payment.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of applying Insurance Premium Tax to certain vehicles under the Motability Scheme from 1 July 2026 to levels of (a) poverty and (b) financial hardship among people with disabilities.

The package of reforms to the Motability Scheme announced as part of the Budget will ensure the Scheme delivers fairness for the taxpayer, while continuing to support disabled people. The Scheme will continue to offer a choice of affordable vehicles to meet a range of accessibility needs and offer vehicles which require no advance payment, meaning that people will be able to access a suitable vehicle using only their qualifying disability benefit. Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) will apply to leases at the standard rate, bringing tax treatment in line with commercial leasing firms. Existing leases and vehicles substantially designed for, or adapted for, wheelchair or stretcher users will continue to benefit from VAT reliefs on advance payments and the IPT exemption, in recognition of the additional costs associated with these vehicles. Motability Foundation, the independent charity with responsibility for overseeing the Scheme, will continue to offer means-tested grants to support eligible people who would otherwise struggle to afford the advance payment.

What assessment the Government has made of the potential impact on levels of poverty of the proposed merger of contributory Employment and Support Allowance into Universal Credit health-related payments.

In the Pathways to Work Green Paper we announced that we would be establishing a new, simple and clear Unemployment Insurance benefit through the reform of contributory working age benefits. Following recent consultation, officials are considering the responses and developing the policy for this new benefit, including the duration of entitlement.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of proposed changes to Motability on access to cars with (a) reversing cameras, (b) driver assist technologies and (c) other safety features.

The Motability Scheme will continue to offer a choice of vehicles, including models with reversing cameras, driver assist technologies and other safety features, to meet a range of accessibility needs. The changes announced at the budget will not apply to current leases or wheelchair adapted vehicles, and the Scheme will continue to offer vehicles which require no advance payment, meaning that people will be able to access a suitable vehicle using only their qualifying disability benefit. Motability Operations, an independent commercial company which delivers the Scheme, will continue to prioritise customer needs, ensuring vehicles remain affordable and that support for specialist adaptations remain at the heart of the Scheme. Motability Foundation, the independent charity with responsibility for overseeing the Scheme, will continue to offer means-tested grants to support eligible people who would otherwise struggle to afford specialist adaptations for a vehicle leased through the Scheme.

Pursuant to Budget reference 4.167 on State Pension and Simple Assessment, whether the Government conducted an impact assessment of delivering the measure on an opt-in basis rather than through universal provision.

The State Pension is taxable income along with other pension income. The Budget confirmed that the basic and new State Pension will be uprated by 4.8% in 2026-27, in line with our commitment to the Triple Lock. This means pensioners whose sole income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not pay income tax in 2026-27. The Budget announced that the Government will ease the administrative burden for pensioners whose sole income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments so that they do not have to pay small amounts of tax via Simple Assessment from 2027-28. The Government will set out more detail next year.

If he will consult with representatives of older FAS and PPF members to explore alternative approaches to compensating people without pension indexation.

The Government has tabled an amendment which provides that compensation payments from the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) and Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) on pensions built up before April 1997 will now be linked to CPI-inflation (capped at 2.5%) and apply prospectively for pensioners whose former schemes provided these increases. Pre-97 increases will also apply to the beneficiaries of eligible members.The change announced to provide pre-97 indexation for PPF and FAS compensation payments will be made for members whose former schemes provided indexation within their scheme rules on a mandatory or statutory basis. The members captured within our reforms lost out when their scheme transferred to the PPF or qualified for the FAS. We do not intend to consult on the matter of pensions indexation in the PPF and FAS.I understand that members will want to receive compensation quickly, particularly those with a serious illness or limited life expectancy and I am sympathetic to those concerns.Legislation introducing indexation on pre-1997 service will apply to eligible members suffering serious ill health in the same way that it applies to other members. Those in receipt of an ill-health pension when their scheme entered a PPF assessment period are entitled to 100% compensation, indexed as set out in the proposals.The Financial Assistance Scheme has the capacity to pay ill health, severe ill health and terminal ill health payments. All three are regular payments rather than in the form of a lump sum. The Pension Protection Fund makes terminal illness payments in the form of a lump sum. Measures in the Pension Schemes Bill are additionally extending the definition of terminal illness so that affected individuals can access terminal illness payments earlier, at a very difficult time of their lives.The earliest opportunity to provide pre-97 increases to PPF and FAS members is January 2027, the first annual uprating point after the Pension Schemes Bill is expected to receive Royal Assent.

Whether the Government has considered bringing forward the planned January 2027 implementation of CPI-linked increases for pre-1997 PPF and FAS accruals to ensure that members with limited life expectancy benefit.

The Government has tabled an amendment which provides that compensation payments from the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) and Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) on pensions built up before April 1997 will now be linked to CPI-inflation (capped at 2.5%) and apply prospectively for pensioners whose former schemes provided these increases. Pre-97 increases will also apply to the beneficiaries of eligible members.The change announced to provide pre-97 indexation for PPF and FAS compensation payments will be made for members whose former schemes provided indexation within their scheme rules on a mandatory or statutory basis. The members captured within our reforms lost out when their scheme transferred to the PPF or qualified for the FAS. We do not intend to consult on the matter of pensions indexation in the PPF and FAS.I understand that members will want to receive compensation quickly, particularly those with a serious illness or limited life expectancy and I am sympathetic to those concerns.Legislation introducing indexation on pre-1997 service will apply to eligible members suffering serious ill health in the same way that it applies to other members. Those in receipt of an ill-health pension when their scheme entered a PPF assessment period are entitled to 100% compensation, indexed as set out in the proposals.The Financial Assistance Scheme has the capacity to pay ill health, severe ill health and terminal ill health payments. All three are regular payments rather than in the form of a lump sum. The Pension Protection Fund makes terminal illness payments in the form of a lump sum. Measures in the Pension Schemes Bill are additionally extending the definition of terminal illness so that affected individuals can access terminal illness payments earlier, at a very difficult time of their lives.The earliest opportunity to provide pre-97 increases to PPF and FAS members is January 2027, the first annual uprating point after the Pension Schemes Bill is expected to receive Royal Assent.

Whether the Government will review the method used to apply CPI-linked increases in the PPF and FAS to pre-1997 accruals to ensure that compensation is proportionate to levels of historical losses.

The Government has tabled an amendment which provides that compensation payments from the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) and Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) on pensions built up before April 1997 will now be linked to CPI-inflation (capped at 2.5%) and apply prospectively for pensioners whose former schemes provided these increases. Pre-97 increases will also apply to the beneficiaries of eligible members.The change announced to provide pre-97 indexation for PPF and FAS compensation payments will be made for members whose former schemes provided indexation within their scheme rules on a mandatory or statutory basis. The members captured within our reforms lost out when their scheme transferred to the PPF or qualified for the FAS. We do not intend to consult on the matter of pensions indexation in the PPF and FAS.I understand that members will want to receive compensation quickly, particularly those with a serious illness or limited life expectancy and I am sympathetic to those concerns.Legislation introducing indexation on pre-1997 service will apply to eligible members suffering serious ill health in the same way that it applies to other members. Those in receipt of an ill-health pension when their scheme entered a PPF assessment period are entitled to 100% compensation, indexed as set out in the proposals.The Financial Assistance Scheme has the capacity to pay ill health, severe ill health and terminal ill health payments. All three are regular payments rather than in the form of a lump sum. The Pension Protection Fund makes terminal illness payments in the form of a lump sum. Measures in the Pension Schemes Bill are additionally extending the definition of terminal illness so that affected individuals can access terminal illness payments earlier, at a very difficult time of their lives.The earliest opportunity to provide pre-97 increases to PPF and FAS members is January 2027, the first annual uprating point after the Pension Schemes Bill is expected to receive Royal Assent.

What measures the Government will take to ensure that members of the FAS and PPF with serious health conditions or limited life expectancy are not disadvantaged under the proposals for CPI-linked increases to pre-1997 pension accruals.

The Government has tabled an amendment which provides that compensation payments from the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) and Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) on pensions built up before April 1997 will now be linked to CPI-inflation (capped at 2.5%) and apply prospectively for pensioners whose former schemes provided these increases. Pre-97 increases will also apply to the beneficiaries of eligible members.The change announced to provide pre-97 indexation for PPF and FAS compensation payments will be made for members whose former schemes provided indexation within their scheme rules on a mandatory or statutory basis. The members captured within our reforms lost out when their scheme transferred to the PPF or qualified for the FAS. We do not intend to consult on the matter of pensions indexation in the PPF and FAS.I understand that members will want to receive compensation quickly, particularly those with a serious illness or limited life expectancy and I am sympathetic to those concerns.Legislation introducing indexation on pre-1997 service will apply to eligible members suffering serious ill health in the same way that it applies to other members. Those in receipt of an ill-health pension when their scheme entered a PPF assessment period are entitled to 100% compensation, indexed as set out in the proposals.The Financial Assistance Scheme has the capacity to pay ill health, severe ill health and terminal ill health payments. All three are regular payments rather than in the form of a lump sum. The Pension Protection Fund makes terminal illness payments in the form of a lump sum. Measures in the Pension Schemes Bill are additionally extending the definition of terminal illness so that affected individuals can access terminal illness payments earlier, at a very difficult time of their lives.The earliest opportunity to provide pre-97 increases to PPF and FAS members is January 2027, the first annual uprating point after the Pension Schemes Bill is expected to receive Royal Assent.

What steps he is taking to ensure that its legal obligations under the Human Rights Act in relation to the detention of defendants are met.

The Department ensures compliance with its obligations under the Human Rights Act, and other legal requirements, through operational policies communicated to prisons and probation, and oversight by bodies such as HM Inspectorate of Prisons and Independent Monitoring Boards.The Department works hard to ensure we maintain safe, lawful conditions and uphold prisoners’ rights.

What assessment he has made of trends in the levels of excess winter deaths data.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of the 25th November is attached.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the vehicles available within the Motability scheme on the cost of wheelchair accessible and adapted vehicles.

The Motability Scheme is a lifeline for disabled people in the UK, leasing cars, wheelchair accessible vehicles, scooters and powered wheelchairs in exchange for part or all of their qualifying mobility allowance. The Scheme will continue to offer a choice of vehicles to meet a range of accessibility needs and the Motability Foundation will continue to offer means-tested grants to support eligible people who would otherwise struggle to afford the advance payment or adaptations for a vehicle, or a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) through the Scheme. The changes announced at Budget about VAT relief do not apply to wheelchair adapted vehicles. Motability Operations, an independent commercial company which delivers the Scheme, will continue to prioritise customer needs, ensuring vehicles remain affordable and that support for wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) and specialist adaptations remain at the heart of the Scheme. Eligibility for enhanced mobility Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which provides the main gateway to the Scheme, assesses the mobility needs arising from a health condition or disability rather than the disability or health condition itself.

Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Russian Chess Federation's attempt to have sanctions against them lifted.

The UK Government recognises the independence and autonomy of international chess bodies. Decisions on who they include in events and competitions are for the organisers to take, within the framework of their own rules and regulations.

What assessment his Department has made of standing charges on the level of energy bills.

The Government knows that, for many consumers, too much of the burden of the bill is placed on standing charges. Ofgem have conducted a broad public consultation to understand the views of consumers on this issue, receiving over 5,000 responses on their 2024 discussion paper. Ofgem judged that if standing charges were fully removed, the fixed costs of the energy system would still need to be recovered, and unit rates would therefore need to increase. In Ofgem's view, this introduced a risk of harm for vulnerable consumers who are high users of energy, often for medical and health needs. Since then, Ofgem have been continuing work in two areas. Firstly, Ofgem have been working to ensure that domestic consumers can choose tariffs with lower standing charges. Ofgem took a further step towards this goal on 24 July, announcing proposals to require suppliers to offer their customers tariffs with lower standing charges from early 2026. Ofgem’s consultation on these proposals closed on 23 October, and they will provide a further update in due course. Secondly, Ofgem have been reviewing how ‘fixed’ costs, which tend to be funded through standing charges, should be recovered in the future energy system. This includes whether those fixed costs could be recovered in more progressive ways, and we are working closely with the regulator on this.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes to Motability on the availability of wheelchair accessible and adapted vehicles.

The Motability Scheme is a lifeline for disabled people in the UK, leasing cars, wheelchair accessible vehicles, scooters and powered wheelchairs in exchange for part or all of their qualifying mobility allowance. The Scheme will continue to offer a choice of vehicles to meet a range of accessibility needs and the Motability Foundation will continue to offer means-tested grants to support eligible people who would otherwise struggle to afford the advance payment or adaptations for a vehicle, or a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) through the Scheme. The changes announced at Budget about VAT relief do not apply to wheelchair adapted vehicles. Motability Operations, an independent commercial company which delivers the Scheme, will continue to prioritise customer needs, ensuring vehicles remain affordable and that support for wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) and specialist adaptations remain at the heart of the Scheme. Eligibility for enhanced mobility Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which provides the main gateway to the Scheme, assesses the mobility needs arising from a health condition or disability rather than the disability or health condition itself.

When will the Government respond to the recommendations contained in the Nuclear Regulatory Review led by John Fingleton.

At Budget the Chancellor confirmed that government endorses the report’s approach and accepts the principles of all recommendations it set out. My Rt hon Friend the Prime Minister has also issued a Strategic Steer which sets clear expectations for the civil, defence, and decommissioning nuclear sectors to accelerate safe and efficient delivery through proportionate regulation and stronger collaboration. We will present a full implementation plan within three months, taking account of international obligations, national security considerations, and planning, environmental and court processes.

What assessment he has made of the causes of the excess winter deaths in the latest data.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of the 25th November is attached.