Written questions by Duncan-Jordan.

Communities and Local Government, who the (a) members are and (b) chair is of the Inter-ministerial Group on Rough Sleeping and Homelessness.

The Inter-Ministerial Group includes ministers from across government and is focused on developing a long-term strategy to get us back on track to ending homelessness. This includes ministers from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Home Office, Department for Education, Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Health and Social Care, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Justice, Cabinet Office, and His Majesty’s Treasury.The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government or his delegate chairs the Inter-Ministerial Group on homelessness.

With reference to the MS Society’s report entitled A Different Path: Rethinking MS hospital care, published in September 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of preventable unplanned hospital admissions for people with multiple sclerosis on (a) people with MS, (b) the NHS and (c) the economy.

As set out in our recently published 10-Year Health Plan, the Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting, including patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).We recognise that preventable unplanned hospitals admissions for people with MS creates added pressure on acute services and are more costly for the National Health Service and the economy, when in fact most patients would prefer to be supported in the community.The 10-Year Health Plan sets out our vision for a Neighbourhood Health Service, which will embody our new preventative principle that care should happen as locally as it can, digitally by default, in a person’s home if possible, in a neighbourhood health centre when needed, and only in a hospital if necessary.The Neighbourhood Health Service will rebalance our health and care system so that it fits around peoples’ lives, not the other way round, moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach and giving people more power and choice over the care they receive.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of replacing corporation tax rules with a progressive tax based on turnover of companies trading in the UK.

To support stability and predictability for businesses, the government published the Corporate Tax Roadmap at the Autumn Budget 2024. Central to this is a commitment to maintain a competitive and sustainable main rate of Corporation Tax by capping it at 25 percent for the duration of this parliament, including generous relief such as Capital Allowances, R&D tax reliefs, and the Patent Box regime. The roadmap confirms the core features of the tax regime, with consultations planned for potential future changes to ensure a stable business environment and promote growth. Turnover taxes tend to be more distortive as they do not account for businesses expenses. In contrast the UK’s Corporation Tax is levied on profits, meaning businesses are taxed on what they actually earn after deducting eligible costs, such as wages, and offers a wide range of competitive reliefs to encourage business investment.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of HMRC processes for collecting outstanding tax payments.

HMRC is committed to making sure that individuals and businesses who can pay, do so on time. Autumn Budget 2024 and Spring Statement 2025 allocated a further £629 million to HMRC’s debt collection activities, which will help it to collect over £11 billion more debt by the end of 2029-30. HMRC announced in its Transformation Roadmap that it will provide more detail by the end of 2025 on how it will reduce debt year on year as a percentage of receipts. HMRC has effective processes in place to collect outstanding payments including telephone and letter campaigns, strategic partnerships with private sector debt collection agencies, and where necessary, enforcement action. For customers who need financial support, it offers flexible Time to Pay payment plans which collect debt in affordable and sustainable instalments. HMRC continually reviews and refines its approach to ensure that its interventions remain effective and provide appropriate support to customers.

Whether the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency plans to renew its contract with Specsavers to provide eye tests for people over 70.

All drivers who notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) of an underlying medical condition that may affect their visual field, regardless of age, are required to have a visual field test with the DVLA’s contracted eye test provider. Specsavers. The current contract for this purpose was awarded to Specsavers in February 2025 following a competitive tender exercise. The contract is for three years with the option to extend for up to another two years.

What steps she is taking to compensate those adversely affected by the Loan Charge scandal.

At Autumn Budget 2024, the government committed to an independent review of the Loan Charge to help bring the matter to a close for those affected whilst ensuring fairness for all taxpayers. The Government will respond by Autumn Budget 2025.

What military support his Department is providing to Israel.

UK military support being provided to Israel is for the specific purpose of hostage rescue and recovery. Previously the UK also acted to support Israel's right to self-defence during Iran's direct attacks in April and October 2024.On hostage rescue, the UK Government continues to work with partners across the region, including Israel, to secure the release of hostages.  The Ministry of Defence have been supporting this effort by conducting unarmed surveillance flights over the Eastern Mediterranean, including in airspace over Israel and Gaza. Support to hostage rescue does not mean the UK is participating in the Israel-Hamas conflict. Surveillance flights are tasked with the sole purpose of hostage rescue and our mandate is narrowly defined to focus on securing the release and recovery of hostages. We control what information is shared with Israel and only information relating to hostage rescue is passed to the relevant Israeli authority.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 26 June 2025 to Question 61000 on Hunting, what recent progress he has made to ban trail-hunting.

Work is ongoing to determine the best approach to deliver the manifesto commitment to ban trail hunting. We have committed to running a consultation to ensure those with an interest can input. We will share further details in due course.

Media and Sport, what her planned timetable is for publishing the outcome of the Arts Council England review.

Baroness Hodge will share her findings with the government in the Autumn of 2025, and the government will publish the conclusions of the review along with the government’s response in 2026.

What assessment she has made of the compatibility of super injunctions with (a) governance and (b) transparency.

It is for the courts to determine individual applications for interim injunctions to restrain publication of confidential information (and the existence of the injunction) on the merits of each case, and in accordance with the law and specific Practice Guidance. The Practice Guidance on Interim Non-Disclosure Orders was issued by the then Master of the Rolls as part of the implementation of the Superinjunctions Committee’s recommendations, which he chaired and whose final report was published in 2011. It provides detailed guidance on the law, principle of open justice and model court orders. These applications will generally be argued on the competing balances of Articles 8 and 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the right to freedom of expression as against the right to reputation and privacy. The public interest is an important element the court will take into account. The Government has no plans to reform the law.

Whether he plans to review the way children's palliative care is (a) planned and (b) funded.

I have tasked officials to look at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10 Year Health Plan.The Government and the National Health Service will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services to ensure that the future state of services reduces variation in access and quality, although some variation may be appropriate to reflect both innovation and the needs of local populations.There are currently no plans at a national level to run a modelling exercise to determine how much the NHS should spend on the health elements of children’s palliative care.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the Housing Benefit earnings disregard from £5 to £57 for young people.

It remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment. The Department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those living in Supported Housing and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department will consider the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders.Like Universal Credit, Housing Benefit has an income taper. As Housing Benefit may be claimed by those both in work and out of work, there are no rules around the number of hours that someone may work; instead, there are income tapers which apply. The income taper in Housing Benefit ensures people in work are better off than someone wholly reliant on benefits. In addition to any financial advantage, there are important non-financial benefits of working. These benefits include learning new skills, improved confidence and independence as well as a positive effect on an individual's mental and physical health. However, the treatment of earnings in Housing Benefit is less generous than that of Universal Credit. Therefore, although customers living in Supported Housing are better off working than doing no work at all, they can be financially better off limiting the hours they work to ensure they retain a small amount of Universal Credit entitlement.Changing the current rules would require a fiscal event and funding at a Budget. As funding is required to allow a change, any future decisions will take account of the current fiscal context.

Whether she plans to review the regulations on the use of e-scooters on roads.

Until changes are made, private e-scooters remain illegal to use on public roads, cycle lanes and pavements. In the Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, which is part of the Industrial Strategy, the Government has committed to pursuing legislative reform for micromobility vehicles, including e-scooters, when parliamentary time allows. The Government will consult thoroughly and publicly before any regulations on e-scooters come into force.

How much money was saved following the means-testing of the winter fuel allowance in 2024-2025, net of the increase in successful Pension Credit claims during the same period.

Linking Winter Fuel Payment eligibility to Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits in England & Wales for winter 2024/25 was estimated to save around £1.3 billion, inclusive of an estimated increase in Pension Credit take-up of five percentage points as a result of the policy change. This figure has been published in the Office of Budget Responsibility’s Economic and Fiscal Outlook (October 2024), available here: https://obr.uk/docs/dlm_uploads/OBR_Economic_and_fiscal_outlook_Oct_2024.pdf. Final 2024/2025 expenditure figures for Winter Fuel Payment and Pension Credit will be available in the next edition of the Benefit Caseload and Expenditure tables.

If he will make an assessment of the equity of access to the shingles vaccine.

Previously, the shingles vaccine was available to people turning 65 and 70 years old, up until their 80th birthday, and to severely immunosuppressed individuals aged 50 years old and over.As of 1 September 2025, approximately 300,000 more people have become eligible for shingles vaccination, with all severely immunosuppressed individuals aged 18 years old and over now being eligible for the shingles vaccine. Individuals who are severely immunosuppressed are most at risk of serious illness and complications from shingles, and so the decision has been made to follow the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), to lower the age of eligibility to protect the most vulnerable.For immunocompetent individuals, the current offering to adults aged 65 and 70 years old was agreed by the Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and NHS England. This decision was made following the JCVI’s advice, an assessment of the effective use of National Health Service resources, and careful consideration of individual risk and population benefit.Analysis shows that the difference in risk and vaccine effectiveness between an individual aged 66 to 69 years old and a 70-year-old is likely to be marginal. This was taken into consideration when planning the expansion of the vaccination programme for immunocompetent adults, which maintains the original offer for those turning 70 years old while also providing another cohort with the opportunity for vaccination.

How much additional income was raised from the (a) increase in the National Insurance rate in April 2025 and (b) lowering of the National Insurance threshold.

Estimates for the additional static revenue expected to be raised from the employer NICs changes, announced at Autumn Budget 2024 and which came into force in April 2025, can be found in the OBR Supplementary forecast information on static costing of changes to Employer National Insurance Contributions. Further information, including on behavioural impacts can be found in Chapter 3.8 of the OBR Economic and fiscal outlook – October 2024.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the eligibility rules for child benefit on high earning single parents.

The Government understands the concerns that have been raised about the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC), including its potential impact on high earning single parents. However, introducing a threshold for single parents, or basing the charge on household rather than individual incomes, would come at a significant fiscal cost if we were to ensure that no families lose out. By withdrawing Child Benefit from high-income parents where the higher earner earns £60,000 or more, the HICBC helps to ensure the sustainability of the public finances and protect our vital public services.

If he will conduct a modelling exercise to determine how much the NHS should spend on the health elements of children’s palliative care.

I have tasked officials to look at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10 Year Health Plan.The Government and the National Health Service will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services to ensure that the future state of services reduces variation in access and quality, although some variation may be appropriate to reflect both innovation and the needs of local populations.There are currently no plans at a national level to run a modelling exercise to determine how much the NHS should spend on the health elements of children’s palliative care.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of reducing VAT on the hospitality sector in line with rates in other European countries on (a) the economy and (b) the tourist industry.

The Government recognises the significant contribution made by hospitality businesses to economic growth and social life in the UK. VAT is the UK’s third largest tax, forecast to raise £180 billion in 2025/26. Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer.HMRC estimate that the cost of a 5 per cent reduced rate for accommodation, hospitality and tourist attractions would be around £13 billion this financial year. If the scope were also to include alcoholic beverages, the cost would be approximately £3 billion greater. We keep all taxes under review, and the Chancellor makes decisions on tax changes at the Budget, in the context of the overall public finances.

Whether she has had recent discussions with her international counterparts on establishing a UN Tax Framework Convention.

The UK is committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure inclusive and effective international tax cooperation, and has been actively engaging in negotiations at the UN over a future Framework Convention, including the recent informal sessions for the technical workstreams. The UK believes that a UN Tax Framework Convention has the potential to further advance international tax cooperation, but to be successful, it needs to be clear in its aims, avoid duplicating initiatives, and seek to secure the broad support and participation of members.