Every parliamentary written question tabled by Paul Kohler this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 81–100 of 163 · this parliament
How many children (a) receive and (b) are eligible under existing rules for free school meals in Wimbledon.
The department holds free school meals data, which can be found in this publication: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics/2024-25.
How much funding she plans to provide through the (a) Bus Service Operator Grant and (b) Bus Service Improvement Plan in the Spending Review 2025.
The Government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country, consisting of both Bus Service Operators Grant and Bus Service Improvement Plan funding. All future bus funding is being considered as part of the ongoing multi-year Spending Review, which provides the opportunity for the Department to assess the sector’s funding needs so that bus services are adequately funded to support the government’s missions on economic growth and overcoming barriers to opportunity.
What assessment she has made of the potential revenue from introducing a fuel tax on domestic aviation to encourage rail travel.
Air Passenger Duty (APD) applies to airlines and is the principal tax on the aviation sector, since tickets are VAT free and aviation fuel incurs no duty. APD varies by distance and class of travel and is expected to raise £4.7 billion in 2025-26. The domestic band applies to all flights between airports in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland and is currently set at £7 for economy passengers until 31 March 2026. The Government provides significant financial support for rail travel to enable its operation and make it an attractive option for passengers, including supporting infrastructure upgrades. Recent examples include investment in the rollout of Pay As You Go fare structures in the West Midlands and Greater Manchester, and the delivery of the Northumberland Line in the North East. This sits alongside the biggest overhaul of the railways in a generation through the set-up of Great British Railways, which will strip out duplication and ensure taxpayers get better value for money.
Whether her Department has had recent discussions with relevant stakeholders on private financing options for the second phase of High Speed Two.
The Government’s current focus is the safe delivery of High Speed Two (HS2) between Birmingham Curzon Street and London Euston at the lowest reasonable cost. While we will not reverse the decision to cancel Phase 2 of HS2, we recognise concerns about connectivity between Birmingham and Manchester and continue to review the position we inherited on rail infrastructure. The Department is currently reviewing options to collaborate with the private sector on the delivery of the HS2 Euston station. As part of this, officials are engaging with stakeholders to gain a comprehensive understanding of the available private finance options that could deliver value for money for taxpayers.Minister Hendy met with Mayors Burnham and Parker last November, following the publication of the Midlands North-West Rail Link plan; the Mayors’ plan involved leveraging private capital to build a new Birmingham to Manchester railway line. The Department is currently reviewing a range of options for enhancing northern rail infrastructure while ensuring value for money for taxpayers.
What steps she is taking to help increase the capacity of the West Coast Mainline between Crewe and Manchester.
This Government is committed to improving rail connectivity across the North and working with local leaders, as set out in our manifesto. While we will not reverse the decision to cancel Phase 2 of HS2, we recognise concerns about connectivity between Birmingham and Manchester and continue to review the position we inherited on rail infrastructure. We will set out our plans in due course.
If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of increasing the bus fare cap on passenger numbers.
The Government is investing over £150 million to deliver the new £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London from 1 January until 31 December 2025 to help keep bus fares affordable. Under the plans of the previous administration, the £2 cap on bus fares had been due to expire on 31 December 2024, and prior to the Budget, there was no further funding available to maintain a cap on bus fares beyond this point. The final monitoring and evaluation report into the impact of the £2 bus fare cap was published on 12 February. An evaluation of the £3 fare cap is due to be commissioned in due course.
What steps she is taking to promote the use of restorative justice.
Restorative justice can improve victim satisfaction and reduce reoffending. Victims must be informed about restorative justice under the Victims’ Code.We provide grant funding to Police and Crime Commissioners for victim support services, including restorative justice.
Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to support leaseholders with the cost of lease renewal.
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 includes provisions that will make it cheaper and easier for existing leaseholders to extend their lease or buy their freehold. As set out in my Written Ministerial Statement of 21 November 2024 (HCWS244), the government intends to act quickly to provide homeowners with greater rights, powers, and protections over their homes by implementing the Act’s provisions. These include an amended valuation scheme that leaseholders must follow to calculate how much they should pay to enfranchise. The method set by the Act for the valuation process removes the requirement for marriage value to be paid, caps the treatment of ground rents in the valuation calculation at 0.1% of the freehold value and allows Government to prescribe the rates used to calculate the enfranchisement premium. Rates will be set by the Secretary of State in secondary legislation, and we will consult on valuation rates this summer. The Act also includes a new statutory right to a 990-year lease extension for leaseholders of both houses and flats and makes extending a lease cheaper for leaseholders by requiring each side to pay their own process costs, such as valuation and solicitor's fees. The implementation of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 will require an extensive programme of secondary legislation and we will set out the details in due course.
What assessment she has made of the contribution of businesses utilising rail travel to the effectiveness of the rail network; and what steps she is taking to consult with business on her planned reforms to the rail sector.
We recognise that business travel is a significant reason for using the railways. Research just published has shown that 15 per cent of journeys on DfT-contracted rail passenger services were made for business travel. On 18 February we launched the eight-week public consultation on the Railways Bill, which closes on 15 April. The proposals will put passengers back at the heart of our railways. This consultation is very much the beginning of an ongoing process of engagement that will continue throughout the policy development and legislative process.
Whether she will publish a response to her Department's consultation entitled, Design standards for accessible railway stations: a code of practice, published on 23 August 2023.
This consultation was conducted under the previous government. The Department for Transport is currently considering publication of a response.
Whether her Department plans to remove Appendix B of the PRM NTSN.
The Secretary of State for Transport has no plans to remove Appendix B from the Persons of Reduced Mobility (PRM) NTSN. The PRM NTSN is one of several measures that help make the railway more accessible and should be considered in conjunction with relevant National Technical Rules, Rail Industry Standards and operators’ Accessible Travel Policies amongst other measures. My Department has not made a specific assessment of the impact of Appendix B on the availability of step free access at stations, but we keep all NTSNs under regular review.
How many railway stations underwent development where (a) full step-free access and (b) only passive provision was provided between 2019 and 2024.
During the period 2019 – 2024, 66 major accessibility interventions were delivered at 63 different stations under the Access for All Programme, 4 of which were fixed funding contributions through the Access for All mid-tier programme.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact Appendix B of the PRM NTSN on the availability of step-free Access at Railway Stations.
The Secretary of State for Transport has no plans to remove Appendix B from the Persons of Reduced Mobility (PRM) NTSN. The PRM NTSN is one of several measures that help make the railway more accessible and should be considered in conjunction with relevant National Technical Rules, Rail Industry Standards and operators’ Accessible Travel Policies amongst other measures. My Department has not made a specific assessment of the impact of Appendix B on the availability of step free access at stations, but we keep all NTSNs under regular review.
Pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2025 to Question 39774, what assessment she has made of the medium-long term impact of the closure of (a) grassroots and (b) cultural nightlife businesses on tax revenue.
The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street. That is why we have announced our intention to introduce permanently lower rates for high street RHL properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27, which we intend to fund through a higher rate for high-value properties (those with a rateable value of £500,000 and above). Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year to ensure that over 250,000 RHL properties see a full 40 per cent reduction on their liability, and we have frozen the small business multiplier. Taken together with small business rates relief, freezing the small business multiplier has protected over one million properties from inflationary bill increases. To recognise the economic and cultural importance of British pubs, the government also announced a duty cut on approximately 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This represents an overall reduction in duty bills of over £85m a year and is equivalent to a 1p duty reduction on a typical pint.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of energy costs on nightlife businesses.
We recognise the impact that high energy costs are having on nightlife businesses. Through the Clean Energy 2030 Action Plan, we are providing a foundation to build an energy system that can bring down energy bills for businesses for good.To further support businesses including those in the night-time economy, Government is creating a fairer business rate system, reducing alcohol duty on qualifying draught products and our forthcoming Small Business Strategy will set out our plan for further supporting small businesses on the high street and beyond. We are also constantly testing our planning, regulatory and licensing regimes to ensure they remain proportionate and don’t unnecessarily burden night-time businesses.
Whether her Department plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a targeted VAT relief to 15% for (a) food, (b) alcohol and (c) tickets for (i) grassroots and (ii) cultural nightlife businesses.
The Government recognises the significant contribution made by hospitality businesses to economic growth and social life in the UK.VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer.At Autumn Budget the Chancellor announced a duty cut on approximately 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This represents an overall reduction in duty bills of over £85m a year and is equivalent to a 1p duty reduction on a typical pint.
How many people (a) of all ages and (b) under 22 years of age receive the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity element of Universal Credit in the (i) London Borough of Merton and (ii) the London Borough of Kingston upon Thames.
Quarterly statistics for the number of People on Universal Credit with a health condition or disability restricting their ability to work in Great Britain are published on Stat-Xplore. The latest release provides figures up to December 2024 which can be broken down by ‘Age (in bands and single year)’, Westminster Parliamentary Constituency and Local Authority. Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access guidance on how to extract the information required.
How many people (a) of all ages and (b) under 22 years of age receive the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity element of Universal Credit in Wimbledon constituency.
Quarterly statistics for the number of People on Universal Credit with a health condition or disability restricting their ability to work in Great Britain are published on Stat-Xplore. The latest release provides figures up to December 2024 which can be broken down by ‘Age (in bands and single year)’, Westminster Parliamentary Constituency and Local Authority. Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access guidance on how to extract the information required.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help protect the River Wandle from pollution.
The Wandle pollution incident on 18 February was unacceptable. I understand the Environment Agency is investigating.The Government is going further to clean up our waterways, delivering the Water (Special Measures) Act, giving Ofwat powers to ban bonus payments for water bosses. It also increases the Environment Agency’s ability to bring criminal charges against water executives. We launched the largest review of the sector since privatisation. It aims to build consensus for a resilient and innovative water sector and robust wider regulatory framework.
What recent discussions she has had with Transport for London on increasing the number of stations with step-free access on (a) the Northern Line, (b) the District Line and (c) across the London underground network.
Ministers and officials have regular conversations with Transport for London on a variety of issues including accessibility of their network. Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor and TfL is responsible for managing the London Underground.