Written questions by Olney.

Whether he has plans to launch a public awareness campaign to help tackle suicide.

The Department currently has no specific plans to launch a public awareness campaign to help tackle suicide. The Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, published in 2023, identifies eight priority groups for targeted and tailored support at a national level. The strategy also identifies key risk factors for suicide, providing an opportunity for effective early intervention. The purpose of the Suicide Prevention Strategy is to set out our aims to prevent suicide through action by working across government and other organisations. One of the key visions of the strategy is to reduce stigma surrounding suicide and mental health, so people feel able to seek help – including through the routes that work best for them. This includes raising awareness that no suicide is inevitable. NHS England published Staying safe from suicide: Best practice guidance for safety assessment, formulation and management to support the Government’s work to reduce suicide and improve mental health services. The guidance requires all mental health practitioners to align their practice to the latest evidence in suicide prevention, and is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/staying-safe-from-suicide/ The NHS England Medium Term Planning Framework states that in 2026/27, all integrated care boards must ensure mental health practitioners across all providers undertake training and deliver care in line with the ‘Staying safe from suicide’ guidance. The 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country. This includes transforming mental health services into neighbourhood mental health centres, improving assertive outreach, expanding talking therapies and giving patients better access to support directly through the NHS App, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Who requested the table-top review of Tier 4 services for personality disorder by NHS England; who is leading that review; and what that review's aims and purpose are.

NHS England London Region Specialised Commissioning is currently undertaking a tabletop review of Tier 4 (T4) Personality Disorder inpatient provision within the London footprint. This review is being led by the Nursing and Quality and Mental Health teams and covers all units providing national T4 Personality Disorder inpatient services, which are all located in London.The review has been initiated in response to a number of quality and environmental concerns identified within the provision. It will also consider how the current T4 Personality Disorder pathway aligns with national mental health policy, including the NHS Long Term Plan, with a particular focus on the strategic shift from inpatient care towards community-based, multidisciplinary models of support.The review is assessing the effectiveness of the current service model, its clinical distinctiveness, equity of access, and its alignment with national policy objectives.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of a) pubs, b) hotels, c) restaurants, d) indoor leisure and e) night clubs whose business rates bill will i) go up ii) stay the same or iii) decrease from April 2026 as a result of the measures announced in Budget 2025.

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base. At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties, including those in the hospitality and leisure sectors as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest. For the pubs sector, the increase in rateable values will be 30%, which combined with the loss of the temporary RHL relief would lead to an increase in total bills paid by the sector of 45%. However, due to government intervention, the sector’s total bill will only increase by 4% next year. More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto. The Government is doing this by introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties, including pubs. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties. The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since Covid. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of applying a) a 10p multiplier b) a 15p multiplier or c) the full 20p discount on high street and hospitality businesses; and if she will publish that assessment.

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base. At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest. More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto. The Government is doing this by introducing permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties. The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since COVID. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit. The new RHL tax rates will be 5p below the national tax rates. Making the RHL tax rates even lower would have led to a higher tax rate for high-value properties.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of rateable value increases and changes to business rates relief, announced at Budget 2025, on a) vacancy rates on local high streets, b) employment levels, c) businesses closures and d) price levels.

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base. At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest. More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto. The Government is doing this by introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties, including pubs. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties. The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since Covid. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit. The Call for Evidence published at Budget seeks further evidence on the role business rates and reliefs play in investment, including Empty Property Relief.

What assessment she has made of the reasons for the difference in the projected changes in liabilities for (a) pubs and (b) distribution warehouses over the three-year revaluation period after transition.

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base. At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest. Without this support, pubs would have faced a 45% increase in the total bills they pay next year. Because of the support we’ve put in, this falls to just 4%. More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto. The Government is doing this by introducing permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties. The RHL multipliers are being funded through a higher rate for high-value properties (those with a RV of £500,000 and above). These high-value properties cover the majority of distribution warehouses, including those used by the online giants. Distribution warehouses will pay around £100 million more in business rates in 2026/27, with this going directly to lower bills for in-person retail, including pubs.

Whether it is her policy to reform the business rates system to support physical businesses against online retailers.

The Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto. The Government is doing this by introducing permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties, while ensuring that warehouses used by online giants will pay more. These new lower tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit. The Government is paying for lower tax rates for RHL through higher rates on the top one per cent of most expensive properties. Large distribution warehouses, such as those used by online giants, will pay around £100m more in 2026/27, with this going directly to lower bills for in-person retail.

Whether it is her policy to use the business rates system to help support high street businesses in the context of their competition with online retailers.

The Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto. The Government is doing this by introducing permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties, while ensuring that warehouses used by online giants will pay more. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit. The Government is paying for lower tax rates for RHL through higher rates on the top one per cent of most expensive properties. Large distribution warehouses, such as those used by online giants, will pay around £100m more in 2026/27, with this going directly to lower bills for in-person retail.

What steps his Department is taking to help tackle youth unemployment, in the context of trends in the level of employment in the hospitality sector.

The Government recognises the importance of the Hospitality in providing employment for young people. At Budget, we announced more than £1.5 billion of investment over the next three years, funding £820m for the Youth Guarantee to support young people to earn or learn, and an additional £725 million for the Growth and Skills Levy. Through the expanded Youth Guarantee, young people aged 16-24 across Great Britain are set to benefit from further support into employment and learning.We are supporting more than 50,000 young people into apprenticeships in England by fully funding apprenticeship training costs for all eligible 16-24-year-olds, removing the need for non-levy paying employers to co-fund these learners. We are also expanding foundation apprenticeships into sectors such as hospitality and retail, where young people are traditionally recruited.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of higher rateable values and reduced business rates relief on the number of hospitality closures and empty units on high streets over the next three years.

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base. At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest. Without our support, the pub sector as a whole would have faced a 45% increase in the total bills they pay next year. Because of the support we’ve put in place, this has fallen to just 4%. More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto. We are doing this by introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties, including those on the high street. The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since Covid. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit. The National Insurance Contributions (NICs) Employment Allowance has been more than doubled to £10,500, ensuring that over half of businesses with National Insurance liabilities, including those in the hospitality sector, will either gain or see no change this year. A Tax Information and Impact Note was published alongside changes to employer NICs.

How much of the Structures Fund will be allocated towards the funding of the Lower Thames Crossing.

Funding for the Lower Thames Crossing is separate to the £1bn announced at Spending Review 2025 for key local highway enhancement projects and a new Structures Fund for repairing run down bridges, decaying flyovers and worn-out tunnels.

If he will commission an independent national review into the use of allocation tools in Children’s Continuing Care, with recommendations on legality, safeguarding and transparency, and lay the report before Parliament.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all children, including those with complex health needs, receive appropriate care and support whenever and wherever they need it. Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of services to meet the varied needs of their local populations, including for children’s continuing care. It is for ICBs to judge the appropriateness of using allocation tools in their local context. ICBs should also ensure that any use is in line with regulatory and privacy obligations and with the principles of the National Framework for Children and Young People’s Continuing Care. The framework, published by the Department, provides guidance to support ICBs and local authorities to assess and agree support for children whose needs cannot be met through existing universal or specialist services. For these reasons, there are no plans to commission an independent national review at this time.

How many referrals have the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman received in each year since 2015 regarding Children’s Continuing Care.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all children, including those with complex health needs, receive appropriate care and support whenever and wherever they need it. The National Framework for Children and Young People’s Continuing Care provides guidance to support integrated care boards and local authorities to assess and agree support for children whose needs cannot be met through existing universal or specialist services. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) is an independent organisation. The PHSO publishes statistics on the referrals and complaints they receive categorised by organisation and not by type of service provided or age group. Therefore, the Department does not have access to the information requested.

How many Stage 1 and Stage 2 complaints regarding Children’s Continuing Care were received in each ICB in the last three years, what percentage of those complaints were upheld or partially upheld and what the average time taken was to resolve these complaints.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all children, including those with complex health needs, receive appropriate care and support whenever and wherever they need it. The National Framework for Children and Young People’s Continuing Care, published by the Department, provides guidance to support integrated care boards (ICBs) and local authorities to assess and agree support for children whose needs cannot be met through existing universal or specialist services. The Department and NHS England do not centrally collect data on ICB complaints regarding children’s continuing care. We expect ICBs to commission appropriate services to meet the needs of their local populations, including children with complex health needs, and to provide high-quality care in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance.

If he will hold discussions with EP Group on meeting the terms of Royal Mail's agreements with (a) the Communication Workers Union and (b) the Government on (i) workforce pay and conditions and (ii) other matters.

The government engaged with EP Group and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) throughout the process of Royal Mail’s ownership transition. The Deed of Undertaking we agreed with the new owner includes a commitment from EP Group that they will continue to recognise the unions and abide by the future terms of legally binding agreements they make with them.The agreement between the government and EP Group does not give the government a role in the operational decisions of the business – it remains a private entity.We will continue to monitor compliance with these undertakings and maintain dialogue with all parties to ensure that agreed protections and principles are upheld.

With reference to the Settlement Pathway announced on 20 November 2025, if she will define the requirement for indefinite leave to remain applicants to have no debt in the UK, specifically in relation to mortgages, student loans and business loans.

A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, the statement accompanying our current public consultation on earned settlement, sets out that applicants seeking to settle in the UK should have no current litigation, NHS, tax or other government debt.Further detail on the earned settlement model will be finalised following the conclusion of that public consultation.

What steps his Department is taking to review the regulatory framework for postal services, including the oversight of parcel courier companies and their contribution to the universal postal network.

Ofcom is the independent regulator for the postal sector with the responsibility and powers to regulate postal services. Ofcom requires all postal operators to establish, make available, and comply with transparent, simple, and inexpensive procedures for dealing with consumers’ complaints about the services they receive. The government will continue to work with the regulator to ensure that the framework supports fair competition, consumer protection and the long-term sustainability of the universal postal network.

What steps the Government is taking to help ensure that proposed changes to the Universal Service Obligation are implemented in a way that maintains service quality for customers and engages with postal workers.

On 10 July this year, Ofcom announced its decision to make changes to the universal postal service obligation. Implementation of those changes are for Royal Mail’s management and the new owner in consultation with its unions. The government is aware that discussions are ongoing and encourages all parties to continue their constructive engagement to agree the best approach to reform that supports workers, delivers for customers and secures the long-term financial sustainability of the universal postal service.

What information her Department holds on the number of people who use a salary sacrifice scheme.

HMRC does not hold administrative data on the number of employers offering and employees using salary sacrifice schemes. However, estimates based on other information are held. HMRC analysis of the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings suggests that around 7.7 million employees made salary sacrifice pension contributions in 2024. That analysis is available here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/surveys/informationforbusinesses/businesssurveys/annualsurveyofhoursandearningsashe HMRC’s non-structural tax relief statistics publication sets out the estimated number of participants in the cycle to work scheme and is accessible here:Non-structural tax reliefs - GOV.UK

Whether her Department holds data on the number of employers offering salary sacrifice schemes.

HMRC does not hold administrative data on the number of employers offering and employees using salary sacrifice schemes. However, estimates based on other information are held. HMRC analysis of the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings suggests that around 7.7 million employees made salary sacrifice pension contributions in 2024. That analysis is available here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/surveys/informationforbusinesses/businesssurveys/annualsurveyofhoursandearningsashe HMRC’s non-structural tax relief statistics publication sets out the estimated number of participants in the cycle to work scheme and is accessible here:Non-structural tax reliefs - GOV.UK