Written questions by Morton.

How many people will move into higher tax bands due to the freezing of income tax and National Insurance thresholds for three years; and estimate she has made of the revenue raised through these measures.

The number of people forecast to pay tax by marginal rate can be found in Table 3.19 in the OBR’s November 2025 Economic and fiscal outlook – detailed forecast tables: receipts, linked below: https://obr.uk/download/november-2025-economic-and-fiscal-outlook-detailed-forecast-tables-receipts/?tmstv=1764165511 The estimated revenue from maintaining the personal income tax and equivalent national insurance thresholds at current levels for a further three years until April 2031 can be found in Table 4.1, policy 46 in HMT’s Budget 2025 document, linked below: Budget 2025 document - GOV.UK

What analysis her Department has carried out of the potential macro-economic effects (on investment, business growth, rental markets, and savings behaviour) of raising dividend, property and savings income tax rates by two percentage points as part of the 2025 Autumn Budget.

Economic forecasts, including assessments of the impact of policy decisions, are the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The OBR publishes its forecast in the Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO). The OBR’s latest EFO can be found here: Economic and fiscal outlook – November 2025 - Office for Budget Responsibility. The OBR does not expect a material impact on economy-wide growth, investment, or savings behaviour as a result of Budget 2025 tax changes.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the level of taxation as a result of the Autumn Budget 2025 on the economy.

HM Treasury does not publish forecasts of the economy. Forecasts, including assessments of the impact of policy decisions, are the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The OBR publishes its forecast in the Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO). The OBR’s latest EFO can be found here: Economic and fiscal outlook – November 2025 - Office for Budget Responsibility.  The OBR does not expect a material impact on economy-wide growth as a result of Budget 2025 tax changes.

What estimate she has made of the average increase in annual tax paid by households earning between £25,000 and £50,000 following the Autumn Budget 2025.

HM Treasury’s ‘Impact on households’ publication, produced alongside Budget 2025, shows that the impact of government tax, welfare and public service spending decisions from Autumn Budget 2024 onwards are progressive and benefit households in the lowest income deciles the most, on average, with increases in tax concentrated on the highest income households. On average, all but the richest 10% of households will benefit from policy decisions in 2028-29.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that additional capital funding for roads, rail and bus networks announced in the Budget is allocated fairly across the West Midlands, including to areas across Aldridge-Brownhills which do not benefit from major rail interchanges or tram extensions.

The West Midlands Combined Authority will receive almost £2.4bn in Transport for City Region (TCR) funding up to 31/32. Enabling Mayors in recipient areas to deliver schemes that align with local priorities, the TCR programme provides unprecedented, multi-year, consolidated funding settlements to enhance the local transport networks of some of England’s largest city regions, including investment in public and sustainable transport infrastructure, to help to drive growth and productivity. It is for the Combined Authority to determine how this funding is allocated across the city region in line with local priorities.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the West Midlands; and whether she plans to provide additional support for installing public EV chargers across Aldridge-Brownhills constituency.

The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle (EV). As of 1st October 2025 there were 7,661 public charging devices in the West Midlands, equating to 127 devices per 100,000 of the population. There were 31 public charging devices in the Aldrige-Brownhills constituency at the same period. The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), which includes Aldridge-Brownhills constituency, has been allocated £16.6 million capital and resource funding as part of the Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, to transform the availability of EV charging for drivers without off-street parking in the area. The WMCA has also been allocated £1,531,000 through the Electric Vehicles Pavement Channels Grant.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of applying National Insurance to salary-sacrificed pension contributions above £2,000 from 2029 on small and medium-sized employers, pension take-up and long-term pension savings; and whether she plans to bring forward measures to mitigate the impact on pension auto-enrolment and retirement preparedness.

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to pensions salary sacrifice. Small and medium-sized employers (SMEs) are less likely to be affected by these changes. Based on the latest ASHE data (2023/24), 28% of employees of SMEs use pension salary sacrifice, compared to 39% of larger employers. The government supports all individuals to save into pensions through a generous system of tax reliefs worth over £70 billion a year.

Whether she has made an estimate of the number and demographic profile of savers impacted by the reduction in the annual cash ISA allowance; and whether she plans to introduce alternative saving and investment incentives.

ISAs incentivise saving and investment by providing generous tax advantages to individual taxpayers. Individuals can save up to £20,000 into an ISA each year, and any savings income received within an ISA is tax free. In addition, due to the Personal Savings Allowance and the Starting Rate for Savings, in 2025-26 around 85 per cent of people with savings income will pay no tax on that income.This policy will affect those aged under 65 from April 2027, but the overall Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) limit will remain at £20,000 for all savers when the annual Cash ISA limit is set at £12,000. Savers can still use stocks and shares ISAs beyond the £12,000 up to £20,000. It will not affect existing cash ISA savings.A policy costing note for the package of measures was published alongside the Budget, including the changes to the ISA regime. Following a technical consultation, new ISA regulations will be laid, and a Tax Impact and Information Note will be published in the spring.After around 800,000 savers aged 65 and above are carved-out, these changes will affect around 16% of Cash ISA subscribers, and around 12% of all ISA subscribers. This means around 1.3 million people are impacted by these changes.

Communities and Local Government, whether local authorities will be required to repay accumulated DSG deficits before 2028-29, or whether such deficits will be written off as part of the transition to central government funding of SEND provision.

At Autmn Budget 2025, the government clarified that ambitious Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) reform plans will be set out early in the new year and that funding for SEND will be managed within the government’s overall departmental spending limits from 2028-29. Therefore, we do not expect local authorities to need to fund future SEND costs from general funds, once the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Statutory Override ends at the end of 2027-28.We recognise that local authorities are continuing to face significant pressure from the impact of historic and accruing DSG deficits on their accounts. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government engages regularly with local authorities and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy on the impact of the deficits and the extent to which they are expected to grow. We will set out further details on our plans to support local authorities with their historic and accruing deficits through the upcoming Local Government Finance Settlement.

What modelling she has undertaken on applying National Insurance to salary-sacrificed pension contributions above £2,000; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of that measure on pension contributions among middle-income workers.

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to pensions salary sacrifice. Individuals earning below £30,000 making pension contributions through salary sacrifice are overwhelmingly protected by a £2,000 cap, with few (c. 5%) making salary sacrifice contributions above this threshold.

What assessment she has made of the impact of the Budget’s roads funding announcements on tackling congestion hotspots in Aldridge-Brownhills, including the A452, A461, Chester Road, Walsall Wood Road and Brownhills High Street; and whether additional funding will be made available to local authorities to deliver small-scale but high-impact junction and safety improvements.

Tackling congestion hotspots on local roads is a matter for local highway authorities. The roads in question are the responsibility of Walsall Council, which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). WMCA is in receipt of £1.05bn of City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) funding for the period 2022/23 to 2026/27, and this Government has allocated £2.4bn of Transport for City Regions (TCR) funding to the region for the period up until 2031/32. It is for the combined authority to determine how this funding is allocated across the city region in line with its local priorities.The Government has also committed over £2 billion annually by 2029/30 for local authorities to repair and renew their roads and fix potholes – doubling funding since coming into office. For the first time, we have confirmed funding allocations for four years, enabling local authorities to plan ahead with certainty, move away from expensive, short-term repairs, and instead invest in proactive and preventative maintenance. As a result of this, WMCA are eligible to receive an additional £9 million in 2026/27.

Communities and Local Government, if he will publish any impact assessments on the potential displacement of visitors away from levy-charging areas of the West Midlands to neighbouring counties without such charges, and what analysis has been undertaken of the risks to the region’s smaller hospitality-based high streets.

The impacts of the overnight visitor levy will be determined by local decisions. Mayors will need to decide whether to implement a levy, subject to a local consultation on specific proposals. This consultation will inform their decisions regarding whether and how a levy will be applied, and how any revenue is invested in their region.The Government is consulting on the design and scope of the visitor levy and welcomes views from businesses, local authorities, and the public. The consultation runs until 18 February.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the impact of granting the Mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority powers to levy a mandatory charge on overnight stays on smaller visitor economies such as Aldridge-Brownhills, Walsall and surrounding parts of the West Midlands that do not benefit from the international tourism profile of Birmingham city centre.

The impacts of the overnight visitor levy will be determined by local decisions. Mayors will need to decide whether to implement a levy, subject to a local consultation on specific proposals. This consultation will inform their decisions regarding whether and how a levy will be applied, and how any revenue is invested in their region.The Government is consulting on the design and scope of the visitor levy and welcomes views from businesses, local authorities, and the public. The consultation runs until 18 February.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on West Midlands local authorities of the Government’s decision in the Autumn Budget to transfer full responsibility for funding Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision to central government from 2028-29; and whether his Department has modelled the financial implications for Walsall Council, in particular the treatment of existing Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficits.

At Autmn Budget 2025, the government clarified that ambitious Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) reform plans will be set out early in the new year and that funding for SEND will be managed within the government’s overall departmental spending limits from 2028-29. Therefore, we do not expect local authorities to need to fund future SEND costs from general funds, once the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Statutory Override ends at the end of 2027-28.We recognise that local authorities are continuing to face significant pressure from the impact of historic and accruing DSG deficits on their accounts. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government engages regularly with local authorities and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy on the impact of the deficits and the extent to which they are expected to grow. We will set out further details on our plans to support local authorities with their historic and accruing deficits through the upcoming Local Government Finance Settlement.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the OBR’s conclusion that cumulative local authority SEND deficits may reach £14 billion by 2027-28, and what implications this has for the financial sustainability of councils in the West Midlands, including Walsall, once the statutory override on DSG deficits expires in 2028.

At Autmn Budget 2025, the government clarified that ambitious Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) reform plans will be set out early in the new year and that funding for SEND will be managed within the government’s overall departmental spending limits from 2028-29. Therefore, we do not expect local authorities to need to fund future SEND costs from general funds, once the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Statutory Override ends at the end of 2027-28.We recognise that local authorities are continuing to face significant pressure from the impact of historic and accruing DSG deficits on their accounts. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government engages regularly with local authorities and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy on the impact of the deficits and the extent to which they are expected to grow. We will set out further details on our plans to support local authorities with their historic and accruing deficits through the upcoming Local Government Finance Settlement.

Whether he will require the Department for Education or newly responsible central government bodies to publish borough-level data on SEND provision, EHCP timeliness and outcomes once funding is centralised, to ensure regional transparency for areas such as Walsall and the Black Country.

Information on the number of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) is published in the statistical release, Special educational needs in England, accessible at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england/2024-25. This includes information for each local authority on the number of pupils with SEN, their type of need, type of school attended and characteristics such as ethnicity, age sex, and free school meal eligibility. Information on the number of education, health and care (EHC) plans maintained by each local authority is published in the statistical release, accessible at:https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans/2025. This includes information for each local authority on the number of plans maintained for all children and young people aged 0 to 25, including those educated other than in schools. It also covers the timeliness for issuing EHC plans, the number of requests for and number of EHC needs assessments carried out, the placement of children and young people with an EHC plan, and the number of plans which cease and the reasons why they cease.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that apprenticeship funding announced in the Autumn Budget 2025 reaches high-demand sectors in the West Midlands.

At the Budget, we announced more than £1.5 billion over the Spending Review period for investment in employment and skills support, supporting more opportunities for young people and SMEs across England, including in the West Midlands. This includes an additional £725 million to help support apprenticeships for young people, including a change to fully fund SME apprenticeships for eligible people aged under 25. This investment will also fund an £140 million pilot of new approaches to better connect young people aged 16-24, especially those who are NEET, to local apprenticeship opportunities.These are important steps in the government’s ambition to support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships, which will also be supported by expanding foundation apprenticeships into sectors that traditionally recruit young people.In addition, we provide £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged under 19, or 19-to-24-year-old apprentices who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in care. Employers also benefit from not being required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25, when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year.The government also facilitates and funds the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) which comprises 2,500 employers and apprentices who volunteer to promote the benefits of apprenticeships. It operates across all parts of England, including the West Midlands, through nine regional networks which provide buddying and mentoring support to small businesses to help them recruit and retain apprentices.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of apprenticeship measures in the Autumn Budget 2025 on small and medium-sized employers in Aldridge-Brownhills constituency and the Black Country; and whether he plans to provide additional support to SMEs for apprenticeship reforms, levy transfers and administrative requirements.

At the Budget, we announced more than £1.5 billion over the Spending Review period for investment in employment and skills support, supporting more opportunities for young people and SMEs across England, including in the West Midlands. This includes an additional £725 million to help support apprenticeships for young people, including a change to fully fund SME apprenticeships for eligible people aged under 25. This investment will also fund an £140 million pilot of new approaches to better connect young people aged 16-24, especially those who are NEET, to local apprenticeship opportunities.These are important steps in the government’s ambition to support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships, which will also be supported by expanding foundation apprenticeships into sectors that traditionally recruit young people.In addition, we provide £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged under 19, or 19-to-24-year-old apprentices who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in care. Employers also benefit from not being required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25, when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year.The government also facilitates and funds the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) which comprises 2,500 employers and apprentices who volunteer to promote the benefits of apprenticeships. It operates across all parts of England, including the West Midlands, through nine regional networks which provide buddying and mentoring support to small businesses to help them recruit and retain apprentices.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the skills measures in the Autumn Budget 2025 on adult learners in communities in Aldridge-Brownhills constituency.

At the Budget, we announced more than £1.5 billion over the Spending Review period for investment in employment and skills support, supporting more opportunities for young people and SMEs across England, including in the West Midlands. This includes an additional £725 million to help support apprenticeships for young people, including a change to fully fund SME apprenticeships for eligible people aged under 25. This investment will also fund an £140 million pilot of new approaches to better connect young people aged 16-24, especially those who are NEET, to local apprenticeship opportunities.These are important steps in the government’s ambition to support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships, which will also be supported by expanding foundation apprenticeships into sectors that traditionally recruit young people.In addition, we provide £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged under 19, or 19-to-24-year-old apprentices who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in care. Employers also benefit from not being required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25, when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year.The government also facilitates and funds the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) which comprises 2,500 employers and apprentices who volunteer to promote the benefits of apprenticeships. It operates across all parts of England, including the West Midlands, through nine regional networks which provide buddying and mentoring support to small businesses to help them recruit and retain apprentices.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of funding for buses in the Autumn Budget 2025 on bus routes serving Aldridge-Brownhills constituency; and whether her Department plans to issue guidance to Combined Authorities on protecting services in semi-rural areas of the West Midlands.

The Government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services long-term in the Spending Review, confirming over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators across the country to improve bus services for millions of passengers. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year, ending the short-term approach to bus funding and giving councils the certainty they need to plan ahead to improve services for local communities. West Midlands Combined Authority has been allocated £120 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29. LABG allocations have been calculated using a fair and transparent approach that considers population size, levels of deprivation, the extent of existing bus services and rurality. The Government knows that bus services can be a lifeline for many, including in semi-rural areas. The Department for Transport’s guidance to local transport authorities and bus operators on developing their Bus Service Improvement Plans makes clear that these should consider how to improve services across the full Local Transport Authority area. In the case of West Midlands Combined Authority, this includes Aldridge-Brownhills constituency. The Government has also introduced the Bus Services Act 2025 which puts passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of local bus services by putting the power back in the hands of local leaders right across England. The Act includes a measure on socially necessary services so that local authorities and bus operators have to have regard for alternatives to changing or cancelling services.