Written questions by Yang.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2024 to Question 11774 on Labour Force Survey, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the designation of Labour Force Survey data as official statistics in development on her Department’s policy-making.

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) has observed falling response rates, resulting in increased volatility in labour market data [1]. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is undertaking work to address these quality issues and continuing to develop the Transformed Labour Force Survey (TLFS) as the long-term solution for collecting labour market data. In July 2024, the ONS have provided the latest update on its plans for labour market transformation [2].While these improvements are underway, LFS estimates are currently designated as ‘official statistics in development’, and the ONS advise caution when interpreting changes in headline LFS rates.In line with ONS recommendations [3], LFS estimates are used alongside a number of other ONS labour market indicators, including Workforce Jobs (WFJ), Claimant Count data, and Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Real Time Information (RTI), to support policy-making.The ONS’ ambition for the TLFS is to allow a more adaptive and responsive survey to meet user needs, which will improve the quality of the labour market statistics [4] that the Department uses to support the development of policy. [1] LFS performance and quality monitoring report: July to September 2024[2] Labour market transformation – update on progress and plans - Office for National Statistics[3] https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/november2024[4] Labour market transformation – update on progress and plans - Office for National Statistics

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2024 to Question 11774 on Labour Force Survey, when her Department plans to use Office for National Statistics Transformed Labour Force Survey data to inform its policies.

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) has observed falling response rates, resulting in increased volatility in labour market data [1]. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is undertaking work to address these quality issues and continuing to develop the Transformed Labour Force Survey (TLFS) as the long-term solution for collecting labour market data. In July 2024, the ONS have provided the latest update on its plans for labour market transformation [2].While these improvements are underway, LFS estimates are currently designated as ‘official statistics in development’, and the ONS advise caution when interpreting changes in headline LFS rates.In line with ONS recommendations [3], LFS estimates are used alongside a number of other ONS labour market indicators, including Workforce Jobs (WFJ), Claimant Count data, and Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Real Time Information (RTI), to support policy-making.The ONS’ ambition for the TLFS is to allow a more adaptive and responsive survey to meet user needs, which will improve the quality of the labour market statistics [4] that the Department uses to support the development of policy. [1] LFS performance and quality monitoring report: July to September 2024[2] Labour market transformation – update on progress and plans - Office for National Statistics[3] https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/november2024[4] Labour market transformation – update on progress and plans - Office for National Statistics

With reference to the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC 295, how many people claim benefits that were uprated at the Budget in (a) Earley and Woodley constituency, (b) each region and (c) the UK.

The estimated number of individuals in families benefitting from the uprating of benefits in the financial year 2025/26 in each region of the UK and the UK overall can be found here Benefit uprating: estimated number and type of families and individuals in families benefitting from the uprating of benefits in financial year 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) An assessment cannot be made at a constituency level however official statistics for the number of people in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit, Universal Credit and other benefits uprated at the Budget are published regularly on Stat-Xplore, with breakdowns available by various geographical areas, including Westminster parliamentary constituency. The latest statistics are available to September 2024 for Universal Credit, and February 2024 for the other benefits listed above. Universal Credit statistics to October 2024 are due to be published on 12 November 2024, and for the other benefits to May 2024 on 28 November 2024. In February 2024 the Accredited Official Statistics for State Pension were suspended due to issues with processing data from the new Get Your State Pension (GYSP) system. The Accredited Official Statistics for State Pension will be reinstated in the release of statistics on 28 November 2024.Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access guidance on how to extract the information required. There is also a Universal Credit Official Statistics: Stat-Xplore user guide.

What estimate she has made of (a) the number of constituents in Earley and Woodley who will be affected by reductions in sickness benefits announced at the budget and (b) the average financial impact of those reductions on individuals.

No reductions in sickness benefits were announced at the Budget.

What estimate she has made of (a) the number of constituents in Earley and Woodley who will be impacted by the proposed reforms to the Work Capability Assessment and (b) the average financial impact on those individuals of those reforms.

The Department does not hold constituency-level information about the specific Work Capability Assessment descriptors met by claimants, so we are unable to estimate impacts for individual constituencies robustly.

How many estates in Earley and Woodley constituency were subject to inheritance tax in tax years (a) 2019/20, (b) 2020/21 and (c) 2021/22.

The parliamentary constituency of Earley and Woodley is a newly configured constituency that was created after the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies. Therefore, data for the number of estates subject to IHT in this constituency for the tax years 2019/20-2021/22 is not available.

What recent assessment she has made of the (a) accuracy and (b) utility of the Office for National Statistics Labour Force Survey.

Data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) remains subject to a number of quality concerns following a fall in response rates, which fell from 47.9% in June to August 2013 to 14.6% in June to August 2023. The ONS is undertaking work to address these quality issues through improvements to its data collection and methodology. The ONS is also continuing to develop the Transformed Labour Force Survey (TLFS) as the long-term solution for collecting labour market data. While these improvements are underway, LFS estimates are currently designated as ‘official statistics in development’, and the ONS advise caution when interpreting changes in headline LFS rates.

What steps she is taking to help increase availability of practical driving tests in Earley and Woodley.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while reducing car practical driving test waiting times.Measures in place to reduce waiting times for customers, include buying back annual leave from driving examiners (DE), conducting tests outside regular hours, including at weekends and on public holidays and recruiting more DEs.In its most recent recruitment campaign, DVSA had two successful candidates in Slough and three in Reading, and it has made offers to these prospective DEs. DVSA launched its latest recruitment campaign in September 2024 and is working to recruit three DEs in Farnborough, four in Slough and five into Reading DTC, which serves the areas of Earley and Woodley.