Written questions by Snowden.

If she will assess the potential merits of suspending import tariffs on fertiliser products, including urea and ammonium nitrate, in the context of levels of geopolitical instability.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increase in employer National Insurance contributions introduced in April 2025 on employment levels in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in Lancashire and the Fylde constituency.

Awaiting answer.

What estimate she has made of the impact of employer National Insurance contribution changes on consumer prices in supermarkets.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism on fertiliser prices for farmers.

Awaiting answer.

Whether she has considered extending to community pharmacies the business rates mitigation measures announced for other high street sectors.

Awaiting answer.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of maintaining annual increases in Vehicle Excise Duty for private cars while reducing rates for heavy goods vehicles on drivers.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of Government policies on house prices in (i) Fylde constituency and (ii) Lancashire.

Awaiting answer.

If she will extend the VAT relief on summer activities to hospitality businesses such as hotels, bars and restaurants.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she is taking to ensure the VAT cut on summer activities will be passed onto consumers.

Awaiting answer.

What monitoring mechanisms are in place to ensure that reductions in fuel duty are reflected in pump prices.

Awaiting answer.

Whether the Government intends to maintain current levels of fuel duty beyond the end of 2026 if fuel prices remain elevated.

Awaiting answer.

What discussions she has had with the Governor of the Bank of England on the inflationary effects of higher fuel prices.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed Growth Allowance within the ring-fencing reforms on the availability of finance for small and medium-sized enterprises across the UK.

Awaiting answer.

What discussions she has had with the Prime Minister on the remit of the Special Reviewer on Global Finance and Cooperation.

The Prime Minister’s Special Reviewer on Global Finance and Cooperation will advise on how global finance cooperation can build a stronger Britain, boosting the country’s security and resilience. The Chancellor has a range of positive discussions with the Prime Minister and colleagues on such issues.

What recent estimate she has made of the total annual VAT payments by further education colleges in England.

Education services supplied by an “eligible body” are exempt from VAT. For VAT purposes, an “eligible body” broadly refers to most regulated, publicly funded, or not-for-profit education providers. This means no VAT is charged on supplies of education made by further education colleges, nor are further education colleges able to recover the VAT they have incurred on their expenditure.

If she will make an assessment of the impact of the war in Iran on household budgets in Fylde.

The Government keeps the impact of global developments on household budgets under close review. The economic impact of the situation in the Middle East will depend on its severity, duration and the extent of disruption to energy supplies. The Government does not produce constituency level assessments of the impact of specific geopolitical events on household budgets. Official forecasts are published by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility. Living standards have now risen 2.1% this Parliament, after falling over the last Parliament, and real household disposable income per capita is £700 higher in the last 12 months compared to the final year of the last Parliament. More of the decisions the Government has made to ease pressures on the cost of living have now come into effect this month. The energy price cap fell, taking £117 off the average household bill. The National Minimum and Living Wage both went up – worth up to £1,500 a year for full-time young workers. Millions of pensioners are now getting up to a £575 boost on their State Pension thanks to our Triple Lock commitment. The two-child limit has been scrapped, lifting half a million children out of poverty.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of requiring banks to implement stronger safeguards or alerts for recurring payments initiated after free trials.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA) 2024 sets out new consumer protection rules for subscription contracts. Once the rules are in force, traders will have to provide clear information about subscription contracts before a consumer signs up, ensure that arrangements to exit the contract are straightforward, and provide a 14-day cooling-off period after a 12month+ contract or trial auto-renews. Secondary legislation is required to implement the regime. We consulted on proposals and the Government Response can be found here: Consultation on the implementation of the new subscription contracts regime - GOV.UK The new protections will save the average consumer £14 per month for every unwanted subscription they cancel. The Department for Business and Trade published an Impact Assessment alongside the DMCCA: Subscription traps: annex 2 impact assessment The DMCCA requirements will apply to traders offering subscriptions and the Government currently has no plans to introduce new requirements on banks to tackle subscription traps. The Government will keep the effectiveness of the new rules under review.

Whether he has assessed the adequacy of financial support for residents of park homes in relation to heating costs.

The government has acted quickly to provide £53m in timely, targeted support to low-income households struggling with the rising price of heating oil and at risk of losing access to heating and hot water.

Whether interest will be paid on delayed pension payments owed to retired members of public service pension schemes due to delays in implementing the McCloud remedy.

Scheme managers of the individual public service pension schemes are responsible for ensuring the effective delivery of the McCloud remedy to affected members. This is a complex and wide-ranging exercise and I acknowledge that some schemes have not made as much progress as we’d wish. I have written to scheme managers to remind them of their responsibilities to implement the remedy as quickly as possible and ensure that scheme members and the Pensions Regulator are kept informed of progress and plans. I can confirm that schemes pay interest to members on amounts owed as a result of the remedy.

What assessment he has made of the time taken to implement pension recalculations required following the judgment in McCloud v Lord Chancellor across public service pension schemes.

Scheme managers of the individual public service pension schemes are responsible for ensuring the effective delivery of the McCloud remedy to affected members. This is a complex and wide-ranging exercise and I acknowledge that some schemes have not made as much progress as we’d wish. I have written to scheme managers to remind them of their responsibilities to implement the remedy as quickly as possible and ensure that scheme members and the Pensions Regulator are kept informed of progress and plans. I can confirm that schemes pay interest to members on amounts owed as a result of the remedy.