Written questions by Anderson.

What assessment her Department has made of the impact of the G7 side‑by‑side approach on the (a) effective tax rate and (b) competitiveness of UK‑headed multinationals.

The Chancellor, alongside her G7 counterparts, has reached an understanding on a proposed path forward for the global minimum tax, Pillar 2 of the G20/OECD Inclusive Framework project on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS).The G7 published a statement on 28 June that set out our commitment to the core objectives of Pillar 2: tackling multinational tax avoidance and promoting a stable global tax environment that supports fair competition.This understanding also included the removal of the retaliatory tax provision (Section 899) in the US’s legislative proposals, which would have imposed a significant additional tax burden on British firms, and which was causing significant concern and uncertainty.Recent discussions informing this understanding have taken into account concerns raised by the US Treasury regarding the interaction of the Pillar 2 rules with the US minimum tax system, and have focused on developing a potential approach for the US and Pillar 2 system to sit ‘side-by-side’ The more than 140 members of the Inclusive Framework will now take forward the discussions on this potential side-by-side system, which will include ensuring that multinationals in scope of Pillar 2 and the US minimum tax systems are operating on a level playing field. The UK has already implemented the Pillar 2 rules, including a domestic minimum tax that will ensure all in-scope groups are subject to a minimum 15% effective tax rate in the UK.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that the UK's implementation of Pillar Two (a) remains compatible with the future side‑by‑side system agreed by G7 partners and (b) avoids creating additional compliance burdens for UK businesses.

The Chancellor, alongside her G7 counterparts, has reached an understanding on a proposed path forward for the global minimum tax, Pillar 2 of the G20/OECD Inclusive Framework project on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS).The G7 published a statement on 28 June that set out our commitment to the core objectives of Pillar 2: tackling multinational tax avoidance and promoting a stable global tax environment that supports fair competition This understanding also included the removal of the retaliatory tax provision (Section 899) in the US’s legislative proposals, which would have imposed a significant additional tax burden on British firms and which was causing significant concern and uncertainty.Recent discussions informing this understanding have taken into account concerns raised by the US Treasury regarding the interaction of the Pillar 2 rules with the US minimum tax system, and have focused on developing a potential approach for the US and Pillar 2 system to sit ‘side-by-side’ The more than 140 members of the Inclusive Framework will now take forward the discussions on this potential side-by-side system, which will include ensuring that multinationals in scope of Pillar 2 and the US minimum tax systems are operating on a level playing field. Work to develop a side-by-side system will be undertaken alongside material simplifications being delivered to the overall Pillar 2 administration and compliance framework. The government is committed to driving forward progress, for example on a permanent safe harbour to help deliver this simplification.Where agreements are reached in the Inclusive Framework, the government will incorporate any updates into UK legislation. This is in line with the government’s commitment in the October 2024 Corporate Tax Roadmap to ensure that the UK reflects internationally agreed rules.

With reference to the press release by EDF entitled EDF announces the principle of investment in Sizewell C project with a view to the final investment decision, published on 8 July 2025, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) additional investment from EDF in the UK nuclear sector and (b) the agreements on civil nuclear co-operation on (i) industrial policy relating to the nuclear sector, (ii) domestic supply chains and (iii) export opportunities.

EDF has announced it will in principle invest into Sizewell C such that its stake in the project would be 12.5% following a final investment decision (FID). Details of the commercial structure of Sizewell C are commercially sensitive as we conclude the capital raise process – further details will be published at the point of FID. Sizewell C is expected to support around 10,000 jobs at peak construction and thousands more in the wider supply chain, as well as creating 1,500 apprenticeships. Sizewell C has 3500 UK suppliers and plans to award 70% of construction value to UK businesses. This Government is committed to attracting the investment required to deliver future nuclear projects. The UK has long established relationships with international partners considering civil nuclear deployment.

What his planned timetable is for ensuring that all NHS Trusts are digitally interoperable with MedTech Compass, in the context of the operation of the Innovator Passport scheme.

We are committed to ensuring that patients benefit from safe and effective innovations more quickly, that National Health Service organisations are supported to make informed, value-based decisions on medical technology, and that we put in place a low-friction procurement environment to support the medical technology (MedTech) industry, and in particular small and medium-sized enterprises in the United Kingdom.To support this, we’re developing a digital product comparison platform called MedTech Compass. It will align with the new NHS Innovator Passport, making key information visible in one place, in order to avoid suppliers having to submit the same data to every NHS trust.The current regulatory regime ensures that all medical devices placed in the market are safe, and MedTech Compass will only display products with Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approval.The initial development phase of MedTech Compass, to test design concepts, will complete early next year and the findings of this phase will inform the specifics around how the system will operate.An evaluation plan and metrics will be considered as part of the MedTech Compass development process, which may include measuring the time taken to adoption and other metrics informed by the initial development phase learnings.

What steps his Department plans to take to evaluate the potential impact of the Innovator Passport scheme on the average time taken for new health technologies to reach routine NHS use.

We are committed to ensuring that patients benefit from safe and effective innovations more quickly, that National Health Service organisations are supported to make informed, value-based decisions on medical technology, and that we put in place a low-friction procurement environment to support the medical technology (MedTech) industry, and in particular small and medium-sized enterprises in the United Kingdom.To support this, we’re developing a digital product comparison platform called MedTech Compass. It will align with the new NHS Innovator Passport, making key information visible in one place, in order to avoid suppliers having to submit the same data to every NHS trust.The current regulatory regime ensures that all medical devices placed in the market are safe, and MedTech Compass will only display products with Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approval.The initial development phase of MedTech Compass, to test design concepts, will complete early next year and the findings of this phase will inform the specifics around how the system will operate.An evaluation plan and metrics will be considered as part of the MedTech Compass development process, which may include measuring the time taken to adoption and other metrics informed by the initial development phase learnings.

Whether his Department has established (a) regulatory oversight and (b) quality assurance processes to ensure that innovations distributed under the Innovator Passport meet (i) safety and (ii) effectiveness standards in all adopting NHS trusts.

We are committed to ensuring that patients benefit from safe and effective innovations more quickly, that National Health Service organisations are supported to make informed, value-based decisions on medical technology, and that we put in place a low-friction procurement environment to support the medical technology (MedTech) industry, and in particular small and medium-sized enterprises in the United Kingdom.To support this, we’re developing a digital product comparison platform called MedTech Compass. It will align with the new NHS Innovator Passport, making key information visible in one place, in order to avoid suppliers having to submit the same data to every NHS trust.The current regulatory regime ensures that all medical devices placed in the market are safe, and MedTech Compass will only display products with Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approval.The initial development phase of MedTech Compass, to test design concepts, will complete early next year and the findings of this phase will inform the specifics around how the system will operate.An evaluation plan and metrics will be considered as part of the MedTech Compass development process, which may include measuring the time taken to adoption and other metrics informed by the initial development phase learnings.

What guidance his Department plans to develop to help support life sciences SMEs to prepare evidence dossiers that will be compatible with Innovator Passport standards to enable rapid access to NHS procurement.

The Department and NHS England are committed to reducing procurement friction to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The development of the Innovator Passport will include close engagement with industry, including SMEs, to ensure that the approach taken and the implementation reflects the needs of SMEs, including the provision of clear guidance and ongoing support. To support this, the Department is developing a digital product comparison platform called MedTech Compass which will align with the new National Health Service Innovator Passport and provide improved visibility of the products available from SMEs. The Department is also launching Value Based Procurement Standard Guidance early next year, to provide a consistent and transparent approach to assessing medical technology. The guidance includes a bank of questions and model answers which outline the types of evidence that should be provided by bidders, and followed close engagement with industry to develop.

Whether she has established any formal mechanisms with her US counterpart on regulatory coordination for digital asset supervision following the meeting of the UK–US Financial Regulatory Working Group meeting in June 2025.

The Chancellor and US Treasury Secretary Bessent have now engaged on multiple occasions, and have stressed the importance of international collaboration in financial services. This includes continued UK-US engagement to support the use and responsible growth of digital assets. On 3 June, HM Treasury hosted the US Treasury and regulators for the UK-US Financial Regulatory Working Group. The Joint Statement outlines the discussions, including on digital assets, and can be found here. UK and US officials and regulators continue to engage via a range of mechanisms to support collaboration and coordination.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the discussions on non-bank financial intermediation during the UK–US Financial Regulatory Working Group discussions, in June 2025, on UK financial stability planning.

On 3 June, HM Treasury hosted the US Treasury and regulators for the UK-US Financial Regulatory Working Group. The Joint Statement outlines the discussions, including on non-bank financial intermediation, and can be found here. HM Treasury, the Bank of England and Financial Conduct Authority are working closely to monitor risks in and improve the resilience of the non-bank sector. Domestically, this work has included the Bank of England’s System Wide Exploratory Scenario which has improved our understanding of the behaviour of non-bank financial intermediaries during market stress, and the launch of the Contingent Non-Bank Repo Facility to provide liquidity to eligible non-banks in a stress. This is alongside a programme of policy work, including implementing a resolution regime for central counterparties and developing our UK money market fund reform programme. UK authorities also take an active role on this internationally, including working with international partners at the Financial Stability Board (FSB) to assess risks and develop policy to enhance the resilience of the non-bank sector.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of her Department's proposed changes to the Universal Credit deductions priority order on the (a) volume and (b) timeliness of child maintenance payments.

The Fair Repayment Rate (FRR) was implemented as a permanent change on the 30 April 2025. This measure reduces the overall deductions cap from 25% to 15% of a customer's Universal Credit (UC) standard allowance. This will enable approximately 1.2 million UC households retain more of their award, on average £420 a year or £35 per month. The FRR will impact UC assessment periods that start on 30 April 25 or after. The FRR measure as an isolated change, would have reduced the current number of child maintenance deductions taken from a UC award, resulting in a negative impact on child poverty. Therefore, in addition to the FRR, the child maintenance deduction was moved higher up the regulated deductions priority order on the 30 April, and for a temporary period of one year. The reason for implementing the child maintenance deduction measure on a temporary basis is to enable the Department to gather further evidence on the impact the changes will have on UC households with a child maintenance deduction. This evidence will determine the future child maintenance deduction policy. Outturn data on the full impact of the change to the positioning of Child Maintenance is not yet available. However, modelling of the change by the Department estimates that it will increase the number of monthly Child Maintenance deductions collected from approximately 50,000 to approximately 60,000. This estimate was derived using UC household deductions data from May 2024, the latest available when the modelling was done. Actual figures may differ as a result of changes to the composition and characteristics of the UC caseload in the intervening time. Timeliness of payments are in line with existing processes: the Universal Credit (UC) deduction is transferred to Child Maintenance Service (CMS) CMS on the Saturday following the UC award payment date and immediately paid out the receiving parent. The payment is subject to usual bank processing and is received in the parent’s bank account in 3-5 working days.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of current Direct Pay cases in (a) Milton Keynes and (b) Buckinghamshire that will transition to the Collect and Pay service following the implementation of child maintenance reforms.

Estimates of reform impacts are not available for local areas. Recent numbers of paying parents and arrangements in the Direct Pay service at regional level are available on Stat Xplore [Stat-Xplore - Table View]. There will be two clear options for parents following the planned reforms. One is to make a family-based arrangement, and the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) will provide parents with enhanced support to make and maintain these. Parents with a stable and compliant direct pay arrangement may well find this option meets their needs.Where a family-based arrangement is not appropriate, or for those who prefer to be part of the statutory system, the CMS will operate a single service based on the current Collect and Pay model where it manages all payments, with an improved ability to identify and act on non-compliance.As part of these reforms, we will halve the fees for those using the CMS, while maintaining a 20% fee for non-resident parents who refuse to pay up on time and in full. Parents currently in the Direct Pay system will have the choice of keeping their CMS case which will be moved to the new, improved service, giving them the peace of mind that payment will be monitored and any problems followed up, in return for a small fee – or have improved support to make and maintain a family-based arrangement.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of removing the Direct Pay option on levels of compliance with child maintenance payments among non-resident parents.

Reforms will introduce a single service where all payments will be monitored enabling the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) to identify missed, late, or partial payments in real time. This will enable swift enforcement action to restore compliance and increase the amount of money reaching children.We expect the reforms will make hidden non-compliance within Direct Pay visible, enabling the CMS to intervene earlier to ensure children receive the financial support they are entitled to.There is no evidence to suggest that cases currently working well under Direct Pay will cease to function. These families can move to a family-based arrangement or opt into Collect and Pay if they require the added security of enforcement.Where compliance cannot be achieved, the CMS has a range of strong enforcement powers that are designed to get money flowing quickly, prevent the build-up of arrears and ensure children get the financial support they deserve.

What his Department's timetable is for the national rollout of self-sampling kits to people who have previously been less likely to have had cervical screening under the NHS Cervical Screening Programme.

NHS England will roll out human papillomavirus self-sampling from early 2026.

What estimate his Department has made of the number of people from groups that have previously been less likely to have had cervical screening who will be offered self-sampling kits under the NHS Cervical Screening Programme in its first year in (a) Milton Keynes and (b) Buckinghamshire.

This information is not held at the requested geographical level.

Whether his Department has set specific targets for the number of (a) self-sampling cervical screening tests distributed and (b) samples received from self-sampling cervical screening tests among different (i) socioeconomic and (ii) ethnic groups.

Target setting is currently under consideration by NHS England.

What discussions he has had with NHS England on the steps it plans to take to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of self-sampling for cervical screening compared with clinician-taken samples.

The Department is guided on screening policy by the UK National Screening Committee. The committee is working with National Institute for Health and Care Research and NHS England to develop an In Service Evaluation that will evaluate the clinical effectiveness of self-sampling for cervical screening compared with clinician-taken samples, as well as looking at how self-sampling would impact the routine cervical screening programme if offered to all eligible women.From January 2026, screening providers in the NHS Cervical Screening Programme in England will be able to offer self-sampling kits to women if they have not attended their appointment for six months or more following routine invitation.Self-sampling will help detect high-risk human papillomavirus, prevent cancer, and save lives in those who currently do not access clinician led screening. However, for those attending clinician testing, a shift to self-sampling might result in a programme that is not yet proven to be of equal efficacy. Further studies to consider whether self-sampling could be used across the whole population are being developed.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of self-sampling on levels of uptake for cervical screening among (a) socioeconomic and (b) ethnic groups.

The Department undertook an Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) into the introduction of human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling in under-screened populations, which will be published shortly. The findings of this EQIA, which considered national and international evidence, suggest that there is potential for HPV self-sampling for under-screened groups to improve participation in cervical screening by reducing some of the barriers to participation experienced by people with different protected characteristics, leading to improved participation and ultimately preventing more cervical cancers and associated deaths.The self-testing kits which detect HPV, which is a group of viruses that can lead to cervical cancer, allow women to carry out this testing in the privacy and convenience of their own homes.The programme specifically targets those groups consistently missing vital appointments, with younger women, ethnic minority communities facing cultural hurdles, people with a disability, and LGBT+ people all set to benefit.

Whether she plans to incorporate the findings of the London Coalition on Sustainable Sovereign Debt into (a) future international development and (b) trade policy frameworks.

The mission of the London Coalition on Sustainable Sovereign Debt is to work closely with the private sector to drive pragmatic, market-based solutions that support long-term, stable capital flows to emerging and developing economies (EMDEs) and improve outcomes in debt restructurings. By providing a formal platform for engagement with private creditors, across both bonded and non-bonded debt, the Coalition is advancing innovations in debt contracts, such as Natural Disaster Clauses (NDCs) and Majority Voting Provisions (MVPs), to promote transparency, orderly restructurings, and more resilient borrowing frameworks. Enhanced transparency, grounded in strong governance and comprehensive data reporting, strengthens creditworthiness, facilitating greater market access, and expedites restructurings, giving countries quicker access to fiscal space when needed. To further bolster resilience, the Coalition is advancing contractual innovations like NDCs, which allow for the temporary suspension of debt service repayments in response to exogenous shocks, supporting macroeconomic stability and fiscal flexibility. The UK’s approach to international sovereign debt extends beyond private sector engagement. The government is working through the G20 and the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable to promote transparent and sustainable lending practices. This includes encouraging the publication of self-assessments under the G20 Operational Guidelines for Sustainable Financing and advocating for a more responsive and effective Common Framework, including pushing to expand its coverage to middle income countries. Promoting debt sustainability for EMDEs is good for developing countries, creditors global prosperity. Tackling unsustainable debt is a key development priority for this government and a fundamental part of the international development toolkit. The UK’s Trade Strategy, published in June 2025, underlines our commitment to supporting developing economies, simplifying access to the UK market, and deepening partnerships with the Global South to diversify supply chains and support development.

Communities and Local Government, what criteria her Department plans to use to decide which equity and loan products the National Housing Bank offers to SME developers within its initial £16 billion capital allocation.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 June 2025 (HCWS712).

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the lifting of local connection tests for the specified vulnerable groups on social housing demand and allocations in (a) Milton Keynes and (b) Buckinghamshire.

Regulations were laid on 19 June to ensure that young care leavers and victims of domestic abuse across England do not face unfair barriers to accessing social housing.My Department will be monitoring the impact at local authority level through the Local Authority Housing Statistics and the social housing lettings and sales data returns.We will not be able to assess the potential impact on (a) Milton Keynes or (b) Buckinghamshire specifically.