Every parliamentary written question tabled by Gareth Thomas this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 61–80 of 217 · this parliament
Representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church will offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
The National Church Institutions, in partnership with the Churches Mutual Credit Union, provide a facility for those on the central Church of England payroll to save or repay loans via payroll deduction. Currently, approximately 400 clergy and National Church Institutions' employees use this system.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has no such plans.
Whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
The Minister for Women and Equalities departments and agencies do not offer payroll deductions to staff in order to join a credit union.
Whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
The Cabinet Office and its agencies do not offer payroll deductions to staff in order to join a credit union.
Whether the Government will require No 10 to offer payroll deductions to all its employees to enable them to join a credit union.
The Cabinet Office and its agencies do not offer payroll deductions to staff in order to join a credit union.
Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had with UK Finance on mortgage lenders' assessments of EWS1 forms issued by Tri Fire.
Officials in my department have regular engagement with financial sector stakeholders. A product of this is the lenders’ statement on cladding which has signatories from ten major banks and building societies. These lenders have committed to consider mortgage applications, even if a property has building safety issues, provided either the building has funding for works from government or the developer, or the property is protected by the leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act, and the leaseholder has completed a ‘Leaseholder Deed of Certificate’ to evidence it. The statement was further updated in April last year to confirm that even where an EWS1 has, what they consider to be, an invalid signatory, lenders will not require a wholesale review of affected EWS1s. Lenders will consider alternative evidence, for example: that a building is in a remediation scheme, a Leaseholder Deed of Certificate has been completed or a Fire Risk Appraisal of the External Wall (FRAEW) has been undertaken. An EWS1 form is not a government, legal or regulatory requirement. Not all lenders ask for an EWS1, but whether they do, remains a commercial decision.
Pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2026 to Question 107667, what information his Department holds on which ICB senior staff and Board members will be involved in the commissioning of neighbourhood health centres in North West London.
The selection of senior staff and board members involved in the commissioning of neighbourhood health centres will be determined by each integrated care board. As the North West and North Central London Integrated Care Boards are merging to form the West and North London Integrated Care Board from 1 April 2026, an interim structure is in place. The Chair and Chief Executive Officer have been appointed and, alongside other senior leads, will oversee commissioning of these services in accordance with forthcoming approval processes.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of assistance available to people with EWS1 forms deemed to be invalid and unacceptable by mortgage lenders.
Officials in my department have regular engagement with financial sector stakeholders. A product of this is the lenders’ statement on cladding which has signatories from ten major banks and building societies. These lenders have committed to consider mortgage applications, even if a property has building safety issues, provided either the building has funding for works from government or the developer, or the property is protected by the leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act, and the leaseholder has completed a ‘Leaseholder Deed of Certificate’ to evidence it. The statement was further updated in April last year to confirm that even where an EWS1 has, what they consider to be, an invalid signatory, lenders will not require a wholesale review of affected EWS1s. Lenders will consider alternative evidence, for example: that a building is in a remediation scheme, a Leaseholder Deed of Certificate has been completed or a Fire Risk Appraisal of the External Wall (FRAEW) has been undertaken. An EWS1 form is not a government, legal or regulatory requirement. Not all lenders ask for an EWS1, but whether they do, remains a commercial decision.
If she will make it her policy for HMRC to offer payroll deduction to its employees to enable them to join a credit union.
HMRC’s financial wellbeing offer for its workforce, aligned to the Civil Service Financial Strategy, includes access to a variety of advances including rental deposits and season ticket loans, as well as debt/budgeting advice and support through its Employee Assistance Programme. HMRC has no current plans to introduce payroll deduction arrangements, to enable its employees to join a Credit Union. It does not hold the role of policy lead for payroll deduction schemes across government, and decisions on the merits of payroll deduction arrangements would be a matter for the relevant departments.
If she will ask the Chief Executive of HMRC to meet with the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Work and Pensions and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence to discuss the potential merits of payroll deduction for credit union schemes.
HMRC’s financial wellbeing offer for its workforce, aligned to the Civil Service Financial Strategy, includes access to a variety of advances including rental deposits and season ticket loans, as well as debt/budgeting advice and support through its Employee Assistance Programme. HMRC has no current plans to introduce payroll deduction arrangements, to enable its employees to join a Credit Union. It does not hold the role of policy lead for payroll deduction schemes across government, and decisions on the merits of payroll deduction arrangements would be a matter for the relevant departments.
Pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2026 to Question 107667 on Neighbourhood Health Centres and Urgent Treatment Centres: Greater London, which (a) health authorities and (b) related public bodies in North West London will be consulted; and who will have to agree before any neighbourhood health centres are commissioned in North West London by the relevant ICB.
There will be a Neighbourhood Health Centre in every community. The Government has announced its commitment to deliver 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres, with 120 delivered by 2030, through a mix of public private partnership and public capital. Integrated care boards (ICBs) and local health systems will be responsible for determining the most appropriate locations for Neighbourhood Health Centres.As noted in the answer on 28 January 2026 to Question 107776, ICBs are responsible for commissioning general practice services within their health systems through delegated responsibility from NHS England. As they are best placed to make such decisions, ICBs also consider how best to provide urgent care, including Urgent Treatment Centres, to ensure patient demand is effectively met.The process for commissioning Neighbourhood Health Centres is currently being determined, and we anticipate that planning will be carried out collaboratively with local partners.
What estimate he has made of the number of neighbourhood health centres that will be in North West London ICB by (a) 2030 and (b) 2035.
There will be a Neighbourhood Health Centre in every community. The Government has announced its commitment to deliver 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres, with 120 delivered by 2030, through a mix of public private partnership and public capital. Integrated care boards (ICBs) and local health systems will be responsible for determining the most appropriate locations for Neighbourhood Health Centres.As noted in the answer on 28 January 2026 to Question 107776, ICBs are responsible for commissioning general practice services within their health systems through delegated responsibility from NHS England. As they are best placed to make such decisions, ICBs also consider how best to provide urgent care, including Urgent Treatment Centres, to ensure patient demand is effectively met.The process for commissioning Neighbourhood Health Centres is currently being determined, and we anticipate that planning will be carried out collaboratively with local partners.
Whether she will hold discussions with the Secretaries of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, and Business and Trade on the conclusions of the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods on how to achieve private sector growth in mission critical neighbourhoods.
We acknowledge the work of the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods and its recommendations for how to invest in deprived communities. The Pride in Place Programme, announced in September, demonstrates this Government’s firm commitment to backing neighbourhoods that have for too long been left behind and overlooked. This flagship programme will deliver up to £5bn funding and support to 244 of the most deprived places across Britain over the next decade, and the accompanying Pride in Place Strategy set out a broader plan for giving communities across the country the tools and powers they need to drive change in their neighbourhood. We will carefully consider the Commission’s findings, engaging with relevant departments and stakeholders as appropriate to understand how we can further deliver for neighbourhoods across the country.
Communities and Local Government, whether he will estimate how many local Council offer their employees the opportunity to join a credit union by offering a payroll deduction service.
Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces, including setting their own terms and conditions and employment packages.
Whether he will estimate how many NHS employers offer their employees the opportunity to join a credit union by offering a payroll deduction service.
The Department does not hold this information. Local employers across the National Health Service are best placed to understand their staff’s needs and circumstances. NHS staff have access to a range of support for financial wellbeing, including credit union membership.NHS Employers have published information to support NHS trusts on salary sacrifice arrangements and tax-free childcare, with further information available at the following link:https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/salary-sacrifice-schemes
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she will recognise Somaliland as an independent nation.
It is the UK's long-standing position that the settlement of Somaliland's status is an issue for authorities in Mogadishu and Hargeisa to decide through a consultative process and dialogue, in line with the principles of the UN charter.
Whether she will make an estimate of how many education employers offer their employees the opportunity to join a credit union via payroll deduction.
The department does not hold this information.
Media and Sport, what discussions she will have with broadcasters on commissioning programmes that encourage those aged over 60 to participate in sporting activity.
The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, including older people, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities to stay fit and healthy.We understand sport helps encourage people to be active and support all grassroots activity to promote this message, and help people participate in sporting activity.All national governing bodies and UK broadcasters are operationally and editorially independent of the Government. Consequently, we do not plan to have discussions with them regarding their commissioning plans in relation to encouraging those aged over 60 to participate in sporting activity.
What recent discussions she has had with National Savings and Investments on the provision of Help to Save services by credit unions.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has not undertaken any recent engagement with National Savings and Investments on this issue. HMRC Officials are continuing to take forward work on Help to Save reform, including engagement with a range of financial institutions, such as credit unions. This engagement is focused on exploring options for the future delivery approach of the scheme.
If he will publish the criteria being used to determine where new a) neighbourhood care centres and b) urgent treatment centres are being located in London.
At the Autumn Budget, we announced our commitment to deliver 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres (NHCs) through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme. This will deliver NHCs through a mixture of refurbishments to expand and improve sites over the next three years and new-build sites opening in the medium term. The first 120 NHCs are due to be operational by 2030 and will be delivered through public private partnerships and public capital.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning, which includes planning, securing, and monitoring, general practice services within their health systems through delegated responsibility from NHS England. Both ICBs and Local Health Systems will be responsible for determining the most appropriate locations for NHCs. As they are best placed to make such decisions, ICBs also consider how best to provide urgent care, including Urgent Treatment Centres, to ensure patient demand is effectively met.Nationwide coverage will take time, but we will start in the areas of greatest need where healthy life expectancy is lowest, including rural towns and communities with higher deprivation levels, delivering healthcare closer to home for those that need it the most.Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June 2025, set out the steps we are taking to ensure that patients will receive better, faster, and more appropriate emergency care this winter, backed by a total of nearly £450 million of funding. This includes the expansion of co-located Urgent Treatment Centres to allow for the effective streaming of patients, helping to reduce waiting times and overcrowding.