Written questions by Wilkinson.

What assessment she has made of the impact of train cancellations by Great Western Railway on passengers travelling to and from Cheltenham Spa station on (a) weekdays and (b) weekends.

The Rail Minister recently met with Great Western Railway and Network Rail Western route to review recent performance and made it clear that both organisations must address issues contributing to cancellations. Officials continue to monitor both organisations’ performance against targets and when performance falls below these, appropriate action will be taken to address this.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing VAT from defibrillators in the forthcoming Budget.

The Government currently provides VAT reliefs to aid the purchase of defibrillators. This means that charities pay no VAT if they purchase a defibrillator and then donate it to an eligible body. VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations. Following the spending audit, the Chancellor has been clear that difficult decisions lie ahead on spending, welfare and tax to fix the foundations of our economy and address the £22 billion hole in the public finances left by the last government. The government keeps all taxes under review.

If she will (a) lower the Housing Benefit taper rate and (b) increase the applicable amount to help young homeless people into work.

People in receipt of Housing Benefit are always better off in work than someone wholly reliant on benefits. In addition to any financial advantage, there are important non-financial benefits of working. These benefits include learning new skills, improved confidence and independence as well as a positive effect on an individual's mental and physical health. The Department acknowledges the challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in Supported Housing and Temporary Accommodation and will consider the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders.