Written questions by Green.

What assessment she has made of the potential meris of removing the Low-Value Imports rule.

The government is aware of the increasing prevalence of overseas retailers using the low value imports regime and the proposed changes to equivalent regimes made by our international partners. In recognition of this, the Chancellor announced a review of the customs treatment for low value imports in April. Since this announcement, Ministers and officials have engaged a wide range of stakeholders on the impact and operation of these arrangements. The findings from this engagement will help determine our next steps.

Whether her Department has made an estimate of the potential revenue that would be generated from introducing operator licensing for vans with a maximum authorised mass of over 2,500kg and up to and including 3,500kg when operating for hire or reward domestically within the UK; and whether that revenue could be used to strengthen enforcement against non-compliant operators of such vehicles.

The Department has not made a formal estimate of the potential revenue that could be generated from introducing operator licensing for vans with a maximum authorised mass between 2,500kg and 3,500kg operating for hire or reward domestically within the UK. While operator licensing fees contribute to the costs associated with the administration and enforcement of the goods vehicle licensing regime, any future extension of the regime to smaller, lighter vehicles used solely domestically for hire and reward would require detailed financial modelling and consultation with stakeholders, as changes would almost certainly have a financial impact on businesses. For government, whilst it is anticipated that making this change would see an increase in revenue, this would be offset by a rise in costs associated with developing the system, as well as compliance, monitoring and enforcement. However, this is something that the Department for Transport keeps under review.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the absence of regulatory requirements for vans with a maximum authorised mass of over 2,500kg and up to and including 3,500kg when operating for hire or reward domestically within the UK on fair competition within the UK market.

The Department has not undertaken a specific assessment of the impact of the current domestic regulatory requirements for vans with a maximum authorised mass between 2,500kg and 3,500kg operating for hire or reward on fair competition within the UK market. Although these vehicles lie outside the UKs operator licensing framework if they are used solely domestically, operators of these vehicles are still required to keep them correctly taxed and insured and appropriately maintained, including annual MOT testing once the vehicle is more than three years old. Employers are also required to ensure that their drivers have the correct licences, that all loads carried are appropriately secured and that the relevant drivers’ hours rules are followed. However, the Department recognises stakeholder concerns regarding the different regulatory requirements associated with light goods vehicles and heavy goods vehicles, and how this interacts with fair competition in the UK haulage industry. The Department continues to monitor developments in this sector.

What estimate she has made of the potential losses to the exchequer as a result of sales made on online market places by companies which trade only for a short period then are closed before VAT arrears can be recovered.

HMRC do not have an estimate of the losses arising as a result of sales made on online marketplaces by companies which trade only for a short period then are closed before VAT arrears can be recovered.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of reviewing the framework for Postponed VAT Accounting to ensure that PVA is not available to companies which have no trading history or security in UK.

Postponed VAT accounting provides significant support for businesses, helping to manage cash flow and facilitate imports. HMRC undertakes regular work to ensure compliance with the rules around postponed VAT accounting.

Whether her Department plans to introduce operator licensing or equivalent regulatory requirements for vans with a maximum authorised mass of over 2,500kg and up to and including 3,500kg when operating for hire or reward domestically within the UK.

Under the current guidelines Operator Licences are only required for domestic operators with vehicles over 3.5 tonnes. My Department is currently considering a range of reform options aiming to ensure that the Operator Licensing regime remains robust and effective.Currently there are no plans to extend the domestic Operator Licensing regime to include vans with a maximum authorised mass of over 2,500kg and up to and including 3,500kg when those vehicles are undertaking hire or reward operations domestically within the UK.

What assessment she has made of the reasons for delays in the DVLA's system for the reissuing of revoked driver's licenses on medical grounds.

Although a specific assessment has not been carried out, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and understands the impact delays can have on people’s lives. Road safety remains our most important priority and the DVLA must be satisfied that the required medical standards required for safe driving can be met before a licence is issued. Driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer to process as the DVLA is often reliant on receiving information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued. Where a driver contacts the DVLA to advise that they require their driving licence for employment, the application will be prioritised where possible. The DVLA is currently rolling out a new casework system which will deliver significant improvements to the services provided to drivers with medical conditions. This will enhance the handling of medical cases, support growing customer demand and help to reduce processing times. As part of this work, the DVLA has improved the quality of the correspondence provided to applicants and reviewed the questions asked of applicants and healthcare professionals when assessing medical fitness to drive, with a view to simplifying the process wherever possible.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of delays in reinstatement of a medically revoked driving licence on people's capacity to work.

Although a specific assessment has not been carried out, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and understands the impact delays can have on people’s lives. Road safety remains our most important priority and the DVLA must be satisfied that the required medical standards required for safe driving can be met before a licence is issued. Driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer to process as the DVLA is often reliant on receiving information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued. Where a driver contacts the DVLA to advise that they require their driving licence for employment, the application will be prioritised where possible. The DVLA is currently rolling out a new casework system which will deliver significant improvements to the services provided to drivers with medical conditions. This will enhance the handling of medical cases, support growing customer demand and help to reduce processing times. As part of this work, the DVLA has improved the quality of the correspondence provided to applicants and reviewed the questions asked of applicants and healthcare professionals when assessing medical fitness to drive, with a view to simplifying the process wherever possible.

What steps she is taking to help support people aged 17 years and over in resitting their GCSE English Language.

The department has strengthened the requirements for the mathematics and English conditions of funding to ensure every eligible student is supported to make progress towards and, wherever possible, attain GCSE English by the end of their 16-19 study. This is backed by significant additional investment, including increases to the English and mathematics funding rate of 11% in 2025/26.The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper includes a package of support for English, including new level 1 stepping stone English qualifications that support students with lower prior attainment for successful GCSE resits. It also pledges to improve the gathering and sharing of effective practice to support providers’ delivery of 16-19 English in the meantime and strengthens accountability measures to hold providers to account.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her US counterparts on the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

We continue to work with partners, including the United Nations, the United States and Israel, to push for unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza, most recently in the Foreign Secretary's discussions at the UN General Assembly meetings in New York.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her (a) Israeli and (b) American counterparts on reinstating the United Nations-led aid delivery system in Gaza.

We continue to work with partners, including the United Nations, the United States and Israel, to push for unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza, most recently in the Foreign Secretary's discussions at the UN General Assembly meetings in New York.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she is taking diplomatic steps to ensure the safe passage of humanitarian aid convoys through the Kerem Shalom crossing.

We continue to work with partners, including the United Nations, the United States and Israel, to push for unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza, most recently in the Foreign Secretary's discussions at the UN General Assembly meetings in New York.

What steps she has taken to reduce the waiting times for practical driving tests in Buckinghamshire since September 2024.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.On the 18 December last year, DVSA published measures to bring down car practical driving test waiting times across the country, including the recruitment of driving examiners (DEs). On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions.Further information on these actions and progress on the plan can be found on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/government/news/transport-secretary-acts-to-make-thousands-of-extra-driving-tests-available-each-month. DVSA continues to run recruitment campaigns for new DEs and is in the final processes of the most recent campaign. From recent recruitment in Buckinghamshire, DVSA had one new DE start in August, and has another booked onto an upcoming training course.DVSA is in the planning stages for the next campaign, which will include driving test centres in the area, and this is due to launch shortly.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with (a) early career and (b) small artists through the Creator Remuneration Working Group.

This government is committed to supporting UK artists, including emerging talent, to succeed and reach their full potential. We recognise that the success of our world-leading music industry relies on artists at every level receiving their fair share of the rewards, especially in the era of streaming. That is why we convened the music industry through the Creator Remuneration Working Group over the past year to address concerns over low creator earnings. As part of this engagement, I met with representatives from across the music sector, including the Council of Music Makers, which advocates for musicians at every stage of their careers, as well as independent record labels, to discuss the challenges facing creators. The outcome of the Working Group, published in August, is designed to deliver real benefits for UK creators, both through the principles created by the British Phonographic Industry, as well as individual commitments made by major labels. Together, these measures seek to support fair remuneration for the artists, songwriters, and session musicians that form the bedrock of the industry, as well as enhancing the growth of the overall UK music sector. As part of this Government’s Industrial Strategy, our recently published Creative Industries Sector Plan introduced the new Music Growth Package of up to £30 million over three years from 2026; more than doubling funding for the grassroots music sector. This funding will support new artists with touring, performance, mentoring and export opportunities and ensure they have the resources and guidance to grow their careers, reach wider audiences, and sustain long-term artistic success.

What assessment he has made of the need for community eating disorder services to deliver treatment for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.

NHS England is currently producing new national guidance with sections on binge eating and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). NHS England has also developed training for primary care staff and others who come into contact with people with an eating disorder.NHS England continues to work with eating disorder services and local commissioners to improve access to treatment for all children and young people with a suspected eating disorder, including those presenting with ARFID.

When he plans to publish a framework for community eating disorder services to deliver an Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder treatment pathway.

NHS England is currently producing new national guidance with sections on binge eating and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). NHS England has also developed training for primary care staff and others who come into contact with people with an eating disorder.NHS England continues to work with eating disorder services and local commissioners to improve access to treatment for all children and young people with a suspected eating disorder, including those presenting with ARFID.

What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the time taken to respond to the Hughes Report recommendations on women impacted by valproate and pelvic mesh.

The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments, including the Cabinet Office. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report.

What further steps he (a) is considering and (b) plans to take to help improve the ability of Companies House to (i) identify people attempting to evade (A) tax liabilities and (B) other responsibilities and (ii) hold those people accountable.

Companies House is working with HMRC and Insolvency Service to identify the outcomes required to achieve an impact on the drivers of tax evasion, and assess the activities and resources required to deliver those outcomes. This expands on existing work that is strengthening our ability to target abuse of the register and tax system, increasing our ability to tackle tax evasion with greater visibility and accuracy of customer data. This work involves intelligence sharing between the organisations, and informs Companies House’s ongoing threat assessment.We have no plans at present to require companies to provide VAT numbers to Companies House.

Whether he has considered adding a VAT number field to the Companies House online register to help tackle (a) corporate fraud and (b) tax evasion.

Companies House is working with HMRC and Insolvency Service to identify the outcomes required to achieve an impact on the drivers of tax evasion, and assess the activities and resources required to deliver those outcomes. This expands on existing work that is strengthening our ability to target abuse of the register and tax system, increasing our ability to tackle tax evasion with greater visibility and accuracy of customer data. This work involves intelligence sharing between the organisations, and informs Companies House’s ongoing threat assessment.We have no plans at present to require companies to provide VAT numbers to Companies House.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of redeveloping heritage properties on meeting housing targets.

There are no plans to weaken heritage protections in the planning system. The responsibilities of local planning authorities to recognise and protect their historic assets, making use of built heritage and conservation expertise as necessary, remain unaltered. But the sympathetic conversion of historic buildings into new homes can support our housing targets, especially if the building is derelict.