Written questions by Darling.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to grant additional powers to Plan for Neighbourhoods Boards beyond those of Town Deal Boards.

The Government set out a comprehensive, non-exhaustive list of the existing powers available to boards and local authorities in England in the published ‘policy toolkit’. The toolkit gives communities the tools and information they need to make informed decisions, empowering local people to have ownership over the future of their neighbourhood and local area. Similar toolkits for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be published shortly. The Plan for Neighbourhoods programme focuses on three long-term aims - building thriving places, strengthening communities and empowering people to taking back control instead of sticking plaster policies. In addition to the list of powers available to boards, we have doubled the number of interventions on which communities can spend the money, compared to the previous government’s programme, to ensure areas can deliver on the objectives of the programme.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 43135, what historic information she holds on taxable state pension payments to people who are now deceased; and whether her Department would supply such data on request to the Department for Work and Pensions where a potential state pension underpayment is under investigation by that Department.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) share information via an established legislative gateway for the administration of the State Pension. When HMRC receive updates on State Pension payments from DWP, they store it for any tax years still subject to an end of year reconciliation check. The same process takes place for deceased customers. While HMRC may hold information on State Pension received from DWP to ensure the collection of tax, it complies with General Data Protection Regulations by deleting any customer data that is outside of the retention period for tax purposes.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of consulting on the introduction of changes to the eligibility requirement for the daily living part of the Personal Independence Payment.

Since the pandemic, the number of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) awards has more than doubled – up from 13,000 a month, to 34,000 a month. Action is needed now to target support better, so that we can protect this important safety net for future generations. That is why we are introducing a new eligibility requirement in PIP so that people must score a minimum of four points in one daily living activity to be eligible for the daily living component. We are bringing this forward via Primary Legislation so that Parliament can fully debate and vote on these changes. The changes will apply to new claims and award reviews from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval.

If her Department will produce an impact assessment of the proposals outlined in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, published in March 2025.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’. A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department issues on whether community engagement should be carried out through distinct channels from business engagement as part of local development planning.

Planning Practice Guidance on plan-making, which can be found on gov.uk here, highlights the importance of local communities and interested parties being able to track the progress of local development plans through Local Development Schemes. These must be made available publicly by local planning authorities and kept up to date.Together with Statements of Community Involvement, they outline how the local planning authority will engage and undertake public consultation in the preparation of the emerging local development plan, including with communities and other stakeholders.

With reference to her Department's Pathways to Work Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, what definition her Department plans to use to identify people with severe lifelong health conditions who will be protected from reassessment.

We will ensure that those with the most severe, life-long health conditions, who will never be able to work, will see their incomes protected, and that this group will face no future reassessment. We will set out further information on this in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Town Deal Board model will be used as a foundation for the development of Plan for Neighbourhoods Board;, and what changes to (a) structure and (b) governance would be required to achieve this.

Neighbourhood Boards should bring together residents, local businesses, grassroots campaigners, workplace representatives, faith, and community leaders and those with a deep connection to their area to work with the local authority to develop their Regeneration Plan. The governance and boundary guidance provides information specific to the strategic objectives and governance of the Neighbourhood Board. The parameters for these are different to those for Town Deal Boards, but pre-existing boards can be built on, or altered, to meet the new guidance. All 75 boards have been asked to confirm their proposed chair, membership and boundary by 22nd April.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has issued on whether board members of local development boards should have (a) full access to and (b) summaries of (i) tenders and (ii) business plans.

I would kindly ask the hon. Member to write to me with more details on ‘local development boards’, so my officials can look into this matter.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department provides guidance on the (a) core principles and (b) culture expected of local development boards.

I would kindly ask the hon. Member to write to me with more details on ‘local development boards’, so my officials can look into this matter.

With reference to his Department's response to the Quinquennial Review of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme 2023 published on 21 March 2024, what progress he has made on establishing the Communications and Training Working Group; and what is the (a) membership and (b) terms of reference of that group.

The Government response to the Quinquennial Review (QQR) of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme 2022-23 was published on 21 March 2024 under the previous administration. The Communication and Training Working Group was not recommended in the QQR, but was a suggestion in the previous Government's response to resolve recommendations 5, 6, 7 and 8, relating to improving operational transparency, accuracy and communication. We are focusing on the modernisation of pensions and compensation services including improving, digitalisation and consolidation of core member data records into a single system, as well as the planned introduction of an online member self-service portal.

Communities and Local Government, when she plans to reply to correspondence of 17 January 2025 from the hon. Member for Torbay on local government reorganisation; and if she will meet with the hon. Member for Torbay to discuss this issue.

I will respond to the letter imminently.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support British musicians touring in the EU.

We are working closely with the music industry to tackle the challenges facing UK musicians and their support staff when touring in the EU. We remain in open and constructive dialogue with the EU, with a view to improve arrangements across the European continent without seeing a return to free movement. Most recently, on 7 April, I attended the Informal Meeting for EU Culture Ministers in Warsaw as a guest of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This is the first time a UK minister has been invited since Brexit. Our aim is to identify practical solutions to ensure that UK artists can continue to perform across Europe with minimal barriers while respecting the regulatory frameworks on both sides.

How many letters she has issued to people who registered details of deceased family members on underpaid state pensions in 2025; whether her Department holds other records to assist with validating claims for underpaid state pensions; whether her Department has paused the destruction of state pension payment records; and what the age is of the oldest of those records retained by her Department.

The Next of Kin / representatives of a deceased State Pension customer had the opportunity to contact DWP if they thought the customer may be in scope for the State Pension Underpayments exercise. In reviewing these enquiries, the Department has identified that for a small number, approximately 2,500 customers, our Pension Service Computer System (PSCS) no longer holds a record for the deceased customer. This is in line with our Data Retention Policy. A pause on the deletion of customer records was implemented at the start of the State Pension Underpayments exercise and remains in place. However, records for customers who died before 16/01/21 will have been deleted in line with our Data Retention Policy. DWP may be able to review a deceased customer’s State Pension award, if the Next of Kin / representative could supply historical records, such as letters received by the deceased customer from DWP and supporting bank statements.

If HMRC will provide (a) National Insurance records, (b) historic income tax records showing taxable payments of state pensions and (c) any other related records of deceased people to bereaved family members for claims for underpaid state pensions.

His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) operates a strict duty of confidentiality to protect customers’ data. Therefore they can only supply information regarding the deceased to family members in certain circumstances permitted in law, for example to enable the tax and National Insurance affairs of the deceased to be settled. At present HMRC does not have the power to provide families with tax and National Insurance information for the purpose mentioned. The State Pension is a matter for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HMRC shares information via an established legislative gateway with DWP for its administration.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of households no longer eligible for both PIP and other passported benefits.

No estimate has yet been made.Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’. A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

Whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that the private sector is used to help reduce NHS waiting lists for the (a) most urgent procedures and (b) patients with the greatest clinical need.

We have committed to tackling waiting lists and getting back to the National Health Service constitutional standard, that 92% of patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029. We will use every lever to do this, and independent sector providers have a key role to play.A new partnership agreement between the NHS and the independent sector was published in January 2025, the first of its kind for 25 years. The aim of this agreement is to ensure that private providers and the NHS work closely together to tackle waiting lists and improve elective services, providing NHS patients with the ability to choose to be treated privately where there is capacity, at no cost to them. The independent sector committed to reviewing their clinical exclusion criteria to ensure that they allow the choice of an independent provider to as broad a cohort of patients as possible. The agreement also set a shared goal to improve access to treatment in the independent sector for the most challenged specialties.Local systems are best placed to commission activity, considering the patients and providers in their area, and ensuring assets are utilised effectively, and that patients requiring urgent procedures are treated quickly. All patients should be offered a choice of provider at the point of referral, including independent providers where clinically appropriate, and should be provided with information on waiting times to inform their decision.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of offering (a) guidance or (b) funding support for charities who are assisting refugees with medical qualifications into the NHS.

The Department has made no assessment of the potential merits of offering guidance or funding support for charities who are assisting refugees with medical qualifications into the National Health Service.Many regulators, royal colleges, and other organisations provide support or prioritise services for refugees, including some flexibility in the information that candidates need to provide for employment checks.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to the Personal Independence Payment qualifying criteria on unpaid family carers.

We have committed to introduce a new requirement that, in addition to the existing eligibility criteria, claimants must score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity to be eligible for the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment. Our intention is that – subject to parliamentary approval – the changes will apply to new claims and award reviews from November 2026. This government is committed to supporting carers, who do one of the most valuable jobs in society, unpaid. As the Green Paper sets out, we will consider the impacts on benefits for unpaid carers as part of our wider considerations of responses to the consultation as we develop our detailed proposals for change. We are also consulting on how best to support those who lose entitlement to Personal Independence Payment due to the reforms, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing carers to keep Carer’s Allowance if they are providing over 35 hours of care to someone who has eligible health needs but who no longer qualifies for the Personal Independence Payment.

We have committed to introduce a new requirement that, in addition to the existing eligibility criteria, claimants must score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity to be eligible for the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment. Our intention is that – subject to parliamentary approval – the changes will apply to new claims and award reviews from November 2026. This government is committed to supporting carers, who do one of the most valuable jobs in society, unpaid. As the Green Paper sets out, we will consider the impacts on benefits for unpaid carers as part of our wider considerations of responses to the consultation as we develop our detailed proposals for change. We are also consulting on how best to support those who lose entitlement to Personal Independence Payment due to the reforms, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed changes to the Personal Independence Payment qualifying criteria and the consequential effect on Carer's Allowance eligibility on the ability of carers to participate in paid employment.

We have committed to introduce a new requirement that, in addition to the existing eligibility criteria, claimants must score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity to be eligible for the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment. Our intention is that – subject to parliamentary approval – the changes will apply to new claims and award reviews from November 2026. We understand the struggles facing many carers. We have launched an Independent Review of Carer’s Allowance which is exploring how earnings-related overpayments have occurred and what changes can be made. We’ve already taken action by boosting the Carer’s Allowance earnings threshold by £45 a week to £196 – a move that will benefit more than 60,000 carers by 2029/30. As the Green Paper sets out, we will consider the impacts on benefits for unpaid carers as part of our wider considerations of responses to the consultation as we develop our detailed proposals for change. We are also consulting on how best to support those who lose entitlement to Personal Independence Payment due to the reforms, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met.