Written questions by Franklin.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of business rates on the level of investment by companies in (a) energy-efficient buildings and (b) renewable technologies.

The Government is determined to remove barriers to investment to support our businesses to succeed, our high streets to thrive, and our economy to grow. Business rates support is available for green technology to facilitate the decarbonisation of buildings. Eligible plant and machinery used in onsite renewable energy generation and storage, including onsite storage used at electric vehicle charging points, as well as rooftop solar panels, wind turbines, and battery storage, are exempt from business rates from 1 April 2022 until 31 March 2035. A 100 per cent relief for eligible low-carbon heat networks which have their own rates bill is also available.

What steps her Department is taking to support family-owned businesses with significant inheritance tax liabilities following company valuations.

The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, fixing the public finances, and funding public services. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992. Where inheritance tax is due, those liable for a charge can pay any liability on the relevant assets over 10 annual instalments, interest-free.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that no person is extradited to Hong Kong for an act that is not a crime in the UK.

The UKs extradition framework, governed by the Extradition Act 2003,enshrines the principle of dual criminality.This legal requirement means that no person can be extradited from the UK unless the conduct in question would also constitute a criminal offence under UK law.In addition, all UK extradition cooperation is underpinned by strong legalsafeguards operationalised by independent UK courts who have extensive powers to bar extradition where it is politically motivated or where it would beagainst an individual’s human rights.

When she plans to publish the Loan Charge Review.

The Government commissioned an independent review of the loan charge to help bring the matter to a close for those affected whilst ensuring fairness for all taxpayers. The Government will respond by Autumn Budget 2025.

What assessment he has made of the safety of the use of PAVA spray in youth offender institutions.

In April 2025, the Government announced a limited rollout of PAVA incapacitant spray in the three young offender institutions (YOIs) for 15 to 18-year-olds (Werrington, Wetherby and Feltham A). It was determined that this was a necessary measure to protect children and members of staff at risk of serious and life changing injuries from incidents of violence.The potential use of PAVA spray in YOIs was the subject of lengthy consideration. This included research from available sources, and work with specialists across HM Prison and Probation Service and beyond. The advice of medical advisors and legal experts was taken into account in reaching the decision.PAVA is now available to specially selected and trained groups of staff at Werrington, Wetherby, and Feltham A, to facilitate an immediate local response to a serious incident. It is only to be used as a last resort, in response to an immediate threat of serious harm.

Whether she plans to remove the Air Passenger Duty exemption for aircraft under 5.7 tonnes.

The government published a consultation on “Reform of Air Passenger Duty for private jets” in October 2024. This set out that, given the potential for increased compliance costs and instances where some smaller jets may already incur fuel duty (such as for private pleasure flying), the government proposes to maintain the existing maximum take-off weight (MTOW) threshold of 5.7 tonnes. The consultation closed on 22 January 2025 and the government will respond in due course. You can find the government consultation document here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reform-of-air-passenger-duty-for-private-jets

Whether she plans to introduce a ban on kerosene-powered private jets as part of the Government’s net zero strategy.

The government has no plans to ban kerosene-powered private jets. The Chancellor announced changes to the Air Passenger Duty (APD) in the last Budget, which included a 13% increase in APD rates for 2026/27 and a further 50% increase for larger private and business jets. The government is committed to meeting our climate obligations to reach net zero by 2050 and will set out detail on plans for meeting legislated carbon budgets later this year.

If she will increase Air Passenger Duty on private jet flights to (a) match and (b) exceed the rate applied to first-class scheduled flights.

Larger private jets incur a higher rate of Air Passenger Duty (APD), which is at least three times the standard rate that typically applies to passengers flying premium economy, business or first class. Passengers travelling on aircraft of over 20 tonnes that are equipped to carry fewer than 19 passengers must pay the higher rate of APD. This year, the higher rate has increased to £84 for domestic and short-haul flights, and to £647 and £673 for long-haul and ultra-long-haul flights respectively. Passengers flying in first class on scheduled commercial flights currently pay the standard rate which is £14 for domestic flights, £28 for short haul, £216 for long haul and £224 for ultra-long-haul flights. At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced that APD rates would be partially adjusted in 2026-27 to help compensate for recent years of below-inflation uprating. The higher rate for private jets will rise by a further 50 per cent on top of the general increase made to all APD rates. The Government also published a consultation on the extension of the higher rate to cover more private jets. At present, the higher rate only applies to larger private jets, and so many private jet passengers pay the same rates as commercial airline passengers. The consultation closed on 22 January, and the Government will respond in due course.

If she will review the VAT exemption applied to private jet travel.

It is right that the aviation sector, including private jet travel, contributes to public finances. Air Passenger Duty is the principal tax applied to private jet travel. The Government keeps all taxes under review.

Whether she has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the provision of funding to support cross-community interfaith work.

Interfaith relations are vital for strong, cohesive communities.That is why the Government funded Inter Faith Week last year and then commissioned a consultation on its future.The consultation report was published in May and provides a strong evidence base for future planning and co-ordination of interfaith relations.Government is currently finalising support for Inter Faith Week 2025.Alongside this, MHCLG funds grassroots programmes such as Near Neighbours and Schools Linking which promote dialogue and understanding across communities.

What steps she is taking to regulate (a) poisonous and (b) harmful substances procured (i) domestically and (ii) internationally that may be used for suicide.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave her on 6 May to Question 48303.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to review the (a) application and (b) enforcement of the UK Forestry Standard in Surrey, in the context of recent logging activities at Bummoor Copse; and if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the UK Forestry Standard for balancing ecological protections with commercial forestry operations in (i) bluebell season, (ii) the bird nesting period and (ii) other times.

The Forestry Commission regulates tree felling in England under the provisions in the Forestry Act. Most felling licences require that felled trees or woodland are replaced by replanting or natural regeneration. The exception to this is a thinning licence, where sufficient woodland cover is retained so as not to require restocking. In this specific case, the Forestry Commission issued 3 felling licences covering thinning, coppicing and an area of clear felling. Felling trees is an essential part of woodland management and plays a vital role in supporting the rural economy through the production of sustainable timber. When considering a felling licence application, the Forestry Commission will judge the proposals against the UK Forestry Standard, the government’s approach to sustainable forestry. The latest (5th) edition was published in 2023 following an extensive review process. The standard encompasses the impacts on biodiversity and recognises the importance of priority habitats and species. As a result, felling licences also include guidance on additional issues the licence holder may need to consider such as compliance with wider relevant legislation, including laws related to habitat and species conservation. Following concerns raised by the local community, the Forestry Commission visited the site in early May to assess compliance with the felling licence conditions. The woodland has been impacted by ash dieback and therefore the felling operations will help address the health and safety risks associated with diseased trees as well as providing an opportunity to increase the structural diversity to improve biodiversity in the longer term.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the (a) effectiveness and (b) value for money of outsourcing interpreter and translation services for court proceedings; and what steps she has taken to ensure (i) quality, (ii) consistency and (iii) the protection of fair trial rights when third-party contractors provide such services.

The Department has recently undertaken a re-procurement of its interpreter and translation service under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. These regulations mandate that public bodies aggregate expenditure on classes of goods and services and ensure that competition is applied through defined procurement procedures to ensure value for money. This principle underpinned the Ministry of Justice’s previous procurement of services and remains the case today.The Ministry of Justice has regular conversations with stakeholders and incorporated their views into the options explored within a delivery model assessment which resulted in the consideration of insourcing, and hybrid options of insource and outsource. Stakeholders were informed in 2022/23 that the Department planned to continue with an outsourced model after assessments indicated that it was the best model for our needs. This option allowed for greater cost efficiency and enabled a larger share of funding to be directed towards paying interpreters.It is vital that victims, witnesses and defendants understand what is happening in court to ensure justice is done. To support this, the Ministry of Justice operates a robust performance and quality regime for interpretation and translation services. These include monthly meetings with suppliers and stakeholders to monitor and discuss, in detail, the quality of the services being provided and performance against contractual performance indicators. The suppliers forecast demand, and work to ensure that there is a pool of qualified interpreters available to the Department to fulfil bookings and facilitate fair trials for those that require interpretation services. The contracts also provide for the Ministry of Justice to audit the suppliers to verify the accuracy of contractual payments, management information, and compliance with contractual obligations.In addition, the Department has awarded a contract for the provision of independent quality assurance of the services provided under these other contracts. This assurance is undertaken in a number of ways, including:Managing the Ministry’s register of interpretersConducting an annual audit of supplier processes for introducing new interpretersConducting a programme of 'spot checks' of interpreters undertaking assignmentsAnnual surveys of business users of the service

What systems are in place within (a) Border Force and (b) her Department to monitor the international procurement of poisons; and whether those systems are applied consistently across all countries.

We remain committed to stopping dangerous drugs – including poisons – from entering the country. Our Border Force Officers continue to work to stop illegal drugs by making more, higher-quantity seizures than in previous years, using advanced technology, data analytics, and greater intelligence, derived from close working relationships with police, the National Crime Agency, and international partners.It would not be in the interest of national security to disclose specific systems in place, nor further information regarding intelligence gathering and sharing.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that ensure that (a) refugees and (b) stateless people are not penalised for their irregular (i) entry or (ii) arrival.

Irrespective of someone’s method of entry or arrival to the UK, all asylum claims that are admitted to the UK asylum system are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. Each individual assessment is made against the background of relevant case law and the latest available country of origin information.

What recent discussions she has had with airlines on the (a) accessibility and (b) clarity of compensation claim processes; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of claims procedures on passengers.

Under UK law, airlines are required to provide written information to passengers affected by flight disruptions, setting out the rules for compensation and assistance.  This information must be clear, easy to understand, and available in accessible formats. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is responsible for ensuring airlines comply with their legal obligations towards passengers. The EU conducted an assessment of the potential impact of the claims procedure on passengers as part of its proposed 2013 reform to Regulation 261, finding that some passengers were being discouraged from claiming their rights even when entitled. The UK has not carried out any further assessments on this issue since then.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring airlines to issue compensation for denied boarding automatically.

An assessment of the merits of automatic compensation for denied boarding has not been made. Provision of automatic compensation to passengers for denied boarding would present some practical challenges that would need to be fully considered through a full public consultation ahead of any potential legislative reforms.

If he will bring forward legislative proposals to give pension scheme trustees the authority to award discretionary increases to those already claiming a pension.

Discretionary indexation is over and above the statutory requirements. This discretion is usually exercised by the trustees with the agreement of the sponsoring employer. Some schemes have previously paid discretionary increases on a regular basis. However, these increases are not part of the pension package promised.The precise design of pension benefits is a matter for employers and trustees and is not covered in the Department for Work and Pensions legislation. Pension scheme rules are many and varied and must remain a matter for employers and scheme trustees to decide. The Pension Schemes Bill makes changes so that more trustees of well-funded schemes have the flexibility to share their scheme surplus with employers, subject to strict funding safeguards for members. Scheme trustees are required to act in the interest of scheme beneficiaries, and working with sponsoring employers, will be responsible for decisions on the release of surplus. Together they will agree how members can benefit from any release of surplus, which could include discretionary benefit increases. The Pensions Regulator already expects that trustees be aware of members who would benefit from any decision to award a discretionary increase and whether the scheme has a history of making such awards.

What steps her Department is taking to safeguard members' benefits when a sponsoring employer seeks to extract pension scheme surpluses.

Currently, some Defined Benefit schemes can already consider releasing their surplus under existing rules. The Pension Schemes Bill will provide more flexibility for trustees of these and other well-funded schemes to safely share some surplus with employers and members. This is underpinned with strict funding safeguards to ensure members’ pensions are protected. Scheme trustees are required to act in the interest of scheme beneficiaries and will be responsible for agreeing to any decisions on surplus release. Schemes will also need to meet a minimum funding level and require actuarial certification before the release of any surplus. Further, our scheme funding regulations, overseen by the Pensions Regulator, require that trustees maintain a strong funding position so they can pay members’ future pensions when they fall due, including planning for future volatility.

What steps her Department is taking to (a) increase capacity and (b) ensure more passengers are able to be seated on services into London on South Western Railway.

The Department is working closely with South Western Railway on the introduction of the Arterio fleet which will add the much needed additional capacity and seats on services into London. In the meantime, South Western Railway is managing the rest of its train fleet to ensure that capacity is prioritised where it is most needed.