Gareth Thomas MP: written questions
212 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Immigration: Hong KongHome OfficeTabled 5 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118145More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of applying the proposed immigration reforms to BNO visa holders who are already registered to vote on the electorate.
Answer: The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.We sought views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, which was open between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2...
Answered 11 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness: TrainingDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117659More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what information his Department holds on the proportion of UK businesses with dedicated budgets for training.
Answer: The DBT Longitudinal Small Business Survey[1] reports that 45 percent of SME employers offer training to their employees. The Department does not hold specific information on dedicated budgets for training. [1] Small Business Survey 2024: businesses with ...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: Skilled WorkersDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117658More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what grant funding is available to help support the development of commercial and business skills in small and medium-sized enterprise.
Answer: The Department for Business and Trade does not provide centrally administered grant funding, specifically for the development of commercial and business skills for SMEs.Help to Grow: Management (HTG:M) is a UK-wide leadership and management programme for ...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPrivate Rented Housing: OmbudsmanMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 116691More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what consideration he has given to giving the Private Rented Sector Ombudsman oversight of property management companies.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 85213 on 4 November 2025.
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDevelopment AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 24 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115333More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans she has for future independent oversight of UK Official Development Assistance spending.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 4 February in response to Question 109820.
Answered 2 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordAttorney General's Office: StaffAttorney GeneralTabled 24 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115332More
Question: To ask the Solicitor General, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2026 to Question 111611, how many employees are employed by her Department and its agencies.
Answer: Departments are required to publish quarterly, the latest of which was released on 16 December 2025. You are referred to Public sector employment - Office for National Statistics for the information you have requested which states that 11,720 people are e...
Answered 2 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Culture, Media and Sport: Credit UnionsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 24 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115331More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2026 to Question 111615, for what reason does her Department not have the facility to offer payroll deductions for employees who wish to join a credit union.
Answer: The DCMS employee benefits package is directly shaped by employee demand. At present, joining a credit union is not included in our provision as we haven’t seen a significant appetite or interest. There is no requirement for DCMS to provide a facility for...
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Work and Pensions: Credit UnionsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111636More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
Answer: DWP has existing arrangements with three of the UK’s leading credit unions: COMMSAVE, HEY (Hull and East Yorkshire) and VOYAGER.The payroll savings scheme with credit unions is part of DWP’s wider financial wellbeing toolkit, which is readily available to...
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordOffice for Equality and Opportunity: Credit UnionsWomen and EqualitiesTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111635More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
Answer: The Minister for Women and Equalities departments and agencies do not offer payroll deductions to staff in order to join a credit union.
Answered 4 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordWales Office: Credit UnionsWales OfficeTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111634More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
Answer: Staff in my Department are employed by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), which provides payroll services on our behalf. The MoJ does not currently operate a payroll‑deduction facility for credit union membership, however, staff who wish to join a credit unio...
Answered 13 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordTreasury: Credit UnionsTreasuryTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111633More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
Answer: There are currently no plans to introduce a requirement for HM Treasury and its agencies to offer payroll deductions to enable staff to join a credit union.
Answered 17 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: Credit UnionsDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111632More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
Answer: This is a service that we do not current offer in DfT or our agencies. Staff can still make arrangements to contribute to a credit union via direct debit.
Answered 16 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordScotland Office: Credit UnionsScotland OfficeTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111631More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
Answer: The Scotland Office does not employ any staff directly. All staff that join do so on an assignment, loan or secondment from other government departments, principally the Ministry of Justice and the Scottish Government, who remain the employers.Any matters...
Answered 16 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology: Credit UnionsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111630More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
Answer: At this time, the Department does not administer payroll deductions for Credit Unions, and there are no proposals to introduce such a service.
Answered 17 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordRestoration and Renewal Client BoardRestoration and Renewal Client BoardTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111629More
Question: To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the Restoration and Renewal Client Board, whether the Client Board will offer payroll deductions to all its staff to enable them to join a credit union.
Answer: House of Commons and Joint Department staff, including those working for the Restoration and Renewal (R&R) Client Team, already have access to payroll deductions to enable them to join a credit union, operated through London Mutual Credit Union. Full ...
Answered 13 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordNational Audit Office: Credit UnionsPublic Accounts CommissionTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111628More
Question: To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission, whether the Commission has had discussions with the National Audit Office regarding employee payroll deductions to credit unions.
Answer: This is not a matter that the Commission has discussed with the National Audit Office.The NAO does not currently operate any payroll deduction arrangements for credit unions, nor does it have any active schemes or mechanisms in place that facilitate credi...
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordPrime Minister: Credit UnionsCabinet OfficeTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111627More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government will require No 10 to offer payroll deductions to all its employees to enable them to join a credit union.
Answer: The Cabinet Office and its agencies do not offer payroll deductions to staff in order to join a credit union.
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordNorthern Ireland Office: Credit UnionsNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111626More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
Answer: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) does not offer payroll deductions for credit unions. However, the department offers financial wellbeing support and advice through the employee benefits package. The employee benefits package is provided to NIO staff by t...
Answered 16 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Justice: Credit UnionsMinistry of JusticeTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111625More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
Answer: I can confirm that the Ministry of Justice does not currently offer or promote credit union offerings through payroll deductions. However, the Department offers financial wellbeing support and advice through the employee benefits package.
Answered 17 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Credit UnionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111624More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
Answer: MHCLG continually reviews the range of financial wellbeing support offered to our employees and does offer general payroll deduction facilities. Currently no specific credit union deduction arrangements are in place. Agency payroll operations are delegate...
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordHouse of Commons CommissionHouse of Commons CommissionTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111623More
Question: To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether the Commission will offer payroll deductions to all House staff to enable them to join a credit union.
Answer: House of Commons and Joint Department staff already have access to payroll deductions to enable them to join a credit union, operated through London Mutual Credit Union. Full details are available in the staff handbook.
Answered 13 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordHome Office: Credit UnionsHome OfficeTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111622More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
Answer: The Home Office introduced a new benefits platform in August 2025 which includes a wellbeing hub with financial education and support.At the current time the Home Office is not intending to introduce a payroll deduction service for accessing credit unions...
Answered 17 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment of Health and Social Care: Credit UnionsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111621More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
Answer: The Department’s financial wellbeing offer for its workforce 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.The Department ...
Answered 20 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and DEvelopment Office: Credit UnionsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111620More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, 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.
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has no such plans.
Answered 4 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Credit UnionsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111619More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
Answer: Defra does not offer a credit unions payroll deduction process to staff. Defra does operate a comprehensive employee benefit offering with access to retail discounts, savings, Cycle to Work schemes, dental and health wellbeing programmes, and has recently...
Answered 24 Feb 2026
Original Parliament record
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