Gareth Thomas MP: written questions
212 published records · newest first.
Written questions
British Business Bank: ComplaintsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 24 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93635More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many complaints the British Business Bank received about a) the cost of loans to SMEs, b) debt recovery behaviour by people offering to lend to SMEs and c) fees charged by lenders when lending to S
Answer: Where the British Business Bank receives complaints about lenders' actions on debt recovery, cost of lending and fees charged by lenders, these are referred to the relevant lender. While all complaints are logged, the current system does not include a spe...
Answered 27 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: EU CountriesDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 24 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93634More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of negotiating improved business travel mobility arrangements with the European Union.
Answer: Improved business travel mobility arrangements with the EU would benefit individuals and businesses in both the UK and EU, likely increasing trade between us and the EU and increasing our GDP over time. The UK government is committed to supporting UK busi...
Answered 1 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordUK Trade with EUDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 24 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93633More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of UK and EU conformity assessment alignment on the economy.
Answer: We are aware that UK and EU stakeholders have highlighted that conformity assessment barriers negatively impact their ability to trade since the UK left the EU. Ahead of the UK-EU summit in May 2025 we explored a number of proposals with our EU partners o...
Answered 1 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordProfessions: QualificationsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 21 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93339More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he will make an assessment of the potential benefits of the mutual recognition of professional qualifications by the UK and European Union.
Answer: DBT is continually assessing benefits of opportunities to improve recognition of professional qualifications with the EU. Improvements would reduce market access barriers, address skills gaps, and promote growth.The UK Government is committed to improving...
Answered 27 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordChemicals: UK Trade with EUTreasuryTabled 21 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93338More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will meet with representatives of the UK chemical industry to discuss an estimate of the potential cost of being out of the Single Market.
Answer: Government Ministers regularly meet with businesses and business representation organisations from a range of sectors, including the chemical sector. They remain open to further engagement with the sector including on ways to bolster growth, trade and inv...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordIwoca: LoansTreasuryTabled 21 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93337More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the cost of business loans offered by IWOCA.
Answer: I refer my honourable friend to the answers I provided on the topic of SME lending on 23 October, and more recently in relation to the rate of short-term lending to small and medium sized businesses in the UK. Interest rates, including those offered by in...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordIwoca: ComplaintsTreasuryTabled 21 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93336More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints her Department has received on the cost of loans offered by IWOCA to small and medium sized businesses.
Answer: I refer my honourable friend to the answers I provided on the topic of SME lending on 23 October, and more recently in relation to the rate of short-term lending to small and medium sized businesses in the UK. Interest rates, including those offered by in...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordMcClure Solicitors: Discretionary TrustsScotland OfficeTabled 19 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92513More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether Police Scotland has had discussions with his Department on its investigation into McClures Solicitors asset protection trusts.
Answer: Police Scotland has not had discussions with the Scotland Office regarding its investigation into McClures Solicitors' asset protection trusts. It would not be appropriate for the Secretary of State or Scotland Office officials to discuss this matter with...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNetball: Olympic GamesDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 19 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92512More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the International Olympic Committee on the inclusion of netball in the Olympic Games.
Answer: I have not had discussions with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) about the inclusion of netball, or any other sport, in the Olympic Games. The Olympic sports programme is determined by the IOC. The British Olympic Association, as the National Org...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordDiscretionary TrustsHome OfficeTabled 19 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92511More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of alleged trustee mismanagement of asset protection trusts were recorded in the last three years by Action Fraud in a) Scotland b) London c) Suffolk and d) In total.
Answer: The capturing of fraud reports is recorded in line with the Home Office Crime Counting Rules for fraud, which breaks fraud down into a range of codes. The information requested does not currently align to the crimes recorded in the Action Fraud data set.T...
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordDiscretionary Trusts: Criminal InvestigationHome OfficeTabled 19 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92510More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department holds information on the number of cases of trustee mismanagement of asset protection trusts that were investigated in each of the last three years by (a) Merseyside Police, (b)
Answer: The Public Safety Group has no role in data collection on trustee mismanagement, or in any police investigations which may or may not be going on.Matters relating to solicitor regulation or misgivings are for Ministry of Justice's Arms Lengths Bodies.
Answered 28 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordDiscretionary TrustsMinistry of JusticeTabled 19 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92509More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases of trustee mismanagement of asset protection trusts were investigated by his Department in each of the last three years.
Answer: The trustees of a trust hold assets for the benefit of others (the beneficiaries of the trust) under the terms of the trust document.The general law of trusts enables the beneficiaries of a trust to hold the trustees to account to the extent permitted by ...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordMcClure Solicitors: InsolvencyHome OfficeTabled 19 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92508More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Police Scotland has had discussions with her Department on its investigation into McClures Solicitors asset protection trusts.
Answer: The Public Safety Group has no role in data collection on trustee mismanagement, or in any police investigations which may or may not be going on.Matters relating to solicitor regulation or misgivings are for Ministry of Justice’s Arms Lengths Bodies.
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: LoansTreasuryTabled 19 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92507More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information her Department holds on the highest rate of short-term lending to small and medium sized businesses in the UK.
Answer: Interest rates are a commercial matter decided by lenders, reflecting the base rate, the risk of the applicant, and a margin to make the loan commercially viable given the cost of underwriting and broader funding costs. Rates vary across the market and ev...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordInsuranceTreasuryTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91900More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to update (a) the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 and (b) the Insurance Act 2015 to strengthen statutory consumer protections in the insurance market.
Answer: On 23 September 2025 Which? made a supercomplaint to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) that makes recommendations on relevant matters, including that the FCA and Government should review consumer protection legislation in insurance. The FCA and the Go...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordInsuranceTreasuryTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91899More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she will conduct a post-legislative review of (a) the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 and (b) the Insurance Act 2015.
Answer: On 23 September 2025 Which? made a supercomplaint to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) that makes recommendations on relevant matters, including that the FCA and Government should review consumer protection legislation in insurance. The FCA and the Go...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordMcClure Solicitors: InsolvencyScotland OfficeTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91288More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he plans to discuss concerns about the former legal firm WW&J McClure Ltd with the Law Society of Scotland and Police Scotland.
Answer: The Secretary of State is aware that the closure of WW & J McClure Limited has caused anguish and worry to many of its clients, and hopes the matter can be brought to a satisfactory conclusion. As crime and justice are devolved in Scotland, it would n...
Answered 20 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordCredit UnionsTreasuryTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90110More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will ask the Prudential Regulation Authority to ease the rules on credit unions being able to lend to other credit unions.
Answer: According to Section 11 of the Credit Unions Act 1979, credit unions are able to lend to other credit unions. Credit unions are regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in a way that ensures the stab...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: LoansDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90109More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has commissioned research from National Institute of Economic and Social Research in the last three years on (a) international lending rates and (b) levels international lending to SMEs.
Answer: The Department for Business and Trade has commissioned research on the alternatives to commercial lending in the SME Business Market. The research, undertaken by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, intends to study the characteristics ...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordCredit unions: Help to Save SchemeTreasuryTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90108More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether credit unions will be allowed to offer Help to Save accounts from 2027.
Answer: The Help to Save scheme supports financial resilience for working people on low incomes by encouraging consistent, long-term saving and helping them build a financial buffer to plan and prepare for the future. In April 2025, the government widened the eli...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHelp to Save SchemeTreasuryTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90107More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to extend eligibility to Help to Save to people of pension age and in receipt of (a) carers allowance, (b) pension credit and (c) housing benefit after 2027.
Answer: The Help to Save scheme supports financial resilience for working people on low incomes by encouraging consistent, long-term saving and helping them build a financial buffer to plan and prepare for the future. In April 2025, the government widened the eli...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS Trusts: Personal SavingsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90106More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will require NHS Trusts to offer payroll savings schemes for staff.
Answer: Local employers across the National Health Service are best placed to understand their staff’s needs and circumstances. NHS staff have access to a range of support for financial wellbeing including credit union membership, savings schemes, and access to d...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPatricia OwenMinistry of JusticeTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90105More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he expects the Court of Appeal to consider the 1998 conviction of former subpostmistress Patricia Owen.
Answer: The case of Patricia Owen has been referred to the Court of Appeal by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) under section 9 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1995.Following approval for her daughter to act on her behalf, solicitors have been directed to lo...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordIsraeli Settlements: Import ControlsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88564More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help prevent (a) products or (b) services produced in illegal settlements in the West Bank from entering the UK.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer I provided on 15 October 2025 to Question 77510.
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordInsurance: DisadvantagedTreasuryTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88563More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will request that the Financial Conduct Authority assess whether people living in the 244 neighbourhoods experiencing the highest levels of deprivation are paying above average rates for (a) home, (b) car and
Answer: The government expects that insurers deliver good outcomes to consumers and firms are required to do so under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules. These rules require firms to ensure their products offer fair value. This means the price paid by consum...
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
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