So, no pressure then. My Lords, the Government are prioritising welfare reform, putting work and opportunity at the centre. Our system should support people to get into work and get on in work, while ensuring that those who cannot work get the support that they need. The Milburn and Timms reviews are looking across the social security system and will publish their final reports in the autumn. We will work across government to respond to their recommendations; in the meantime, we have a range of initiatives to support individuals to get into work.

The Department for Work and Pensions has slowed the increase in health and disability benefit caseloads, and in welfare spending as a proportion of GDP compared to the last Government.

The Timms Review, the first ever full review of PIP, was launched to ensure we have a system that supports disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater in-dependence, including through employment.

The steering group is now moving towards designing and testing its recommendations for change, which will be published in a final report in due course.

The number of individual income taxpayers over State Pension Age can be seen in the table below^[1]:

The previous Conservative Government made the decision to maintain income tax thresholds at their current levels from April 2021 until April 2028 and this is reflected in the numbers.

The current Government has set out that individuals whose only income is the basic or new State Pension, without increments, will not pay income tax over this Parliament. Further details on this will follow.

^[1] Income Tax liabilities statistics: tax year 2022 to 2023 to tax year 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK

Decisions on tax policy are taken by the Chancellor at fiscal events.

The current taper rate of 55 per cent gradually withdraws Universal Credit as earnings increase, allowing customers to retain at least 45 pence of each additional £1 earned, striking the right balance between supporting work incentives and targeting support at those on the lowest incomes. This policy is kept under regular review to ensure it continues to provide the right incentives for people receiving Universal Credit to move into work and progress in employment.

Under Section 4, Paragraph 1 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, employment law and trade union matters are transferred to the Northern Ireland Executive. Any decisions regarding employment law are therefore the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive.

My Lords, before I answer the noble Lord’s Question, I thought it appropriate to start by mentioning the devastating news regarding the outbreak of meningitis in Kent at the weekend. Our thoughts are with the families, friends and loved ones of those who have died and with everyone who is currently unwell or affected by this terrible situation.

In response to the noble Lord’s Question, this is a complex system that remains open to review. The Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Education are looking at ways to make it fairer, and ranges of options will be considered, but we must consider how any change would be funded to be fiscally responsible. For graduates, we are working hard to tackle the cost of living by extending government-funded childcare, reducing energy bills, freezing rail fares and rolling out free breakfast clubs.

The National Year of Reading is a welcome opportunity to promote a wide range of activity to improve literacy and engagement with reading for people in custody and on probation.

As part of this work we have appointed the first ever Prison Reading Laureate, the author Lee Child. He will champion the transformative power of reading across the criminal justice system, continue expansion of his successful literacy pilot programme which has been running in a number of prisons since 2025 and will bring in more authors to work with prisons across the country, promoting the benefits of reading to rehabilitation.

Reading is a priority for HMPPS who work with many voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations such as the Reading Agency and National Literacy Trust. A programme of work is planned throughout this year to improve national access to books and facilitate workshops with authors. The Youth Custody Service is also launching its first ever Literacy Festival to inspire reading amongst some of the most complex children in our society.

The National Year of Reading is a welcome opportunity to promote a wide range of activity to improve literacy and engagement with reading for people in custody and on probation.

As part of this work we have appointed the first ever Prison Reading Laureate, the author Lee Child. He will champion the transformative power of reading across the criminal justice system, continue expansion of his successful literacy pilot programme which has been running in a number of prisons since 2025 and will bring in more authors to work with prisons across the country, promoting the benefits of reading to rehabilitation.

Reading is a priority for HMPPS who work with many voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations such as the Reading Agency and National Literacy Trust. A programme of work is planned throughout this year to improve national access to books and facilitate workshops with authors. The Youth Custody Service is also launching its first ever Literacy Festival to inspire reading amongst some of the most complex children in our society.

We already undertake a number of face-to-face health assessments for people applying for sickness benefits. However, as announced in Pathways to Work Green Paper, we are planning to increase the number of face-to-face assessments. We will preserve alternative health assessment channels to meet the specific needs of people who require a different channel, for example as a reasonable adjustment.

My Lords, we already undertake a number of face-to-face health assessments for people applying for sickness benefits. However, as announced in the Pathways to Work

Green Paper, we are planning to increase the number of face-to-face assessments while preserving alternative health assessment channels in order to meet the specific needs of people who require a different channel, for example, as a reasonable adjustment.

The Government does not currently have plans to send a representative to the specific event referenced in PQ HL7889. However, we continue to engage members of the Cypriot diaspora and welcome the strong contribution that the diaspora has and continues to make to UK culture and communities.

In accordance with the rest of the international community, with the sole exception of Turkey, the UK does not recognise the self-declared 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' as an independent state. Several UN Security Council Resolutions and other multilateral agreements limit links between the UK and the north of Cyprus. However, we support measures aimed at reducing the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community within these constraints. This includes promoting rule of law, good governance, open societies, and positive inter-communal relations. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials regularly engage members of the Cypriot diaspora, including from the Turkish Cypriot community.

My Lords, the answer, at least recently, is none. From the first design of Cambridge South in 2016 by AstraZeneca, the station has never had a car park due to lack of space. It has been designed as a sustainable transport hub to provide direct access to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus while respecting the surrounding green belt. The station will have 1,000 cycle spaces, pedestrian access and strong connections to local transport networks, including nearby park-and-ride sites.

The Permanent Committee on Geographical Names (PCGN) advises HMG on policies and procedures for the representation of geographical names for places and features outside the UK, excluding those of the Antarctic. For names of international maritime features beyond any sovereignty, PCGN usually advises reflecting the common English conventional name, which for this body of water is the 'Gulf of Mexico'.

We have long-standing processes on establishing geographical feature names for UK use, which will continue to govern future labelling.

All forms of racial and religious discrimination are completely unacceptable, including that directed at Christians, and the government continues to work closely with community partners to tackle it. Churches and Christian charities occupy a valuable position in society through their access to active citizens, their role within local communities and their good relationships with other faith groups. Government and police routinely assess potential threats to ensure that protective measures are in place to protect Christian communities and their places of worship. The government has been exploring a more integrated and cohesive approach to bridging divisions and challenging hatred. We remain committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion and will not tolerate discrimination against Christians in any form.

My Lords, there has been no change in the jurisdiction of European Court of Justice rulings in relation to the United Kingdom. We are clear that we will not be rejoining the single market or the customs union or re-establishing freedom of movement.

Under the 1944 Chicago Convention, only the Republic of Cyprus may designate Ercan as an international airport and grant permission for flights. It has not done so. This means that no direct air services between the north of Cyprus and the UK can take place as it would be contrary to the UK’s obligations under the Chicago Convention.

My Lords, I offer my sincere condolences and, I am sure, those of all in your Lordships’ House, to the

bereaved families of Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates. Our thoughts are also with the three survivors who sustained serious injuries in the horrendous attacks that took place in Nottingham. Yesterday, NHS England published in full the report of the independent investigation into the care and treatment provided to Valdo Calocane.