Written answers

Monday, 6 April 2020

  • Home Office

    • Knives: Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many recorded incidents of knife crime there have been in each year from 2010.

    • Immigration: EU Nationals

      To the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2020 to Question 6772 on Devolution: Northern Ireland, what steps she is taking to ensure that immigration...

      Welsh Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional resources have been provided to the Welsh Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit to tackle extreme right-wing organisations in...

      Asylum: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to extend the contract with Sodexo for the provision of Aspen cards to asylum seekers.

      Asylum: Human Trafficking

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average waiting time is for a decision on an asylum case where the asylum seeker claims to have been a potential victim of human...

      Domestic Abuse: LGBT People

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many dedicated specialist local services there are for LGBT+ victims and survivors of domestic abuse in England and Wales; and how many...

      Terrorism: Prisoners' Release

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Operation of Police Powers under the Terrorism Act 2000, quarterly updates, Table P.05, how many offenders convicted under...

      Immigration: Wales

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has conducted an impact assessment of the potential short-term effects of the Government's immigration policy on the Welsh economy.

      Immigration: Music

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that immigration rules support the needs of the music industry.

      Immigration Controls: Scotland

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential effects on the health and social care sector in Scotland of the Government's proposed...

      Immigration: Scotland

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has undertaken an impact assessment of the potential short-term effects of the proposed immigration policy on the Scottish economy.

      Offensive Weapons Act 2019

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to consult with businesses on the potential effect of the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 prior to its implementation.

      Places of Worship Security Funding Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans the Government has to ensure equitable access to security funding for religious institutions.

      Migrant Workers: Veterinary Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many veterinary practices are registered as Tier 2 employers.

      Alcoholic Drinks: Minimum Prices

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of minimum unit pricing on alcohol policy in (a) Scotland and (b) Wales; and what plans...

      European Arrest Warrants

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to establish a replacement scheme for the European Arrest Warrant after the transition period.

      Europol

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has for cooperation and access to Europol for police services in the UK after the transition period.

      Electronic Surveillance

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) Technical Capability Notices and (b) National Security Notices have been issued in each year since 2016.

      Fire and Rescue Services: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of funding provided to (a) Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service and (b) other fire...

      Fire and Rescue Services: Floods

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans his Department has to impose a statutory duty on the fire service in England to respond to flooding.

      Fire and Rescue Services: Mental Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department has taking to improve the quality of mental health support provision for firefighters.

      Motor Vehicles: Fires

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department has made of the ability of fire authorities to respond to fires in (a) electric and (b) hydrogen vehicles.

      Bombings: Guildford

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason her Department has reclassified more than 600 files relating to the 1974 Provisional IRA Guildford pub bombings resulting in...

      Licensing Laws: Aviation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to publish her Department's response to the consultation on airside alcohol licensing at international airports in England...

      Entertainers: EEA Nationals

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what qualitative data her Department (a) holds and (b) has commissioned on the benefits of Tier 5 Visa rules for EEA musicians and artistic...

      Knife Crime Prevention Orders: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that the trial in London of the Knife Crime Prevention Orders does not result in an increase in the...

      Grenfell Tower Inquiry

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry phase 1 report, which Department is responsible for implementing the recommendations in that...

      Home Office: Disclosure of Information

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many inquiries into leaks of confidential Departmental information her Department has carried out in each of the last five years.

      Terrorism: Islam

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect on the risk of terrorist attacks on UK mosques of the (a) 12 recent arrests for terrorism...

      Places of Worship Security Funding Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many places of worship have made unsuccessful applications for funding from the Places of Worship Security Funding scheme in each...

      Overseas Visitors: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support will be provided to non-EEA nationals who are at risk of over-staying their short term visas as a result of self isolating in...

      Home Office: Written Questions

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to Question 25212 tabled on 4 March 2020 by the hon. Member for Foyle.

  • Department for Education

    • Free School Meals: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the supermarket vouchers that his Department has announced will be offered to children eligible for free school meals during school closures...

    • Nurseries: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what financial assistance is being provided to nurseries advised to close due to the covid-19 outbreak; and what assurances he has received from...

      Free School Meals: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the national voucher scheme offered to children eligible for free school meals during school closures will include support to cover the costs...

      Children: Day Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support nursery and childcare providers can receive as a result of the packages of economic support he has announced over the last two weeks.

      Childminding: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to support childminders' businesses during the covid-19 outbreak.

      Universities: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his policy is on universities charging accommodation fees for students while they are closed as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

  • Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

  • Department of Health and Social Care

    • Coronavirus: Medical Equipment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many pods designed for testing for covid-19 have been (a) acquired and (b) delivered to NHS units; and how many delivered pods are...

    • Coronavirus: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many tests for covid-19 per day UK-based laboratories can carry out (a) now and (b) at peak capacity.

      Coronavirus: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what testing criteria Public Health England is applying for the testing of potential covid-19 cases; and whether he has made an...

      Coronavirus: Disease Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how the Government will estimate (a) the level of prevalence of and (b) rates of infection and immunity to covid-19 if symptomatic...

      Coronavirus: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when testing for covid-19 will be made available for members of the public who are not hospitalised.

      Coronavirus: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the UK on the (a) ability of and (b) speed with which testing kits...

      Coronavirus: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of covid-19 testing kits it will require during the next eight weeks.

      Coronavirus: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many covid-19 testing kits his Department currently has in stock.

      NHS 111

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many calls were made to NHS 111 in the week beginning 9 March 2020; and how many callers waited over one hour for their calls to be...

      Coronavirus: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the World Health Organisation recommendation of increased testing for...

      NHS: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to prioritise covid-19 testing for NHS staff.

      Northwick Park Hospital: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Northwick Park Hospital is receiving the support it needs to tackle to covid-19 outbreak.

      Hospitals: Private Sector

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of requisitioning private hospitals to help tackle the covid-19 outbreak.

  • Department for Transport

    • Railway Network

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to re-open any of the routes closed in the Beeching cuts, as pledged in the 2019 Conservative Party manifesto; and if they have any such...

  • Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    • British Business Bank

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether new challenger banks have been accepted as an official lender by the British Business Bank; if not, why not; what estimate they have made of the time that...

    • Travel Agents: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure action is taken against travel agents who fail to honour contractual commitments regarding the cancellation of travel and...

      Travel Agents: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure action is taken against travel agents whose approach towards refunds is inconsistent with consumer rights legislation and, in...

      Travel Agents: Repayments

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to amend the provisions of the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 in relation to the contractual commitments...

      Companies: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the maximum time between which companies must hold annual general meetings, as set out in section 336 of the Companies Act 2006, due...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    • China: Press Freedom

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the government of China has revoked the press credentials of journalists from the New York Times, Wall Street...

    • Hong Kong: Freedom of Expression

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of China about the preservation of freedom of speech in Hong Kong following the withdrawal of press...

      China: Wildlife

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of China about stopping the trade in global wildlife for human consumption.

      China: Wildlife

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likelihood of pandemics resulting from the trade of global wildlife in China.

      Zakeya Albarboori

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement by the government of Bahrain on 12 March that it will release 1,486 detainees for “humanitarian reasons, in the backdrop of...

      Sayad Nazar al-Wadaei

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement by the government of Bahrain on 12 March that it will release 1,486 detainees for “humanitarian reasons, in the backdrop of...

      Human Rights

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development on 9 March...

      Israel: Bedouin

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports that that government destroyed agricultural land and crops in two Bedouin communities...

      Palestinians: Arrests

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports that Palestinians trying to raise awareness of COVID-19 in East Jerusalem were arrested.

      Israel: Palestinians

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports that money and belongings from Palestinian homes have been confiscated by Israeli...

      Coronavirus: International Cooperation

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have asked for assistance to help address the COVID-19 pandemic from countries less affected by COVID-19; and if so, what kind of assistance they have...

      Animals: Markets

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they plan to make to the United Nations to implement a global ban of so-called 'wet' markets.

  • Department of Health and Social Care

    • House of Lords: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to close Parliament and advise peers to work from home.

    • Hay Fever

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to reports that the projected peak of COVID-19 will coincide with the hay fever season, what advice they are giving to hay fever sufferers

      Coronavirus: Screening

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of mass testing to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the UK.

      Business: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they are giving, further to their advice on COVID-19, to industries where social interaction is a key element of the role of a business, in...

      Coronavirus: Disease Control

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to enforce social isolation measures so companies can claim COVID-19 relief on their insurance.

      Coronavirus: Disease Control

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they have provided, and plan to provide, in relation to religious gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

      Coronavirus: Disease Control

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they have provided to the Muslim Council of Britain about (1) Friday prayers, and (2) the celebration of Ramadan, in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

      Coronavirus: Disease Control

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether schools contribute to the spread of COVID-19.

      Coronavirus: Disease Control

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to issue social distancing guidance for delivery drivers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

      Coronavirus: Airports

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to conduct universal testing for COVID-19 at airports in England.

      Health Professions: Insurance

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether legal costs related to any (1) inquest, (2) regulatory, (3) employment, and (4) criminal, proceedings against healthcare professionals, including...

      Coronavirus: Salbutamol

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the availability of Ventolin; and what consideration they have given to enabling patients with symptoms of COVID-19 to purchase...

      NHS: Identity Cards

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to protect NHS staff following reports of staff being mugged for their NHS staff identification cards.

  • Department for Education

  • Ministry of Justice

  • Ministry of Defence

    • Army Reserve: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the first aid, (2) the trauma and triage, and (3) the security and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear defence,...

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Supermarkets: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with supermarkets about the provision of online slots for home delivery of foodstuffs and vital supplies to older vulnerable groups.

    • Food: Production

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage domestic food production as a result of COVID-19.

  • Home Office

    • China: Uighurs

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 18 March (HL2309), what action they will take against any company that has published an annual...

    • Visas: Migrant Workers

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy towards migrants who are in the country beyond their visa expiration date but who are unable to travel due to global travel restrictions.

      Coronavirus: Disease Control

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given, if any, to the deployment of police officers to ensure that people are social distancing.

  • Cabinet Office

    • Economic Situation: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government on what date the Prime Minister was first briefed by officials on the potential threats posed by COVID-19 to the UK economy.

  • Treasury

    • Non-domestic Rates: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government why (1) betting shops, (2) bingo halls, and (3) casinos, were excluded from the business rate holiday; and what plans they have to extend such businesses the same...

    • Self-employed: Government Assistance

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to freelance workers, and in particular, to those who work in the music festivals sector.

      Self-employed: Government Assistance

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is weighted for London; and what plans they have for those whose salaries exceed the threshold of the Scheme.

What is this?

The parliamentary question is a great way for MPs and Peers to discover information which the government may not wish to reveal. Ministers reply via written answers, a list of which gets published daily.

We let you vote on whether or not the answer given is adequate.

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