Written answers

Wednesday, 16 December 2020

  • Department for Transport

    • Transport: Capital Investment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much capital spending on transport took place in 2019 by population share in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) England.

    • High Speed Trains: West Midlands

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals for the construction of high-speed railway from the West Midlands to Sheffield and Leeds.

      Railways: Social Distancing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has his Department made on deploying and promoting mobile and app technology to help rail passengers socially distance whilst travelling.

      Travel: Wolverhampton

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding Wolverhampton has been allocated for active travel options; and what projects the funds are being spent on.

      Railways: Bicycles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to increase the capacity of bike storage facilities on trains in the context of increased uptake of cycling during the covid-19 outbreak.

      Rolling Stock

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of trains on the UK network with built-in ramps which extend to platforms.

      Railways: Freight

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the operational effect on rail freight of ending the transition period without a deal with the EU.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to respond to the letters from the RSPB sent on 3 March 2020 and 11 May 2020 requesting assurances on six measures to protect nature.

  • Department for Education

    • Assessments: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether it is his Department's policy that examinations should take place at the end of academic year 2020-21 in schools.

    • Schools: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the increase in expenditure by schools on public health measures during the covid-19 outbreak, by region.

      Educational Institutions: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what safety measures are in place within schools and other educational settings to reduce the risk of covid-19 transmission and keep teachers, parents...

      Undocumented Migrants: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has authorised Kent County Council not to provide accommodation to children in its area who arrived by boat.

      Schools: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what scientific advice his Department has received from SAGE on the comparative level of risk and benefit to children of being in school during the...

      Assessments: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether it is his Department's policy that additional consideration should be given for pupils taking examinations at the end of academic year 2020-21.

      Apprentices: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate he has made of the number of young people aged 16 to 24 years who are pursuing an apprenticeship in (a) West Worcestershire and...

      Vocational Education: West Worcestershire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the provision of vocational training in West Worcestershire.

      Education: West Worcestershire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of educational provision for young people aged 16 to 24 years in West Worcestershire.

      T-levels: West Worcestershire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of planning for T-level provision for students in West Worcestershire.

      Students: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of covid-19 restrictions on the ability of university students to access their course content.

      Students: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to prevent the spread of covid-19 in university accommodation when students return after the Christmas break.

  • Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    • Renewable Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number and proportion of energy suppliers selling green tariffs that...

    • Renewable Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to ensure customers who choose green electricity tariffs can (a) locate and (b) verify the...

      Cooperatives

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to extend the provisions made under the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 to cover (a) the...

      Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Public Consultation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what consultation documents his Department has issued in the last five years for which a response by his Department is...

      Business: Loans

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with representatives from the banking sector on extending the business loan...

      Employment: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to help ensure workers receive paid time off for covid-19 vaccination appointments; and if he...

      Winter Sports: EU Countries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he has taken to ensure UK snowsport instructors can continue to teach in the EU after the transition period.

      Hydrogen: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made a decision on funding a Clean Fuels Metrology Centre, and if he will make a statement.

      Horizon 2020

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in the event that the UK's participates in the EU Horizon programme after the transition period, how that...

      Research: Capital Investment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much capital spending took place on research and development in 2019 by population share in (a) Wales, (b)...

  • Department of Health and Social Care

    • Health Services: Private Sector

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) patients seen, (b) day cases, (c) outpatient appointments, (d) diagnostic...

    • Surgery: Warwickshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of potential options for alleviating demands on NHS services to help maintain the provision of elective...

      Ambulance Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to encourage the NHS to transition to more environmentally sustainable ambulance vehicles.

      Ambulance Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of emergency service vehicles used by the NHS are (a) electric vehicles and (b) other alternatively fuelled vehicles.

      Tourette's Syndrome: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what pathways exist for children in the North West for the diagnosis of Tourettes syndrome.

      Paramedical Staff: Air Pollution

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the ambient air pollution that paramedics are exposed to in the cabs of emergency vehicles.

      Hospital Beds: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the (a) general and (b) acute London bed occupancy rate was in (i) December 2019 and (ii) November 2020.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Greenwich and Woolwich of 25 September 2020 on cancer diagnosis and...

      Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December to Question 119972, if he will place the Parliamentary Question Performance Recovery Plan as it...

      Tinnitus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of people who have tinnitus in the UK.

      Department of Health and Social Care: Electric Vehicles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of the vehicles used by his Department on Government business are electric vehicles.

      Back Pain

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people had back pain in the UK, by (a) age and (b) gender, in each of the last three years.

      Blood Tests: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the accessibility of blood tests during the covid-19 outbreak.

      Blood Tests: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that blood tests are accessible within an acceptable timeframe during the covid-19 outbreak.

      Blood Tests: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what targets his Department has set for the waiting time for a blood test (a) during the covid-19 outbreak; and whether that target has...

      Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the ability of health insurance providers to reimburse the cost of dialysis for people with kidney...

      Urinary Tract Infections: Diagnosis

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans Public Health England has to update its guidance on the diagnosis of urinary tract infections to reflect changes in remote...

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay of 14 September, 22 October and 19...

      Endoscopy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle the national backlog in endoscopy procedures.

      Ventilators

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many mechanical ventilators (a) were purchased and (b) have been used since the start of the covid-19 outbreak.

      Musculoskeletal Disorders: Physiotherapy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that patients with musculoskeletal health conditions can continue to access (a) NHS, (b)...

      Surgical Mesh Implants

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2020 to Question 121200, what discussions he (a) has had and (b) plans to have with stakeholders on...

      Autism: Suicide

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to help reduce the rate of suicide among people with autism.

      Marie Curie Cancer Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will (a) support Marie Curie’s National Day of Reflection campaign and (b) meet representatives of Marie Curie to discuss...

      Coronavirus: Hospitality Industry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will allow three households to mix indoors in pubs and restaurants during the Christmas 2020 relaxation of covid-19 restrictions.

      Coronavirus: Disease Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2020 to Question 121858 on Coronavirus: Disease Control, if he will publish in full the advice...

      Coronavirus: Disease Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2020 to Question 121227 on Coronavirus: Disease Control and with reference to paragraph 7.41 of the...

      Pharmacy: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that community pharmacies are financially viable businesses.

  • Wales Office

    • Public Expenditure: Wales

      What recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the application of the Barnett formula to Wales.

    • Floods: Wales

      What steps the Government is taking to support people affected by flooding in Wales.

      Coronavirus: Wales

      What recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on financial support for people in Wales affected by the covid-19 outbreak.

      Welsh Government: Borrowing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on that Government’s borrowing limit.

  • Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

    • Environment Protection: Planning

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that local communities are consulted on the environmental impact of the proposed...

    • Nature Conservation: Planning

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what additional protections for nature will result from the reforms to the planning system set out in the Planning for...

      Flats: Insulation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that mortgage lenders do not request EWS1 forms for flats in blocks of...

      High Rise Flats: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many residential properties in London over 18 metres his Department has identified as being constructed with ACM...

  • Ministry of Justice

    • Prisons: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 24 November 2020 to Question 115561 on Prisons: Coronavirus, whether regular covid-19 testing of frontline staff was in place...

    • Jury Service: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of NHS staff who have been called for jury service during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will exempt NHS staff...

      Sexual Offences: Females

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of rolling out the Sexual Violence Complainants' Advocate Scheme, piloted in Northumbria under the...

      HM Courts and Tribunals Service: Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether any companies stated during the recent bidding process for the HM Courts & Tribunals Service's security guarding service contract that they...

      Conveyancing: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has plans to bring forward proposals to set a minimum set of standards for conveyancing solicitors.

  • Treasury

    • Credit: Regulation

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to authorise the Financial Conduct Authority to regulate businesses in the buy now, pay later sector.

    • Food: Advertising

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department was asked by (a) the Department for Health and Social Care and (b) Public Health England to undertake an (i) economic impact...

      Food: Advertising

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what input his Department had in the policy-making process for the public consultation on an online advertising ban on foods high in fat, salt or sugar.

      Customs: ICT

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December 2020 to Question 124786 on Customs: ICT, for what reason the C1800 CHIEF badge application forms are not accessible on...

      Self-employment Income Support Scheme: Construction

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will (a) instruct HMRC to use the Construction Insurance Scheme records they hold to verify the employment status of people in the construction...

      Stamp Duty Land Tax: Coronavirus

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to extend the stamp duty waiver to allow people who have started but may not complete the house buying process within the existing...

      Customs Intermediaries: Recruitment

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Government financial support to recruit new customs agents (a) nationally and (b) at the Portsmouth...

      State Retirement Pensions: Females

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the tax liability is for women who receive back payments of underpaid state pension in a single financial year; and if he will make a statement.

  • Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

    • Climate Change Convention

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many UK diplomatic staff are working on preparations for the 2020 United Nations Climate Change Conference,...

    • Developing Countries: Trade Agreements

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to build the capacity of trade unions and civil society groups in developing countries to...

      Sri Lanka: Water Supply

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his counterpart in Sri Lanka on the effect of the Chunnakam power plant...

      Department for International Development: Redundancy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many voluntary redundancies have been sought involving staff previously employed on permanent Department for...

      Department for International Development: Temporary Employment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many temporary contracts involving staff previously employed by the Department for International Development...

      Self-determination of States

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on the principle of self-determination to determine the status of territories subject to the process of...

      British Overseas Territories: Companies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he will publish the Order in Council in relation to public registers of beneficial ownership of companies...

      Gulf States: Overseas Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many of the projects delivered through the Integrated Activity Fund in (a) 2016-7 and (b) 2017-18 were...

      Gulf States: Overseas Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many projects were delivered under the Integrated Activity Fund in the financial years (a) 2016-17 and (b)...

      Gaza: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December 2020 to Question 124769 and with reference to the cessation of polymerase...

      Gaza: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the capacity of hospitals in Gaza to provide adequate oxygen for...

      Palestinians: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the Israeli Authorities on the death of Ali Abu Alia, a 15 year old boy, in...

      Gaza: Humanitarian Situation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of the increasing rates of covid-19 infection on the...

      Israeli Settlements

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to UN Resolution 2334 of 2016, reconfirmed in 2019 and 2020, whether it remains his Department's...

      Palestinians

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in European countries on a co-ordinated approach to the...

      Occupied Territories: Public Sector

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the Palestinian Authority’s ability to deliver public services within the...

      West Bank: Imports

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for International Trade on the potential merits of a...

      Middle East: Overseas Trade

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of whether the UK missions in (a) Israel and (b) Palestine purchase goods sourced in...

      West Bank: Demolition

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish a response to EDM 1140 on the Demolition of Palestinian homes.

      Occupied Territories

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the UK-Israel Agreement will continue to regard settlements as part of Palestine.

      Science: Research

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what effect the reduction to the Official Development Assistance budget will have on the level of funding...

      Travel: EU Countries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the end of the transition period on UK citizens' ability to...

      Sahel: Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) support transparent and independent investigations into reports of...

      Nigeria: Politics and Government

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the (a) independence of the electoral commission in Nigeria and (b)...

      Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Consultants

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department spent on consultancy costs in financial year 2019-20.

  • Ministry of Defence

    • Armed Forces: Recruitment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of recruitment per recruit to the armed forces.

    • Military Aid: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that UK operational readiness is unaffected by military assistance to the covid-19 response in (a)...

      AWACS: Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, from which countries the two secondhand airframes for the E-7 Wedgetail will be purchased.

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Department for Work and Pensions: Complaints

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of written complaints to her Department’s Debt Management team were answered within 15 working days in (a) August (b)...

    • Work Capability Assessment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of waiting times for work capability assessment referral.

      Universal Credit: Newcastle upon Tyne

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit claims have been assessed to be ineligible in Newcastle upon Tyne since March 2020; and for what reasons those...

      Pensions: Gender

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to reduce the gender pay gap in pensions savings.

      Occupational Pensions: Females

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to encourage women to resume workplace pension contributions following a period of (a) part-time work or (b) time out of...

      State Retirement Pensions: Females

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions her Department has had with representatives of the Women Against State Pension Inequality group on the effectiveness...

      Personal Independence Payment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what factors Decision Makers take into account when determining the length of personal independence payment (a) awards and (b) review periods...

      Department for Work and Pensions: Telephone Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of calls to her Department’s Debt Management team were answered in (a) August (b) September (c) October and (d) November...

      Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Air Pollution

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that drivers of heavy goods vehicles are sufficiently protected from poor air quality.

      Jobcentres: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether job centre staff working from home due to health concerns in relation to covid-19 are to be expected to attend a job centre for...

      Pensions: Direct Marketing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will include online activity in the ban on pensions cold calling.

      Radiation Exposure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions she has had with the Under-Secretary of Digital Infrastructure on the Health and Safety Executive's responsibility for...

      Universal Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effect of the length of front line interviews by her Department's staff on the number of people claiming...

      Universal Credit: Poplar and Limehouse

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of not extending the £20 uplift in universal credit beyond April 2021 on the 17,000...

      Older Workers: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress she has made on supporting back into work older people who have lost their jobs since March 2020.

      Discretionary Housing Payments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of applications to local authorities for discretionary housing payments from households subject to the...

      Jobcentres: Wolverhampton

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many job work coaches her Department is planning to deploy in in Wolverhampton.

      Universal Credit: Carers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are in receipt of payment of (a) the carer element of universal credit, (b) carer addition and (c) the carer premium as at 10...

      Personal Independence Payment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria was used to determine which personal independence payment awards, due for review in 2021-22, would be extended.

      Kickstart Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2020 to Question 118005, when the Kickstart data will be available by region.

      State Retirement Pensions: Females

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2020 to Question 123540, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the Health...

      Pension Wise: Reigate

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have had a Pension Wise guidance appointment (a) by telephone and (b) in person in Reigate constituency between 1 April 2019...

      Employment Schemes: Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that smaller organisations can bid for contracts to collaborate with her Department’s employment...

      National Insurance: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she estimates the National Insurance issuance service will resume a full service, following the temporary suspension of services as a...

      National Insurance: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure people who are unable to secure a National Insurance number as a result of the temporary...

      National Insurance: British National (Overseas)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure BNO holders are able to secure a National Insurance number.

      Statutory Sick Pay: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will extend statutory sick pay to members of a household who are required to self-isolate and take unpaid covid-related absence due to...

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Peat Bogs: Fires

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on banning the burning of peatland habitats.

    • Sewage: River Tyne

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to reduce the level of sewage spills into the River Tyne.

      Forestry Commission: Geographical Information Systems

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of Forestry Commission’s Forester GIS online mapping system to identify...

      Flood Control: Cheshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Environment Agency's work with other bodies to reduce flood risk in...

      Climate Change

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much money from the public purse has been spent on nature based solutions to climate change in each of the last five years.

      Tree Planting: Environment Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what role (a) his Department (b) the Forestry Commission (c) Natural England (d) any other relevant bodies play in ensuring...

      Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances: Packaging

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what restrictions his Department will place on the use of PFAS chemicals to ensure the protection of the UK's health and...

      Odour Pollution: Lancashire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) mental and (b) physical health effects on communities residing near a landfill site...

      Forests: Environment Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reasons Natural England has the power under the Environmental Impact Assessment regulations to require a site to be...

      Property Flood Resilience Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many grants have been distributed under the Property Flood Resilience Scheme since November 2019.

      Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Geographical Information Systems

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the (a) adequacy and (b) comprehensiveness of the priority habitat inventory on the...

      Antisocial Behaviour: Paint

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps the Government has taken to reduce levels of antisocial behaviour involving the use of spray paint.

      Cats: Imports

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to his answer to Q40 in the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee's oral evidence session on The work of...

      Cats: Tagging

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to encourage local authorities to collect and scan cats injured or killed in road...

      Pet Travel Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the timeframe for a response from the EU regarding its application to become a...

      Domestic Seafood Supply Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to ensure eligible businesses are aware of the Domestic Seafood Supply Scheme.

      Pet Travel Scheme: Assistance Animals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on the ability of individuals accompanied by an assistance...

      Dogs: Electronic Training Aids

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislative proposals on banning the purchase and use of electronic dog collars.

      Pet Travel Scheme: Cats

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many Intra Trade Animal Health Certificates were issued for cats entering the UK in each month from January 2019 to...

      Coal: Heating

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of the ban on burning coal in domestic settings on the (a)...

      Climate Change Convention

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many meetings his Department has had with Natural England on preparations for COP26.

      Chemicals: Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the European Union on the implications for UK chemicals policy of Northern Ireland...

      Chemicals: Imports

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the devolved Administrations on ensuring that UK chemicals regulations after the...

      European Chemicals Agency: Membership

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of the UK seeking associate membership of...

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the two letters from the hon. Member for West Lancashire of 26 October 2020 on watercourse...

  • Home Office

    • Home Office: Marketing

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has spent on consultancy services including (i) communications, (ii) advertising, (iii) marketing and (iv) media...

    • Home Office: Written Questions

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to answer Question 96174, tabled on the 28th September 2020 by the hon. member for Slough.

      Home Office: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what target (a) her Department and (b) UK Visas and Immigration has relating to the proportion of Ministerial correspondence that has to be...

      Burglary

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce burglaries in (a) West Yorkshire and (b) England.

      Crimes of Violence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce violent crime in (a) West Yorkshire and (b) England.

      Police: Motor Vehicles

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of vehicles used by police forces in England are (a) electric and (b) other alternatively fuelled vehicles.

      Travellers: Caravan Sites

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the Friends, Families and Travellers 2020 report, Police renew calls...

      Police: Stun Guns

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will conduct an assessment of police use of tasers on (a) Black, Asian and minority ethnic children and (b) other children.

      Asylum: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to suspend evictions from asylum accommodation during the November 2020 covid-19 lockdown.

      Asylum: Penally

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish details of the scoping exercise which identified the Penally training camp in Pembrokeshire as a suitable site for...

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay of 14 August, 14 September and 9 October...

      Deportation: Jamaica

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will suspend the charter flights deporting up to 50 citizens to Jamaica planned for 2nd December until the Equality and Human Rights...

      Immigrants: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of No Recourse to Public Funds conditions on the number of people sleeping rough since...

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the letter on covid-19 from the hon. Member for West Lancashire dated 7 April 2020.

      Slavery

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to include survivors’ voices when designing and delivering its response to modern slavery.

      Immigration: EU Nationals

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2020 to Question 125288, what steps she plans to take to determine whether the durable partnership was...

      Biometric Residence Permits

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Biometric Residence Permit Cards enquiry forms were (a) received and (b) answered within the five day working day target in...

      Undocumented Migrants: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she plans to take to ensure that children arriving in Kent via migrant crossings are protected and cared for.

      Asylum: Military Bases

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether asylum seekers (a) have been or (b) will be transferred to the temporary Penally accommodation site from areas in England under...

      Immigrants: Sleeping Rough

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2020 to Question 125980, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people who will be...

      Asylum: Military Bases

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the scoping exercises which were used to assess the suitability of the Penally training camp in Pembrokeshire as a...

      Asylum: Military Bases

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of self-harm have occurred at (a) Penally training camp and (b) Napier barracks since September 2020.

  • Cabinet Office

    • Veterans: Coronavirus

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's news story, New study to understand effect of COVID-19 on veterans,...

  • Department for International Trade

    • Medical Records: Trade Agreements

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she will take to protect public funded health data from data control from outside the UK during trade negotiations; and if she...

    • Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made for the implications of her policy of her policies of the report from the UN Group of Experts on Yemen on its...

      Human Rights: Turkey

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Turkey upholds international labour and human rights standards as a condition of any...

      Data Protection: World Trade Organisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to ensure that existing safeguards on people’s (a) privacy and (b) data protection will be replicated as part...

  • Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

    • Data Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the new Digital Markets Unit will take to ensure a level playing field for small retailers and large corporations...

    • ICT: Recruitment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to encourage (a) private companies and (b) the public sector to train and hire staff in (i) robotics (ii)...

      Music: Coronvirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the economic effect on (a) festivals, (b) music venues and (c) the live...

      Music: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many and what proportion of (a) music festivals have accessed and (b) the number of roles in music festivals have been...

      Youth Investment Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when he plans to make available funding from the Youth Investment Fund; and how the £30 million allocated to capital...

      Data Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to secure Data Adequacy recognition from the EU before the end of the transition period.

      Press

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the public are protected from being the subject of abusive press content.

      Gambling: Cryptocurrencies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether gambling using cryptocurrency is legal; and whether UK bookmakers are permitted to offer this service.

      Culture Recovery Fund: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding from the Culture Recovery Fund has been allocated to the culture and heritage sector in (a) Greater London,...

      Angling: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether fishing clubs located on private land can continue to operate under Tier 3 of the public health restrictions which...

      Football: Qatar

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what representations he has made to FIFA on the reported deaths of workers during the building of infrastructure for the Qatar...

      Newcastle United Football Club: Saudi Arabia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to his oral evidence to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee in April 2020 on the proposed...

      Local Press: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Government's fiscal policy on the continued operation of local newspapers.

  • Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission

    • Liberal Democrats: Criminal Investigation

      To ask the hon. Member for City of Chester, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Ministerial Correction of 9 December 2020 to the Answer to Question...

  • Department for Transport

    • Ferries: Wales

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on job losses of the withdrawal of ferry services between Ireland and (1) Holyhead, (2) Fishguard, and (3) Pembroke Dock.

    • Airports: Licensing Laws

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the sale of alcohol airside at international airports in the UK; and what plans they have to bring such sales into line with the...

      Belfast International Airport

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to keep the public service obligation for Belfast International Airport under review.

      Aviation: USA

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with President-elect Biden about opening an air travel corridor between London and New York.

      Oxford Station

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Williams Rail Review will include consideration of upgrading Oxford railway station.

      High Speed 2 Railway Line

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the limits of horizontal displacements within the defined limits of deviation which do not require Parliamentary approval for the starts or ends of works...

  • Leader of the House of Lords

    • Private Members' Bills

      To ask the Leader of the House what plans there are for consideration of Private Members' Bills to resume.

  • Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    • Employment: Mental Health

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of skills gaps on employee mental wellbeing.

    • Arcadia Group: Insolvency

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish reports by the Insolvency Service into the collapse of the Arcadia Group.

  • Department for Education

    • Digital Technology: Adult Education

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase basic digital skills education programmes for adults.

    • National Tutoring Programme

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Berridge on 10 November (HL9605), how many tutors under the National Tutor Programme were supporting schools (1) at the...

      Sex and Relationship Education

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to support the use of relationship and sex education to address the increase in self-generated indecent images of children online and,...

  • The Senior Deputy Speaker

    • Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: Conduct

      To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what is the total estimated cost of the report The conduct of Lord Maginnis of Drumglass, published on 3 December, including (1) any payments to all...

    • Lord Maginnis of Drumglass

      To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what is the total estimated cost of the report by the Conduct Committee: The conduct of Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (HL Paper 185).

      Abingdon Green

      To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker why College Green has been closed; and when it is estimated that access will be permitted.

  • Treasury

    • Ulster Bank

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the future of Ulster Bank.

    • Musicians: Income Tax

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for permitting freelance musicians to defer (1) all, or (2) part, of their income tax payments during the COVID-19 pandemic.

      Crime and Tax Avoidance

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in addressing (1) tax avoidance, (2) fraud, and (3) money laundering.

      Government Departments: Insurance

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the Infrastructure & Projects Authority Government Construction Strategy 2016–20, published in March 2016, how many departments...

      Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people were supported by the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in each of the last three months for which figures are available.

      Government Departments: Accountancy

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many written directions Ministers have been asked to give (1) to Permanent Secretaries, and (2) to other officials, in each of the last 10 years; and in each...

  • Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

    • Developing Countries: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to use the United Nations Sustainability Goals as a framework for their COVID-19 recovery strategy.

    • Iraq: Kurds

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the agreement reached on 9 October between the government of Iraq and the Kurdish Regional Government about the Sinjar district...

      West Africa: Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to support (1) Nigeria, and (2) neighbouring countries, to address any threat to regional stability by (a) Boko Haram, and (b) the...

      Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to impose sanctions on any person from Bosnia and Herzegovina under the Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 who (1)...

      Mohsen Fakhrizadeh

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they have, if any, on who is responsible for the killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh on 27 November 2020.

      British Indian Ocean Territory: Crimes against Humanity

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 18 November (HL10143), whether they accept the description used by the International Court of Justice in its...

      Ethiopia: Family Planning

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) family planning, (2) sexual and reproductive health and rights, and (3) abortion care, services they have made available to the population of Tigray...

      Ethiopia: Family Planning

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any (1) family planning, (2) sexual and reproductive health and rights, and (3) abortion care, services they have made available to the population of...

      Ethiopia: Family Planning

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that women and girls in Tigray continue to have access to (1) family planning, (2) sexual and reproductive health and rights,...

      Nagorno Karabakh: Refugees

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to provide emergency aid for refugees in (1) Armenia, and (2) the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

      Turkey: Aviation

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Turkey about the opening of Turkish airspace for flights to (1) Armenia, and (2) Georgia.

      Ethiopia: Politics and Government

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the domestic situation (1) in Ethiopia, and (2) in Tigray.

      Sudan: Politics and Government

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the domestic situation in South Sudan.

      Sudan: Politics and Government

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the domestic situation in Sudan.

      Armenia and Azerbaijan: Prisoners

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of prisoners still held by the governments of (1) Azerbaijan, and (2) Armenia; and what steps they intend to...

      Sub-saharan Africa: Health Services

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health systems in sub-Saharan Africa.

      Sub-saharan Africa: Disease Control

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their programmes to help address (1) HIV/AIDS, (2) tuberculosis, and (3)...

      Ethiopia: Armed Conflict

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ask the government of Ethiopia (1) to establish a humanitarian corridor into the Tigray region, and (2) to ensure that any such corridor is...

      Drugs: Developing Countries

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to prevent the sale of counterfeit drugs to developing countries, and (2) to ensure that only patented drugs are sold to those...

      Malaria: Children

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are providing to prevent children from dying from malaria.

      Developing Countries: Family Planning and Genito-urinary Medicine

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they spent on overseas aid for (1) family planning services, and (2) sexual and reproductive health services, in each of the last three years, as...

      Developing Countries: Females

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address violence against women and girls in the least developed countries.

      Developing Countries: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for those living in the global south.

  • Ministry of Defence

    • Type 26 Frigates

      To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will place the order for the remaining five Type 26 frigates; how long each ship will take to build; at what intervals they will be delivered; and...

    • Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Evans of Bowes Park on 23 November (HL Deb, cols 30–31), whether they still intend to order at least 90 F-38B aircraft.

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Unemployment Benefits

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of the funding provided to support people who are unemployed.

    • Universal Credit: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what factors they will consider in their review of whether to make permanent the temporary Universal Credit uplift; and when they plan to announce the outcome of...

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Fly-tipping

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on 6 February (HL944), what progress they have made on the introduction of a mandatory...

    • Fly-tipping

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to address the costs of disposing of toxic or hazardous waste incurred by victims of fly tipping.

      Nature Conservation: Coronavirus

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on endangered species of (1) the economic impact of, and (2) the travel restrictions put in place to address, the...

  • Home Office

    • Pornography: Children

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the manufacturers of internet-enabled devices about the increase in self-generated indecent images of children online.

  • Department for International Trade

    • Arms trade: Arab States

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications for licences for military exports (1) to Saudi Arabia, (2) to UAE, (3) to Bahrain, (4) to Kuwait, and (5) to Egypt, they...

  • Ministry of Justice

    • Prisoners on Remand

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the remand backlog on the welfare of the families of those being held in custody.

    • Prisoners on Remand

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the remand backlog on (1) prison overcrowding, and (2) the health and wellbeing of prisoners, including children...

      Prisoners: Females

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many women in prison are (1) pregnant, or (2) mothers with primary caring responsibilities.

      Child Trust Fund

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what information, advice and support they plan to offer to families in which a child is unable to manage the funds in their Child Trust Fund when they reach the...

      Child Trust Fund

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the number of families in which a child may be unable to manage funds from their Child Trust Fund when they reach the...

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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