Written answers

Wednesday, 13 July 2022

  • Department for Transport

    • Department for Transport: Legal Costs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much their Department and its associated agencies spent on legal disputes in (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) 2022.

    • Department for Transport: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people held electronic purchasing cards that allowed them to make purchases against his Department's budget as of 31 March 2022.

      Driving Tests: Scottish Borders

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will make an estimate of the (a) number of people waiting and (b) the average waiting time to take a category F driving test in the...

      Department for Transport: Living Wage

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has plans to ensure that those who work (a) directly or (b) indirectly in his Department, and relevant agencies and public bodies, are paid...

      Railways: Industrial Action

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications of unskilled staff being used to fill skilled roles during periods of industrial action in...

      Railways: Students

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of students who regularly use trains to travel to school in the North East.

      High Speed 2 Line: Cheshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 July 2022 to Question 26843 on High Speed 2 Line: Cheshire, where in the North West jobs for building Phase 2bWL will be...

      Shipping: Conditions of Employment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the dismissal of workers by P&O on 17 March 2022, whether he has taken steps to strengthen the employment rights of UK seafarers.

  • Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    • Investment Security Unit: Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many full time equivalent staff were employed in the Investment Security Unit as of 6 July 2022.

    • Sodium Hypochlorite

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to help ensure industries have sufficient access to sodium hypochlorite.

      Manufacturing Industries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps is he taking to increase industrial partnerships across the Union.

      Tidal Power

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he plans to take to progress the development of tidal energy generation; and if he will take steps to ensure...

      National Grid: East of England

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what information his Department holds on what financial assessment National Grid has made of an offshore route for...

      Nuclear Power

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to deliver new and advanced nuclear power in the UK.

      Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the National Audit Office report on Low-carbon heating of homes and businesses and the Renewable Heat...

      Power Failures: Compensation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact on the adequacy of compensation received by affected consumers of...

      Royal Mail: Industrial Relations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with Royal Mail management on industrial relations at that company.

      Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the statement of 27 June 2022 by the chair of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry on the Department's...

      Post Offices: Parcels

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many packets and parcels were processed through Post Office counters in each of the last five years for which...

      Post Offices: Bank Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on providing a wider range of Post Office services through...

      Post Offices: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the investment provided to the Post Office by the Government in...

      Meggitt

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the acquisition of Meggit by a US company.

      Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the total value has been of contracts held by their Department with (a) G4S, (b) Serco and (c) Capita in each year...

      Foreign Investment in UK

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent progress his Department has made on securing business investment in the UK.

      Business: EU Countries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to help build partnerships between European and UK businesses.

      Universities: EU Countries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to build partnerships between European universities and UK (a) university and (b) business sectors.

      Cobham Ultra Acquisitions: Ultra Electronics

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the proposed undertakings offered by Cobham Ultra Acquisitions Limited in relation to its acquisition...

      Construction: Materials

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Net Zero Strategy published in October 2021, if he will take steps to promote the use of...

      Hospitality Industry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department plans to take to help protect and support pub and hospitality businesses in England and Wales.

      Living Wage

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing (a) local and (b) regional living wages.

      Foreign Investment in UK

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in what way his Department assesses opportunities for business investment in cities such as York.

      Business: Government Assistance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent steps he has taken to help ensure that opportunities for business growth are assessed.

      Research

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to assess the extent of the research and development potential of locations across...

      Manufacturing Industries: Government Assistance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what fiscal steps he plans to take to maximise industrial growth over the next 12 months.

      Companies: Environment Protection and Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to enable people to seek redress from companies registered in the UK...

      Toys and Games

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing support to independent toymakers and sellers.

  • Department of Health and Social Care

    • Coronavirus: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many covid-19 tests held by his Department have expired before use.

    • Pregnancy: Sodium Valproate

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of healthcare professionals who are not complying with the requirements of the valproate...

      Pregnancy: Sodium Valproate

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the valproate Pregnancy Prevention Programme in reducing the number of children born...

      Health Services: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to conduct a review of the potential merits of introducing alternative sources of financing for healthcare infrastructure.

      Hospitals: Construction

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has plans to announce a funding envelope for the New Hospitals Programme that will increase in line with inflation.

      Medicine: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of replacing the NHS Bursary for medical students with access to the NHS Learning...

      Department of Health and Social Care: Living Wage

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ensure that staff who work (a) directly or (b) indirectly in his Department and its relevant agencies and public bodies are...

      Medical Equipment: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the condition of key equipment in acute, primary and secondary care settings; and if he...

      Breast Cancer: Surgery

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to include the oncoplastic workforce within the updated Framework-15.

      Integrated Care Systems: Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to devolve estate and property management functions to each of the 42 integrated care systems areas in England.

      West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2022 to Question 15766 on West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust: Finance, whether the £38 million...

      General Practitioners: Labour Turnover

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many Clinical Commissioning Groups are participating in the National GP Retention Scheme as of 5 July 2022.

      Dental Services: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that NHS dentistry service provision returns to pre-covid-19 outbreak levels.

      Dental Health: Disadvantaged

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve oral and dental heath in areas of deprivation.

      NHS: Dental Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding has been returned to the NHS for undelivered Units of Dental Activity in each of the last five years in each NHS region...

      Dental Services: Fines

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many penalty charge notices for NHS dental treatment have been issued in each year since 2011 as a result of claimants declaring that...

      Cancer: Mental Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has taken steps to improve training for NHS professionals providing emotional and psychological support for (a) solid tumour...

      Breast Cancer: Surgery

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) national and (b) local activity is underway to help ensure that potential local restrictions to breast reconstruction surgery...

      Macular Degeneration: Medical Treatments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to increase capacity in the NHS for intravitreal injections for people with geographic atrophy.

      Dementia: Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure the dementia strategy is able respond to future healthcare innovations and developments.

      Dementia: Research

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he will take as part of the national dementia strategy to enable greater participation in dementia research.

      Mental Health Services: Mothers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve maternal mental health services.

      Dementia: Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional Government funding will be made available to enable the implementation of the forthcoming dementia strategy.

      Carers: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will take steps to increase financial support for carers in the event that they are unable to work because they tested...

      Mental Health Act 1983

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason self-neglect leading to starvation is not classified as risk to self under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

      Prisoners: Injuries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many new prisoners have been screened for acquired brain injury since April 2021.

      Hyperactivity: Mental Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce the waiting list for an assessment for Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder in the NHS Cumbria,...

      Hormone Replacement Therapy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to resolve shortages of estradiol gel; and what his timeframe is for increasing access to HRT.

      Breast Cancer: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) research and (b) pilots are underway in the NHS breast screening programme to determine which (i) invitation models and (ii)...

      Radioligand Therapy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2022 to Question 23788 on radioligand therapy, what plans he has to meet the new National Speciality...

  • Department for Education

    • School Meals: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to (a) monitor schools progress towards and (b) enforce the School Food Standards.

    • Academies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the form entitled Model articles of association for academy trusts, published on 3 January 2013, whether it remains his policy that...

      Carers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a single statutory definition of kinship care.

      Schools: Bullying

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to help reduce ethnicity-based bullying in schools.

      Special Educational Needs: Lancashire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils with an Education Health and Care plan were missing education whilst awaiting a place at a Specialist School in Preston and Lancashire...

      Primary Education: Physical Education and Sports

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has plans to bring forward proposals on long-term funding for the PE and Sport Premium for primary schools.

      Pupils: Bullying

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the prevalence of ethnicity-based bullying of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils in schools.

      Children: Day Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that childcare is (a) affordable and (b) accessible.

  • Ministry of Justice

    • Crown Court: Trials

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of cases in the Crown court since 11 May 2022 had no recorded attendance of a defence advocate.

    • Legal Aid Scheme: Crimes of Violence and Domestic Abuse

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department is taking steps to improve (a) the availability of and (b) access to legal aid for victims of violence and domestic abuse.

      Ministry of Justice: Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the total value has been of contracts held by their Department with (a) G4S, (b) Serco and (c) Capita in each year since 2020.

      Legal Aid Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to tackle legal aid deserts.

      Criminal Proceedings: Legal Aid Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many criminal legal aid firms have offered the Legal Aid Agency back-up advocacy since 11 May 2022.

      Courts: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will (a) expand and (b) update Open Justice to include sentences for individual offences at individual courts, broken down by (i)...

      Probation: Qualifications

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many applications there were to the PQiP scheme for each recruitment drive since the inception of that scheme; and how many prison officer vacancies...

      Victim Support Schemes: Ethnic Groups

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Victims Funding Strategy published on 26 May 2022, if his Department will publish the Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic...

      Reparation by Offenders

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his Department has to issue an updated Restorative Justice Action Plan for the Criminal Justice System given the last action plan elapsed in 2018.

  • Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

    • Ukraine: Defence Equipment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on exporting more military equipment...

    • Coronavirus: Vaccination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2022 to Question 9952 on Coronavirus: Vaccination, what the expiry dates are of...

      Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the total value has been of contracts held by their Department with (a) G4S, (b) Serco and (c) Capita in each...

      Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Annual Reports

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when her Department plans to publish its annual report and accounts.

      Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Living Wage

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will ensure that staff who work (a) directly or (b) indirectly in her Department and its relevant agencies...

      Lithuania: Russia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her Lithuanian counterpart on Russian aggression towards transitioned goods.

      China: London Policing College

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether UK aid funding via the British Council China was allocated to the London Police College during its...

      Jim Fitton

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help secure the release of Jim Fitton.

      Western Sahara: Gender Based Violence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she plans to take to raise with her Moroccan counterpart allegations of physical and sexual abuse by...

      Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty Review Conference

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to attend the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty Review Conference in August 2022.

      Selemani Masiya

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make representations to her counterparts in Mozambique on the need for a credible and independent...

  • Ministry of Defence

    • Armed Forces: Protective Clothing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total value is of the Urgent Capability Requirement procurement programme.

    • Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to attend in person the NPT Review Conference in August 2022.

      Armed Forces: Protective Clothing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether headsets procured through the Urgent Capability Requirement procurement programme are PPE standard.

      Guided Weapons

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent steps his Department has taken to develop hypersonic missile technology.

      Armed Forces: Protective Clothing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether headsets procured through the Urgent Capability Requirement procurement programme will be used on Ajax vehicles.

      Fleet Solid Support Ships: Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it is his policy that the successful manufacturing team for the Fleet Solid Support Ship contract must be led by a UK company.

      Mali: Peacekeeping Operations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Maliand...

      Refugees: Afghanistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Afghan relocations and assistance scheme.

      Type 31 Frigates: Operating Costs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's most recent estimate is of the average yearly running costs of Type 31 Frigates.

      Armed Forces: Protective Clothing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which armoured vehicles the headsets procured through the Armoured Fighting Vehicle Headset project will be used for.

      RFA Fort Victoria

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will make an assessment of whether RFA Fort Victoria will need to be refitted to keep it operational until 2028.

      Ministry of Defence: Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total value has been of contracts held by their Department with (a) G4S, (b) Serco and (c) Capita in each year since 2020.

      Afghanistan: Refugees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people have repatriated to the UK under the Afghan relocations and assistance scheme; and how many outstanding applications for resettlement to...

      Army: Operating Costs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the annual running cost is of a (a) standard and (b) logistics brigade.

      HMS Echo

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what role did HMS Echo fulfil.

      Watchkeeper WK450

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many pilots have left the Watchkeeper programme in each of the last five years.

      Watchkeeper WK450

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost to the public purse is of training a Watchkeeper operator.

      Watchkeeper WK450

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many soldiers are fully qualified to fly Watchkeeper.

      Air Force

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, as of today, how many qualified aircrew are available at (a) limited combat ready and (b) combat ready.

      USA: F-35 Aircraft

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether two additional US squadrons of F-35A will be permanently deployed from Lakenheath.

      Ukraine: Military Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2022 to Question 18781 on Ukraine: Military Aid, how much and what proportion of the £1.3 billion funding for...

      Armed Forces: Deployment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many armed forces personnel are deployed abroad to fulfil the UK's NATO obligations; and which countries those personnel have been deployed to.

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Social Security Benefits: Fraud and Maladministration

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the level of fraud and error in the welfare system.

    • Universal Credit: Woking

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of Universal Credit claimants in the borough of Woking who will receive a cost of living payment.

      Household Support Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Household Support Fund for supporting low income families.

      Disability Living Allowance: Cost of Living

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of granting the £650 cost of living payment to people in receipt of Disability...

      Carer's Allowance: Employment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the impact of Carer's Allowance on the ability of unpaid carers to undertake employment.

      Department for Work and Pensions: Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total value has been of contracts held by their Department with (a) G4S, (b) Serco and (c) Capita in each year since 2020.

      Social Security Benefits: Armed Forces

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to ensure that entitlements derived from National Insurance contributions are consistent for the spouses of members of...

      Department for Work and Pensions: Living Wage

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has plans to ensure that those who work (a) directly or (b) indirectly in her Department, and relevant agencies and public bodies,...

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Tree Planting

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding his Department plans to allocate to tree planting programmes in 2025; and which schemes will receive this...

    • Livestock: Animal Welfare

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps has he taken to improve the (a) health and (b) welfare of farmed animals.

      Forests: Conservation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to include temperate rainforest restoration in its Landscape Recovery pilot projects.

      Forests: Conservation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much and what proportion of the £30 million Big Nature Impact Fund his Department plans to use to protect and...

      Thames Water: Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that PFAS levels in Thames Water are safe.

      Water Companies: Pollution

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many times (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department met with representatives of environmental groups on sewage...

      Environment Agency and Office for Environmental Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of amalgamating the Environment Agency into the Office of Environmental...

      Dogs: Electronic Training Aids

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the number of people who have trained their dog with an e-collar since his Department first...

      Sheep: Dogs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many recorded incidents there were of dogs attacking sheep in (a) 2019, (b) 2020 and (c) 2021.

      Sheep: Dogs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dogs were shot or injured by farmers for attacking sheep in (a) 2019, (b) 2020 and (c) 2021.

      Dangerous Dogs: Exemptions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dogs have been entered on the Index of Exempted Dogs in each year since 2018 inclusive; and how many dogs on that...

      Sheep: Dogs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of banning e-collars on the number of dogs being shot by farmers for...

      Dogs: Animal Breeding

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the impact of unregulated canine fertility clinics on animal welfare.

  • Home Office

    • Visas: India

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average waiting time was for a Standard Visitor visa application to be processed for applicants from Mumbai in the latest period...

    • Visas: Applications

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has made on processing the visa applications for family members of the constituent of the hon. Member for...

      Immigration Controls: Airports

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ease queues for passport checks at airports.

      Visas: Sports Competitors

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is her policy to allow those people with an International Sportsperson Visa to participate in amateur cricket, including those...

      Visas: Turkey

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the (a) average time taken to process a Turkish Businessperson visa extension applications and (b) proportion...

      Cammell Laird: Strikes

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department holds documents on the 1984 Camell Laird dispute; and whether she will make a statement.

      Asylum: Applications

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2022 to Question 6782, how many and what proportion of the personnel working on asylum applications have...

      Homes for Ukraine Scheme: Applications

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the expected completion time is for applications to the Homes for Ukraine scheme made in 2022.

      National Security Council

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 5 July 2022 to Question 26695 and with reference to the Answer given by the Secretary of State for Defence on 27...

      Home Office: Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total value has been of contracts held by their Department with (a) G4S, (b) Serco and (c) Capita in each year since 2020.

      Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis: Public Appointments

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the criteria for selecting the new Metropolitan Police Commissioner will include non-police officers.

      Cannabis: Misuse

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy and effectiveness of delegated powers and resources of local authorities and police to tackle...

      Drugs: Organised Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she is taking steps to introduce a national strategy to reduce the exploitation of children in county lines drug trafficking.

      Home Office: Omnicom Media Group

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2022 to Question 29970, what assessment she has made of the compatibility of her responsibilities under the...

      Passports: Biometrics

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of British passports that will require additional biometric details before the EU requires ETIAS for...

      Visas: Applications

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2022 to Question 30000, if she will (a) write to the Member for Easington to explain how multiple errors...

      Refugees: Afghanistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme applications her Department has processed in the last two months.

      Asylum: Hotels

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of asylum seekers who are living in emergency hotel accommodation have been (a) granted and (b) waiting more...

      Refugees: Afghanistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Afghans who were not evacuated under Operation Pitting the UK has resettled under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme since...

      Passports: Applications

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to expediate the processing of passport applications.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the email correspondence of 13 April 2022 from the hon. Member for Sheffield Heeley, reference LH5703.

  • Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

    • Devolution: North Yorkshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what progress has been made on the North Yorkshire devolution deal agreement.

    • Right to Buy Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what his planned timetable is for bringing forward legislative proposals on the expansion of the Right to Buy scheme.

      Planning Obligations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how the provisions of Section 106 differ from the infrastructure levy proposed in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill;...

      Housing: Students

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if his Department will make an estimate of the level of investment in purpose-built student accommodation in each of the...

      Disabled Facilities Grants

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much funding the Government has allocated to Disabled Facilities Grants in (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) 2022.

      Disabled Facilities Grants

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many recipients of the Disabled Facilities Grant there were in each local authority in (a) 2020 (b) 2021 (c) 2022.

      Housing: Students

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, for what reason his Department's policy is that tenants residing in Purpose-Built Student Accommodation will not be moved...

      Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what the total value has been of contracts held by their Department with (a) G4S, (b) Serco and (c) Capita in each year...

      Government Departments: Conflict of Interests

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to Transparency International UK's report entitled Parliamentary Estates: analysing parliamentarians’...

      Islamophobia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to adopt a definition of Islamophobia.

      Travellers: Caravan Sites

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which local authorities have (a) reviewed their provision for authorised travellers sites and (b) made progress towards...

      Planning Permission: Public Consultation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to ensure that local communities are consulted on the detailed aspects of planning applications.

      Planning Permission

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to improve support for local councils to uphold their decisions when refusing planning applications.

      Woodhouse Colliery: Planning Permission

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, by what date his Department plans to make a decision on whether to grant planning permission to the proposed coking coal...

      Composite Materials: Air Pollution

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of hempcrete buildings on levels of indoor air pollution.

  • Scotland Office

    • Scotland Office: Consultants

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much his Department has spent on consultancy fees in (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) 2022; and what the name is of each consultancy contracted.

    • Scotland Office: Legal Costs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much their Department and its associated agencies spent on legal disputes in (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) 2022.

  • Cabinet Office

    • Civil Servants: Pay

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people directly employed by the Government who are based in London are paid less than £11.05 per hour.

    • Civil Service and Equiniti: Guaranteed Minimum Pensions

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many pensioners with (a) Civil Service Pension and (b) Equiniti had their pensions reduced following the Guaranteed Minimum Pension reconciliation...

      Mental Health Services: Veterans

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on improving access to mental health services for veterans.

      Veterans

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs plans to take to improve the Government's statistical knowledge of the (a) number and (b)...

      Veterans: Homelessness

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he plans to take to improve the quality of data-gathering on the number of veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

      Veterans

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs will make it his policy to develop a mechanism for following up on the welfare of veterans.

      Ministers: Resignations

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the Prime Minister's response to the resignation letter from the former Minister for Exports and Minister for Equalities, the hon....

  • Treasury

    • Sports: Clubs

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many community amateur sports clubs registered with HMRC in each year since 2019.

    • Treasury: Contracts

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total value has been of contracts held by their Department with (a) G4S, (b) Serco and (c) Capita in each year since 2020.

      Treasury: Living Wage

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will ensure that staff who work (a) directly or (b) indirectly in his Department and its relevant agencies and public bodies are paid at least (i)...

      Commuters: Fuels

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take further steps to assist commuters with the rising cost of petrol.

      Fuel Poverty

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take further steps to support households at risk of fuel poverty.

      Car Allowances

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the approved mileage rates.

      Electricity: Prices

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of changing the Advisory Electric Rate each quarter in order to reflect changes in energy prices.

      Shipping: Russia

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his policy to ban British companies insuring ships carrying Russian oil cargo will be made retrospective to prevent contracts being signed that...

      Guaranteed Minimum Pensions

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, under what circumstances the (a) Department for Work and Pensions or (b) HMRC may change an individual’s Guaranteed Minimum Payment information.

      Revenue and Customs: Disclosure of Information

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will require HMRC to make Common Reporting Standard data available to independent academic researchers in a suitably anonymised format.

      Revenue and Customs: Disclosure of Information

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC made Common Reporting Standard data available to analysts within HMRC’s Knowledge Analysis and Intelligence division.

      Tax Evasion

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps HMRC has taken to use Common Reporting Standard data to assess the extent of offshore tax evasion by UK residents.

  • Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

    • Internet: Advertising

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress her Department has made to ban fraudulent online advertisements.

    • Freedom of Expression

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to protect freedom of expression.

      Betting

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has instructed the Gambling Commission to impose rules or guidance on betting operators to subject...

      Public Records: Armed Forces

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to allow Ministry of Defence service personnel records to be accessioned as official records to The National...

      Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if they will take steps to pay all (a) employees, (b) contractors and (c) agency workers who work in their Department and...

      VisitBritain and VisitEngland: Media

      To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the total cost to the public purse, inclusive of VAT, was for media buying services provided under the Crown Commercial...

  • Women and Equalities

    • Question

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to support women who have a miscarriage.

    • Question

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to improve support for self-employed mothers who have children through surrogacy arrangements.

      Equality: Technology

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to ensure that new technologies are deployed in accordance with equalities legislation.

      Spiking

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent steps she has taken with Cabinet colleagues to tackle spiking.

      Hate Crime: LGBTQ+ People

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps the Government is taking to prevent hate crimes against LGBT+ people.

      Higher Education: Ethnic Groups

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will take steps with the Secretary of State for Education to help ensure that the proportion of white state-school educated students obtaining...

  • Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    • Horizon Europe

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans for the UK to join Horizon Europe; and if so, what steps they are taking to secure the UK's membership.

  • Department of Health and Social Care

    • Haemochromatosis

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that NHS Trusts are equipped with the resources needed to (1) diagnose, and (2) treat, hemochromatosis.

    • Coronavirus: Vaccination

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps the NHS is taking to administer a COVID-19 booster vaccine, together with the annual flu vaccine, this autumn.

  • Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

    • Commonwealth: Membership

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether membership of the Commonwealth is open to any country; and what is the eligibility criteria.

    • Israel: Administration of Justice

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the conviction of Mohammad El Halabi, a former head of World Vision's Gaza office, by an...

      Guantanamo Bay: Detainees

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the humanitarian resettlement of Guantanamo Bay detainees, including by signalling support for countries...

      Bilateral Aid: Malaria

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the publication of The UK government’s strategy for international development, what assessment they have made of the UK’s bilateral...

      Bilateral Aid: Malaria

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the publication of The UK government’s strategy for international development, what assessment they have made of the case for additional...

      Somalia: Al Shabaab

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the government of Somalia to end its conflict with the Al-Shabaab Islamist insurgency.

      Sudan: Politics and Government

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what engagement they have had with representatives of the Sundanese National Congress Party in 2022.

  • Ministry of Defence

    • Armed Forces: Pastoral Care

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, (1) how levels of satisfaction with the armed forces’ pastoral support services are measured, (2) whether they will publish the results, and (3) whether...

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Community Centres: Advisory Services

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have carried out an impact assessment of increasing the numbers of face-to-face advice services covering (1) household finances, and (2) benefit...

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Climate Change: Weather

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement additional policies (1) to adapt to, and (2) to mitigate the effects of climate change, in the light of global extreme weather events.

  • Home Office

    • Hatun Tash

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to instigate an inquiry into (1) the arrest of Miss Hatun Tash at Speakers' Corner on 26 June and her subsequent detention and...

  • Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

    • Local Government Services: Disadvantaged and Ethnic Groups

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what controls are placed on the use of additional capital funding given to local authorities for special programmes for meeting the needs of (1) ethnic minority...

    • Refugees: Ukraine

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of barriers to removing the requirement to have a UK phone number to sign up for email updates to the gov.uk page 'Welcome: a guide...

      Levelling Up Fund and UK Shared Prosperity Fund: Coastal Areas

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with local authorities regarding the potential advantages of supporting maritime projects through the (1) Levelling Up, and (2)...

      Prisoners: Voting Rights

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to allow prisoners to vote in (1) parliamentary, and (2) other elections; what assessment they have made of the case for allowing...

  • Cabinet Office

    • Alekander Lebedev

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Prime Minister met Aleksandr Lebedev in Italy in 2018 without his officials present whilst he was Foreign Secretary; and what was discussed during that...

    • Government Departments: Buildings

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 22 June (HL862), (1) by what date, and (2) by what means, the Whitehall Boiler System will be fully decarbonised.

      Government Departments: Social Media

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect government accounts on social media from hacks and cyberattacks.

      Covid-19 Inquiry

      To ask Her Majesty's Government when the terms of reference for the UK COVID-19 public inquiry, chaired by Lady Hallett, will be published; and what are the reasons for the delay.

  • Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

    • Internet: Children

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to include a statutory watchdog to advocate for children as users of online services, funded by a levy on the tech industry, in 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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