Written answers

Friday, 17 March 2023

  • Attorney General

    • Peters and Peters

      To ask the Attorney General, what discussions she had with Cabinet colleagues on the award a legal services contract to Peters and Peters in relation to the Privileges Committee investigation...

    • Peters and Peters

      To ask the Attorney General, whether Peters & Peters is on the Legal Services Panel.

      Lord Pannick

      To ask the Attorney General, whether Lord Pannick KC is on the list of King’s Counsel maintained by the Government Legal Department who have expressed an interest in receiving instructions.

      Legal Costs

      To ask the Attorney General, what the average rate per hour of government-funded external legal advice was in the last 12 months.

  • Treasury

    • Public Sector: Workplace Pensions

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of public sector pensions in each of the next 20 years.

    • Revenue and Customs: Finance

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the policy paper entitled Spring Statement 2022, published on 23 March 2022, CP 653, in which year the £161 million investment in...

      Revenue and Customs: Finance

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the announcement in the Spring Budget 2022 Policy Paper, published on 17 November 2022, in which financial year the £79 million...

      Public Sector: Workplace Pensions

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people are enrolled in a public sector pension scheme but do not yet receive a pension under that scheme; and if he will publish a breakdown of...

      Inheritance Tax

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the timeliness with which HMRC conclude their assessment of inheritance tax due on estates.

      Silicon Valley Bank UK

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any (a) team in his Department, (b) Executive agency and (c) other public body had responsibility for assessing the (i) sustainability and (ii)...

      Energy Bills Rebate

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans his Department has to target energy support for people living with (a) arthritis and (b) other medical conditions.

      Government Departments: Consultants

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2023 to Question 138357 on Government Consulting Hub, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of...

      Energy: Taxation

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Energy Profits Levy investment allowance on carbon emissions; and if he will make an...

      Small Businesses: Loans

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Prudential Regulation Authority's Consultation, CP 16/22, on the Implementation of the Basel 3.1 standards, what comparative...

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • British Sign Language Act 2022

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps he has taken to implement the British Sign Language Act 2022.

    • Support for Mortgage Interest

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will provide a breakdown of the total amount of money given out in Support for Mortgage Interest by (a) Parliamentary Constituency and...

      Migrants: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment the Government has made of the impact of the No Recourse to Public Funds policy on (a) child poverty and (b) child...

      Cost of Living Payments: Migrants

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending eligibility for cost of living support schemes to include people with no...

      Universal Credit: Lone Parents

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to make it his policy to pay under 25s who are single parents the adult rate of benefits when they are claiming Universal Credit.

      Employment Schemes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps his Department is taking to work with (a) mayoral combined and (b) local authorities on locally-led initiatives on reducing...

      National Insurance Credits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the (a) cost and (b) requirement on staff hours of manually correcting National Insurance contributions records...

      State Retirement Pensions: National Insurance Contributions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what process is being used to manually correct the NI records for current or former Universal Credit claimants nearing State Pension age; and...

      Social Security Benefits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what matters were assessed by the latest statutory review of the benefit cap levels as set out in Section 96A subsection (3) paragraph (b) of...

      Social Security Benefits: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of not uplifting legacy benefits on the trends in the level of relative poverty of...

      Employment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to publish his Department's review into workforce progression.

      Employment Data Lab

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 7 February 2023 to Question 133981 on Employment Data Lab, when he plans to publish the two further evaluations.

      Universal Credit: National Insurance Credits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the work being undertaken by his Department to find a solution to automatically transfer Class 3 National Insurance Credits...

      Universal Credit: Telephone Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many calls were made to the Universal Credit hotline in the last month; how many of those calls were answered; and what the average...

      Pensioners: Gloucester

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners received (a) a winter fuel payment and (b) cost of living support in Gloucester constituency in 2022-23.

      Pensions: Gender

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the gender pension gap.

  • Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

    • Elections: Proof of Identity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent steps the Government has taken to (a) ensure that all UK households know about the new voter ID requirement...

    • Local Government: Elections

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what proportion of the funds allocated to local authorities holding elections in May 2023 are for the purpose of...

      Local Government: Elections

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people in each English region who (a) do not have the photographic...

      Social Rented Housing: Waiting Lists

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many people were on a waiting list for social housing in each of the last five years.

      European Regional Development Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make it his policy to provide bridging funding to replace European Regional Development Funding in the 2022-23...

      Business Rates

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to introduce the Non-Domestic Rating Bill.

      Property Development

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will undertake research on (a) funding models for mixed use developments and (b) potential barriers to partial...

      Housing: Construction

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to take steps to adjust house building targets to accommodate people granted refugee status.

      High Rise Flats: Fire Prevention

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if his Department has made an assessment of the impact of ESW1 certificates on a leaseholder's ability to (a) sell their...

      Private Rented Housing: Key Workers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether her Department is taking steps to provide support to people who were classed as key workers and have been affected...

      Help to Buy Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many and what proportion of people who used the Help to Buy scheme (a) defaulted on their loan and (b) have had their...

      Business Premises: Change of Use

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what data his Department holds on the location of office buildings converted to residential properties under permitted...

      Planning: Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department plans to include measures for meeting the Government's net zero targets within the planning regime.

  • Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

    • West Bank: Palestinian Islamic Jihad

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of reports the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group now controls large parts...

    • EU Law: Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2023 to Question 161247 on Windsor Framework, if he will publish a list of the...

      UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the qualification requirements are that a carrier must fulfil in order to obtain approval under the proposed...

      UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate he has made of the costs to (a) hauliers and (b) traders of using the green lane proposed in the...

      BGI Group: National Security

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) five eyes counterparts on the activities of BGI...

      Bangladesh: Ahmadiyya

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations has he made to his Bangladeshi counterpart on the attacks on the Ahmadiyya Jalsa Salana in...

      Phillip Mehrtens

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) his New Zealand counterpart and (b) relevant stakeholders on the abduction of...

      Nepal: Development Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which UK Government (a) agencies and (b) other bodies are (i) operating in Nepal and (ii) working with the...

      Malawi: Storms

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to help support Malawi with the impacts of Cyclone Freddy.

      Development Aid: Fraud

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent estimate his Department has made of the (a) sum and (b) proportion of (i) Official Development...

  • Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

    • Broadband: Leicestershire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress her Department has made on delivering fast and reliable broadband in (a) Bosworth constituency and (b)...

    • NHS: Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Health and Social Care on that Department's consultation on...

      Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access: Life Sciences

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the role of the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing Access in improving the...

      Technology: Financial Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the impact of volatility in the US financial and venture capital sectors on the UK technology...

      Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to collaborate with the Department for Health and Social Care on negotiations for the Voluntary...

      Horizon Europe

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the UK Science and Technology Framework, published on 6 March 2023, for what reason the Science and...

      Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre: Sales

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much revenue was raised for the Exchequer by the sale of the Vaccines Manufacturing Innovation Centre; and whether those...

      Life Sciences: Manufacturing Industries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much and what proportion of the £354m funding allocated to life sciences manufacturing has been allocated to life...

      Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made for the implications for her policies of the recent analysis published by WPI Economics: False...

      Innovation and Research: Higher Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to ensure that universities' plans for research and innovation are integrated into her Department's...

      Innovation and Research

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to build international relationships in research, innovation and development to advance UK knowledge...

      Innovation and Research

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to build a UK investment platform to support the growth of British research, innovation and development.

      Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the Association of the British...

  • Department of Health and Social Care

    • Hospitals: Discharges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which (a) NHS trusts and (b) local authorities have received funding from the £250 million initiative to speed up hospital...

    • Hospitals: Discharges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the press notice entitled Up to £250 million to speed up hospital discharge, published by his Department on 9...

      Cancer: Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people were on NHS waiting lists who had been waiting for more than 62 days for cancer treatment as of 8 March 2023.

      Hospitals: Discharges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the press notice entitled Up to £250 million to speed up hospital discharge, published by his Department on 9...

      Electronic Cigarettes: Regulation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of banning single use disposable vaping devices.

      Government Champion for Personalised Prevention: Public Appointments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what was the cost to the public purse of the appointment of the (a) Government Champion for Personalised Prevention and (b) his taskforce.

      Sickle Cell Diseases: Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will take steps to create an accessible portal to access sickle cell patient records and care plans.

      Sickle Cell Diseases: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of redeploying staff to other parts of country on the ability of medical students...

      NHS Digital and NHS England: Data Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure (a) NHS Digital and (b) NHS England are compliant with their data protection...

      Patients: Digital Technology and Social Media

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has had discussions with digital and social media companies on information sharing to support patients and people...

      Processed Food

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a percentage reduction target for ultra-processed food...

      Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the rebate rates under the (a) voluntary and (b) statutory scheme for branded...

      Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access on (a) clinical trials...

      Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the payment rates under the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and...

      Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on the Association of the British...

      Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of trends in the levels of ADHD diagnoses among children aged under 18 in each of the last five years.

      Health Services: Women

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding his Department is allocating to support the creation of new women’s health hubs, as part of the Women’s Health...

      Doctors: Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the potential costs and benefits of introducing a tax unregistered scheme in relation to NHS...

      Key Workers: Long Covid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of proposals for a compensation, settlement and pension scheme for key workers...

      NHS: Privatisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the report by Goodair and Reeves entitled Outsourcing...

      Care Homes: Visits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions his Department has had with campaign groups on visiting in care settings.

      Care Homes: Visits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to consult on legislative proposals on visiting requirements for care homes.

      Chronic Illnesses: Health and Safety

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government will take to encourage healthy workplaces for people with long term conditions as part of the renewed focus on...

      Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals similar to those set out...

      Musculoskeletal Disorders: Employment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if the Government will provide funding to employers to develop resources for employees with musculoskeletal conditions.

      Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which health conditions have care coordinators for patients within the NHS to provide tailored support within local areas.

      Cerebral Palsy: Employment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support adults with cerebral palsy to remain economically active.

      Arthritis: Surgery

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will support the dissemination of the Versus Arthritis Surgery Toolkit to all ICSs.

      Health: Disadvantaged

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2023 to Question 128715 on Health: Disadvantages, what plans he has to expand the Major Conditions...

      Healthy Start Scheme: Digital Technology

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of families who may be eligible for backdated payments due to delays in digitisation of...

  • Home Office

    • Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had recent discussions with (a) the Scottish government, (b) local authorities and (c) other relevant stakeholders on the...

    • Radicalism

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps to monitor the activities of (a) Patriotic Alternative and (b) other far-right groups relating to...

      Asylum: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to her oral contribution to the second reading debate on the Illegal Migration Bill on 14 March 2023, Official Report, Column 580,...

      Passports

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the time taken to (a) issue or renew passports, (b) arrange appointments to verify...

      Refugees: Afghanistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) evacuating children without their parents and (b) other instances of families...

      Refugees: Afghanistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to (a) ensure that Afghan families are not living in hotels by August 2023...

      Asylum: Families

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she will take to provide safe routes for family reunification.

      Asylum

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2023 to Question 160288 on Asylum, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's...

      Asylum: Albania

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people arrived in the UK from Albania in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many people were returned to...

      Asylum: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2023 to Question 156969 on Asylum: Children, what plans her Department has to publish the operational risk...

      Asylum: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2023 to Question 156970 on Asylum: Children, whether she plans to meet the United Nations High...

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department plans to respond to the letter of 9 February 2023 from the hon. Member for Liverpool Walton on engagement with...

      Asylum

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what percentage of asylum applications were (a) granted, (b) refused, (c) withdrawn and (d) pending a decision in each year...

  • Department for Transport

    • Railways: North of England

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of (a) when the Transpennine Route Upgrade will be completed and (b) the total cost of that project.

    • Avanti West Coast: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to assess the performance of Avanti West Coast in the period since its contract was extended.

      Railways: York

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve rail connectivity between Birmingham and York.

      Cycling and Walking: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of the monies allocated under City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements are directed toward projects exclusively or mainly...

      Aviation: Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure the aviation industry achieves net zero by 2050.

      Cycling and Walking: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 9 March 2023 on Transport Update, whether the projected investment from April 2021 to April...

      Cycling and Walking: Urban Areas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the level of funding that will be required by Active Travel England to meet the target to increase the proportion...

      Cycling and Walking: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the level of funding for active travel budgets in the next two financial...

      Cycling and Walking: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding he plans to allocate to active travel from April 2021 to March 2025 from (a) active travel revenue and capital funds, (b) other...

      Hammersmith Bridge: Repairs and Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an estimate of the potential impact of (a) inflation and (b) wider trends in the cost of (i) concrete, (ii) steel and (iii) other...

      Ports: Energy Supply

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policies of the evidence provided by Portsmouth International Port on shore power...

      Shipping: Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department will take to (a) prioritise funding for the Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure (ZEVI) competition and (b) ensure that...

      Portsmouth International Port: Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support his Department has provided to Portsmouth International Port to help it meet carbon neutral targets.

      High Speed 2 Line

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Written Statement of 9 March 2023, HCWS625 on Transport Investment, what estimate he has made of the expected cost to the public...

  • Cabinet Office

    • Cost of Living Payments: Publicity

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department has spent on promotional materials for cost of living support payments.

    • Cabinet Office: Legal Opinion

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the average cost per hour was of legal advice to his Department over the last 12 months.

      Fraud

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2022 to Question 92227 on Fraud, what recent progress the Public Sector Fraud Authority has made on delivering...

      Legal Opinion: Contracts

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department's Accounting Officer was consulted on the decision to award legal services contract reference C2298 to Peters & Peters.

      Ministers: Legal Opinion

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many ministers have had legal costs relating to inquiries by the House of Commons Privileges Committee funded from the public purse since 2010.

      Ministers: Conduct

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the process is for a member of staff making a formal bullying complaint about a Minister under the Ministerial Code.

      Prime Minister: Visits Abroad

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many official trips the Prime Minister has taken by (a) train, (b) plane and (c) helicopter since 25 October 2022.

      Government Consulting Hub: Staff

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many officials work in the Government Consulting Hub; and at what band those officials are working as of 14 March 2023.

  • Ministry of Justice

    • Prison Sentences

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people serving an IPP sentence have been recalled to prison having committed no further crime in each of the last four quarters.

    • Prisons: Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of prison staff are excluded from working in a prison by (a) role and (b) category of exclusion as of 14 March 2023.

      Open Prisons

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times he has (a) accepted and (b) not accepted a Parole Board recommendation of prisoner progression to the Category D estate in each of the...

      Bail

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people were bailed having been charged with (a) serious sexual offences, (b) rape, (c) murder, (d) aggravated burglary, (e) robbery and (f)...

      Probate

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the standard waiting time is for a grant of probate; and what steps he is taking to reduce that waiting time.

      Administration of Justice: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what support his Department is providing to people on low-incomes to help them pay for court and tribunal fees.

      Asylum: Appeals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases were listed for First-tier Tribunal (Asylum Support) hearings in each week of the last 18 months.

  • Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

    • Energy Charter Treaty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of whether a majority of other Contracting Parties to the Energy Charter Treaty support the...

    • UK Emissions Trading Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of the free allocation of permits to companies through the UK...

      Natural Gas and Oil

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment the Government has made of the potential impact of proposed new oil and gas field developments, including Jackdaw...

      Energy: Standing Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make it his policy to remove standing charges for those households who produce energy domestically and supply it to the...

      Carbon Capture and Storage

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of when direct air carbon capture will be in operation.

      Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage and Hydrogen

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Government is taking steps to ensure measurement traceability for (a) fiscal and (b) financial transactions for the (i)...

      National Grid: Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to tackle barriers around planning and consent in developing the transmission...

      Energy: National Policy Statements

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress has been made in updating the Energy National Policy statements which have been under review since November 2021.

      Alternative Fuel Payments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had recent discussions with Ofgem on taking steps to ensure that Alternative Fuel Payments are received by domestic...

      Energy: Prices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if his Department will take steps to ensure that household energy costs do not increase in April 2023.

      Energy: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of rises in the cost of energy on families with disabled children.

      North Sea Oil: Shetland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department is taking steps to prevent oil spills on (a) the Faroe-Shetland Channel and (b) other Marine Protected Areas...

      Energy: Prices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the report by the Social Market Foundation and Public First entitled Fairer, warmer, cheaper: new energy bill...

      Renewable Energy: Portsmouth South

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to increase funding for renewable energy sources in Portsmouth South constituency.

      Home Upgrade Grant

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to provide a third phase of the Home Upgrade Grant.

      Boiler Upgrade Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many Boiler Upgrade Scheme vouchers have been issued in each parliamentary constituency.

      Energy Charter Treaty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the impact on the UK’s adoption of climate policy measures of the inclusion of investor-state...

  • Department for Education

    • Apprentices: Neurodiversity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to reduce the drop out rate of neuro-divergent apprentices.

    • Educational Institutions: Ventilation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential need for HEPA filters in early years educational settings.

      Teachers: Labour Turnover

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps her Department has taken to increase the retention of (a) teaching staff and (b) maths teachers.

      Schools: Vocational Guidance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps she has taken to increase the number of professional careers advisers in school and colleges.

      Babies: Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much Start for Life funding her Department budgeted for distribution to participating local authorities in the 2022-23 financial year; and how...

      STEM Subjects: Women

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to International Women's Day on 8 March 2023, what progress the Government has made on encouraging more girls into science, technology,...

      Home Economics: Secondary Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of making it compulsory for home economics to be taught to key stage 4 students.

      National Tutoring Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to publish data on the number of Pupil Premium pupils taking part in the National Tutoring Programme in the 2022-23 academic year.

      Schools: Mental Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps she has taken to increase the number of mental health counsellors working in schools.

      Children: Swimming

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) primary and (b) secondary comprehensive schools in England have provided swimming classes to students as part of the 2022-23 curriculum.

      Schools: Sexual Offences

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 132 of the Ofsted school inspection handbook, what assessment she has made of the impact of the introduction in 2021 of a...

      Schools: Electronic Cigarettes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policies of the accessibility of vapes in schools.

  • Wales Office

    • High Speed 2 Line: North Wales

      To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of the timing of the construction of HS2 between Birmingham and Crewe on the...

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Animal Welfare: Electronic Training Aids

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she intends to introduce a ban on electric shock collars.

    • Dogs: Electronic Training Aids

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department has spent on research into electronic dog training aids in the last ten years; what assessment she...

      Avian Influenza

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to monitor compliance of any new Housing Orders for bird flocks belonging to domestic...

      Pets: Travel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2023 to Question 108424 on Pets: Travel, what progress she has made in negotiations...

      Avian Influenza

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the spread of Avian Flu amongst domestically-kept bird flocks.

      Avian Influenza

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps is her Department taking to inform domestic owners of bird flocks of compliance with any new Housing Orders to...

      Pets: Theft

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made on establishing a new offence of pet abduction; and if she will make a statement.

      Animal Welfare: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to improve animal welfare...

      Convention on Biological Diversity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with her international counterparts on taking steps to meet target two and three of...

      Birds: Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that wildlife crimes committed against birds during the HPAI pandemic are...

      Environment Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish a list of those policies which are still extant and feature in the 25 Year Environment Plan but are not...

      Animal Welfare: Electronic Training Aids

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason the Government has not prohibited the use of electric shock collars.

      Fishing Gear: Waste Disposal

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to prevent discarding of fishing nets in the sea by vessels landing at ports.

      Neonicotinoids

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2023 to Question 146873 on Neonicotinoids, what the result of the exercise conducted...

      Fishing Vessels: Regulation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to regulate the pelagic supertrawler fishing fleet to stop the...

      Pigs: Animal Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of banning farrowing crates for pigs.

      Wildlife: Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department’s timeline is for responding to (a) the UN Office of Drugs and Crime’s 2021 report on the...

      Tree Planting

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many trees her Department has planted since September 2021.

      Birds: Conservation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to protect the habitat of woodcock birds.

      Electronic Cigarettes: Waste Disposal

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has produced guidance for local councils on the disposal of illegal vapes once seized by trading...

  • Women and Equalities

    • Bristol City Council: Wheelchairs

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the Government has provided funding to Bristol City Council to meet wheelchair accessibility requirements in the National Disability Strategy.

    • Business Premises: Disability

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the process for reporting violations of disabled access legislation in commercial properties.

      Disability Unit: Staff

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 07 March to Question 153886 on Disability Unit: Staff, what proportion of staff (a) did not declare their disability status...

  • Prime Minister

    • Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Prime Minister, when he plans to respond to the letter of 14 February 2023 from members of both Houses of Parliament on ongoing human rights concerns in Bahrain.

  • Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    • Leisure and Swimming Pools: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with local authorities on funding for swimming pools and leisure centres.

    • Swimming Pools

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to undertaken an audit of the condition of pool facilities in England.

      Charities: Cost of Living

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help support charities with the cost of living.

  • Ministry of Defence

    • Afghanistan: Refugees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he is taking steps to reduce the time taken to confirm the eligibility of applicants to the Afghan Relocations and Resettlement Policy scheme.

    • Afghanistan: Refugees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2023 to Question 122055 on Afghanistan: Refugees, how many Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy principals with...

      Afghanistan: Refugees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many individuals have been relocated to the UK under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme in each month since December 2022.

      Trident Submarines: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the amount that will be spent on Trident renewal in financial years 2023-40.

      Trident Submarines: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much of the £5 billion funding for his Department announced on 13 March 2023 will be allocated to the Dreadnought programme.

      Armed Forces: Dental Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many military personnel are waiting for dental treatment as of 14 March 2023.

      Armed Forces and Ministry of Defence: Dental Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many whole-time equivalent dentists are employed by (a) his Department, (b) the armed forces, (c) the Royal Air Force, (d) the British Army and (e)...

      Invicta Park Barracks

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the (a) size in hectares and (b) Housing Unit Potential of Invicta Park Barracks.

      RAF Cosford

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the (a) size in hectares and (b) Housing Unit Potential of RAF Cosford.

      Pirbright Camp

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the (a) size in hectares and (b) Housing Unit Potential of Alexander Barracks, Pirbright Nr Guildford.

      Sir John Moore Barracks

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) size in hectares and (b) Housing Unit Potential is of Sir John Moore Barracks, Winchester.

  • Department for Education

    • Teachers: Training

      To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that teacher training includes, as standard, specific training on teaching young people with special educational needs and...

    • Special Educational Needs: Reviews

      To ask His Majesty's Government when they will respond to their SEND review: right support, right place, right time consultation, which ran from 29 March 2022 to 22 July 2022.

  • Ministry of Justice

    • Funerals

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current range of waiting times for funerals; and whether they will investigate the reasons for delays in areas of the UK...

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Plastics: Seas and Oceans

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the new study by the Five Gyres Institute published in the journal Plos One on 8 March, concerning the increase...

    • Countryside: Access

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the rights of walkers in England in accessing the countryside.

      Countryside: Disability

      To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve access to the countryside for people who use wheelchairs in England.

      Forests

      To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reverse the reported historic deforestation of native woodland ecosystems; and what funding they are providing for that.

      Inland Waterways: Freight

      To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to amend the guidelines followed by the Environment Agency so that priority is given to proposals and planning applications that enable access...

  • Department of Health and Social Care

    • Urine Drainage Bags

      To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have received from (1) the MedTech Directorate, (2) the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, (3) HMRC, and (4) the...

    • Avian Influenza: Cambodia

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the dangers of the spread of the H5N1 virus, following the death of a girl in Cambodia.

      Health Services: Migrant Workers

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Care Quality Commission is responsible for ensuring entrants to England on Health and Social Care visas and work permits are employed under the...

      Prescription Drugs: Addictions

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to support the provision of tapering strips which enable patients to withdraw from prescribed drugs slowly and safely.

      Health: Disadvantaged

      To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce poverty-related health inequalities.

      Orthopaedics: Waiting Lists

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost to the economy of the 55 per cent of patients waiting for orthopaedic treatment who are economically inactive due to...

      Electronic Cigarettes: Children

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of children smoking e-cigarettes; and what plans they have to put an age limit on sales.

      NHS: Pensions

      To ask His Majesty's Government when they will respond to the NHS Pension Scheme: proposed amendments to scheme regulations consultation, which ran from 5 December 2022 to 30 January 2023.

      Electronic Cigarettes: Standards

      To ask His Majesty's Government how many of the companies that produce and sell e-cigarettes (1) have, and (2) have not, signed up to a voluntary code to seek a licence so that the products meet...

      Health: Disadvantaged

      To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, or plan to have, with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) regarding the types of products or disease areas...

  • Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

  • Home Office

    • Refugees: Afghanistan

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will notify Afghan refugees in the UK starting with those who arrived under the Afghans Citizens Resettlement Scheme Pathway 3 of how they can apply...

  • Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

  • Treasury

    • Import Duties: Urine Drainage Bags

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to ask HMRC to work with the World Customs Organisation’s Harmonised System Committee to reclassify urine drainage bags as medical devices...

  • Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

    • Palestinians: Elections

      To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Palestinian Authority on calling an election at the earliest possible date and ensuring that any such election is free,...

  • Cabinet Office

    • Civil Servants: Coronavirus

      To ask His Majesty's Government what internal disciplinary action has been taken against officials who were fined for breaking Covid rules.

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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