Written answers

Wednesday, 4 September 2024

  • Department for Business and Trade

    • Products: Safety

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when he expects to bring forward the Product Safety and Metrology Bill.

    • Minerals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made a comparative assessment of the (a) effectiveness and (b) extent of the UK's list of critical minerals and the list used...

      Minerals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when he plans to review the list of critical minerals; what criteria he plans to use to assess which materials will be included; and if he...

      Community Interest Companies: Children and Vulnerable Adults

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has plans to increase the (a) monitoring and (b) oversight of community interest companies that are engaged in regulated activity...

      Public Sector: Audit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the draft Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill will contain measures to improve the quality of the auditing of public sector bodies.

      Devolution: Wales

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of devolving (a) the Post Office in Wales and (b) his Departmental powers to Wales.

  • Department of Health and Social Care

    • Hospitals: Parking

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of levels of compliance of NHS Trusts with the NHS car parking guidance 2022.

    • Hospitals: Planning Permission

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many of the new hospitals in the New Hospital Programme have planning permission.

      Dental Services: Torbay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the waiting list for NHS dentists in Torbay.

      Junior Doctors: Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the (a) total and (b) estimated yearly cost to the public purse is of the pay offer award to NHS junior doctors.

  • Scotland Office

    • Radicalism: Scotland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps he is taking with the Secretary of State for the Home Department to help tackle far-right extremism in Scotland.

    • Public Sector: Scotland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the potential impact of the Chancellor’s statement on public spending inheritance of...

      Potatoes: UK Internal Trade

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the commercial movement of potatoes from Scotland to...

      Scottish Cities Alliance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what plans he has to work with the Scottish Cities Alliance.

  • Home Office

    • Women: Safety

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she hold discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of providing multi-year funding to (a) The First Step...

    • Spiking

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Ninth Report of Session 2021–22 of the Home Affairs Select Committee entitled Spiking, HC967, whether her...

      Visas: Switzerland

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has met her Swiss counterpart to discuss facilitated mobility for Swiss and British professionals to travel to the UK and...

      Visas: Palestinians

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of creating a visa waiver scheme for Palestinians requiring urgent medical treatment.

      Anti-corruption Champion

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Prime Minister will appoint an Anti-Corruption Champion.

      Immigration: Families

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Migration Advisory Committee's planned timetable is for completing its review of the financial requirements in the family...

      Counter-terrorism: Remand in Custody

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a person remanded in custody is prevented from receiving (a) visits and (b) phone-calls from next-of-kin if they have been arrested...

  • Ministry of Justice

    • Prisoners' Release: Mid Leicestershire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners usually resident in Mid Leicestershire constituency are eligible for early release.

    • Lincoln Prison

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners were released and recalled to HMP Lincoln (a) once and (b) multiple times in the last 12 months.

  • Department for Education

    • Special Educational Needs: Shropshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with Shropshire Council on the adequacy of (a) funding for and (b) delivery of SEND services.

    • Schools: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average funding per pupil was in mainstream schools in (a) Knowsley constituency, (b) Merseyside, (c) the North West and (d) England in each...

      GCE A-Level: Knowsley

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people from Knowsley constituency have studied A levels in another local authority in each of the last 10 years.

      Pre-school Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to extend contracts for Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs in (a) the Liverpool City Region and (b) across England.

  • Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

    • Birmingham City Council: Insolvency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the report entitled Value for money and accountability: a report on the Birmingham City Council...

    • Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Pentland Communications and Sovereign Strategy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether (a) she and (b) her special advisers have held discussions with representatives of (i) Sovereign Strategy and...

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to respond to the correspondence from the Rt Hon. Member for North West Essex of 13 July 2024 on...

      Private Rented Housing: Rents

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to prevent bidding wars in the private rented sector; and when she plans to bring forward...

      Freeports

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her policy is on the (a) freeport approved for the Solent area and (b) freeports programme.

      Housing: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department plans to take to help (a) younger people and (b) first time buyers onto the housing ladder.

      Insulation: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the number of homeowners unable to sell their home due to the installation of spray foam...

      Park Homes: Sales

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her Department's policy is on the future of commission paid to site owners following the sale of park homes.

      Green Belt: Havering

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to protect the greenbelt in (a) Romford constituency and (b) the London Borough of...

      Private Rented Housing: High Peak

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the average increase in rent for private properties in High Peak constituency in the...

      UK Shared Prosperity Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to ensure the UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocations are protected from future budget cuts.

      Recreation Spaces: Havering

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help ensure the protection of green spaces in the London Borough of Havering.

      Culture: Maldon

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding her Department plans to provide Maldon District Council for culture projects.

      UK Shared Prosperity Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the future of the Shared Prosperity Fund.

      Religion: Departmental Responsibilities

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Prime Minister intends to appoint a Minister for Faith.

      Radicalism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to tackle extremism.

      Islamophobia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to tackle islamophobia.

      Urban Areas: Torquay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Our Long-Term Plan for Towns, published on 1 October 2023,...

      Voter Authority Certificates: Romford

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many Voter Authority Certificates have been issued in Romford constituency.

      Combined Authorities

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of simplifying the process for creating new Combined...

      Urban Areas: Capital Investment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help (a) improve town centres and (b) encourage companies to invest in...

      Local Government Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that local authorities receive adequate funding.

      Local Government: Devolution

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her letter of 16 July 2024 to local council leaders, whether devolution settlements are available to...

  • Treasury

    • Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to review the Equitable Life payment scheme.

    • Pay: Young People

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 30 July 2024 to Question 1812 on Pay: Young People, if she will make it her policy to publish data on average take home pay for...

      Public Finance

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 29 July 2024 to Question 1370 on Public Finances, if she will publish assumptions made by the Government's (a) special advisers...

      Public Expenditure

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 25 July 2024 to Question 1813 on Public Expenditure, what the overspend was in each Departmental budget at the end of (a) July...

      Public Sector: Productivity

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of planned labour market reforms on public sector productivity.

      Taxation

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 30 July 2024 to Question 1811 on Taxation, what the tax gap of (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2022-3 is adjusted for inflation in (i)...

      Energy: Taxation

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of ending the investment allowance within the Energy Profits Levy on investment in the (a) economy and...

  • Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

    • Fuel Poverty: Winter Fuel Payment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of means testing the winter fuel payment on levels of fuel poverty in the...

    • Environment Protection: Business

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to require (a) FTSE 100 companies and (b) financial services firms to (i) develop...

      Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to reduce its energy usage.

      Great British Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Great British Energy founding statement, published on 25 July 2024, whether he plans that every project...

      Renewable Energy: Planning Permission

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to consult local residents prior to the approval of (a) solar farms and (b) onshore wind farms.

      Great British Energy: Public Appointments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the new chair of Great British Energy was appointed through open competition; what his remuneration is; and what provisions...

      Offshore Industry: Employment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of changes in the number of jobs in the (a) oil and (b) gas sector in (i) the UK and (ii)...

      Electric Cables: Costs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent estimate he has made of the relative costs per km of (a) overhead, (b) underground and (c) offshore electricity...

      Energy Supply

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to introduce zonal energy markets in the UK.

      Great British Energy: Infrastructure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans he has for GB Energy (a) whole and (b) partial ownership of electricity transmission infrastructure.

      Great British Energy: Supply Chains

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans he has for GB Energy (a) investments in renewable energy supply chains and (b) (i) whole and (ii) partial ownership of...

      Great British Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans he has for GB Energy (a) investment in and (b) partial ownership of community energy projects.

      Great British Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans he has for (a) whole and (b) partial ownership of energy generation capacity by GB Energy by 2045.

      Energy Supply: Government Assistance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to provide (a) financial and (b) other support to regional energy cluster organisations.

      Great British Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of setting up GB Energy.

      Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to continue the construction of new Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage sites.

      British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to reform the surplus sharing arrangements for the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.

      Energy: Prices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what is his expected timetable for GB Energy to cut household energy bills by £300 per year.

      Great British Energy: Infrastructure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether GB Energy will operate energy infrastructure.

      Great British Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether GB Energy will produce energy.

      Great British Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the increase in quantum of energy that GB Energy will generate; and by what timeline.

      Great British Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans for GB Energy to have a public option retail arm.

      Electricity Generation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he will publish a response to the consultation entitled Review of electricity market arrangements (REMA): second...

      Great British Energy: Capital Investment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how GB Energy will interact with the (a) UK Infrastructure Bank and (b) National Wealth Fund to provide investment for renewable...

      Wind Power: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether wind farm developments which receive investment from GB Energy will be eligible for contracts via the Contracts for...

  • Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

    • Bangladesh: Religious Freedom

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the level of religious-based violence against minorities in Bangladesh...

    • India: Development Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much is budgeted for aid to India in this financial year.

      Bangladesh: Hinduism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) discussions he has had with his counterpart in Bangladesh and (b) diplomatic steps his Department is...

      Jimmy Lai

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his counterpart from the People’s Republic of China on (a) the case...

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to review the removal of the spare room subsidy.

    • Local Housing Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy to ensure local housing allowance keeps pace with median rent prices.

      Pensioners: Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the number of pensioners living in (a) relative poverty and (b) absolute poverty that are not in...

      Bereavement Support Payment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy to increase Bereavement Support Payments in line with inflation.

      Department for Work and Pensions: Equality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse was of staff diversity networks in her Department in each of the last five years.

      Access to Work Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether Access to Work applicants can contact that service in writing

      Universal Credit: EU Nationals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to enable EU citizens with pre-settled status to claim universal credit.

  • Department for Transport

    • Railways: Devon

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress she has made on (a) rail and (b) station improvements in (i) Torbay and (ii) Devon.

    • Roads: Birmingham

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 July 2024 to Question 266 on Roads: Birmingham and with reference to deposited paper DEP2024-0567, if she will place a...

      Roads: Chelmsford

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding her Department plans to provide for a new Army and Navy Roundabout in Chelmsford.

      Aviation: Compensation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with representatives of the aviation industry on levels of compensation for passengers whose flights are cancelled.

      A167 (M) and Tyne Bridge: Newcastle upon Tyne

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department will continue to fund improvements to the Tyne Bridge and Central Motorway A167 (M).

      Bus Services: Gloucestershire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 July 2024 to Question 1876 on Bus Services: Gloucestershire, if she will take steps to provide additional funding to...

  • Cabinet Office

    • Civil Service

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the final report of the Infected Blood Inquiry, published on 20 May 2024, what steps he is taking to change the culture of the civil...

    • Blood: Contamination

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the final report of the Infected Blood inquiry (HC 569-I), published on 20 May 2024, what progress his Department has made on...

      Infected Blood Compensation Scheme

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the devolved Administrations on the format of payments from the infected blood compensation scheme; whether he has had...

      Cybersecurity

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to meet the cyber resilience targets for UK critical national infrastructure by 2025; and if he will make an assessment of the...

      Peers: Retirement

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 22 July 2024 to Question 455 on Retirement: Public Sector, whether the Prime Minister plans to introduce a mandatory...

      Disease Control: National Security

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will provide an annual update to the UK Biological Security Strategy.

      Prime Minister: Communication and Marketing

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 10 of the document entitled Fixing the foundations: Public spending audit 2024-25, CP 1133, published in July 2024, whether he...

      Prime Minister: Public Expenditure

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to p.10 of the document entitled Fixing the Foundations: Public Spending Audit 2024-25, published on 29 July 2024, whether the Prime...

      Political Office: Staff

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which (a) official and (b) special adviser is responsible for locating staff in the Number 10 political office within the Downing Street estate.

      Prime Minister: Aviation

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Prime Minister plans to carbon offset his official (a) domestic and (b) overseas flights.

      Prime Minister: Aviation

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Prime Minister plans to use sustainable aviation fuel for official (a) domestic and (b) overseas flights.

      Prime Minister: Special Advisers

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Prime Minister's chief of staff has a probationary period.

      Prime Minister: Members' Interests

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Prime Minister has declared The Pensions Increase (Pension Scheme for Keir Starmer QC) Regulations 2013 as an interest to the Independent...

      10 Downing Street: Alcoholic Drinks

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the Government's policy is on consumption of alcohol on the Downing Street estate.

  • Northern Ireland Office

    • Winter Fuel Payment: Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has had with the Minister for Communities in Northern Ireland on the potential impact of changes to the eligibility...

  • Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    • VisitEngland: Devon

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what funding her Department plans to allocate to the Devon Local Visitor Economy Partnership.

    • Holiday Accommodation: Registration

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a registration scheme for short term lets.

      Sports: Injuries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to provide funding for education on brain (a) health and (b) safeguarding in sport.

  • Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

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.

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