Written answers

Tuesday, 17 September 2024

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Winter Fuel Payment: Tatton

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners in Tatton constituency will lose entitlement to winter fuel payments as a result of the proposed changes.

    • Winter Fuel Payment: Eligibility

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the number of households that will be affected by the proposed change to the eligibility criteria for winter...

      Pensioners: Aylesbury

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support pensioners with increases in the cost of living in Aylesbury constituency.

      Pensioners: Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she is taking steps to establish a long-term strategy to end pensioner poverty.

      Winter Fuel Payment: Low Incomes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions , what steps she is taking to help mitigate the potential impact of the withdrawal of Winter Fuel Payments on low income non-Pension Credit...

      Pension Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she plans to take to support pensioners suffering from long-term illnesses who are not eligible for pension credit in the winter.

      Winter Fuel Payment: Maidstone and Malling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department plans to take to support people who will become ineligible for Winter Fuel Payment as a result of the planned...

      Winter Fuel Payment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to support the health of pensioners living in energy inefficient homes when Winter Fuel Payment is withdrawn.

      Pensioners: Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to develop a strategy to end pensioner poverty.

      Winter Fuel Payment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 6 September 2024 to Question 2476 on Winter Fuel Payment, if she will provide this information for current...

      Pension Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much funding was allocated to the Pension Credit week of action campaign, launched on 2 September 2024.

      Winter Fuel Payment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse was of the winter fuel allowance in 2022/23; what estimate she has made of the savings to the public purse...

      Winter Fuel Payment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the number of pensioners whose income is less than 10% above the threshold for Pension Credit who will not...

      Pension Credit: Newcastle-under-Lyme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has had made of the number of people in Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency eligible for but not in receipt of pension credit.

      Pension Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that all people eligible for pension credit are able to claim it.

      Child Maintenance Service

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to reform child maintenance services by (a) abolishing fees for survivors of violence against women and girls and (b)...

      Department for Work and Pensions: Equality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many positions in her Department included (a) diversity, (b) inclusion, (c) equity and (d) equality in their job title in each of the last...

      Child Maintenance Service: Domestic Abuse

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Child Maintenance Service in protecting victims of domestic abuse when using their...

      Children: Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims were processed by the Child Maintenance Agency in each of the last five years; and how many appeals were (a) lodged, (b) fully...

      Work Capability Assessment: Aldershot

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average waiting time was for a Work Capability Assessment in Aldershot constituency in the latest period for which data is available.

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Food: Labelling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to publish the responses to his Department’s consultation entitled Fairer food labelling, which...

    • Livestock Worrying

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an estimate of the potential cost to farmers of dog attacks on farm animals in the last 12 months.

      Incinerators: Waste Disposal

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Environment Agency regulatory policy statement entitled Using unbound incinerator bottom ash aggregate...

      Livestock Worrying

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help tackle livestock worrying.

      Fluorinated Gases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that the (a) phasedown and (b) phaseout of fluorinated greenhouse gases takes into account...

      Public Footpaths

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps is to promote (a) wider and (b) more accessible footpath access in (i) parks and (ii) other public spaces.

      Livestock Worrying

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals on livestock worrying.

      Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support farmers who experience outbreaks of bovine TB to recover.

      Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to issue new badger cull licences.

      Question

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support businesses in rural areas.

      Badgers: Disease Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; whether he plans to continue with the cull of badgers in Derbyshire; and for what reason 1,675 badgers were to be culled.

      Glass: Recycling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he is taking steps to manage the potential impact of implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme...

      Glass: Recycling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposed Extender Producer Responsibility scheme on sustainable...

      Protected Site Management on Dartmoor Independent Review

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to implement the recommendations of the report of the Independent review of protected...

      Dartmoor: Horses

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to coordinate efforts with local groups to protect Dartmoor ponies.

      Public Houses: Tiverton and Minehead

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will hold discussions with the Exmoor National Park Authority on change of use for rural pubs in Tiverton and Minehead...

      Incinerators: Waste Disposal

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the use of unbound incinerator bottom ash aggregate in construction...

      Fisheries: EU Countries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his policy is on EU fishing rights in UK waters, in the context of the Government's plans to change its relationship...

      Farmers: Tenants

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to establish a Tenant Farming Commissioner for England.

      Fisheries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (a) domestically and (b)...

      Poultry: Import Controls

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 September 2024 to Question 3050 on Poultry: Import Controls, what certification is required to...

      River Thames: Reading

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of volumetric river flow rates corresponding to the locations of each gauging station...

      Livestock: Disease Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure movement restrictions as a result of reported disease outbreaks are reviewed...

      Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what changes his Department has made to the testing system for bovine TB since August 2021.

      Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that incidents of bovine TB in livestock are properly (a) monitored and (b)...

      Water Companies: Regulation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of Ofwat in regulating water companies.

      Foie Gras: Imports

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to introduce a ban on the import of foie gras.

  • Cabinet Office

    • Departmental Coordination: Disclosure of Information

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether minutes from mission delivery boards will be made publicly available.

    • Senior Civil Servants: Recruitment

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance the Civil Service Commission has provided on whether a decision to appoint a civil servant under one of the Recruitment Principles...

      Jess Sargeant

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the (a) pay band, (b) full job description and (c) salary is for the new Deputy Director in his Department's Propriety and Constitution Group;...

      Senior Civil Servants: Recruitment

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will instruct the (a) Cabinet Secretary and Head of Civil Service and (b) Civil Service Commission to make an assessment of the probity of...

      Senior Civil Servants: Performance Appraisal

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 July 2024 to Question 927 on Civil Service: Performance Related Pay, by which metrics Senior Civil Service end of year...

      Public Sector: Pay

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of repealing the Trade Union Act 2016 on public sector pay discussions with trade unions.

      Prime Minister: Special Advisers

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 72 of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities annual report and accounts 2022-23, what is the Cash Equivalent...

      Civil Servants: Recruitment

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles, published in April 2018, whether his Department has published supplementary...

      Israel: Gaza

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the press notice by the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) entitled PCS demands Cabinet Office meeting over Gaza, published...

      Treasury: Senior Civil Servants

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 July 2024 to Question 1261 on Senior Civil Servants, for what reason the appointment of HM Treasury's Director of Special...

      Senior Civil Servants: Recruitment

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the Civil Service's policy is on employing people who were previously employed in roles in a party political capacity, other than as special advisers.

      Public Sector: Directors

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many Non-Executive Directors have left all (a) Government departments and (b) arms’ length public bodies since 4 July 2024.

      Government Departments: Labour Turnover

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Government Departments collect information on staff turnover.

      Special Advisers: Pay

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the 2024-25 Senior Civil Service Pay Framework, what changes are being made to (a) the Pay Band 4 ceiling and (b) other special...

      Government Departments: Ethics

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the report entitled Strengthening Ethics and Integrity in Central Government, published in July 2023, CP 900, who is responsible for...

      Civil Servants: Recruitment

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether it is his policy that all civil service appointments should be advertised on gov.uk.

      Government Departments: Public Consultation

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 22 July 2024 to Question 908 on Government Departments: Public Consultation, what steps his Department is taking to help...

      Nick Joicey

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Civil Service Commission publication entitled 2023/24 Exceptions at and above Payband 2, for what reason the Exception Used for...

      Young People: EU Nationals

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his policy is on youth movement of EU nationals, in the context of the Government's plans to change its relationship with the EU.

      Government Departments: Public Consultation

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 July 2024 to Question 907 on Government Departments: Public Consultation, whether his Department has issued guidance on...

      Propriety and Ethics Team

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will place in the House of Commons Library a copy of the (a) terms of reference and (b) responsibilities of the Cabinet Office’s Propriety...

  • Department for Business and Trade

    • Office for Investment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to review the Office for Investment's strategy.

    • Office for Investment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what initiatives the Office for Investment has introduced to attract investment in small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK.

      Office for Investment: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what metrics his Department uses to assess the performance of the Office for Investment; and how it has performed against those metrics in...

      Office for Investment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps the Office for Investment has taken to build and strengthen international partnerships that promote inward investment to the UK.

      Office for Investment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps the Office for Investment is taking in response to global economic trends to maintain the attractiveness of the UK as an...

      Ticketmaster

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will bring forward proposals to regulate the de facto monopoly of ticket sales by Ticketmaster.

      Sexual Offences: Victims

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of support available to victims of sexual assault who need to take time off work to attend court...

      Public Houses: Government Assistance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support the pub industry.

      Cosmetics: Health Hazards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the safety of talc in cosmetic products.

      Electronic Commerce

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to inform the public of their rights under the Consumer Contracts Regulations when buying from an online...

      Department for Business and Trade: Equality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many positions in his Department included (a) diversity, (b) inclusion, (c) equity and (d) equality in their job title in each of the...

      Employment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Answer of 12 August 2024, to Question HL421, on Employment, what legislative steps he plans to take to introduce...

  • Department for Education

    • Teachers: South Holland and the Deepings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of trends in the number of teachers in South Holland and the Deepings constituency.

    • Overseas Students: British Overseas Territories

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to help increase the accessibility of UK university education to British Overseas Territories citizens.

      Holiday Activities and Food Programme: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to make funding available for the Holiday Activity and Food programme beyond 31 December 2024.

      Breakfast Clubs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her planned timetable is for making free breakfast clubs available in every primary school.

      Special Educational Needs: West Sussex

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure the adequacy of SEND support in West Sussex.

      Special Educational Needs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is making additional resources available to accommodate changes in the number of Education Health and Care Plan applications (a) this and...

      Pupils: Per Capita Costs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the real-terms funding per pupil in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Nuneaton constituency has been in each financial year since 2010.

      Teachers: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to continue to report on the (a) outputs of the Teacher Workforce Model and (b) extent to which targets are met.

      Special Educational Needs: Mid Cheshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of 16 to 24-year-olds who were not in education, employment or training in Mid Cheshire constituency in the last five years had (a)...

      Teachers: Industrial Injuries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support is available for teachers who are unable to work as a result of workplace injury.

      Private Education: VAT

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of charging VAT on independent schools on levels of usage of unregistered schools.

      Schools: Leicestershire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which state secondary schools in Leicestershire county council area have no school places available.

      Schools: Transport

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure there is adequate funding for transport to specialised educational facilities for SEND students.

      Childcare: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the difficulties faced by parents in accessing free childcare places for children under 9 months old.

      Schools: Leicestershire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many vacant state secondary school places there were in (a) Leicestershire County Council LA area, (b) Melton Borough and (c) Melton and Syston...

      Special Educational Needs: Mid Cheshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of primary school age children with (a) SEN Support and (b) an Education, Health and Care Plan have not attended school...

  • Home Office

    • Gender Based Violence: Crime Prevention

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support primary prevention regarding violence against women and girls.

    • Refugees

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to extend the move-on period for newly-recognised refugees to a minimum of 56 days.

      Undocumented Migrants: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many beds are reserved to house irregular migrants; and what the cost is of those beds.

      Gender Based Violence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether future funding for organisations tackling violence against women and girls will (a) support the full running costs of services, (b)...

      Slavery: Victims

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Sections 14.128-131 of the Modern Slavery Guidance, published in May 2024, if her Department will take steps to amend the...

      Home Office: Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many employees of (a) Immigration Enforcement, (b) UK Visas and Immigration, (c) Border Force and (d) HM Passport Office were (i)...

      Antisocial Behaviour: Hampshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of trends in the level of reported incidents of anti-social behaviour in...

      Shellfish: Animal Experiments

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the findings of the Decapods: Call for Evidence, published on 5 July 2023; and what recent estimate she has made of when...

      British Nationality: Assessments

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) names and (b) addresses are of all test centres used for the Life in the UK Test.

      Immigration: Sudan

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she is taking steps to increase access to resettlement to the UK for Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries who are at risk and...

      Anti-corruption Champion

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Prime Minister plans to appoint an anti-corruption champion.

      Domestic Violence: Migrants

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to extend the Domestic Violence Indefinite Leave to Remain and Destitution Domestic Violence Concession to all...

      Public Service: Harassment

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 31 July 2024, to Question 1220, on Public Service: Harassment, if she will place in the House of Commons Library a...

      Offences against Children: Internet

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle online grooming of children.

      Gender Based Violence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to ensure that her Department collects (a) comprehensive, (b) comparable and (c) disaggregated data on (i) violence...

      Shoplifting: Hampshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) reports of, (b) charges for and (c) convictions for shoplifting there were in (i) Aldershot constituency and (ii) Hampshire in...

      Home Office: Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many employees of (a) Immigration Enforcement, (b) UK Visas and Immigration, (c) Border Force and (d) HM Passport Office have been found...

      Prisoners' Release: Foreign Nationals

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of foreign nationals who receive a custodial prison sentence are deported on completion of their sentence.

      Illegal Migration Act 2023

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to remove clauses 22-25 from the Illegal Migration Act 2023.

  • Treasury

    • Holiday Accommodation: Taxation

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of terminating the furnished holiday lettings tax regime on local (a) economies and (b)...

    • Government Departments: Cost Effectiveness

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what government efficiency savings planned by the previous government she plans to (a) continue and (b) discontinue.

      Rent a Room Scheme

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the Rent a Room Scheme tax-free earnings threshold.

      Council Tax: Wales

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what advice the Center for Appraisal Research and Technology provided to the Valuation Office Agency for its work on an automated valuation model for...

      Inheritance Tax: Agriculture

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of agricultural relief for Inheritance Tax in supporting farming businesses.

      Tobacco: Smuggling

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking at a retail level to tackle the illicit tobacco trade.

      Civil Service: Trade Union Officials

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the Office for Value for Money will investigate the value for money of (a) expenditure relating to in the Civil Service and (b) trade union facility...

      Pension Credit

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much funding her Department has allocated to the Pension Credit Week of Action campaign, launched on 2 September 2024.

      Energy: Taxation

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the report by Offshore Energies UK entitled Impact of UKCS fiscal policy on UK economic growth, published on 2 September 2024, if she...

      Revenue and Customs: Newcastle upon Tyne

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had recent discussions with HMRC on (a) industrial relations at the Benton Park View office in Newcastle and (b) the appropriate use of...

      Private Education: VAT

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to exempt pupils awaiting an Education Health and Care Plan from the introduction of VAT on independent school fees.

      Enterprise Investment Scheme

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will review the implementation of the Enterprise Investment Scheme; and if she will meet the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth to discuss that scheme.

      Treasury: Senior Civil Servants

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department's Director of Special Advisers and Chancellor Engagement post was advertised (a) externally or (b) internally; and whether the post...

      Business: Taxation

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when her Department plans to publish a business tax roadmap.

      Income Tax and Social Security Benefits: Foreign Nationals

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to publish what the total value of (a) income tax paid, (b) National Insurance Contributions paid, (c) tax credits claimed and (d) child benefit claimed...

      Bank Cards: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of rising transaction fees for non-European Economic Area cards on small businesses...

  • Ministry of Justice

    • Horizon IT System: Convictions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many letters informing postmasters and former postmasters that their conviction has been quashed under the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act...

    • Ministry of Justice: Equality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many positions in her Department included (a) diversity, (b) inclusion, (c) equity and (d) equality in their job title in each of the last five...

      Prisoners' Release

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of making actual bodily harm an excluded offence under SDS40 when being served...

      Prisoners' Release: Domestic Abuse and Sexual Offences

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact on victims of SDS40 applying to sentences being served concurrently with sentences of sexual or...

      Prison Accommodation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate she has made of the number of prison places made available in the adult male estate as a result of the prisoner early release scheme.

      Prisoners' Release: Domestic Abuse

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an estimate of the number of people who (a) have been convicted of domestic abuse and (b) will be released early from prison as part of...

      Prison Accommodation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of sending prisoners serving sentences in England and Wales to prisons overseas.

  • Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

    • Aid Workers: Crimes of Violence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help (a) support the safety of and (b) increase accountability for attacks...

    • Sanctions: Russia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his policy is on the ownership of interests in UK oil and gas companies by sanctioned Russians.

      Colombia: Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Colombian counterpart on sustainable access to medical services for people in...

      China: Foreign Relations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his planned timetable is for the audit of the UK-China bilateral relationship; and what topics that audit...

      Hong Kong: British National (Overseas)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help ensure the Hong Kong government recognises the British National...

      Azerbaijan: Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the Azerbaijani government’s (a) human rights record and...

      Gubad Ibadoghlu

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Azerbaijani counterpart on the detention of Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu in Baku.

      Climate Change: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of the £40 million pledged to the Loss and Damage Fund has been disbursed; and what his...

      Development Aid: Climate Change

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of his Department’s international climate finance was allocated to fragile and...

      Montserrat: Development Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the development of (a) transport and (b) utilities infrastructure...

      Development Aid: Climate Change

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to track the delivery of climate finance to (a) least developed countries, (b)...

      Development Aid: Climate Change

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish his Department's plan for meeting its international climate finance targets in the 2025-26...

  • Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

    • Public Lavatories

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will have discussions with councils on maintaining free public toilets in (a) towns and (b) villages.

    • Rents: Increases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will introduce annual limits to in-tenancy rent increases linked to (a) inflation and (b) real median income growth.

      Housing: Construction

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to ensure that new houses are built with specifications that enable them to be carbon neutral.

      Housing: Sales

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the implications for her policies of levels of house (a) buyers and (b) sellers...

      Housing Infrastructure Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much of the previous Government’s £4.2 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund remains (a) unspent and (b)...

      Devolution: Lincolnshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans she has for district councils in the Greater Lincolnshire devolution deal.

      Homes for Ukraine Scheme: Visas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle barriers to (a) accommodation, (b) employment and (c)...

      Private Rented Housing: Pets

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made a recent assessment of the level of availability of pet-friendly accommodation in the private...

      Travellers: West Sussex

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of transit sites for Travellers in West Sussex.

      Homelessness: Temporary Accommodation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the National Audit Office report entitled The effectiveness of government in tackling homelessness,...

      Elections: Proof of Identity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will include (a) shotgun licences and (b) veteran ID cards as accepted forms of voter identification in (i)...

      Right to Buy Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of ending the Right to Buy scheme.

      Homelessness: Temporary Accommodation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to introduce a legal right to (a) suitable emergency accommodation and (b) adequate support for...

      Shared Ownership Schemes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she is taking steps to promote shared ownership for potential homeowners.

      Social Services: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Local Government Finance Settlement will contain measures to reform adult social care funding.

      Green Belt: Lincolnshire

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

      Combined Authorities

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing district councils to be constituent members of...

      Buckinghamshire Council

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the financial sustainability of Buckinghamshire Council in the 2024-25...

      Buildings: Insulation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Building Safety Fund will cover the cost for thermal performance improvements associated with fire safety...

      Public Sector: Equality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions she has had with local authorities on using (a) the Public Sector Equality Duty and (b)...

      Local Government Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to redistribute assets and wealth between different (a) local authorities, (b) communities and (c)...

      Recreation Spaces: Havering

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to (a) protect and (b) promote parks and green spaces within the London Borough of Havering.

      Community Development: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Communities Opportunities Fund has been abolished.

  • Women and Equalities

    • Public Sector: Equality

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 12 August 2024 to Question HL421 on Employment, what steps she plans to take to implement the Government's policy on...

  • Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    • Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Equality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many positions in her Department included (a) diversity, (b) inclusion, (c) equity and (d) equality in their job title in each of...

    • Rugby: LGBT+ People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to support LGBTQ+ rugby union teams.

      Tennis: Facilities

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of funding covered tennis facilities.

      Sir Andy Murray

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to take steps to recognise the retirement of Sir Andy Murray.

      Horse Racing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the value to the UK economy of the horse racing industry.

      Public Libraries: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to continue the Libraries Improvement Fund.

  • Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

    • Innovate UK: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when Innovate UK will commence its next funding round.

    • Animal Experiments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the report by Ipsos MORI entitled Attitudes to animal research in 2018, published by his Department on 24...

      ICT: Innovation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an estimate of the cost-benefit return of the projected Edinburgh supercomputer.

      Artificial Intelligence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will take steps to continue the work of the AI Opportunity Forum.

      Satellites

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to promote direct to device mobile connectivity from satellites.

      Satellites: Broadband

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help provide supplemental broadband coverage via satellite in rural areas.

      Satellites: Manufacturing Industries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to support the manufacture of low earth orbit satellite manufacturing in the UK.

      Internet: Lincolnshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate he has made of the number of households that do not have internet access in (a) South Holland and The Deepings...

      Databases: Havering

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will have discussions with Havering Council on the proposed East Havering Data Centre.

      Life Sciences: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Autumn Statement 2023, whether he plans to make £520 million available for life sciences.

  • Wales Office

    • Wales Office: Equality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many positions in her Department included (a) diversity, (b) inclusion, (c) equity and (d) equality in their job title in each of the last five years;...

  • Department for Transport

    • Hammersmith Bridge: Repairs and Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish the memorandum of understanding between (a) her Department, (b) Transport for London and (c) the London Borough of Hammersmith and...

    • West Coast Main Line: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of (a) signalling safety, (b) service reliability and (c) maintenance on the West Coast Mainline.

      Ford Motor Company: Engines

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the safety of Ford EcoBoost engines.

      Transport: Stroud

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure that transport infrastructure in the M5...

      East West Rail Line: Aylesbury

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of the Aylesbury spur of the East-West Rail link for the (a) Buckinghamshire and (b)...

      Transport: West Yorkshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve transport links in West Yorkshire.

  • Department of Health and Social Care

    • Covid-19 Inquiry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timeframe is for implementing recommendations of the covid-19 inquiry.

    • General Practitioners: Winter Fuel Payment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will have discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of allowing GPs to prescribe a Winter Fuel Payment to...

      General Practitioners: High Peak

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) support and (b) resources his Department has provided to help support GP surgeries to (i) clear patient backlogs and (ii) reduce...

      General Practitioners: High Peak

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support the recruitment and retention of GPs in High Peak constituency.

      General Practitioners: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential value for money of including GPs in the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme

  • Northern Ireland Office

    • Northern Ireland Office: Equality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many positions in his Department included (a) diversity, (b) inclusion, (c) equity and (d) equality in their job title in each of the last...

    • Journalism: Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the Police Service of Northern Ireland on recent threats of violence against a Sunday World journalist.

      Journalism: Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to ensure that journalists in Northern Ireland are protected from (a) threats of violence from paramilitary groups, (b)...

  • Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

    • Biofuels: Sustainable Development

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress his Department has made on its review of biomass sustainability standards.

    • Biofuels: Costs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the cost per household of government support for biomass in (a) 2024, (b) 2025 and (c) 2026.

      Climate Change: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps the Government is taking to support negotiations to agree an ambitious New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance...

      Databases: Havering

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will have discussions with Havering Council on the proposed East Havering Data Centre.

      British Gas: Billing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had discussions with Ofgem on British Gas's billing system migration; and whether he has made an assessment of the...

      Nuclear Fusion

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support the development of fusion technology.

      National Grid: Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the number of kilometres of new energy transmission lines that will be required to decarbonise the...

      National Grid: Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the tonnes of copper that will be required to decarbonise the National Grid by 2030.

      Zinc: Prices and Supply Chains

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the (a) reliability of supply chains for and (b) resilience to price shocks in the zinc market in...

      Solar Power: Industry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of using (a) car parks and (b) other elements of the built environment...

      Solar Power: Business

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many businesses in the UK have Government funded solar panels.

  • Ministry of Defence

    • Ministry of Defence: Land

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will take steps to end the granting of licenses for hunting on its land.

    • Ministry of Defence: Hunting

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many licences have been issued for trail hunting on his Department's land in 2024-2025; and whether he plans to revoke any of these licences.

      Gurkhas: Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to bring pensions for Gurkha soldiers who retired before 1997 in line with the standard British Army pension.

  • Department of Health and Social Care

    • Mpox: Patients

      To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase access to (1) testing, (2) vaccination, and (3) treatment, for Mpox patients (a) in England, and (b) globally.

    • General Practitioners: Digital Technology

      To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 1 August (HL348), what percentage of GP surgeries and primary care centres currently offer an online...

      Alan Milburn

      To ask His Majesty's Government what meetings Alan Milburn has had with the Department of Health and Social Care or NHS England since the general election (1) with, and (2) without,...

  • Treasury

    • Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties

      To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to either (1) extending, or (2) making permanent, the wine temporary easement period in order to meet the core principles...

    • Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether the outcome to the consultation The new alcohol duty system, which ran from 27 October 2021 to 30 January 2022, has met the stated...

      Public Sector: Pensions

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the long-term (1) cost, and (2) sustainability, of public sector pensions; and what assessment they have made of how such...

      Self-assessment: Forms

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to make the online self-assessment tax return form SA100 available to download, so that taxpayers wishing to submit paper returns do...

      Business Rates: Valuation

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the last Valuation Office Agency business rates revaluation on critical national infrastructure, including airports...

      Ian Corfield

      To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Smith of Basildon on 4 September (HL Deb col 1157), and to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Secretary to the...

      Public Sector: Pensions

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to review the level of state contributions to public sector pensions.

      Individual Savings Accounts

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether they still intend to introduce the British ISA.

      Private Education: VAT

      To ask His Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of approved independent schools for pupils with special educational needs or disabilities in respect of which they intend to...

  • Ministry of Justice

    • Wills

      To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to respond to the consultation on the storage and retention of wills and other documents submitted in applications for probate which closed on 23...

  • Home Office

    • Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to repeal the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024 and, if so, when.

    • Immigration

      To ask His Majesty's Government what data they hold on the economic contributions of immigrants to the UK, including their roles in key sectors such as healthcare, technology, and agriculture.

      British Nationality: Racial Discrimination

      To ask His Majesty's Government what, if any, race equality impact assessment has been made of policy and practice relating to registering statutory rights to British citizenship.

      Metropolitan Police

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether there are any plans to revisit or otherwise further investigate the operational conduct of Operation Midland.

      Metropolitan Police: Misconduct

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the progress of the Independent Office of Police Conduct in pursuing gross misconduct charges arising from Operation Midland.

      Drax Power Station: Demonstrations

      To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the the rules which prevent peaceful protest at the Drax power station.

  • The Senior Deputy Speaker

    • Diplomatic Relations: China

      To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what consideration has been given to allowing the Ambassador of China to visit the House of Lords parts of the parliamentary estate.

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Universal Credit: Disqualification

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any disparities in Universal Credit sanctioning between ethnic groups between April 2023 and April 2024, and the reasons for such...

    • Social Security Benefits: Disability

      To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of residents of Ceredigion in Wales are currently in receipt of disability benefits.

      Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

      To ask His Majesty's Government how many assessors trained and qualified in autism will work in each of the five regions under the Department for Work and Pension's Health Assessment Advisory Service.

      National Insurance: Foreign Nationals

      To ask His Majesty's Government how many National Insurance numbers were issued to citizens of (1) the European Union, and (2) all other countries, within the last 12 months for which figures are...

      Disability

      To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 5 August (HL273), when they will review their commitments in the Disability Action Plan, published...

  • Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    • Tennis: Finance

      To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve investment in tennis facilities across the United Kingdom, particularly in deprived areas, in recognition of the...

  • Department for Education

    • Children and Families: Protection

      To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the protection of families and young children, particularly in light of (1) the decrease in local authority spending on...

    • Universities: Finance

      To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that universities remain and do not close down despite financial difficulties.

  • Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

    • Community Relations

      To ask His Majesty's Government in what ways they are supporting the integration of immigrants into UK society, and what measures are in place to promote community cohesion and reduce discrimination.

    • Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will provide details of their proposals, including timetables, for the implementation of each of the provisions of the Leasehold Reform Act 2024.

      Local Plans and Planning Permission

      To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage local authorities to consult directors of public health when (1) creating local plans, and (2) taking planning decisions.

      Green Belt

      To ask His Majesty's Government for what reason the second of the green belt purposes in paragraph 140 of the draft National Planning Policy Framework, "to prevent neighbouring towns merging into...

      Local Government: Land

      To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the removal of the presumption of a five-year land supply for local authorities with an up-to-date local plan as part of...

      Planning

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend that the "vision led approach" required by paragraph 112 of the draft National Planning Policy Framework should be based on any or all of (1)...

      Private Rented Housing: Evictions

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how long landlords and letting agents will need to take to prepare for, and update processes, when section 21 repossessions end.

      Housing: Construction

      To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework, what steps they will take to ensure there is sufficient highways infrastructure to...

  • Department for Business and Trade

    • Trade Competitiveness

      To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the UK remains an attractive destination for businesses.

    • ScaleUp Institute

      To ask His Majesty's Government how they intend to support the ScaleUp Institute.

      Small Businesses

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decline in confidence among small businesses following (1) rises in energy prices, (2) the increase in material costs, and...

  • Department for Transport

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Farming Recovery Fund

      To ask His Majesty's Government how much of the £50 million extension of the Farming Recovery Fund, announced on 24 May, has been distributed to date.

    • Countryside: Access

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to retain the public access offer within Environmental Land Management schemes so that more people can benefit from improved access to the...

      Food: Labelling

      To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend (1) to respond to the consultation by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on fairer food labelling that closed on 7 May,...

      Bluetongue Disease: Disease Control

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current threat of blue tongue in livestock; and what steps they are taking to prevent the spread of the disease.

      Marine Environment

      To ask His Majesty's Government when they will commence the operation of marine net gain.

      Water Companies: Nationalisation

      To ask His Majesty's Government why compensation to shareholders would be required for a water Company in the Special Administration Regime, if they decided that public ownership was a...

      Fluorinated Gases: Regulation

      To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Benyon on 16 March 2023 (HL6230), what progress has been made in the review of the F-gas regulations, both (1) generally,...

  • Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

  • Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

    • Myanmar: Arms Trade

      To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 31 July (HL93), which countries they have sanctioned for providing arms to the Myanmar...

    • Developing Countries: Education

      To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to convene with civil society organisations and education ministers from other governments on developing an international strategy...

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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