Written answers

Friday, 11 April 2025

  • Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

    • Animal Experiments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make £20 million available each year to fund research into alternatives for animal testing.

    • Copyright: Artificial Intelligence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the adequacy of the UK copyright framework for creatives in the context of...

      Voice over Internet Protocol: Older People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will meet with organisations representing older people to discuss the potential impact of the transition to digital...

      Bacteriophages

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to provide funding to develop small-batch GMP phage manufacturing in the UK.

      Data, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender Independent Review

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to publish a response to the Independent review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender,...

      Space Debris

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 32047 on Space Debris, what the nature is of the regulatory reform that...

      Internet: Safety

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, which of the recommendations from the 2019 Online Harms White Paper his Department has implemented.

      Digital Technology: Regulation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to commission external reviews of digital compliance regulations.

      Technology: Regulation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how frequently his Department reviews compliance costs for the technology sector.

      Digital Technology: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to ensure equal access to digital skills training and technology.

      Russia: Sabotage

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many cables his Department has recorded as damaged or suspected of being damaged by Russian ships in (a) the North Sea,...

      Gender and Sex: Data Processing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Advanced Research and Invention Agency on their approach to the (a) coding and (b)...

      Research: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the regional distribution of research and development funding.

      Senior Civil Servants: Recruitment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 28 March 2025 to Question 39577 on Civil Servants: Recruitment, if he will make an assessment of...

      Internet: Access

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to enforce minimum Web Content...

      Sex: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the report entitled Independent review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender, published on 19...

      Copyright: Artificial Intelligence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when he plans to publish the Copyright and Artificial Intelligence Governance consultation.

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Climate Change: Infrastructure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of a global temperature increase that is more than 1.5°C above...

    • Climate Change

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what degree of global temperature increase his Department's climate adaptation plans are intended for.

      Climate Change

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has established criteria to assess progress on climate adaptation.

      Animals: Exports

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure enforcement of the ban on live (a) horse and (b) other animal exports for slaughter.

      Water Companies: Yorkshire and the Humber

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2025, to Question 38543 on Water Companies: Infrastructure, if he will publish his...

      Water Restoration Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his policy is on the reinvestment of environmental (a) fines and (b) penalties collected from (i) water and (ii)...

      Rivers: Hertfordshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve the bathing standard in the (a) River Ver and (b) River Lea.

      National Security: Water Supply

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) protect and (b) maintain water supply infrastructure from hostile actors.

      Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of reductions to the collection of household rubbish on the...

      Packaging: Recycling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of facilitating the recycling of blister packs.

      Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Written Questions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to answer Question 38216, tabled on 13 March 2025.

      Climate and Nature Bill

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to support the Climate and Nature Bill.

      Rights of Way: North of England

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made on turning Wainwright’s Coast to Coast route into a National Trail.

      Agriculture: Technology

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of waiting times for processing (a) applications to and (b) the release of funds from the Farm...

      Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which (a) cities, (b) zones and (c) agglomerations in England exceeded the nitrogen dioxide annual mean limit value in 2023.

  • Home Office

    • Death Certificates

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people had to wait longer than 10 days for a death certificate to be issued following the death of a family member since 2019.

    • Visas: Ukraine

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of Government policy on visas on long term residency for Ukrainians.

      Immigration: European Convention on Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people (a) claim asylum and (b) receive leave to remain based solely on Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

      Death Certificates

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had recent discussions with local authorities on improving processing times for death certificates.

      Visas: Ghana

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for her policies of visa processing times for Ghanaian nationals...

      Home Office: Translation Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total cost was of providing translation services in her Department in the last year.

      Visas: Applications

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average waiting time was for an administrative review of a visa decision between July 2024 and March 2025.

      Immigration: Applications

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the administrative review backlog.

      Offences against Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Ministers will (a) give evidence to and (b) participate in the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth's private inquiry into grooming gangs.

      Police: Electric Vehicles

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of building new charging infrastructure for police electric vehicles in each...

      Police: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to prevent the police from charging victims of theft whose cars have been stolen for the cost of holding or...

      Public Order

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 2 April 2025 to Question 41117 on Public Order, what the additional costs were of policing last year’s disorder.

      Neighbourhood Policing: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 38594 on Neighbourhood Policing: Finance, what estimate she has made of funding...

      Police: Workplace Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will amend the Police pension scheme 1987 to allow surviving (a) partners, (b) widows and (c) widowers to retain their full...

      Organised Crime: Convictions

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were convicted of taking control over the home of another person to use it for criminal activity in each of the last five years.

  • Ministry of Defence

    • Artillery: Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2025 to Question 34898 on Artillery: Procurement, when he plans to make a decision on the procurement of 15 MLRS and...

    • Defence: Reform

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Written Ministerial Statement of 1 April 2025 on Defence Reform, HCWS 573, whether the Chief of Defence People will be replaced by...

      Unmanned Air Systems: Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2025 to Question 38645 on Unmanned Air Systems: Procurement, whether he plans to procure decoy cruise missile-like...

      USA: Import Duties

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the impact of US tariffs on defence exports.

      USA: Defence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the upcoming Defence Industrial Strategy will consider the potential impact of US trade tariffs against UK companies.

      Unmanned Air Systems: Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2025 to Question 39917 on Unmanned Air Systems: Procurement, which other platforms were procured through an Urgent...

      National Armaments Director Group: Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the staffing requirements are for the National Armaments Director Group.

      Military Strategic Headquarters

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Written Ministerial Statement of 1 April 2025 on Defence Reform, HCWS 573, what the staffing requirements are for the Military...

      Defence: Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether compliance obligations related to defence procurement will be assessed for potential reduction.

      Military Aircraft: Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2025 to Question 4159 on Military Aircraft: Procurement, what assessment he has made of the options available for a...

      Military Strategic Headquarters: Costs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the forecasted annual administration cost is of the Military Strategic Headquarters.

  • Department for Business and Trade

  • Ministry of Justice

    • Pupils: Attendance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many School Attendance Order (a) prosecutions and (b) fines there were under section 443 of the Education Act 1996 in each of the last 10 years.

    • Probation: Information Sharing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to improve communication and information sharing between (a) South Wales and Gwent and (b) other regional probation...

      Courts: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Review of the Taking Control of Goods (Fees), published on 17 July 2023, when she plans to (a) (i) consult on the proposals and...

      Sentencing Council

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will conduct a review into the effectiveness of the Sentencing Council.

  • Department for Education

    • Education: Boys

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions her Department has had with secondary school teachers on the (a) attainment, (b) behaviour and (c) attendance of boys in...

    • Class Sizes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of growing class sizes on (a) the academic attainment of students and (b) the quality of lessons.

      Apprentices: Taxation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what was the total (a) apprenticeship levy revenue received from eligible employers, (b) sum and proportion of levy revenue spent on Level 4, 5, 6 and...

      Further Education: Special Educational Needs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department has taken to support the SEND-specialist Further Education sector; and what central capital grants have been provided to...

      Free School Meals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to make a decision on the extension of transitional protections for free school meal entitlements beyond 31 March 2025.

      Schools: Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the (a) sources and (b) levels of carbon emissions for schools in England in each year since 2015.

      Schools: Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much has been spent on ultra-low carbon measures for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in England in each year since 2015.

      Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the expiration of the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund on foster (a) carers...

      Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applications made to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund before March 31st 2025 were rejected on the basis that no future...

  • Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

    • Electronic Cigarettes: Retail Trade

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the introduction of a retailer...

    • Refugees: Ukraine

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to support Ukrainians staying in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset, and (c) the South...

      First Time Buyers: Lancashire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to support first time buyers in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

      Faith Matters and Tell MAMA: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's publication entitled Combatting Hate Against Muslims fund: prospectus, published on...

      Shared Ownership Schemes: Fire Prevention

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support her Department is providing to occupants of shared ownership properties with cladding remediation costs.

      Islamophobia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether any Muslim organisations are not eligible to submit bids to the Combatting Hate Against Muslims fund.

      Homes for Ukraine Scheme: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 36119 on Homes for Ukraine Scheme: Children, whether those...

      Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the entry for Casas Y Palacios in the publication entitled MHCLG: spending over £500, January...

      Local Government: Israel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2025 to Question 38374 on Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters)...

      Freeports: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 27 March 2025 to Question 39870 on Freeports: Finance, what the budgeted (a) capital and (b)...

      Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 28 March 2025 to Question 39867 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:...

      Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Special Advisers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many special advisers are employed by her Department.

  • Department for Transport

    • Department for Transport: Artificial Intelligence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment they have made of the potential impact of the use of AI in their Department on security.

    • Great Western Railway

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of introducing additional diesel multiple units to the Great Western Railway...

      Great Western Railway

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had recent discussions with Great Western Railway on improving customer satisfaction of services in (a) West Dorset constituency and...

      Railway Stations: Rural Areas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the impact of (a) ticket office closures and (b) staffing reductions at rural railways stations on passengers.

      Great Western Railway

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps to help support Great Western Railway to procure additional rolling stock.

      British Transport Police: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to provide sustainable funding to the British Transport Police.

      Great Western Railway: West Dorset

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will hold discussions with Great Western Railway on improving seat availability on services in West Dorset constituency.

      Great British Railways Transition Team: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much money has been spent on the Great British Rail Transition Team.

      Active Travel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will allocate 10% of the transport budget to active travel to increase cycling levels.

      British Transport Police: Electric Vehicles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much British Transport Police has spent on electric vehicles in each of the past 5 years.

      Train Operating Companies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to introduce (a) accountability and (b) enforcement provisions for private train companies during rail nationalisation.

      Govia Thameslink Railway: Fares

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 35853 on Govia Thameslink Railway: Fares, if she will make an estimate of the first year in which...

      Cross Country Trains

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the performance of Arriva Cross Country under the terms of its contract.

      Railways: Lincolnshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to monitor train service improvements in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

      British Transport Police: Electric Vehicles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much British Transport Police has spent on the implementation of infrastructure to accommodate electric police vehicles in each of the past 5 years.

      Heathrow Airport: Railways

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of constructing a western rail link to Heathrow Airport on (a) railway capacity on...

      Heathrow Airport: Railways

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on the potential impact of constructing a western rail...

  • Attorney General

    • Homicide: Aiding and Abetting

      To ask the Solicitor General, with reference to the Crown Prosecution Service Joint Enterprise Pilot 2023: Data Analysis, published on 29 September 2023, what steps she plans to take to help...

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Department for Work and Pensions: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will provide guidance to customer service teams to ensure that written responses are available upon request.

    • Access to Work Programme: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that all DWP caseworkers assessing employees in the Access to Work Plus scheme are fully trained...

      Access to Work Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average waiting time is between submitting an application for Access to Work Plus and (a) an in-person assessment, (b) a funding...

      Access to Work Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to (a) simplify the paperwork and (b) make online submissions possible for Access to Work Plus applications.

      Working Hours

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of working night shifts on (a) health, (b) safety and (c) productivity.

      Universal Credit: North East

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's publication entitled Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper,...

      Universal Credit: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has for the provision of further information on the additional premium provided to claimants for the planned Universal Credit...

      Poverty: North East

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the policy paper entitled Spring Statement 2025 health and disability benefit reforms - Impacts, published in March 2025,...

      Personal Independence Payment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she had discussions with disabled people's groups on the introduction of the requirement that claimants must score a minimum of four...

      Carer's Allowance: North East

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of people who will no longer qualify for Carer's Allowance following the proposed changes to...

      Employment Schemes: Disadvantaged

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she has taken to support people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds in accessing employment opportunities.

      Visual Impairment: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing sight loss training for (a) Access to Work advisors and (b) Jobcentre Plus...

      Personal Independence Payment: North East

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's publication entitled Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18...

      Personal Independence Payment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the aggregate financial value of the proposed reduced entitlements to the Personal Independent Payment for...

      Social Security Benefits: Parkinson's Disease

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her Department's Green Paper entitled Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support...

      Access to Work Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Pathways to work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published in March 2025, what steps...

      Undocumented Migrants: National Insurance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many irregular migrants have been given a National Insurance Number in each year since 2020.

      Personal Independence Payment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, CP 1297, published on 18 March...

      Access to Work Programme: Voluntary Work

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of helping blind and partially sighted people by extending the Access to Work scheme to...

      Unemployment: Insurance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to consult with stakeholders on the potential (a) duration and (b) level of support available in relation to her...

      Personal Independence Payment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 28 March 2025 to Question 39848 on Universal Credit: Disability, if she will publish the wider review of the PIP...

      Personal Independence Payment: Middlesbrough and Thornaby East

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 28 March to Question 39845 on Personal Independence Payments: Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, if she will publish...

      Personal Independence Payment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 28 March 2025 to Question 39851 on Social Security Benefits: Disability, whether the collaboration committees will...

  • Department of Health and Social Care

    • Long Covid: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on clinical support staff of referring patients with long covid to...

    • Chronic Illnesses: Women

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help raise awareness of (a) endometriosis and (b) other women's health issues; and what steps he is taking to...

      Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme: Coronavirus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of claims have been submitted to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme for (a) fatalities and (b) illnesses for...

      Dentistry: Migrant Workers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the capacity of spaces in the Overseas Registration Exam for dentists residing in the UK.

      HIV Infection: Vaccination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding and resources are being allocated to support ongoing clinical trials and research for HIV vaccines within the UK.

      Transplant Surgery: Waiting Lists

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting times were for patients requiring an organ transplant in each of the last five years, broken down by (a)...

      Working Hours: Health

      o ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on commissioning research into the health and productivity impacts of working night shifts.

  • Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

    • Drax Power Station: Timber

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to legislate to prevent the Drax power station burning wood from primary forests for producing non-subsidised...

    • Energy: Prices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending his target for reducing household energy bills in the context of...

      Carbon Emissions: Trees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing hon. Members to access (a) the KPMG interim report of...

      Energy: Costs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the levelised cost of energy for communicating the true cost of energy...

      Small Modular Reactors

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many successful applicants there will be to the Great British Nuclear small modular reactor selection process.

      Nuclear Power Stations: Construction

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to build any more gigawatt nuclear plants after Sizewell C.

      Heat Pumps: Energy Company Obligation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to use the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund to accelerate the roll out of Ground Source Heat Pumps and Shared...

      Solar Power

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the evidential basis is for the solar Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project threshold of 100Mw.

      Great British Energy: Community Energy Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure adequate funding for the Great British Energy Community Fund to support all projects currently...

      Great British Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether GB Energy has a role in the decarbonising of pre-existing housing stock.

      Drax Power Station: Timber

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to stop unabated burning of wood at Drax power station.

      Drax Power Station: Timber

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has issued a response to BBC Panorama’s reports that the Drax powerplant has burned wood from primary...

      Drax Power Station: Timber

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the trees burnt at the Drax power station are imported and transported on diesel freighters.

      Heat Pumps: Dover and Deal

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of using disused mine shafts for clean energy creation using...

      Ferries: Charging Points

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if his Department will take steps to ensure the Port of Dover has sufficient energy supply to the Port to implement electric ferry...

      Great British Energy: Partnerships

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many partnerships with Great British Energy are currently in place; and what the total value is of those partnerships.

      Renewable Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to help accommodate excess domestic renewable power within local power networks.

      Drax Power Station: Subsidies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his proposed extension of subsidies for the Drax power station would raise the guaranteed strike price for the company from...

      Heathrow Airport: Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has held discussions with representatives of Heathrow Airport on energy infrastructure for the airport in...

      Drax Power Station: Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Drax power station on his net zero policies.

      Energy: Park Homes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the energy price cap to park home owners.

      Electricity: Prices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he is taking steps (a) reduce and (b) remove policy costs on electricity bills.

      Heat Pumps and Insulation: Low Incomes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support low-income households with the costs of installing (a) insulation and (b) heat pumps.

  • Treasury

    • Employers' Contributions

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in employers National Insurance Contributions on levels of employment.

    • Economic Policy and Fiscal Policy

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 3.2 of the Office for Budget Responsibility's Economic and Fiscal Outlook, published on 26 March 2025, how the policies scored...

      Agriculture: Inheritance Tax

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2025 to Question 29188 on Agriculture and Business: Inheritance Tax, if she will make an assessment of the potential...

      Digital Technology: Taxation

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2025 to Question 42193 on Digital Technology: Taxation, what recent discussions she has had with her G20 counterparts on...

      Business Rates

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether (a) local authorities, (b) state schools, (c) universities and (d) NHS Trusts subject to the business rates surcharge for properties with a...

      Public Expenditure: Wales

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Secretary of State for Transport's Oral Statement of 24 March 2025 on Road Maintenance, whether she has made an estimate of the...

      Disposable Income

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her oral statement on Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, Official Report, Column 952, what the evidential basis is that households will...

      Civil Servants: Redundancy

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Spring Statement 2025, which Departments will be impacted by the £150 million for Government employee exit schemes.

      Disposable Income: Forecasts

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the net impact of (a) Government policies since 4 July 2024, (b) the Autumn Budget 2024 and (c) the Spring Statement 2025 has been on the Office for...

      Defence: Finance

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of the additional defence expenditure she announced at the Spring Statement falls under capital departmental expenditure limits; what...

      Civil Servants: Redundancy

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 41608 on Civil Service: Redundancy, which Departments will contribute additional funding for employee...

      Child Tax Credit: Foster Care

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered reallocating Child Tax Credit payments previously claimed by a child’s parents prior to their entering foster care to that...

      Social Security Benefits: Disability

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to provide hon. Members with an economic and fiscal outlook assessment by the Office for Budget Responsibility of the...

      Transformation Fund

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Spring Statement 2025, whether the abolition of NHS England will be entirely funded by the £150 million included in the...

  • Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

    • MI6: Stonewall

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Secret Intelligence Service is a paid member of Stonewall.

    • Water Supply

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Ministerial roundtable on water security, 13 March 2025:...

      British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what formal response he has received from the US on the proposed treaty with Mauritius.

      Israel: Arms Trade

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to publish legal advice on the licensing of arms sales to Israel.

      Diego Garcia: Military Bases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether any marine areas will be covered within the lease of the base on Diego Garcia.

      China: Taiwan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of military (a) operations and...

      China: Taiwan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on that country's military (a) operations and (b) drills...

      Diego Garcia: Military Bases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made a formal request to the US to support the costs of the proposed lease for the military base at...

      British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on the...

      Wildlife: Smuggling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to support the creation of an additional protocol to the United Nations Convention Against...

      Development Aid: Drug Resistance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of the Official Development Assistance budget is allocated to initiatives tackling antimicrobial...

      Roman Abramovich

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if the Government will seize the interest that has accrued on Roman Abramovich’s assets associated with the...

      UNRWA: Development Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the effectiveness of Official Development Assistance provided to...

      UNRWA: Development Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reductions in Official Development Assistance on the...

      Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Cyprus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department plan to visit the official memorial in Girne in Northern Cyprus.

      Middle East: Development Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reductions in Official Development Assistance on UK...

      World Food Programme: Development Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much Official Development Assistance was allocated to the World Food Programme in each of the last five...

      UNICEF: Development Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much Official Development Assistance was allocated to UNICEF in each of the last five financial years.

      World Food Programme: Development Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reductions in Official Development Assistance on the...

  • Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    • Lotteries: Taxation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what reason it is her policy to place a mandatory gambling levy on society lotteries while not requiring the National Lottery to...

    • Sports: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she has taken to improve funding available for youth sports competitions.

      Youth Services: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her...

      Newspaper Press: Regulation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing mandatory independent press regulation.

      Sports: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her...

      Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Offices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many days each Minister has spent in her Department's Manchester office since 4 July 2024.

      Rugby: Listed Events

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including the Six Nations as part of the listed events regime.

      Press: Regulation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of press regulation.

      Center for Countering Digital Hate

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2025 to Question 34451 on Center for Countering Digital Hate, whether (a) her Department and (b) the...

      Premier League: Advertising

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the enforcement by the Gambling Commission of legislation on preventing unlicensed...

      Aquariums and Zoos: Departmental Responsibilities

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of her Department taking responsibility for (a) zoos and (b) aquariums.

  • Cabinet Office

    • Public Sector: Fraud

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many times the Public Sector Fraud Authority has applied to the county court for a recovery order for the assets of people found to have committed...

    • Civil Servants: Recruitment

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to help increase the number of civil servants who come from low income backgrounds.

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Farms: Fly-tipping and Theft

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of (1) theft from farms and (2) flytipping in each of the last three years, and what steps they are taking to reduce these.

    • Recycling: Scotland

      To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish a nationwide accreditation scheme for tested and repaired products similar to the Revolve programme in Scotland.

      Recycling: Greater Manchester

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Greater Manchester Renew Hub on circular consumer practices, and what plans they have to replicate this project...

      Poultry: Animal Welfare

      To ask His Majesty's Government what actions they will take, if any, in response to a campaign launched on 3 April called 'Ban Hatch & Dispatch' by the Vegetarian Society calling on the...

      Inland Waterways: Litter

      To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of funding they have provided to the Canal and Rivers Trust is intended to be used to keep urban waterways and towpaths clean.

      Inland Waterways: Litter

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of current bin provision beside waterways in urban areas.

      Recycling: Infrastructure

      To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve recycling infrastructure and technologies to enable the increased recovery of critical minerals and other materials.

      Large Goods Vehicles: Northern Ireland

      To ask His Majesty's Government how many lorries have been prevented from entering Northern Ireland and returned to Great Britain as a result of internal UK market checks in the past 12 months.

  • Department for Education

    • Relationships and Sex Education

      To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that reproductive health issues, such as polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, fertility and menopause symptoms, are covered in...

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Pensioners: Poverty

      To ask His Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of pensioners living below the poverty line in 2024–25.

    • Pathways to Work

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether the £1 billion employment, health and skills support package for disabled people and those with long-term medical conditions will be available to...

      Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of those affected by the under-occupancy charge, particularly where no alternative accommodation is offered, and what...

  • The Senior Deputy Speaker

    • Parliamentary Estate: Pedestrians and Road Traffic

      To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, further to his Written Answer on 19 September 2023 (HL9892), when he was informed that there was more up to date information than he provided in that Answer, as...

    • Parliamentary Estate: Road Traffic Control

      To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, further to his Written Answer on 28 March (HL5836), between December 2023 and March 2025, what was the percentage increase in cost to Parliament of providing a...

      Parliamentary Estate: Road Traffic Control

      To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, further to his Written Answer on 28 March (HL5836), what was the cost in 2023 to Parliament including VAT of a traffic marshal service working 12 hours...

      Parliamentary Estate: Road Traffic Control

      To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, further to his Written Answer on 28 March (HL5836), what is the cost to Parliament including VAT of a traffic marshal service working 12 hours a day, 5 days a...

      Government Bills: Braille

      To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether the House of Lords Administration will publish marshalled lists of amendments to bills and related documents in braille format to ensure that documents...

  • Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

    • Infrastructure: Planning

      To ask His Majesty's Government which individual infrastructure planning National Policy Statements will be updated by summer 2025, and which will be updated on a slower timetable.

    • Victoria Tower Gardens

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the inclusion of Victoria Tower Gardens on the list published by Europa Nostra and the European Investment Bank, 7 most...

      Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition Working Group

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to place in the Library of the House a summary of (1) each meeting between the Minister for Faith, Communities and Resettlement the chair of the...

      Religious Hatred

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to formulate official definitions of hatred or abuse against adherents of any religion other than Islam.

      Islamophobia

      To ask His Majesty's Government how many non-Muslims have been recorded as victims of Islamophobic hate crimes in the last five years.

      Religious Hatred

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to formulate official definitions of hatred or abuse of adherents of Sikhism, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, or any other religions...

  • Cabinet Office

    • Office for National Statistics: Remote Working

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether the independent investigation into the effectiveness of the Office for National Statistics will consider the impact of full-time remote working.

    • Public Bodies: Disclosure of Information

      To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce legislation to provide for a duty of candour for public bodies.

      Civil Servants: Neurodiversity

      To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 26 March (HL5733), whether it is their policy that civil servants may self-identify...

      Employment

      To ask His Majesty's Government what are the latest employee activity rates for (1) England and each of the regions of England, (2) Northern Ireland, (3) Scotland, (4) Wales, and (5) the United...

      Architecture: Professions

      To ask His Majesty's Government why membership of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists is not a recognised Property Professional Accreditation within the Government Property...

      Public Sector: Procurement

      To ask His Majesty's Government what analysis they undertook to assess the material fiscal impact of the updated social value model in the Procurement Policy Note 002, published on 13 February.

      Government Departments: Ethics

      To ask His Majesty's Government how ethical concerns raised by civil servants are escalated (1) within departments, and (2) to the Cabinet Office; and what factors determine when the...

      Public Sector: Procurement

      To ask His Majesty's Government how many full-time equivalent staff are employed in the Procurement Review Unit, and how this compares to the number of full-time equivalent roles allocated to the...

  • Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

    • Democratic Republic of the Congo: Minerals

      To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they have issued to UK companies that operate in industries at risk of exposure to illicit minerals originating from territory occupied by M23 rebels...

    • Tigray: Politics and Government

      To ask His Majesty's Government, following the departure of Getachew Reda as interim President of Tigray, what steps they are taking to prevent the fragmentation of governance in Tigray.

      Egypt: Religious Freedom

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the religious freedoms in Egypt of (1) Copts, and (2) Roman Catholics.

      Ethiopia: Eritrea

      To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Collins of Highbury on 1 April (HL5876), what action they are taking in addition to issuing joint statements to prevent...

      African Union: Conflict Resolution

      To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the African Union in its role as a guarantor of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement.

      Religious Freedom

      To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the rising number of prisoners of conscience detained for their religious beliefs worldwide; and what assessment they have...

      Democratic Republic of the Congo: Armed Conflict

      To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Qatar about the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and support by Rwanda for M23 rebels.

      Conflict Resolution: Women

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to make changes to the UK Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan 2023–2027, and if so, how they plan to make those changes, who...

      Ukraine: War Crimes

      To ask His Majesty's Government, following reports that the government of the United States of America has (1) withdrawn from the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime...

      Ukraine: Humanitarian Aid

      To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support non-governmental humanitarian initiatives providing emergency aid and medical supplies to Ukraine.

  • Department of Health and Social Care

    • NHS: Redundancy Pay

      To ask His Majesty's Government what provision they have made for redundancy payments for the abolition of NHS England, and the reduction in size of integrated care boards.

  • Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

    • Economic Situation

      To ask His Majesty's Government, following the publication in Environmental Research Letters on 31 March of Reconsidering the macroeconomic damage of severe warming, what assessment they have...

    • Listed Buildings: Energy Performance Certificates

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether landlords will be able to let listed properties which do not reach energy performance certificate rating C in the future under current plans to...

      Fuel Poverty: Rural Areas

      To ask His Majesty's Government, following the finding published on 27 March in Annual Fuel Poverty Statistics in England, 2025 (2024 data) that rural households have a higher rate of fuel...

      Energy: Housing

      To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to (1) improve energy efficiency in rural homes, and (2) improve access to advanced energy solutions.

      Nuclear Fusion

      To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the development of fusion energy and allied technologies.

      Nuclear Power: Public Consultation

      To ask His Majesty's Government how many responses were received for the Alternative Routes to Market for New Nuclear Projects consultation.

  • Treasury

    • Unpaid Taxes: Debts Written Off

      To ask His Majesty's Government how much uncollected tax they have written off in each of the past 10 years.

    • Duchy of Cornwall: Corporation Tax and Capital Gains Tax

      To ask His Majesty's Government which piece of legislation originally granted exemptions to the Duchy of Cornwall from paying corporation tax and capital gains tax; and what is the monetary value...

      Private Finance Initiative: Contracts

      To ask His Majesty's Government, following the publication on 19 February of Current PFI and PF2 projects as at 31 March 2024, why data for 273 projects does not include one or more of (1)...

      Electronic Government: Reviews

      To ask His Majesty's Government, following the publication on 21 January of the State of digital government review, whether the estimated £45 billion in annual savings and...

      UK Internal Trade: Repayments

      To ask His Majesty's Government how many applications they have received to the Duty Reimbursement Scheme in each year since the scheme was set up, and how much has been reimbursed in each year.

      Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland

      To ask His Majesty's Government what the Barnett consequentials are for Northern Ireland arising from the £1 billion support package announced for employment, health and skills for the...

      Development Aid: Defence

      To ask His Majesty's Government how much of the funds transferred from overseas development assistance expenditure to defence may be used by the armed forces on revenue expenditure rather than...

      Unpaid Taxes

      To ask His Majesty's Government what assumptions they have made in their budget estimates for additional resources gained from the recovery of unpaid tax.

      Unpaid Taxes

      To ask His Majesty's Government what additional staff and funding they have provided to allow HMRC to pursue unpaid tax.

      Development Aid: Defence

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether fiscal rules or defence priorities determined that more than 90 per cent of the expenditure transferred to defence from overseas development assistance is...

      Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland

      To ask His Majesty's Government what are the Barnett consequentials for Northern Ireland following its agreement of a new funding package for community pharmacies in England.

  • Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

    • Intimate Image Abuse

      To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 27 March (HL5777), whether they will now answer the question put; namely, how many (1)...

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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