Written answers

Friday, 3 October 2025

  • Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

    • International Law: Petitions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when the Government will respond to a petition on international law violations by the UK in Palestine between 1917...

    • Gaza: Humanitarian Situation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Israeli counterpart on the potential impact of the conflict in Gaza on older...

      Gaza: Humanitarian Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with the (a) United Nations and (b) International Maritime Organisation on...

      Gaza: Humanitarian Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help protect British (a) vessels and (b) civilians when en route to provide...

      Pakistan: Religious Freedom

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Pakistani counterpart on the use of blasphemy legislation to target...

      Gaza: Internally Displaced People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Israeli Ambassador to the UK on Israel's plans to clear Gaza City.

      Gaza: Israel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to provide safe zones around hospitals and recognised refugee camps in Gaza.

      Western Sahara: Civil Liberties

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make representations to her Moroccan counterpart on the restrictions on Saharawis’ rights to...

      Israel: Palestinians

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he is having with international partners on protecting Palestinians living in the Occupied...

      Pakistan: Ahmadiyya

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Pakistani counterpart following the assassination of Dr Sheikh Mahmood in...

      Gaza: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential long-term impacts of the conflict in Gaza on children in...

      Gaza: Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the Israeli government on the closure of the Polyclinic in Deir...

      Gaza: Journalism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with international partners on greater protections for journalists in Gaza.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when she plans to respond to correspondence of 30 June 2025 and 22 August 2025 from the Hon Member for...

      Isaac Herzog

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has granted a Special Mission Immunity certificate to President Isaac Herzog of Israel in...

      Gaza: Aid Workers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with international partners on greater protections for humanitarian workers in Gaza.

      Hamas: Guided Weapons

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 September 2025 to Question 70326 on Hamas: Guided Weapons, if he will make...

      Israel: Foreign Relations

      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 the post by the Israeli...

      Occupied Territories: Christianity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the protection of the Christian...

      Palestinians: Humanitarian Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Cooperation between the United Kingdom of Great...

      Pakistan: Floods

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) humanitarian relief, (b) long-term recovery and reconstruction,...

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when her Department plans to respond to the correspondence of 25 June 2025 from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot...

      Western Sahara: Property Development

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will have discussions with her Moroccan counterpart on (a) the coastal development projects that entail...

      Israeli Settlements

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the creation of Israeli settlements...

      Jordan: Development Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of reductions to overseas aid on Jordan.

      Iraq: Minority Groups

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her international counterparts to ensure the protection of (a) Yazidis,...

      Gaza: Humanitarian Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June to Question 59824 on Gaza: Humanitarian Aid, whether his Department has had...

  • Department for Education

    • Schools: Bedfordshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the press release entitled Patients and pupils to benefit from school and hospital repairs, published on 30 May 2025, whether any...

    • Schools: Huntingdon

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which schools are included in the scope of the School Rebuilding Programme in Huntingdon constituency.

      Free School Meals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that schools enable pupils with severe dietary conditions to access free school meal entitlements.

      Pre-school Education: Disadvantaged

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure disadvantaged children in early years settings have access to healthy, nutritious meals.

      GCSE: Disadvantaged

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals achieved a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSEs in the 2024-25 academic year .

      Pre-school Education: Disadvantaged

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that early years practitioners are (a) trained and (b) supported to meet the needs of disadvantaged and...

      Pre-school Education: Vacancies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) including key skilled early years professional roles where there is a shortage to the...

      Schools: Asbestos

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to remove asbestos from schools in South Holland and the Deepings constituency.

      School Meals: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of schools' compliance with the School Food Standards.

      School Choice

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has issued guidance to local authorities in England on the impact of changes to VAT on independent schools on school places.

      Pre-school Education: Disadvantaged

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish data on the take-up of funded early years places by disadvantaged children by local authority.

      Pre-school Education: Disadvantaged

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that early years provision in disadvantaged areas is adequately funded to meet the needs of children and...

      Pre-school Education: School Meals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of healthy food provision in early years settings on (a) child health and (b)...

      Extended Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to produce a strategy on widening the availability of wraparound childcare.

      Special Educational Needs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to (a) reduce class sizes and (b) provide focused support in maintained special schools.

      Media: Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to include media literacy within the English curriculum as part of the ongoing curriculum review.

      Special Educational Needs: North West

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help support local authorities in the North West to (a) process and (b) issue education, health and care plans...

      Housing Market: Curriculum

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will hold discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the potential merits of including the...

      Special Educational Needs: Newbury

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help support West Berkshire Council to increase SEND provision in Newbury.

      Literature: Curriculum

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Curriculum and Assessment Review will consider mandating a gender balance in the authors of texts students study for GCSE English Literature.

      Science: GCSE

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the gap between the lowest and highest achievers in GCSE science performance.

      English Language: GCSE

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the gap between the lowest and highest achievers in GCSE english performance.

      Arts: Curriculum

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including a target of at least 80 hours of enrichment activities in the enrichment framework.

      History: Curriculum

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of including the role of agricultural workers in wartime Britain as part of the...

      Motability: Parents

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has issued guidance to local authorities on taking into account the provision of Motability Scheme transport to parents when...

      Teachers: Qualifications

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of awarding Qualified Teacher Status to PhD holders without requiring completion...

      Pupils: English Language

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the number of (a) primary and (b) secondary school pupils who have English as a second language.

      Travel: Schools

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of amending statutory guidance on home to school transport so that local...

      Financial Services: Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support is available to teachers to improve (a) confidence and (b) skills in delivering financial education.

      Pupils: Private Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the reasons for changes to the number of private school pupils between the 2024-25 and 2025-26 academic year.

      Pupils: Newton Abbot

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support children's wellbeing in schools in Newton Abbot constituency.

      Free School Meals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of schools that have the budget to provide free school meals in the next 5 years in a) Somerset and (b) England.

      Private Education: VAT

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of VAT on independent school fees on the ability on non-affluent families to...

      Education: Sustainable Development

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure schools reach Sustainable Development Goal 4.7.

      Radicalism: Schools

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the operation of the Prevent programme in schools.

      Childcare: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing monthly start dates for the 30 hours funded childcare scheme.

      Private Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when Ministers in her Department last met representatives of the independent school sector to discuss issues facing that sector.

      Holiday Activities and Food Programme: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department’s Spending Review settlement includes funding for a multi-year extension to the Holiday activities and food programme.

      Schools: Mental Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what mental health support is available to young people after receiving exam results.

      Pupils: Disadvantaged

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that children receive adequate financial support during the school holidays in Surrey Heath constituency.

      Holiday Activities and Food Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has for the Holiday activities and food programme after 31 March 2026.

      Holiday Activities and Food Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to ensure the continuation of Holiday Activity Funding.

      Extracurricular Activities: Vetting

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to mandate a National Activities Safeguarding Framework for Children and Vulnerable Adults participating in extracurricular activities.

      Pupils: Radicalism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the number and proportion of children and young people who were referred to Prevent who had Education, Health and...

      Pre-school Education: Languages

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which schools are taking part in the Early Language Support for Every Child Programme in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

      Pupils: Radicalism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has issued guidance to schools on consulting a child’s (a) EHCP and (b) SEND coordinators before they are referred to Prevent.

      Family Hubs: Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of funding for new Best Start Family Hubs is classified as capital spending.

      Schools: Heating

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the (a) condition and (b) efficiency of radiator-based heating systems in schools.

      Child Rearing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's policy paper Giving every child the best start in life strategy, published on 7 July 2025, what steps her...

      Schools: Safety

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department has issued to schools and educational settings on responding to terrorist attack threats.

  • Ministry of Defence

    • Global Combat Air Programme: Japan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which elements of the Global Combat air programme are included within the scope of the Industrial Strategy partnership with the Japanese government...

    • Nato

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to recommendation 2 of the Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025, what recent progress he has made on establishing a roadmap...

  • Department for Business and Trade

    • Trade Agreements: Israel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of suspending the UK-Israel trade and partnership agreement, in the context of the human...

  • Home Office

    • Deportation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many seats were booked on deportation charter flights in the last year; and how many were used.

    • Deportation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many charter flights for deportations were scheduled in the last 12 months; and how many took place.

      Deportation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the backlog in deportation cases.

      Deportation: Appeals

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department’s policy is on restricting multiple appeals against deportation.

  • Department of Health and Social Care

    • Ovarian Cancer: Screening

      To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they will give to recent research which has shown that a blood test can detect ovarian cancer.

  • Home Office

    • Freight: Crime

      To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a national freight crime strategy, including proposals for criminal law measures, and on what timeframe.

    • Undocumented Migrants: Republic of Ireland

      To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to prevent illegal migrants who arrive in the Republic of Ireland from travelling into Northern Ireland and then to Great Britain.

      Home Office: Written Questions

      To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Hanson of Flint on 15 September (HL9952, HL9953, HL9954, HL9955, HL9956), whether they will answer the questions put.

      Electric Bicycles: Pedestrian Areas

      To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the police forces about the potential dangers of food couriers riding electric bicycles on pavements.

      Asylum: Temporary Accommodation

      To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 3 September (HL10232), how many asylum seekers are currently placed in (1) hotels, (2) houses...

      Undocumented Migrants: English Channel

      To ask His Majesty's Government how many migrants arrived by small boats, and how many were deported to France, on 18 September.

  • Cabinet Office

    • Prime Minister: Staff

      To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish an organisational chart of the current structure, including the decision-making hierarchy, of those working in the Prime Minister's...

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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