Afzal Khan MP: written questions 2025
253 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Nurseries: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70917More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of business rates on (a) private, (b) voluntary and (c) independent nurseries.
Answer: In April 2025, the Government removed eligibility of private schools in England for business rates charitable rate relief. Schools that satisfy the definition of a private school have lost entitlement to charitable rate relief entirely. This definition ma...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPre-school EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70916More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a national public awareness campaign on (a) the role of early years education in child development and (b) its wider economic impact.
Answer: Ensuring every child has the best start in life is at the heart of this government’s Plan for Change. This is why we are expanding childcare and providing parents with support and information to help their child’s development.Children attending high quali...
Answered 23 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70915More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help support local authorities to (a) simplify and (b) standardise the process for accessing (i) SEND funding and (ii) Education, Health, and Care Plans in early years set
Answer: As part of our strategy to give every child the best start in life, the department is committed to make it easier for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to access early education and childcare by investing in the support avail...
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: TrainingDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70914More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the delivery of comprehensive SEND training in early years qualification routes.
Answer: Through our Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life strategy, the department will make inclusive practice standard practice in the early years by embedding an inclusive approach in our workforce education, training and leadership opportunities.In 2023 t...
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: Overseas StudentsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70913More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the visa applications of students in Gaza accepted to British universities.
Answer: We are working urgently to support Chevening Scholars and fully funded scholarship holders in Gaza who have offers from British universities to leave and take up their places in the UK. The Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary and I are in regular contact on...
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordObesity: ChildrenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70912More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Nutrition North’s report entitled Food, Health and Nutrition in the North of England: Inequalities and opportunities published on 22 July 2025, what steps the Department is taking
Answer: The Government is committed to supporting people to stay healthier for longer. This includes tackling the determinants that underpin stark health inequalities to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions.Tackling chi...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHealthy Start SchemeDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70911More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will commit to increasing the value of the Healthy Start scheme to match the cost of (a) fresh fruit, (b) fresh vegetables, (c) infant formula and (d) other essential items.
Answer: Healthy Start is a demand-led, statutory scheme which aims to support those in greatest need. We recently announced in Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan that we will uplift the value of weekly payments by 10%, boosting the ability to buy healthy foo...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordFood PovertyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70910More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has plans to increase access to (a) affordable and (b) nutritious food in deprived communities through (i) subsidies, (ii) planning measures and (iii) local food programmes.
Answer: Towards a Good Food Cycle, the UK Government food strategy for England, published on 15 July, sets out the Government's plans to transform the food system. A UK government food strategy for England - GOV.UK. The outcomes set out in the strategy include an...
Answered 23 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordObesity: ChildrenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70909More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle childhood obesity rates in the North of England.
Answer: The Government is committed to supporting people to stay healthier for longer. This includes tackling the determinants that underpin stark health inequalities to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions.Tackling chi...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth: Manchester RusholmeDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69973More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) tackle health inequalities and (b) help increase life expectancy in Manchester Rusholme constituency.
Answer: The Government recognises that the United Kingdom faces significant health inequalities which is why, in the 10-Year Health Plan, we have set out the goal to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions. Through priorit...
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCybersecurityDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69931More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of certification and professional standards on the (a) quality and (b) resilience of the UK’s cybersecurity workforce.
Answer: The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology works closely with the UK Cyber Security Council, the professional body for the UK’s cyber workforce, supporting its efforts to develop professional standards. The Council was formed on the back of wor...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCybersecurityDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69930More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has had discussions with professional bodies to promote uptake of cybersecurity (a) qualifications and (b) apprenticeships.
Answer: The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology works closely with the UK Cyber Security Council, the professional body for the UK’s cyber workforce, supporting its efforts to develop professional standards. The Council was formed on the back of wor...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCybersecurityDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69929More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to increase the cybersecurity workforce.
Answer: The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is increasing the number of individuals entering the UK’s cyber security workforce through CyberFirst, which has engaged over 415,000 young people with bursaries, competitions and training. The recentl...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHealthy Start SchemeDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68800More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to increase the amount of money available to people using the Healthy Start scheme, in the context of increases in the cost of (a) fruit, (b) vegetables, (c) infant fo
Answer: Healthy Start is a demand-led, statutory scheme and aims to support those in greatest need. We recently announced in Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan that we will uplift the value of weekly payments by 10%, boosting the ability to buy healthy food ...
Answered 25 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: DrugsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68796More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure access to new medicines for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in England.
Answer: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing authoritative, evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effectiv...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRespiratory Diseases: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68795More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to implement benchmarking measures to ensure access to care for people with (a) respiratory conditions and (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in England.
Answer: NHS England continues to focus on ensuring that respiratory data is readily available to all regions and systems and to ensuring that there is consistency of data, definitions, and metrics to enable meaningful comparison, monitoring of progress, and to id...
Answered 25 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordTeachers: GraduatesDepartment for EducationTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67960More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to work (a) Teach First and (b) other school led partnerships to place additional high calibre graduates into schools in low income communities.
Answer: Evidence shows that high-quality teaching is the most important in-school factor that improves outcomes for children. The department has reformed initial teacher training and the early career induction to ensure that children in every area of England bene...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordTeachers: Career DevelopmentDepartment for EducationTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67959More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help (a) reduce workload and (b) enhance professional development support for teachers in schools serving low income communities.
Answer: The department knows that the quality of teaching is the most important in-school factor for improving pupil outcomes, and that it is particularly important for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. Our scholarship funding for national professional quali...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordTeachers: Labour TurnoverDepartment for EducationTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67958More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve retention of early career teachers in schools rated (a) requires improvement and (b) inadequate by Ofsted.
Answer: From September 2025, all early career teachers (ECTs) are entitled to two years of development support and training based on the content of the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF). The offer for ECTs includes regular, structured s...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordTeachers: TrainingDepartment for EducationTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67957More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with (a) the Teaching Regulation Agency and (b) university providers on expanding initial teacher training places targeted at schools in disadvantaged areas.
Answer: Evidence shows that high-quality teaching is the most important in-school factor that improves outcomes for children. The department has reformed initial teacher training and the early career induction to ensure that children in every area of England bene...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordTeachers: VacanciesDepartment for EducationTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67956More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will (a) extend and (b) increase bursaries and salary uplifts for shortage subject teachers in schools with high proportions of pupils from low income backgrounds.
Answer: For the 2024/25 and 2025/26 academic years, the department is offering Targeted Retention Incentive payments worth up to £6,000 after tax for mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers in the first five years of their careers who choose to wor...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordICT: GCE A-levelDepartment for EducationTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67955More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of teacher shortages on the availability of Computer Science A level in schools in the most disadvantaged areas.
Answer: Recruiting and retaining more qualified, expert teachers is critical to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and boost the life chances for every young person, including those most disadvantaged.Whilst it is ultimately for indivi...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordMethane: Pollution ControlDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67444More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to promote UK leadership on methane reduction (a) technologies and (b) services in international markets ahead of COP30.
Answer: We promote the use of technology in reducing emissions across agriculture, waste and oil and gas sectors. Examples include offshore and onshore oil and gas operators using cameras, drones and sensors to detect leaks, capturing methane from landfill and us...
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordMethane: Pollution ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67443More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of methane reduction measures on (a) air quality and (b) public health.
Answer: The Government recognises that methane contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone, a harmful air pollutant, and is also a significant greenhouse gas. That is why the Government are taking action to drive down emissions of this pollutant.
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordLandfill: MethaneDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67442More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to support local authorities in tackling methane emissions from landfill sites through improved (a) waste separation, (b) capture technologies and (c) food waste redu
Answer: Reducing emissions further requires ‘turning off the tap’ for landfill gas production by diverting biodegradable waste from landfill, as well as maximising capture and destruction of landfill gas created by previously deposited waste. Defra is exploring o...
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
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