Al Pinkerton MP: written questions

1577 published records · newest first.

Written questions

Freight: UK Trade with EUDepartment for TransportTabled 14 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127361More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of how many haulier firms have been barred from re-entry to the EU since the start of the phased introduction of the Entry Exit Scheme due to exceeding the EU's 90/180 day rule.
Answer: The Department for Transport does not hold this information. The 90/180 limit is a fundamental part of the EU’s conditions of entry for third country nationals to its territory, including for visa-free travel for short-term visits. As such, it is not UK G...
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Freight: UK Trade with EUDepartment for TransportTabled 14 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127360More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the number of haulier firms which have reported receiving fines for exceeding the EU's 90/180 day rule since the start of the phased introduction of the Entry Exit Scheme.
Answer: The Department for Transport does not hold this information. The 90/180 limit is a fundamental part of the EU’s conditions of entry for third country nationals to its territory, including for visa-free travel for short-term visits. As such, it is not UK G...
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
PovertyDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 13 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126938More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of financial hardship among people not eligible for support due to existing means-testing arrangements.
Answer: The department's headline poverty statistics, Households Below Average Income (HBAI) statistics - GOV.UK show trends in income-based poverty back to 1994/95, including breakdowns regarding whether families are in receipt of means-tested benefits or not. T...
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Universal Credit: Earnings RulesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 13 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126937More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of household income rules within Universal Credit on individuals without independent access to financial resources.
Answer: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Answered 29 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Employment Schemes: Skilled WorkersDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 13 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126936More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that jobseekers with professional experience are supported to secure employment reflecting their skills and experience.
Answer: This Government is committed to delivering an employment support system that is personalised to individual needs. All jobseekers are entitled to tailored and flexible support through Jobcentre Plus. Work Coaches offer personalised advice to help individua...
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Driving Licences: HealthDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126473More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of delays in medical driving licence decisions by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency on the ability of affected people to (a) access employme
Answer: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. In the interests of road safety, the DVLA must be satisfied that the required medical standards are met before a licence is issued. Applications where ...
Answered 16 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Driving Licences: HealthDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126472More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of funding available to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to process medical driving licence applications.
Answer: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. In the interests of road safety, the DVLA must be satisfied that the required medical standards are met before a licence is issued. Applications where ...
Answered 16 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Driving Licences: HealthDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126471More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate she has made of the number of driving licence applications delayed due to medical evidence requirements.
Answer: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. In the interests of road safety, the DVLA must be satisfied that the required medical standards are met before a licence is issued. Applications where ...
Answered 16 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Driving Licences: HealthDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126470More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for applicants seeking updates on medical driving licence cases.
Answer: In 2025/26 the average time to make a licensing decision in cases where a medical condition(s) needed to be investigated before a licence could be issued was 56.66 days. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is currently reviewing the content of...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Driving Licences: HealthDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126469More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve communication between the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and medical professionals in the processing of driving licence applications.
Answer: In 2025/26 the average time to make a licensing decision in cases where a medical condition(s) needed to be investigated before a licence could be issued was 56.66 days. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is currently reviewing the content of...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Driving Licences: HealthDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126468More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data her Department holds on the time taken to (a) renew and (b) reinstate driving licences involving medical conditions in the last 12 months.
Answer: In 2025/26 the average time to make a licensing decision in cases where a medical condition(s) needed to be investigated before a licence could be issued was 56.66 days. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is currently reviewing the content of...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Driving Licences: HealthDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126467More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of average processing times for medical driving licence applications by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.
Answer: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. In the interests of road safety, the DVLA must be satisfied that the required medical standards are met before a licence is issued. Applications where ...
Answered 16 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Pharmacy: AccessDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126410More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to review accessibility provisions in community pharmacy services.
Answer: The Department recognises the importance of ensuring community pharmacy services are safe and accessible to all patients, including those with disabilities and sensory impairments in Surrey and the Surrey Heath constituency.In addition to the legal requir...
Answered 16 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Pharmacy: SafetyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126409More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve patient safety in community pharmacy settings in Surrey.
Answer: The Department recognises the importance of ensuring community pharmacy services are safe and accessible to all patients, including those with disabilities and sensory impairments in Surrey and the Surrey Heath constituency.In addition to the legal requir...
Answered 16 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Pharmacy: DisabilityDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126408More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the accessibility of community pharmacy services for people with sensory impairments in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: The Department recognises the importance of ensuring community pharmacy services are safe and accessible to all patients, including those with disabilities and sensory impairments in Surrey and the Surrey Heath constituency.In addition to the legal requir...
Answered 16 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Pharmacy: DisabilityDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126407More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure community pharmacy services are accessible to patients with disabilities in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: The Department recognises the importance of ensuring community pharmacy services are safe and accessible to all patients, including those with disabilities and sensory impairments in Surrey and the Surrey Heath constituency.In addition to the legal requir...
Answered 16 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Respiratory Diseases: Surrey HeathDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126389More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) prevalence and (b) impact of respiratory conditions on health outcomes in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: Respiratory conditions are a leading cause of hospital admissions and the third biggest cause of death in England. Data is available for emergency Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The foll...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Respiratory Diseases: SurreyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126388More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support the adoption of new (a) treatments and (b) innovations for respiratory conditions across NHS services in Surrey.
Answer: Improving respiratory care for both adults and children remains a priority, and this forms part of the Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Boards’s CORE20Plus5 ambitions for both adults, for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and children and young peop...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Children: MaintenanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126386More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he will review the adequacy of safeguards to ensure the accuracy of arrears and appropriate court oversight in the enforcement of child maintenance liabilities.
Answer: The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to ensuring that parents meet their financial responsibilities in full and on time with payments calculated so they are reasonable and affordable for the paying parent. When arrears are identified, parents ...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Children: MaintenanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126381More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the accuracy of the payment calculation approach used by the Child Maintenance Service.
Answer: The Department of Work and Pensions assures the accuracy of Child Maintenance payment calculations. As part of its Quality Framework, the measurement carried out by the Department is then independently assured by the National Audit Office. Information on ...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Child Maintenance Service: StandardsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126380More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) transparency and (b) accountability in the administration of child maintenance services.
Answer: The Department is committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in the administration of the Child Maintenance Service (CMS). The Child Maintenance Decision Makers’ Guide is published on GOV.UK and provides transparency around CMS policy and guida...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Chronic Illnesses: Surrey HeathDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126072More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve access to coordinated care for patients living with multiple long-term conditions with overlapping symptomatology in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: The Department recognises that people living with multiple long‑term conditions with overlapping symptoms can face challenges in navigating health services, including in Surrey Heath, and that coordinated, person‑centred care is essential to improving out...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: Surrey HeathDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126071More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of diagnostic pathways for patients presenting with suspected (a) hypermobility spectrum disorders and (b) hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndromes in Surrey
Answer: The Department recognises that timely and accurate diagnosis of hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD) and hypermobile Ehlers‑Danlos syndrome (hEDS) is important in supporting people to access appropriate care and management, including people in Surrey He...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Motor Vehicles: Excise DutiesDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125960More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of reviewing the methodology used to estimate Vehicle Excise Duty evasion rates.
Answer: The Department for Transport regularly keeps the methodology used in its official statistics under review, in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, and considers opportunities to improve methods where this is proportionate and supported by eviden...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
Motor Vehicles: Excise DutiesDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125959More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the accuracy of the methodology used to estimate Vehicle Excise Duty evasion rates.
Answer: The Department for Transport has assessed the accuracy of the methodology used to estimate Vehicle Excise Duty evasion through the quality assurance, assumptions and limitations set out in the published Background Information and Notes and Definitions acc...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record

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