Al Pinkerton MP: written questions 2025
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Written questions
Youth Mobility SchemeCabinet OfficeTabled 22 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84409More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has an assessment of the potential impact proposed EU Mobility Scheme on (a) economic growth and (b) attracting talent to the UK workforce.
Answer: We have agreed that we will work towards the establishment of a balanced youth experience scheme with the EU. We have agreed that any scheme will be capped as well as time-limited. We have also been clear that it should be in line with the UK’s existing s...
Answered 30 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordYouth Mobility SchemeCabinet OfficeTabled 22 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84408More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has had recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of the European Union on the proposed EU Mobility Scheme outlined in the UK-EU Reset Deal.
Answer: We have agreed that we will work towards the establishment of a balanced youth experience scheme with the EU. We have agreed that any scheme will be capped as well as time-limited. We have also been clear that it should be in line with the UK’s existing s...
Answered 30 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy: Multiple OccupationDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 22 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84391More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of requiring houses in multiple occupation to achieve an energy performance certificate rating of D or better.
Answer: Government recently consulted on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector and reforming Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs). The Energy Performance of Buildings consultation asked whether houses in multiple o...
Answered 31 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: SurreyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83674More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to publish an update on local government reorganisation plans in Surrey.
Answer: Surrey is pursuing local government reorganisation to an accelerated timetable. A decision on which proposal to implement will be announced shortly to Parliament, now the House has returned from the conference recess, and will be shared with Surrey Counci...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: SurreyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83672More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what consultation mechanisms are in place for engagement between his Department and the Leader of Surrey County Council on devolution reform.
Answer: Surrey is pursuing local government reorganisation to an accelerated timetable. A decision on which proposal to implement will be announced shortly to Parliament, now the House has returned from the conference recess, and will be shared with Surrey Counci...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordElections: SurreyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83671More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with the leader of Surrey County Council on the timetable for county council elections in Surrey.
Answer: Surrey is pursuing local government reorganisation to an accelerated timetable. A decision on which proposal to implement will be announced shortly to Parliament, now the House has returned from the conference recess, and will be shared with Surrey Counci...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: AdvertisingDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83564More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of removing the requirement for local authorities to publish statutory public notices in local newspapers on (a) local transparency and (b) de
Answer: The Government is concerned about the sustainability of local journalism and DCMS is developing a Local Media Strategy in recognition of the importance of this vital sector. We also recognise that local press continues to play a vital role in informing lo...
Answered 24 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: ReviewsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82885More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to review the effectiveness of the regulatory distinction between (a) supported living and (b) personal care settings for adult social care provision.
Answer: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator for health and social care in England. The CQC has powers under the Health and Care Act 2008 to regulate adult social care services to make sure they provide safe, effective, compassionate, an...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: Surrey HeathDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82884More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions his Department has had with Surrey County Council on the provision of adult social care in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: Department officials maintain a range of engagement avenues with adult social care departments in local authorities across the country on a number of issues, and with the wider professional community of directors of adult services. Colleagues from Surrey ...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: Surrey HeathDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82883More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that adult social care providers maintain high standards of (a) staff training and (b) competency in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: Adult social care providers who carry out regulated activities in the Surrey Heath constituency are assessed by the Care Quality Commission for compliance with Regulation 18: Staffing of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulatio...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: Surrey HeathDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82882More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) families and (b) carers can effectively (i) raise and (ii) resolve complaints about adult social care provision in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: The Government recognises the vital roles that unpaid carers and families play. The Government is committed to supporting them, including by ensuring that they can effectively raise and resolve complaints about adult social care, including in Surrey Heath...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: Surrey HeathDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82881More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Care Quality Commission in (a) identifying and (b) responding to poor standards of care in the adult social care sector in Surrey Heath const
Answer: Dr Penny Dash’s review into the operational effectiveness of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) uncovered significant failings in the internal workings of the CQC, which had led to a substantial loss of credibility within the health and social care sectors...
Answered 28 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: Surrey HeathDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82880More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of safeguarding arrangements for adults receiving care in community-based settings in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: Any form of abuse or neglect is unacceptable. Local authorities have a statutory duty to make enquiries about safeguarding concerns under the Care Act 2014.Where a local authority has reasonable cause to suspect that an adult in the local authority’s area...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: Surrey HeathDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82879More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that adults with complex (a) mental health needs and (b) learning disabilities in supported living settings are adequately safeguarded in Surrey Heath
Answer: Local authorities have a statutory duty to make enquiries about safeguarding concerns under the Care Act 2014.Everyone with a severe mental health or learning disability who is placed in supported living would have had an assessment under the Care Act 201...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Education: Surrey HeathDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82878More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure NHS public health messaging helps to protect people from the harms of health misinformation in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: The Department takes the challenge of health misinformation seriously and recognises its potential impact on public health outcomes. We focus on delivering consistent, clinically assured messaging that builds public trust and confidence, positioning the D...
Answered 30 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPension Funds: Fossil FuelsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82877More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to limit levels of pension investment into unsustainable fossil fuel practices.
Answer: The UK pension sector is increasingly playing a role in investing in a more sustainable future, with many schemes setting net-zero targets and actively engaging with companies to reduce emissions. As part of the pensions legislative and regulatory framewo...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPensioners: Income TaxTreasuryTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82876More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the personal allowance for pensioners in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: This Government remains committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. Through our commitment to protect the Triple Lock, over 12 million pensioners benefitted from a 4.1% increase to their basic or...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordMultiple Occupation: Loneliness and Mental HealthMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82875More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of houses in multiple occupation on levels of (a) loneliness and (b) mental health issues in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: My Department has no plans to make such an assessment. We will keep the regulation of HMOs under review.
Answered 24 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Houses: Surrey HeathDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82874More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has had recent discussions with Surrey Heath Borough Council on support for pubs in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: The Government recognises the vital role of pubs and hospitality businesses in our communities and economy, including those in Surrey Heath, and that’s why we’re taking targeted action to support them with the pressures they face. In April, we launched a ...
Answered 24 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal Welfare: Offensive WeaponsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82873More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to help tackle the use of catapults by young people to harm pond wildlife in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: The Government takes crimes against wildlife seriously and is aware of the ongoing and horrific misuse of catapults against wildlife. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales. It is illegal u...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordWildlife: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82872More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect (a) swans and (b) pond wildlife in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: In England all wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, including Swans. This makes it an offence to kill, injure or take wild birds and to take or damage their eggs and nests. Other priority and threatened species, including ...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordHuntington’s Disease: Surrey HeathDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82583More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of increasing funding for research into treatments for Huntington’s disease in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: The Department of Health and Social Care delivers research via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).In January 2024, the NIHR invested £6 million over three years into two Dementia and Neurodegeneration Policy Research Units to condu...
Answered 6 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordOlder People: Surrey HeathDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82582More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to support older people experiencing (a) emotional and (b) financial hardship in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: The Government is committed to supporting pensioners and ensuring they have financial security and dignity in retirement. The State Pension remains the foundation of our support for pensioners. In April this year, both the basic and new State Pensions inc...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordWorkplace Pensions: Index LinkingDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82581More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of providing pre-1997 indexation protections for individuals in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: The Government has no plans to change the way pre-1997 indexation is applied to defined benefit occupational pension schemes. The minimum legal requirements for indexation must be appropriate across all defined benefit schemes. Changing these minimum requ...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy Performance Certificates: Holiday AccommodationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82580More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of extending Energy Performance Certificate regulations to SMEs in the self-catering sector in Surrey Heath consti
Answer: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) considers that the impact of extending Energy Performance Certificate regulations to SMEs in the self-catering sector in the Surrey Heath constituency is low, and no different to other cons...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament record
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