Al Pinkerton MP: written questions
1577 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Flour: Folic AcidDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 24842More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will take steps to ensure that people medically advised to avoid folic acid can access affordable unfortified flour.
Answer: The issues raised by the Hon. Member for Surrey Heath have been dealt with in answers to previous written questions. Most recently, I refer him to the answers provided on 10 July in response to Question 15320 and on 15 July in response to Question 16699.T...
Answered 10 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordFolic AcidDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 24841More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the planned evaluation of mandatory folic acid fortification will monitor rates of prostate cancer and foetal death.
Answer: The issues raised by the Hon. Member for Surrey Heath have been dealt with in answers to previous written questions. Most recently, I refer him to the answers provided on 10 July in response to Question 15320 and on 15 July in response to Question 16699.T...
Answered 10 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordFolic Acid: Prostate CancerDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 24840More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition will review evidence published since 2017 on the relationship between folic acid and prostate cancer before mandatory fortification begins.
Answer: The issues raised by the Hon. Member for Surrey Heath have been dealt with in answers to previous written questions. Most recently, I refer him to the answers provided on 10 July in response to Question 15320 and on 15 July in response to Question 16699.T...
Answered 10 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordImmigration Controls: EU CountriesHome OfficeTabled 7 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 16765More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with representatives of (a) Eurotunnel Folkestone, (b) Eurostar at St Pancras International and (c) the Port of Dover regarding the (i) installation and (ii) operat
Answer: The Home Office does not hold information on the number of British citizens who have used specific ports of entry at (a) the Port of Dover, (b) Eurotunnel Folkestone, and (c) St Pancras International in the form requested.No government department routinel...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordUK Border Force: StaffHome OfficeTabled 7 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 16764More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the full-time equivalent staffing headcount of Border Force was at (a) the Port of Dover, (b) Eurotunnel Folkestone and (c) Eurostar St Pancras International in each year since 2024.
Answer: Border Force operates a flexible resourcing model, regularly assessing operational needs and deploying staff dynamically in response to passenger volumes and security requirements. Maintaining the security and efficiency of the UK border remains a top pri...
Answered 14 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordImmigration Controls: EU CountriesHome OfficeTabled 7 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 16763More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2026 to Question 15179, what estimate her Department has made of the number of British citizens who have used ports of entry at (a) the Port of Dover, (b) Eurotunnel F
Answer: The Home Office does not hold information on the number of British citizens who have used specific ports of entry at (a) the Port of Dover, (b) Eurotunnel Folkestone, and (c) St Pancras International in the form requested.No government department routinel...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDebt Collection: Private SectorTreasuryTabled 6 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 16274More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of mechanisms available to support UK small and medium-sized enterprises in recovering outstanding commercial debts from overseas entities that are subject to
Answer: The Government keeps the implementation and effectiveness of its sanctions regimes under review, including through cross-government work on sanctions implementation and enforcement, and regular engagement with industry. The recent review of the Sanctions ...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordCivil Proceedings: Small BusinessesMinistry of JusticeTabled 6 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 16273More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the financial impact on UK small and medium-sized enterprises of defending civil litigation (a) brought and (b) contested in UK courts by (i) individuals and (ii) entiti
Answer: Lord Justice Jackson’s Review of Civil Litigation Costs considered the cost of defending civil claims, and aimed to rebalance the risk between claimants and defendants in order to promote access to justice at proportionate cost. The final report can be fo...
Answered 14 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness: DebtsTreasuryTabled 6 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 16272More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance her Department provides to UK businesses seeking to verify whether a non-domestic commercial debtor is subject to UK financial sanctions.
Answer: Businesses can check whether a person or entity is subject to UK financial sanctions by consulting the UK Sanctions List: FCDO - UK Sanctions List Search - GOV.UK. Further guidance, including on the territorial scope of UK financial sanctions and circumst...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordUnemployment: Young PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 6 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 16271More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department provides to people aged 25 to 30 who are unemployed but do not fall within the NEET category.
Answer: The Department for Work and Pensions offers a range of employment support that those aged 25-30 can benefit from. This includes financial support through the Flexible Support Fund to help with interviews or starting work, and tailored, flexible support th...
Answered 15 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness: BillingDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15865More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to establish a dedicated implementation taskforce to oversee enforcement of the Small Business Protections Bill and wider late payment reforms.
Answer: This Government is committed to the successful implementation of the Commercial Payments Bill. The Bill is designed to strengthen the powers of the Small Business Commissioner to investigate poor payment practices, adjudicate disputes and take enforcement...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness: BillingDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15864More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the economic return of additional enforcement funding for late payment regulations.
Answer: Late payment is estimated to cost the UK economy almost £11 billion each year. The Government’s impact assessment takes account of the cost of enforcing late payment legislation. The Department currently has two FTEs monitoring and encouraging businesses ...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness: PaymentsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15863More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on GDP of reducing average business-to-business payment times by one day.
Answer: The Department has not made a separate assessment of the GDP impact of reducing average business-to-business payment times by one day. Late payments are estimated to cost the UK economy almost £11 billion each year. The Commercial Payments Bill is designe...
Answered 10 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness: BillingDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15862More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to publish an implementation plan for the Small Business Protections Bill, including enforcement responsibilities, staffing requirements and delivery milestones.
Answer: This Government is committed to the successful implementation of the Commercial Payments Bill. The Bill is designed to strengthen the powers of the Small Business Commissioner to investigate poor payment practices, adjudicate disputes and take enforcement...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness: BillingDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15861More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many full-time equivalent staff in his Department are assigned to monitoring and enforcing compliance with the Payment Practices Reporting regime.
Answer: Late payment is estimated to cost the UK economy almost £11 billion each year. The Government’s impact assessment takes account of the cost of enforcing late payment legislation. The Department currently has two FTEs monitoring and encouraging businesses ...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness: BillingDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15860More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many enforcement actions have been taken under the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations 2017 in each year since those regulations came into force.
Answer: Late payment is estimated to cost the UK economy almost £11 billion each year. The Government’s impact assessment takes account of the cost of enforcing late payment legislation. The Department currently has two FTEs monitoring and encouraging businesses ...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordLarge Goods Vehicle Drivers: Immigration ControlsDepartment for TransportTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15218More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential risk that incomplete EU Entry/Exit System exit records could wrongly count UK-based professional HGV drivers as remaining in the Schengen area after they have retur
Answer: The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) is an EU-operated border management system designed to strengthen border security and record the entry and exit of third-country nationals to and from the Schengen area. Responsibility for the collection, accuracy and manage...
Answered 10 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordVisas: Large Goods Vehicle DriversHome OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15217More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what government guidance is available to UK professional drivers who believe their EU Entry/Exit System record does not accurately show that they have exited the Schengen area.
Answer: The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an EU scheme, and its implementation is a matter for the EU and its member states.Where a traveller believes their EES record may not have been recorded correctly, the official EES website provides contact details for data p...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordEU Countries: Immigration ControlsCabinet OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15216More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Government will use forthcoming UK-EU discussions to seek a temporary solution for UK (a) professional HGV and (b) coach drivers affected by (i) incomplete or (ii) disputed EU Entry/Exit System records.
Answer: The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an EU scheme, and its implementation, including the use of flexibilities permitted by the relevant legislation on biometric collection, is a matter for the European Commission and participating EU member states. This Governm...
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordImmigration Controls: EU CountriesHome OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15189More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Entry/Exit System on waiting times at UK ports serving routes to the European Union.
Answer: The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an EU scheme, and its implementation is a matter for the EU and its member states.In August 2024, the UK Government provided £3.5 million to the three locations with juxtaposed French border controls - the Port of Dover, Eur...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordImmigration Controls: EU CountriesHome OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15187More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Entry/Exit System border check sites in the United Kingdom are operational.
Answer: The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an EU scheme, and its implementation is a matter for the EU and its member states.In August 2024, the UK Government provided £3.5 million to the three locations with juxtaposed French border controls - the Port of Dover, Eur...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordImmigration Controls: EU CountriesHome OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15182More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to mitigate potential delays in border processing during the summer holiday period for British travellers entering the EU.
Answer: The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an EU scheme, and its implementation is a matter for the EU and its member states.In August 2024, the UK Government provided £3.5 million to the three locations with juxtaposed French border controls - the Port of Dover, Eur...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordImmigration Controls: EU CountriesHome OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15179More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish a breakdown of the funding allocated to Entry/Exit System (EES) border check sites across the United Kingdom, including the amount spent on each individual site.
Answer: The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an EU scheme, and its implementation is a matter for the EU and its member states.In August 2024, the UK Government provided £3.5 million to the three locations with juxtaposed French border controls - the Port of Dover, Eur...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordImmigration Controls: EU CountriesHome OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15175More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of the EU's Entry/Exit System on UK travellers.
Answer: The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an EU scheme, and its implementation is a matter for the EU and its member states.In August 2024, the UK Government provided £3.5 million to the three locations with juxtaposed French border controls - the Port of Dover, Eur...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordImmigration Controls: EU CountriesHome OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15174More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much real terms funding was allocated to public awareness campaigns on the EU Entry Exit System prior to its implementation.
Answer: The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an EU scheme, and its implementation is a matter for the EU and its member states.In August 2024, the UK Government provided £3.5 million to the three locations with juxtaposed French border controls - the Port of Dover, Eur...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament record
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