Al Pinkerton MP: written questions
283 published records · newest first.
Written questions
UK Trade with EU: Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63889More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on (a) the provision of guidance and (b) support to businesses in Northern Ireland in relation to UK-EU trade arrangemen
Answer: The Government’s renewed partnership with the EU will deliver a broader range of benefits for people and businesses across the UK. These include an SPS Agreement which, once implemented, will help facilitate the smooth flow of agrifood and plants from Gre...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChildren: ProtectionMinistry of JusticeTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63377More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent discussions she has had with (a) judicial and (b) safeguarding bodies on improvements to child protection in private law family proceedings.
Answer: The Family Justice Board, which is co-chaired by ministers from the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Education and is regularly attended by the President of the Family Division, the Chief Executives of Cafcass and Cafcass Cymru, the Chief Social...
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChild Arrangements OrdersMinistry of JusticeTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63371More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of safeguards in preventing harm to children during court-ordered contact arrangements.
Answer: The Ministry of Justice recognises the importance of safeguarding children during court-ordered contact arrangements.The legislation which governs child arrangements cases makes a child’s welfare paramount and presumes a child’s welfare is furthered by th...
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordParking: EnforcementDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63263More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to review the statutory guidance on civil parking enforcement to strengthen protections for (a) disabled people, (b) children and (c) other vulnerable patients.
Answer: The Department has no plans to review the statutory guidance on civil parking enforcement. There is already a duty for public authorities to promote equality under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that the needs of people with protected characteristics are...
Answered 3 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordVehicle Number Plates: FraudDepartment for TransportTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62846More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of making number plate cloning a criminal offence.
Answer: It is already a criminal offence, punishable by a fine of up to £1000, to supply a number plate without checking if the purchaser is entitled to use the registration number. It is also an offence to use a cloned number plate on a vehicle which on convicti...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: Employers' ContributionsDepartment for EducationTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62520More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to employers’ National Insurance contributions on state-funded schools in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: Schools in Surrey local authority are receiving £14.3 million to support them with the increased costs to employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) from April 2025. Schools have autonomy over how they use this funding as their precise spending, inc...
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPlants: Disease ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62519More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of future plant passporting arrangements under the SPS framework.
Answer: As announced at the UK-EU Leaders’ Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area to make agrifood trade with our biggest market easier, cutting costs and red tape for British producers and retail...
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHorticulture: Surrey HeathDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62518More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Extended Producer Responsibility regulations on horticultural businesses in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: The Government has worked closely with industry throughout development of Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR). In October 2024, the Government published an updated assessment of the impact of introducing the pEPR scheme on packaging prod...
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHorticulture: Surrey HeathDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62517More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support horticulture businesses in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: The Government is committed to our horticulture sector and the vital role it plays in strengthening food security by ensuring a reliable and sustainable supply of home-grown fresh produce. Underlining this commitment to our growers is our farming roadmap ...
Answered 27 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironment Protection: Education and TrainingDepartment for EducationTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62516More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to improve access to (a) training and (b) education for careers in (i) horticulture and (ii) the wider environmental sector in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: It is for providers and local areas, such as Surrey Heath, to determine what skills provision to deliver based on learner and employer demand.A range of provision is available to support people to pursue careers in horticulture and environmental sectors, ...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPlants: Import ControlsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62515More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of reviewing the plant health inspection regime.
Answer: Plant Health inspection uses a risk-based approach to understand global plant health threats and the Department carries out horizon scanning for new and emerging risks to the UK. The Department undertakes systematic, proactive screening of new and emergin...
Answered 27 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPlants: Import ControlsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62514More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the operational impact of the Border Target Operating Model on plant imports in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: The general impact of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) to the cut flower trade is likely to be minimal since only a limited group of EU cut flowers (such as chrysanthemum and carnations and orchids), are medium risk goods. All other EU cut flowers...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCardiovascular Diseases: Surrey HeathDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62062More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of (a) trends in the level of access to and (b) the adequacy of cardiovascular care services in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: The Frimley Health and Care Integrated Care Board (ICB), which covers Surrey Heath, has been working with partners to improve cardiovascular services in the area.This includes work with the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust on a range of improvements to...
Answered 1 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: Public ExpenditureDepartment for EducationTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61392More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of increasing public expenditure on schools in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: Across the spending review, core schools funding, including special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) investment, will increase from £65.3 billion in the 2025/26 financial year (including the additional funding announced in May 2025) to £69.5 bill...
Answered 27 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGibraltar: UK Relations with EUForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61391More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his expected timeline is for the ratification of the UK-EU treaty on Gibraltar.
Answer: All parties are committed to finalising the text of the UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar as soon as possible. The final text will be brought before the House for scrutiny in the normal way pursuant to the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.
Answered 27 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFertility: Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60789More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure equitable access to NHS-funded fertility treatment in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: We expect integrated care boards to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations ...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordFertility: Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60788More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to NHS-funded fertility treatment in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: We expect integrated care boards to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations ...
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordFlagsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 17 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60728More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to review the guidance on the display of flags to ensure it remains aligned with (a) current practices and (b) community expectations.
Answer: The government has no current plans to amend the guidance in question.
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: Surrey HeathMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60360More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of housing investment announced in the Spending Review 2025 on (a) the protection of Green Belt land and (b) new h
Answer: The government has not made any such assessment.The allocation of housing investment announced at the Spending Review will depend on the bids received from registered providers.
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordTransport: SurreyDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60352More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of transport infrastructure investment announced in the Spending Review 2025 on Surrey.
Answer: We are yet to announce the regional allocations for the majority of the transport funding announced in the Spending Review. This will be announced in due course. We have informed Surrey County Council of their allocation of the Local Transport Grant which...
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordVoluntary Organisations: Business RatesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60277More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to address variation between local authorities in the application of discretionary business rates relief for not-for-profit organisations.
Answer: Section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 provides billing authorities with discretionary powers to award business rates reliefs to properties within their area. This is a local decision for individual billing authorities.
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordCharities: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60274More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of exempting not-for-profit organisations from business rates in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: Currently, properties which are wholly or mainly used for charitable purposes are eligible for charitable relief, which provides businesses with up to 80% off their business rates bills. Provision of further relief to charitable properties is at the discr...
Answered 19 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHydrocephalus: Surrey HeathDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59959More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) raise awareness of hydrocephalus and (b) improve support for people living with the condition in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: The Department has engaged extensively with a national charity dedicated to raising awareness of hydrocephalus. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care met with charity representatives regarding hydrocephalus in November 2024,...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordBroadband and Mobile Phones: Surrey HeathDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 13 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59892More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of (a) broadband and (b) mobile phone connectivity in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answer: We are committed to ensuring at least 99% of premises can access a gigabit capable connection by 2032, and we are working to achieve this in the Surrey Heath constituency through a Project Gigabit contract with Openreach. The independent website Thinkbroa...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordBroadband: Surrey HeathDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 13 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59891More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure broadband providers treat residents equitably when determining property eligibility during fibre rollout programmes in Surrey Heath constit
Answer: Openreach is delivering a Project Gigabit contract across Surrey, targeted at bringing gigabit-capable broadband to homes and businesses in hard-to-reach areas, including approximately 1,900 premises in the Surrey Heath constituency.As with all Project Gi...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament record
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