Alberto Costa MP: written questions 2025
53 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Sign Language: GCSEDepartment for EducationTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100928More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to encourage exam boards to offer the British Sign Language GCSE.
Answer: The government, working with the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual), has developed the content and assessment arrangements for a new British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE. Now that Ofqual’s final qualification rules have been publish...
Answered 8 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordCross Country Trains: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82962More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has received proposals on improving the (a) reliability, (b) capacity and (c) frequency of services serving Narborough station from CrossCountry.
Answer: We expect operators to plan services balancing the need to meet expected passenger demand, improve train service performance, be affordable and provide value for money for taxpayers. Office of Rail and Road station statistics show that service reliability...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCross Country Trains: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82961More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with CrossCountry on increasing capacity on (a) peak services between Leicester and Narborough and (b) the 17:18 weekday service from Leicester to Birmingham.
Answer: In December 2024, CrossCountry removed First Class accommodation from the trains used on the Birmingham to Stansted Airport route, increasing the number of seats available to all ticket holders. All operators are expected to plan capacity on individual se...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordNarborough StationDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82960More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of service reliability on annual passenger footfall at Narborough Station since 2019.
Answer: Unreliable rail services disrupt passengers’ journeys and undermine passenger confidence. This is why we are taking steps to improve train service performance across the country to better deliver for passengers. Passenger numbers across all CrossCountry r...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCross Country Trains: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82959More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) reliability and (b) punctuality of CrossCountry services operating between Birmingham, Leicester and Stansted Airport.
Answer: CrossCountry train services were not reliable enough in 2024 and the operator was subject to a Remedial Plan from August 2024 to March 2025. Since January 2025, CrossCountry train service performance has generally improved, although issues remain on Sunda...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCouncillors: MisconductMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78283More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to apply (a) disqualification, (b) premises bans and (c) other sanctions to councillors found to have engaged in serious misconduct.
Answer: In December 2024 the government launched a consultation seeking views on wide ranging reforms to the local government standards regime in England. The government response will be issued in due course. After its release, we will continue to work actively w...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Legal CostsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78282More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that information on (a) settlement payments and (b) legal costs incurred by local authorities in cases of staff misconduct is shared with (i) re
Answer: Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces and compliance with all relevant employment legislation. This includes responsibility for cases of staff misconduct.
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78281More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to ensure that interim officers in local government are held accountable for decisions made during their tenure.
Answer: Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces, including holding interim officers to account. Ministers have little remit to intervene in employment issues within local authorities, except where specifi...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordParish and Town Councils: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78280More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of levels of contested parish council elections on accountability in local government.
Answer: Contested town and parish elections strengthen local accountability, by encouraging broader representation and democratic engagement. Town and parish councils rely on individuals stepping forward to serve their communities, and a greater number of candida...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordParish and Town Councils: Annual ReportsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78279More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to require parish councils to submit annual governance reports to their principal authorities.
Answer: The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 require parish councils and other smaller authorities to produce an Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR). Parish councils are accountable to their local electorate rather than their principal authority...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: StandardsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78278More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential implications for its policies of the Committee on Standards in Public Life's report entitled Local Government
Answer: In December 2024 the government launched a consultation seeking views on wide ranging reforms to the local government standards regime in England. The government response will be issued in due course. After its release, we will continue to work actively w...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCouncillors: Disciplinary ProceedingsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78277More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to bring forward proposals for the suspension of councillors for up to six months in cases of proven (a) bullying, (b) harassment and (c) serious mis
Answer: In December 2024 the government launched a consultation seeking views on wide ranging reforms to the local government standards regime in England. The government response will be issued in due course. After its release, we will continue to work actively w...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Disciplinary ProceedingsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78276More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to mandate standards committees with lay member involvement in principal authorities to ensure impartiality in misconduct cases.
Answer: In December 2024 the government launched a consultation seeking views on wide ranging reforms to the local government standards regime in England. The government response will be issued in due course. After its release, we will continue to work actively w...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCouncillors: MisconductMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78275More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to legislate to provide principal authorities with powers to (a) investigate breaches of conduct and (b) impose meaningful sanctions on (i) parish and (ii) town
Answer: In December 2024 the government launched a consultation seeking views on wide ranging reforms to the local government standards regime in England. The government response will be issued in due course. After its release, we will continue to work actively w...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Codes of PracticeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78274More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to introduce a mandatory code of conduct for local government in England.
Answer: In December 2024 the government launched a consultation seeking views on wide ranging reforms to the local government standards regime in England. The government response will be issued in due course. After its release, we will continue to work actively w...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCouncillors: MisconductMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78273More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of (a) investigating and (b) sanctioning misconduct by (i) town and (ii) parish councillors.
Answer: In December 2024 the government launched a consultation seeking views on wide ranging reforms to the local government standards regime in England. The government response will be issued in due course. After its release, we will continue to work actively w...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: StandardsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78272More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to amend section 27(3) of the Localism Act 2011 to include a statutory definition of bullying and harassment covering (a) persistent verbal abuse, (b
Answer: In December 2024 the government launched a consultation seeking views on wide ranging reforms to the local government standards regime in England. The government response will be issued in due course. After its release, we will continue to work actively w...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCybercrimeHome OfficeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78271More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of collaboration between the National Crime Agency and local police forces in responding to cyber crime incidents.
Answer: We are committed to ensuring we have the workforce needed to tackle the threat of cyber crime and protect our people and businesses. Since 2017, in partnership with local Police and Crime Commissioners, the Home Office has directly funded a national netwo...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCybercrimeHome OfficeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78270More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department plans to increase the number of police officers with expertise in tackling cyber crime in the next three years.
Answer: We are committed to ensuring we have the workforce needed to tackle the threat of cyber crime and protect our people and businesses. Since 2017, in partnership with local Police and Crime Commissioners, the Home Office has directly funded a national netwo...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCybercrimeHome OfficeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78269More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that every police force has specialist officers trained to investigate cyber crime.
Answer: We are committed to ensuring we have the workforce needed to tackle the threat of cyber crime and protect our people and businesses. Since 2017, in partnership with local Police and Crime Commissioners, the Home Office has directly funded a national netwo...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCybercrimeDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78268More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of technical support offered by technology companies to people who report cyber crime incidents affecting their products.
Answer: The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act (2022) places a legal obligation on the manufacturers of internet-connected devices to offer a vulnerability reporting process. This means anyone - including users, security researchers and cy...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordDisclosure of InformationMinistry of JusticeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78267More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether forthcoming legislative proposals on the use of non-disclosure agreements would apply retrospectively.
Answer: Victims are always able to report crimes to the police under the common law, even if their Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) suggests otherwise and irrespective of when the NDA was entered into. However, since 1 October 2025, section 17 of the Victims and Pr...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAviation: CrewDepartment for TransportTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70533More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of reintroducing mutual recognition of commercial pilot licences between the UK Civil Aviation Authority and the European Union Aviation Saf
Answer: The Government has been clear that it will work to reset the relationship with Europe, to strengthen ties and tackle barriers to trade. Agreements on UK-EU licensing recognition must be established through the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and agreed by...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHospices: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69328More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding strategies his Department is considering to ensure hospices remain (a) competitive and (b) sustainable.
Answer: Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications. The statutory guidance states that ICBs mu...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHospices: Labour TurnoverDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69327More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to support hospices to (a) attract and (b) retain their workforce.
Answer: Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing National Health Services. As independent organisations, charitable hospices are responsible for their own recruitment and employment terms. They ar...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
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