Alberto Costa MP: written questions
95 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Middle East: British Nationals AbroadForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117768More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the consistency of her Department's travel advice issued to British nationals in the Middle East; and what steps are being tak
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 16 March in response to Question 118590.
Answered 18 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordGulf States: British Nationals AbroadForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117767More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure that British nationals stranded in the Gulf region are proactively contacted by consular officials to assess medical needs, including access
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 16 March in response to Question 118590.
Answered 18 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordFeilding Palmer HospitalDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117766More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to bring the Fielding Palmer Hospital back into full-time use as a community health hub for Lutterworth.
Answer: The transition from hospital to community care was one of the three big shifts set out in the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan, and we recognise the role of community facilities in delivering this ambition.The 2025 Spending Review set out a four-year heal...
Answered 13 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: LeicestershireMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109567More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when his Department plans to launch the consultation on proposals for Local Government Reorganisation in Leicestershire.
Answer: As announced in my Written Ministerial Statement of 5 February HCWS1309, the consultation for the remaining areas in the local government reorganisation programme, including Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland, has now launched.
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCommunity Hospitals and Neighbourhood Health CentresDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109566More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects to publish details of the funding allocations and capital investment for neighbourhood health centres and community hospitals, including Fielding Palmer Hospital in Leicestershire.
Answer: At the Autumn Budget, we announced our commitment to deliver 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres (NHCs) through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme. This will deliver NHCs through a mixture of upgrades to expand and improve sites over the next three year...
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Licences: HealthDepartment for TransportTabled 14 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105781More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to reduce delays in reinstating driving licences following medical clearance.
Answer: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. However, driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer as they vary wid...
Answered 22 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordAmmunition: LeadDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104827More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to bring forward legislation to ban the use of lead in ammunition; when the three-year transition period is scheduled to begin; and if her Department will publish confir
Answer: The Government intends to bring forward legislation, as stated in our Environmental Improvement Plan. The transition period begins once the amendment comes into force via statutory instrument. The scope of the policy is set out in the decision report and ...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSign 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 record
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