Alex Easton MP: written questions 2024
84 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Gender Based Violence: Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10375More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps his Department is taking to tackle violence against women in Northern Ireland; and what plans he has to ensure the swift and effective implementation of the Strategy for Ending Violence Agains
Answer: The UK Government welcomes the launch of the Strategic Framework to End Violence against Women and Girls by The Northern Ireland Executive. This Government is seeking to tackle violence against women and girls across the United Kingdom and will support th...
Answered 28 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordDevelopment Aid: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10354More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the proportion of official development assistance that is provided to global religious minorities.
Answer: The UK will champion Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all abroad. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. The official source of data on UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) is Statistics on International Devel...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10316More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of a statutory requirement to include people on the housing waiting list in planning consultations for new homes.
Answer: The Government are exploring new ways to increase and enhance community engagement in the planning process, including by improving access to planning data through its digitisation drawing on provisions in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. This w...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10315More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Competition and Markets Authority on the potential impact of the number of large housebuilders in the construction sector on (a) the role of
Answer: Small and medium sized housebuilders are essential to meeting the government’s housing ambitions and supporting local economies. Our recent consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework included proposals to support the SME ho...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10312More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will instruct councils to identify sites suitable for fewer than 100 dwellings, in the context of Government steps to increase house building.
Answer: Small and medium sized housebuilders are essential to meeting the government’s housing ambitions and supporting local economies. Our recent consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework included proposals to support the SME ho...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordAffordable HousingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10310More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to emphasise the importance of delivery of affordable housing in her proposals for planning reform.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 8302 on 18 October 2024.
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHousing Associations: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10308More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will introduce a long- term rent settlement to allow housing associations to borrow to acquire social housing under section 106 of the Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013.
Answer: As set out in the Deputy Prime Minister’s Written Ministerial Statement on Monday 28th October (HCWS169), the government will consult on a new 5-year social housing rent settlement to provide the sector with the certainty it needs to invest in new social ...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordFree Movement of People: Northern IrelandDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9872More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Windsor Framework (Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals) Regulations 2024 on freedom of movement for people travelling with
Answer: The Northern Ireland Pet Travel Scheme will significantly reduce the burdens associated with the original Northern Ireland Protocol, and provides a stable and long-term footing for pet travel for those travelling with their pets within the United Kingdom.
Answered 25 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordDevelopment AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9583More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish the amount of overseas aid allocated to each recipient country for the most recent financial year available.
Answer: Annex A of the FCDO's Annual Report and Accounts 2023-2024 sets out the FCDO's Official Development Assistance (ODA) programming outturn for financial year 2023-24, including by country.Ministers are currently reviewing the FCDO's ODA budget and will publ...
Answered 25 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordRenewable Energy: HousingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 15 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9333More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what additional steps he plans to take to support households to move toward using (a) solar power and (b) renewable energy.
Answer: The Government will work with the private sector to radically increase the deployment of onshore wind, solar and offshore wind by 2030. Changes to permitted development rights rules will mean more homeowners and businesses will be able to install solar pa...
Answered 23 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordNorthern Ireland Executive: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 15 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9332More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to take steps to support the Northern Ireland Executive to meet their net zero obligations.
Answer: Collaboration between the UK Government and Devolved Governments is essential to accelerate Net Zero and deliver the Clean Energy Superpower Mission. The Government is working closely with governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to help work t...
Answered 22 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPolice: DemonstrationsHome OfficeTabled 14 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8918More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Metropolitan Police on the policing of public demonstrations relating to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Answer: The Home Secretary is in regular contact with the Metropolitan Police Service on a range of issues, including public order.The management of demonstrations is an operational matter for the police, who are independent from government.
Answered 17 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordADHD: North DownDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 14 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8910More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what can be done to address the shortage and delays obtaining ADHD medications in North Down constituency.
Answer: The Department monitors and manages medicine supply at a national level so that stocks remain available to meet regional and local demand. Information for the North Down constituency is a matter for the devolved government in Northern Ireland.The Departme...
Answered 22 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordADHD: North DownDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 14 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8909More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what can be done to reduce waiting times for patients referred for ADHD assessments in North Down constituency.
Answer: As health is a devolved matter, each administration of the United Kingdom takes its own decisions on the provision of assessments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Answered 22 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordErasmus+ ProgrammeDepartment for EducationTabled 14 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8904More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of rejoining the Erasmus+ programme.
Answer: Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.Following their meeting in Brussels on 2 October, the President of the European Commission and my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister have agreed to strengthen th...
Answered 23 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: FinanceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8586More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he will maintain levels of spending under the agriculture budget; and what steps he is taking to ensure that changes in the level of that budget support nature recovery.
Answer: The farming budget beyond this year will be part of the Government’s spending review. The Chancellor will set out the Government’s spending plans on 30 October alongside the Budget. The Government is committed to championing farmers while protecting the e...
Answered 16 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordBiodiversityDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8585More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure the UK's commitments under the United Nations Biodiversity Conference are met ahead of COP16; and what steps his Department is taking
Answer: The Government is committed to delivering for nature, and taking action to meet our Environment Act targets to restore and protect our natural world. We are working towards concluding the review of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) by the end of th...
Answered 18 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordBiodiversityDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8368More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the State of Nature Partnership report entitled State of Nature Report 2023, published in September 2023, what steps he plans to take to (a) prevent further biodivers
Answer: We know Britain’s nature is in crisis. The State of Nature Report 2023 states that of species found in England, 13% are at risk of extinction from Great Britain. This Government is committed to delivering the species abundance, species extinction and habi...
Answered 17 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordNature ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8367More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take to ensure that the UK meets its 2030 nature recovery targets; and what steps he is taking to measure progress against those targets.
Answer: We know Britain’s nature is in crisis. The State of Nature Report 2023 states that of species found in England, 13% are at risk of extinction from Great Britain. This Government is committed to delivering the species abundance, species extinction and habi...
Answered 17 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordProstate Cancer: Diagnosis and Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8059More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) increase access to and (b) improve prostate cancer (i) diagnosis and (ii) treatment, in the context of disparities in early detection rates across differe
Answer: The Department has invested £16 million in the TRANSFORM trial which seeks to find ways to diagnose prostate cancer as early as possible. This trial will compare the most promising tests to look for prostate cancer in men that do not have symptoms, and ai...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordEritrea: Human RightsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 8 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8058More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions officials in his Department have had with their counterparts in Eritrea on (a) Christians imprisoned and (b) possible violations of (i) freedom of religion o
Answer: We consistently raise the need to improve the human rights situation with the Eritrean Government. We advocate for national service reform and the end of arbitrary detentions, including detentions based on religion or belief. Eritrea is a priority country...
Answered 16 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPakistan: Human RightsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 8 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8057More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for its policies of the (a) recent sentencing to death on charges of blasphemy of Shaughta Karan i
Answer: Pakistan is a FCDO human rights priority country. We work to protect and promote human rights in Pakistan through our diplomatic engagement and programme funding. This includes regularly raising our opposition to the death penalty and concerns about the m...
Answered 15 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordLeasehold: Mortgages and ReformMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7185More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to bring forward the Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill; what recent estimate she has made of when the provisions of the Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill wil
Answer: As outlined in the King’s Speech, the Government will act quickly to provide homeowners with greater rights, powers, and protections over their homes by implementing the provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. This includes a new valuati...
Answered 10 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPatrick FinucaneNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7184More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the public inquiry into the murder of Patrick Finucane.
Answer: As outlined in my Oral Statement of 11 September 2024, I have considered the likely costs and impact on the public finances. It is the Government’s expectation that the inquiry will - while doing everything that is required to discharge the State’s human ...
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordUkraine: Armed ConflictForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7183More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Prime Minister has had recent discussions with his international counterparts on efforts to help end the conflict in Ukraine.
Answer: The Prime Minister recently discussed Ukraine during his visits to Germany, France, Ireland and Italy, and we are in constant contact with the Government of Ukraine. The Prime Minister recently hosted President Zelenskyy in Downing Street, where they disc...
Answered 15 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
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