Alex Easton MP: written questions
91 published records · newest first.
Written questions
State Retirement Pensions: WomenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96991More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to (a) the report of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman on communication of changes to women’s State Pension age and (b) the Work and Pensions Committee’s recommendations of M
Answer: The Secretary of State announced in his Oral Statement of 11 November that we will retake the decision made last December as it relates to the communications on state pension age. Information that was not considered at the time of the original decision ha...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: FinanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96444More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to implement increased defence expenditure to improve the preparedness and readiness of the armed forces.
Answer: As outlined in the 2025 Strategic Defence Review, Defence will increase expenditure to transform the Armed Forces into a more lethal integrated force, equipped for the future. On 25 February 2025, the Prime Minister announced the largest sustained increas...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordUkraine: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96443More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what her Department’s policy objectives are in relation to the UK’s support for Ukraine over the next 12 months.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided by the Foreign Secretary during departmental questions on 2 December, and to the statement made to the House by the Prime Minister on 25 November.
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDrinking Water and Food: Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl SubstancesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96442More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the current regulatory framework for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in (a) food and (b) drinking water.
Answer: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) aims to keep levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food as low as reasonably achievable and is keeping the issue of PFAS under review. Food business operators have a legal responsibility to ensure that any...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDuty Free Allowances: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96377More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of duty-free sales arrangements under the Windsor Framework on Northern Ireland’s airports; and whether she has had discussions with the Northern Irela
Answer: Excise duty is due on excise goods due to be consumed in the UK. There are no plans to allow individuals moving from one part of the UK to another to purchase duty free goods. Passengers travelling from Northern Ireland to a place outside the UK and the E...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordImmigrationHome OfficeTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94550More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether individuals currently residing on a UK Ancestry visa and working towards Indefinite Leave to Remain under the existing five-year residency requirement will be required to meet the proposed ten
Answer: We are currently holding a public consultation on new settlement rules. Following that, we will provide details of how this initiative will work, including on any transitional arrangements for people already in the UK.
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordUlster Defence Regiment: Workplace PensionsMinistry of DefenceTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94540More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons part-time members of the Ulster Defence Regiment were not eligible for a pension under the terms of service at the time of their employment; and whether the Department has made any assessment of
Answer: Full time members of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) had an automatic entitlement to become members of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS). Part-time members of the UDR were engaged under different terms to full- time, regular members of the Regiment...
Answered 3 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordIdentity Cards: FinanceCabinet OfficeTabled 20 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93098More
Question: o ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the potential cost to the public purse of the introduction of national identity cards.
Answer: The design and delivery of the national digital identity credential are subject to a public consultation, which will launch in the new year. The feedback received from members of the public and wider stakeholders will inform our final approach and enable ...
Answered 27 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordUK Internal TradeScotland OfficeTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 906518More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the impact of the Windsor Framework on trade between Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Answer: The Government is committed to the UK internal market. That commitment was set out in Labour’s manifesto and we have made meaningful progress on it. We have established Intertrade UK to promote trade across the full UK internal market. Over 15,000 busines...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordInfluenza: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 14 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91246More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the early flu season on (a) corridor care, (b) hospital capacity and (c) patient outcomes.
Answer: We continue to monitor the impact of flu and the performance of hospitals over the winter months.The Department is continuing to take key steps to ensure the health service is prepared for the colder months. This includes taking actions to try and reduce ...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPorts: InvestmentDepartment for TransportTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90996More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, What steps her Department is taking to support investment in port infrastructure to (a) strengthen the UK’s supply chains and (b) boost regional economic growth.
Answer: The UK’s ports sector is largely privately owned and operated, with the Government’s role primarily to ensure that the policy and regulatory environment supports investment. Ports policy is devolved, with the Department for Transport responsible for ports...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordBBC: Political ImpartialityDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90942More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the BBC Board on compliance with statutory obligations on impartiality; and whether her Department plans to bring the BBC's editorial standards under Gove
Answer: As set out in my response to WPQ 89121, the Secretary of State has been speaking regularly to the Chair of the Board in relation to the points raised in a letter written by Michael Prescott. The public expects and deserves the highest editorial standards ...
Answered 20 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 11 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89974More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to (a) Agricultural Property Relief and (b) Business Property Relief on the (i) financial viability of family-run farms, (ii) long-term sustainab
Answer: The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advant...
Answered 19 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordParkinson’s Disease: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89350More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help improve access to (a) specialist healthcare, (b) information at diagnosis and (c) financial support for people living with Parkinson’s disease.
Answer: Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services that meet the needs of their population, including for Parkinson’s. In doing so, the Government expects ICBs to take account of the relevant guidelines and best practice in designing...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFire and Rescue Services: TrainingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89240More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of training given to firefighters attending people in mental health crisis.
Answer: Fire and rescue authorities (FRA) as employer are responsible for ensuring that firefighters receive the training they need to safely respond to the wide range of incidents that they attend. The National Fire Chiefs Council maintains national operational ...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPolice: TrainingHome OfficeTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89239More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of training given to police officers attending people in mental health crisis.
Answer: The College of Policing set the professional standards for police in England and Wales. The College’s core guidance includes the initial training for officers under the Policing Education Qualifications Framework which incorporates autism, learning disabi...
Answered 20 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordBBC: Political ImpartialityDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89121More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with the BBC Board on the editing of a speech by the President of the United States on 6 January 2021 in an edition of Panorama broadcast in October 2024;
Answer: The Secretary of State has been speaking regularly to the Chair of the Board in relation to the points raised in a letter written by Michael Prescott, a former independent adviser to the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee (EGSC). Dr Samir ...
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordChinook Helicopters: AccidentsMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89109More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the loss of Chinook ZD576 on the Mull of Kintyre in 1994, for what reason the Full Authority Digital Engine Control system of the RAF Chinook fleet at that time was (a) accepted off-contract wit
Answer: Our deepest sympathies remain with the bereaved families of this tragic accident. I refer the hon. Member to The Mull of Kintyre Review published in 2011, specifically pages 17-18, which covers this aspect of the detailed inquiries into the tragic loss of...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordSyria: ViolenceForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87564More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the recent attack on Druze civilians in Suwayda Province, Syria; and what diplomatic steps she
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided for question HL10173 on 26 September 2025.
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordKyrgyzstan: DetaineesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 27 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85571More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Kyrgyz counterpart on the (a) imprisonment and (b) torture of (i) Pastor Pavel Shreider and (ii) members of the True and Free Ref
Answer: The UK regularly engages with Kyrgyzstan both bilaterally and in multilateral settings on a range of issues, including human rights matters. I raised Human rights concerns during our Strategic Dialogue in February this year. In Kyrgyzstan's most recent UN...
Answered 31 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordChinook Helicopters: AccidentsMinistry of DefenceTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84880More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what data his Department holds on the reasons for passengers travelling on the Chinook Mk2 aircraft involved in the Mull of Kintyre crash in 1994.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to The Mull of Kintyre Review undertaken by the Rt Hon Lord Philip published on 13 July 2011. This review states that “This was an annual tasking to transport Northern Ireland based senior intelligence and security officers to a se...
Answered 29 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordParental Leave and Parental Pay: Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84870More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has had recent discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the introduction of neonatal care leave and pay in Northern Ireland.
Answer: I welcome the introduction earlier this year of neonatal care leave and pay in Great Britain, which will provide vital support to parents whose babies require specialist care in the first weeks of life, ensuring they will have additional time away from wo...
Answered 31 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordChinook Helicopters: AccidentsMinistry of DefenceTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84821More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what investigation was carried out into the incidents involving the Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system that caused the replacement of a Chinook helicopter’s number 1 engine on arrival at RAF Odi
Answer: It is assumed that this question is asked in relation to Chinook ZD576, the helicopter involved in the tragedy on the Mull of Kintyre in 1994. The Board of Inquiry into this tragic accident refers to issues relating to the No. 1 Engine, the investigations...
Answered 31 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordDonaida Pérez PaseiroForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83568More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Cuban counterpart on the resentencing of Donaida Pérez Paseiro on 11 June 2025; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to help e
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer of 20 October 2025 to question 78060 which sets out our position. The UK continues to call for the immediate release of all political prisoners in Cuba, without condition. We are monitoring the situation closely.
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordNorthern IrelandNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83189More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the impact of being part of the UK on Northern Ireland.
Answer: Northern Ireland is a much valued part of the UK and brings an enormous richness to the life of our country. Northern Ireland also benefits hugely from being part of the UK.For example, the Northern Ireland Executive will receive a record settlement of £1...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament record
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