Alex Easton MP: written questions 2024
84 published records · newest first.
Written questions
European Union (Withdrawal Arrangements) BillNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 19 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21523More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2024 to Question 18801 on European Union (Withdrawal Arrangements) Bill, whether he received legal advice on that Bill.
Answer: I refer the Honourable Member to the Secretary of State’s reply of 17 December 2024 to Question 18801.
Answered 8 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDrugsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21121More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to review the regulations surrounding the sale of potent medications such as (a) finasteride, (b) dutasteride, and (c) selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors vi
Answer: There are no current plans to review the legal avenues of online prescribing and the dispensing of prescription-only medications.Decisions about what medicines to prescribe are made by the doctor or healthcare professional responsible for that part of the...
Answered 6 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordEuropean Union (Withdrawal Arrangements) BillNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20861More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he received legal advice on the European Union (Withdrawal Arrangements) Bill.
Answer: I refer the Honourable Member to the reply I provided to the question he previously tabled on this subject and published on 17 December 2024 (UIN 18801).
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordMultinational CompaniesDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20806More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure greater oversight of UK-based multinational corporations.
Answer: As set out in the King’s Speech, the Government will publish a draft Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill to strengthen audit and corporate governance oversight of corporations including UK-based multinationals. The draft Bill will uphold standards ...
Answered 24 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: ChildrenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20511More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the two-child limit on recent trends in the level of child poverty; and whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of e
Answer: We published the framework ‘Tackling Child Poverty: Developing Our Strategy’ on 23 October and will explore all available levers to deliver an enduring reduction in child poverty in this parliament, as part of a 10-year strategy for lasting change. The Ch...
Answered 23 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordMobile Phones and TelevisionDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 16 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20445More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will hold discussions with Ofcom on the adequacy of (a) the competitiveness of pricing, (b) customer retention practices and (c) service standards in the (i) mobile and (ii) telev
Answer: I have held regular meetings with Ofcom, both on their own and with others, when these and many other issues have been discussed.
Answered 24 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordCycling: SafetyDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20384More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help improve road safety for cyclists; and what financial support she has provided for programmes delivered by The Bikeability Trust since July 2024.
Answer: In 2022, Active Travel England was established as an executive agency to the Department for Transport, with the strategic aim of enabling people to walk, wheel and cycle and protecting them when they do by reducing road danger through the creation of safe...
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: DisabilityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 11 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19563More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that planned reforms to the disability benefit system provide adequate (a) security and (b) support for (i) seriously ill and (ii) disabled people while ena
Answer: This government believes there is a strong case to change the system of health and disability benefits across Great Britain so that it better enables people to enter and remain in work, and to respond to the complex and fluctuating nature of the health co...
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordConsumer Goods: UK Trade with EUNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 10 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19184More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the EU General Product Safety Regulations on (a) businesses and (b) consumers in (i) Northern Ireland and (ii) Great Britain; and what s
Answer: The updated General Product Safety Regulations largely formalises how businesses are already operating in the UK and the measures are therefore likely to have in practice a limited impact overall. Where businesses need to make changes, many will be adapti...
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordPublic LavatoriesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19183More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment the Department has made of the adequacy of public toilet provision; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of appointing a public toile
Answer: Local authorities are best placed to understand local priorities, including on the important issue of provision of public toilets whether they are operated by local councils directly or through community schemes.As set out in the Local government finance ...
Answered 18 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordMigraines: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19182More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) improve support, (b) ensure equitable access to specialist services and (c) promote workplace adjustments for people living with migraine; and what plans
Answer: As health is a devolved matter, no plans have been made to work with local health boards to review the level of need for migraine-specific services and ensure appropriate provision. In England, NHS England is responsible for allocating funding to integrat...
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordClimate ChangeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19181More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he is taking steps to increase the use of nature-based solutions to tackle climate change.
Answer: Defra has a vital role to play to ensure nature-based solutions are a core part of tackling climate change and averting its impacts. Nature-based solutions deliver multiple benefits for climate, biodiversity and people, and can therefore play a critical r...
Answered 18 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordRenewable Energy: Seas and OceansDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19180More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure that the deployment of offshore renewables does not impact on blue carbon stores.
Answer: The UK Government is committed to reaching clean power by 2030 and restoring nature. We need to ensure that our marine ecosystems are healthy, and capturing and storing carbon too. This means that new energy infrastructure needs to be planned and develope...
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordTibet: BuddhismForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19179More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the security of Buddhists in Tibet in (a) November and (b) December 2024.
Answer: This Government stands firm on human rights, including China's repression of the people of Tibet. We will champion freedom of religion or belief for all abroad, and work to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief through the UN, G7 and other mul...
Answered 16 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordEuropean Union (Withdrawal Arrangements) BillNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18801More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will published the legal advice he received on the European Union (Withdrawal Arrangements) Bill.
Answer: The Government set out its position on the Bill during its Second Reading on 6 December 2024. Legal advice provided to the Government is privileged.
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordVeterans: Northern IrelandMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18297More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he plans to take to support (a) veterans and (b) bereaved service families in Northern Ireland, in the context of the closure of the Veterans' Support Office.
Answer: The Government is committed to ensuring that veterans and the bereaved community, wherever they live in the UK, are able to access timely and appropriate support should they require it. The Government also recognises the unique commitment that Service fam...
Answered 11 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordDomestic AbuseHome OfficeTabled 4 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18020More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to (a) recognise domestic abuse as a form of violence against women and girls, (b) prioritise funding for specialist services, (c) implement reforms to family court
Answer: Domestic Abuse is a form of Violence Against Women and Girls and this Government is committed to tackling VAWG in all its forms.Our new VAWG strategy will be published next year and will set out our continued recognition of the fundamental importance of s...
Answered 10 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordPublic Sector: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 4 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18019More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on funding for public sector pay awards in Northern Ireland; and whether she has allocated funding to ensure parity in pay offers for public sector wo
Answer: As a result of decisions taken at Autumn Budget 2024 and Phase 1 of Spending Review 2025, the Northern Ireland Executive is receiving £15.6 billion block grant funding in 2024-25 and £18.2 billion in 2025-26. Funding in 2025-26 represents the largest real...
Answered 12 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Defence Guard Service: Northern IrelandMinistry of DefenceTabled 3 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17703More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of standing down the Guard Force in Northern Ireland on the security of Army Reserve Centres; and what plans he has to support affected full-time re
Answer: The guarding of Army Reserve Centres in Northern Ireland is being reviewed. The Government will share further details with the House in due course.
Answered 11 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: VeteransDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 27 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16635More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she will make an assessment of the potential impact of classifying military compensation as income in means tested benefits assessments on veterans; and if she will take steps to ensure that mil
Answer: The receipt of War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) awards is already fully ignored when calculating eligibility for Universal Credit. The first £10 per week of a War Pension or AFCS award is disregarded in: income-related Employment a...
Answered 5 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordJames Scott Rhys AndersonForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 26 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16444More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he is having with his Russian counterpart on the release of James Scott Rhys Anderson.
Answer: The British Embassy in Moscow requested urgent confirmation of Mr Anderson's detention and location and reminded the Russian Federation of their obligations under International Humanitarian Law, including the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protoc...
Answered 4 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordMaternity PayDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 25 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15974More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to help support the parents of (a) twins and (b) other multiple births; if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional maternity pay t
Answer: The DWP wants new mothers to be able to take time away from work in the interests of their own and their baby’s health and wellbeing. That is why maternity pay is primarily a health and safety provision for pregnant working women and is paid for each preg...
Answered 3 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordChildren: ProtectionDepartment for EducationTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15614More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking steps to (a) investigate allegations of (i) bullying, (ii) physical violence, (iii) sexual violence and (iv) suicides in schools and (b) (i) protect children and (ii) uphold
Answer: Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.Schools should be calm, safe and supportive environments which children want to attend, and which support them to learn and thrive. Any form of violence in school i...
Answered 29 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15065More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to reverse the proposed tax changes to (a) agricultural property relief and (b) business property relief on family-owned (i) farms and (ii) businesses.
Answer: The Government set out its policy at Autumn Budget 2024 and that remains the Government’s policy.
Answered 27 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordNational Insurance: Proof of IdentityTreasuryTabled 18 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14883More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of adding a photograph to National Insurance cards issued at the age of 16 to provide photographic identification.
Answer: HMRC is responsible for issuing National Insurance Numbers (NINos) to the children of people receiving Child Benefit and Tax-Free Childcare . As a young person approaches age 16, HMRC informs them of their NINo via a letter. Cards have not been sent since...
Answered 26 Nov 2024
Original Parliament record
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