Alex Mayer MP: written questions
397 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Schools: UniformsDepartment for EducationTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3429More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to update statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms.
Answer: The government has committed to legislate through the Children’s Wellbeing Bill to limit the number of items of branded uniform and PE kit that schools can require. This proposed legislation will go further than the current statutory guidance, which only ...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordAnimal Welfare CommitteeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3428More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his Department's policy that deliberate cruelty against companion animals is a standing item on the agenda of the Animal Welfare Committee.
Answer: Causing unnecessary suffering to an animal is an offence under Section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. In 2021, the maximum sentence for this offence was increased to five years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. The Government can seek independent,...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordDisinformation: EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3427More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of including education on identifying misinformation online in the school curriculum.
Answer: The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering key stages 1 to 5, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The review will seek to deliver a curriculum that ensures children and young people leave compulsory educat...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordKnives: Advertising and SalesHome OfficeTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3426More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will establish a review of knife (a) advertising and (b) sales including the strengthening of (i) ID and (ii) age checks by delivery services.
Answer: Tackling the illegal sales of knives online is a very important part of the Government’s mission to make our streets safer and reduce knife crime we will make further announcements in due course about our review into this area.
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordNational GridDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3425More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of changing grid connection rules restricting operators from directly supplying households unless they acquire the same suppl
Answer: Small-scale electricity generation sites can benefit from an exemption, which means that they do not require a licence from Ofgem to generate electricity or to supply to local customers. Ofgem has further flexibility to grant supply licences to generation...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordNational GridDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3424More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department is taking steps to encourage flexibility in grid connection rules to allow operators to co-locate (a) wind, (b) solar, (c) battery and (d) other technologies through si
Answer: Connection customers are already permitted to co-locate different technologies through a single connection point.
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordNational GridDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3423More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of reprioritising the grid connection queue to favour viable projects with planning consent over (a) stalled and (b) speculat
Answer: Government is working at pace with Ofgem, the Electricity System Operator (ESO), and network companies to accelerate electricity network connections. The ESO is developing proposals with stakeholders to raise requirements to obtain and retain a connection...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPolice: First AidHome OfficeTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3422More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to support the availability of bleed control kits in (a) Central Bedfordshire and (b) the UK.
Answer: The use of bleed control kits is determined at the local level and the Government does not provide specific funding for bleed control kits.Where decisions have been made by police forces to deploy bleed control kits, these would have been done as part of ...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordBus Services: FaresDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3421More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 July 2024 to Question 721 on Bus Services: Concessions, what the average cost per passenger journey to the public purse of the £2 National Bus Fare Cap scheme was in each county in
Answer: The £2 National Bus Fare Cap is a voluntary scheme for eligible bus operators, who are provided a bespoke funding allocation to reimburse the difference between the cap and the shadow commercial fare. It is not possible to calculate the average cost per p...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordBus Services: FaresDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3420More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 July 2024 to Question 721 on Bus Services: Concessions, what her Department’s funding contribution was to Arriva The Shires Ltd under the £2 National Bus Fare Cap scheme?
Answer: The £2 National Bus Fare Cap is a voluntary scheme for eligible bus operators, who are provided a bespoke funding allocation to reimburse the difference between the cap and the shadow commercial fare. It is not possible to calculate the average cost per p...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordA5: BedfordshireDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3419More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential options for providing relief for the trunk A5 road through Hockliffe Village during the next road investment period.
Answer: As part of their analysis of need on the Strategic Road Network, National Highways identified issues with peak period delays and unreliability on the A5 in Hockcliffe. A feasibility study has been undertaken and has identified options for improvements. Th...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordSocial Rented Housing: Repairs and MaintenanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3418More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, If her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of capping tenant contributions to qualifying works set out in section 6 of the Service Charges (Consultation Re
Answer: By law all variable service charges, which includes charges to pay for major works under section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, must be reasonable and, where costs relate to works or services, the works or services must be of a reasonable standar...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordAnimal ExperimentsHome OfficeTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3417More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will publish a list of animal tests replaced by non-animal methods since 2010.
Answer: The use of animals in scientific procedures is only authorised by the Home Office Regulator where there is clear scientific benefit, to people, animals, or the environment, and only when all aspects of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 have bee...
Answered 6 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPublic Transport: Safety MeasuresDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3416More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of pedal monitoring cameras on all new (a) buses, (b) trams, (c) coaches and (d) other forms of public transport.
Answer: The Government currently has no plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of pedal monitoring cameras on all new public transport. Some bus service providers have introduced pedal monitoring as part of their ongoing safety strategy and to aid in...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: VansDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3415More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles' report entitled Consultation outcome: driving licence flexibility for alternatively-fuelled vehicles, published on 10 October 2023, whether her Departmen
Answer: The Government is reviewing the policy proposals detailed in the previously published consultation response on driving licence flexibilities for alternatively-fuelled vehicles.
Answered 5 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3414More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the number of pensioners that are (a) eligible and (b) not claiming Pension Credit by constituency.
Answer: Information relating to Pension Credit eligibility is only available via take-up statistics. The latest available Pension Credit take-up statistics for Great Britain cover the financial year 2021 to 2022 and are available at: Income-related benefits: esti...
Answered 11 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordNatural History: GCSEDepartment for EducationTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3413More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to introduce a Natural History GCSE in September 2025.
Answer: The government has launched an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review covering key stages 1 to 5, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review will consider the current qualification pathways available at key stage 4 and 5. A call for evidence...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordHousingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3412More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what data her Department holds on the (a) number of units of housing stock, (b) population and (c) area in square miles in each local planning authority area.
Answer: The Ministry publishes an annual release entitled ‘Dwelling Stock Estimates, England’, with estimates of the number of dwellings in each local authority, as at 31 March in each year since 2001, shown in Live Table 125 at the following link.https://www.gov...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordFlood ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2621More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) Anglian Water and (b) all water companies in England in (i) identifying and (ii) removing barriers that prevent the connectivity
Answer: The Government recognises the need for well-connected surface waters, so that water can be moved to where it is most needed. Water companies, including Anglian Water, have focussed their resilience improvements on water grids and transfers, a number of wh...
Answered 20 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordHeat BatteriesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2620More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using heat batteries for households who experience challenges in installing a heat pump.
Answer: Heat batteries are one of the most promising alternative electric heating technologies, because they utilise time of use tariffs, do not require outside space and are cheaper to install than heat pumps in some circumstance. However, heat batteries are als...
Answered 5 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordBroadband: Dunstable and Leighton BuzzardDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2619More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an estimate of the proportion of households that have access to gigabit-capable broadband in Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard constituency.
Answer: According to the independent website ThinkBroadband.com, 86% of premises in the Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard constituency currently have access to a gigabit-capable connection.
Answered 6 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordOlympic Games: ParisDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2618More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department will take to help build on the legacy of the Paris Olympics.
Answer: As I set out during the Westminster Hall debate on the Paris 2024 Olympics Team GB Legacy, which took place on 3 September, the Government is fully committed to multi-year funding for our elite sport system and enabling our athletes to excel on the world ...
Answered 6 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordSports: Dunstable and Leighton BuzzardDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2617More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve the quality of sporting facilities in (a) Bedfordshire and (b) Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard constituency.
Answer: This Government recognises that sport facilities are at the beating heart of communities up and down the country. High-quality, inclusive facilities help clubs to get more people active and by backing these clubs, the Government will support more people p...
Answered 6 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordBus Services: FinanceDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2616More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 266 July 2024 to Question 722 on Public Transport, which Local Transport Authorities (a) are using and (b) plan to use Bus Service Improvement Plan funding to fund Demand Responsive Tr
Answer: The following Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) are either using or are exploring the use of Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) funding to fund Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) schemes. To note, this list is subject to change and may not be exhaustive ...
Answered 2 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordNoise: ComplaintsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2195More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a minimum complaints threshold for investigating noises that could be a statutory nuisance under th
Answer: The Noise Policy Statement for England aims to ensure that noise is managed effectively to promote good health and quality of life. Defra is responsible for the domestic legislation covering statutory nuisance, although the environmental health department...
Answered 2 Sept 2024
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →