Alex Sobel MP: written questions
138 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Affordable Housing: Leeds Central and HeadingleyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 12 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104809More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to build more social and affordable homes in Leeds Central and Headingley constituency.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July 2025 (HCWS771) and the answer given to Question UIN 101017 on 6 January 2026.
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordAcademic Technology Approval SchemeForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104581More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of implementing a service standard for decisions on Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate applicatio
Answer: Most Academic Technology Approval Scheme applications are straightforward and 98 per cent of applications during the past year were processed within 30 working days. No new service standard is therefore considered necessary at this time.
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordApprentices: FinanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 8 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104214More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of withdrawing funding for Level 7 apprenticeships for most learners aged 22 and over who are unable to self-fund postgraduate study on social mobil
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57823.
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordJobseeker's AllowanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103840More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the rates of New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance in relation to living costs for a single adult.
Answer: The Secretary of State is required by law to undertake an annual review of benefit rates. In a statement made on 26 November 2025, the Secretary of State announced that from April 2026, Jobseeker’s Allowance will be increased by 3.8% in line with the incr...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving: CyclingDepartment for TransportTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103839More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure the Road Safety Strategy will (a) improve drivers’ understanding of cyclists’ rights and (b) promote safer interactions between drivers and cyclists on the roads.
Answer: On 7 January 2026, the Government published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. The Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by ...
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPapua: Overseas CompaniesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103389More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure that UK companies operating in West Papua respect the rights of Indigenous peoples and prevent adverse environmental or hum
Answer: The UK Government takes seriously any concerns about environmental and human rights impacts linked to British businesses operating abroad. We regularly engage with both the Government of Indonesia and UK companies to promote responsible business conduct a...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordIndonesia: Indigenous PeoplesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103388More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations her Department has made to the Indonesian government on upholding free, prior and informed consent for Indigenous communities affected by National Strate
Answer: The UK Government is aware of the ongoing implementation of National Strategic Projects across Indonesia. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office senior officials have raised the importance of free, prior and informed consent (FPCI) for Indigenous Pe...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103387More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the commissioning model for adult social care.
Answer: Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care markets to meet the diverse needs of all local people. This includes commissioning a diverse range of care and support services that enable people to access quality ca...
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103386More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of co-designing adult social care to meet community needs.
Answer: Local authorities are responsible for commissioning social care. As part of this, local authorities should pursue the principle that market shaping and commissioning should be shared endeavours, with commissioners working alongside people with care and su...
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordUndocumented Migrants: English ChannelHome OfficeTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103385More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her department has assessed the potential impact of beach-based police interventions in northern France on recent trends in levels of deaths in the Channel; and what measures she is implementi
Answer: Our ongoing partnership with French law enforcement prevented over 22,000 crossing attempts during 2025. We are working closely with the French to reduce the risk to life from these crossings and with partners across Europe to bring the smuggling gangs to...
Answered 20 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordUndocumented Migrants: English ChannelHome OfficeTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103384More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of UK-funded French police operations on the safety and wellbeing of people attempting to seek asylum; and what steps she is taking to ensure accou
Answer: It would be inappropriate for the Home Office to comment upon the composition or duties of French law enforcement units. It is important to emphasise that French law enforcement units necessarily operate independently of UK law enforcement, though there i...
Answered 20 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordUndocumented Migrants: English ChannelHome OfficeTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103383More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what monitoring mechanisms exist to ensure that UK-funded activities in France, whether involving public authorities or private contractors, do not contribute to human rights violations against people
Answer: France is a key partner in tackling OIC and joint work is seeing French personnel being deployed, supported by cutting-edge surveillance technologies and equipment; and more work is being done to disrupt organised criminal gangs through improved intellige...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordUndocumented Migrants: English ChannelHome OfficeTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103382More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much UK public funding has been provided to the French Government under agreements relating to Channel operations since 2020; and for what specific purposes this funding has been used.
Answer: France is a key partner in tackling OIC and joint work is seeing French personnel being deployed, supported by cutting-edge surveillance technologies and equipment; and more work is being done to disrupt organised criminal gangs through improved intellige...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordUlcerative Colitis: Leeds Central and HeadingleyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103381More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve (a) medical support for and (b) access to medical support for people with colitis in Leeds Central and Headingley constituency.
Answer: It is the responsibility of the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) to meet the needs of patients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, in the Leeds Central and Headingly constituency...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordCrohn's Disease: Leeds Central and HeadingleyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103380More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve (a) medical support for and (b) access to medical support for people with Crohn's disease in Leeds Central and Headingley constituency.
Answer: It is the responsibility of the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) to meet the needs of patients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, in the Leeds Central and Headingly constituency...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordNorthern: Airedale LineDepartment for TransportTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103379More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the reliability of Northern Train’s services on the Airedale Line from Skipton to Leeds.
Answer: In November the Airedale line had cancellations of 1.68 per cent (below Northern’s average of 2.96 per cent). Northern Trains and the department, through the Rail North Partnership, would be keen to discuss any proposals for improving train services with ...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordDrax Power: Low Carbon Contracts CompanyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 5 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102835More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Low Carbon Contracts Company has powers to end Drax’s operations as distinct from withdrawing individual subsidy payments.
Answer: The new Low Carbon Dispatchable Contract for Difference (CfD) with Drax includes powers for the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC) to terminate the contract as the ultimate sanction for serious breaches of generating requirements or sustainability criter...
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordAleksandar VučićForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97684More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the National Security Adviser discussed media freedoms in his recent meeting with President Vucic.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 20 October to Question 81835.
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRepairs and MaintenanceDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96255More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of passenger notification procedures for planned engineering works that result in disruption to rail services.
Answer: Standard practice is for journey planner websites like National Rail Enquiries and train operating company websites to start showing alternative travel information 12 weeks in advance. Network Rail is responsible for coordinating and validating timetables...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRailway Stations: DisabilityDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96254More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what measures are in place to ensure that assistance services in rail stations for disabled and vulnerable passengers remain functional during significant service disruptions.
Answer: All train and station operators are required, under their Accessible Travel Policy, to provide assistance to disabled and vulnerable passengers during periods of disruption. This includes, where appropriate, the provision of alternative accessible transpo...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96252More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that rail operators provide sufficient staffing and passenger management during major route disruptions.
Answer: The Department expects train operators and Network Rail to have plans in place to support passengers during major disruption, including appropriate staffing.
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordStrokes: Leeds Central and HeadingleyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90903More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve outcomes for patients with (a) strokes and (b) transient ischaemic attacks in Leeds Central and Headingley constituency.
Answer: Stroke care for the Leeds Central and Headingley constituencies is provided by the Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust (LTHT). To improve outcomes for patients with strokes and transient ischaemic attacks, LTHT provides 24/7 stroke specialist nurse cover for em...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordObesity: DrugsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 27 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85297More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing details to the public on how to report suspected unlicenced vendors providing weight loss injections.
Answer: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), acting on behalf of my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, is responsible for the regulation of medicines intended for human use in the United Kingdom. This inc...
Answered 6 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordObesity: DrugsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 27 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85296More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he has considered the potential merits of establishing a database of licensed weight loss injection providers that is easily accessible to the public.
Answer: All GLP-1 medicines, which are licensed injections for weight loss, are prescription only medicines, which means they can only be prescribed by a healthcare professional.GLP-1 medicines can be purchased privately. A consultation with a healthcare professi...
Answered 6 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordWestern Sahara: Politics and GovernmentForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 24 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84937More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the United Nation Secretary-General’s report to the Security Council entitled Situation concerning Western Sahara, published on 30 September 2025, what asse
Answer: The UK Government consistently urges all states to uphold international law, and we continue to encourage constructive engagement with the political process led by the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General Mr Staffan de Mistura in support of finding ...
Answered 29 Oct 2025
Original Parliament record
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