Alicia Kearns MP: written questions 2025
252 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Hospitality Industry: Employers' ContributionsTreasuryTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78682More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of extending employer National Insurance contribution relief to (a) employees aged under 25 and (b) individuals returning to work from welfare on levels of
Answer: This government is committed to supporting young people to earn or learn. That is why the Chancellor has recently announced that we will offer a guaranteed job to young people on Universal Credit who are unemployed for over 18 months. This forms a key par...
Answered 16 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ReorganisationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78681More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether statutory consultation on devolution is required for (a) the establishment of mayoralties and (b) all other local government reorganisation.
Answer: Statutory consultation requirements apply to the establishment of a Mayoral Combined Authority or Mayoral Combined County Authority, as set out in the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 and the Levelling-up and Regeneration Ac...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordBlue Badge Scheme: PatientsDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78680More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of enabling GPs and hospital consultants to issue temporary blue badges to patients with severe mobility limitations who are experiencing long NHS waiting
Answer: The aim of the Blue Badge scheme is to help people with substantial and enduring mobility problems caused by visible and non-visible (‘hidden’) disabilities to access goods and services, by allowing them to park close to their destination. Blue Badges may...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordOrthopaedics: Waiting ListsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78679More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2025 to Question HL4889 on Knee Replacements: Waiting Lists, what specific steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for (a) knee replacements and
Answer: As of August 2025, the waiting list for Trauma and Orthopaedics, which includes patients waiting for knee replacements and other orthopaedic operations, stood at 866,426. Performance against the 18-week referral to treatment standard was 58.8%.The Departm...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCoronavirus: VaccinationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78678More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the public health impact of removing people with Type 1 diabetes from eligibility for the NHS autumn COVID-19 booster vaccination programme; and what clin
Answer: The Government’s policy on groups eligible for vaccination programmes is based on the advice of the independent expert body, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). Over time, the risk from COVID-19 has reduced across the United Kingdo...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordBritish Nationals Abroad: DetaineesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78677More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many referrals were made to her Department's (a) Pro Bono Medical Panel and (b) Pro Bono Legal Panel in relation to (i) prisoner welfare and (ii) human rights in each yea
Answer: All referrals to the Pro Bono Legal Panel were in relation to the human rights of detainees:2020 - fewer than 5 referrals2021 - no referrals2022 - fewer than 5 referrals2023 - fewer than 5 referrals2024 - fewer than 5 referrals2025 - no referralsAll refer...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordBritish Nationals Abroad: TortureForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78676More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many new allegations of (a) torture and (b) mistreatment were received by her Department in relation to British nationals in 2024.
Answer: In 2024, there were 186 new allegations of mistreatment or torture made to consular officers by or on behalf of British nationals detained overseas.
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSerbia: DemonstrationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 12 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76843More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her Serbian counterpart on recent protests in Serbia.
Answer: The Foreign Secretary and I look forward to meeting Foreign Minister Djuric at the Berlin Process meeting of Western Balkans Foreign Ministers, that the UK will host next month. In visits to Serbia across the year, the former Foreign Secretary, UK Special...
Answered 22 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCountryside Stewardship Scheme: Rutland and StamfordDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76320More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many countryside stewardship agreements are due to conclude without replacement in Rutland and Stamford constituency in the next year.
Answer: We are aware of the concerns raised by farmers and stakeholders regarding farmers whose current agreements expire at the end of the year and are considering how we can support the continued delivery of environmental outcomes through environmental land man...
Answered 8 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordFirearms: LicensingHome OfficeTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75047More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of creating a (a) single, (b) centralised and (c) digitised firearms licensing body to replace the current system of 44 separate licensing au
Answer: The Government has no plans to introduce a new national body for firearms licensing. The Firearms Act 1968 places statutory responsibility for firearms licensing on the Chief Officer of Police of each individual force in England, Wales and Scotland.This f...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordWar PensionsMinistry of DefenceTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 73870More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has considered the potential merits of extending the period for additional claims on the War Pension Scheme to six months.
Answer: There are no plans to change the time limits associated with claims under the War Pension Scheme to six months. It may be helpful to explain that this time limit does not prevent a claim for additional benefits being made after three months. If a claim fo...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAccess to Work ProgrammeDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 73869More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has considered the potential merits of extending the access to work scheme to fund train tickets.
Answer: Access to Work contributes to the disability-related extra costs of working faced by disabled people and those with a health condition in the workplace that are beyond standard reasonable adjustments. It does not replace an employer’s duty under the Equal...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordChina and IndiaForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71177More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government has raised Chinese claims on the Indian territory of Arunachal Pradesh with his counterparts in the Chinese Government.
Answer: The UK's position is that it is for relevant parties to resolve border disputes bilaterally. We support all peaceful means to do so and oppose any attempts to use or threaten the use of force to change the status quo. The UK Government welcomes recent dis...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordDalai LamaForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71176More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government accepts the Chinese Communist Party's claim to be able to appoint the next Dalai Lama as legitimate.
Answer: This Government champions freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all in the UK and abroad, working to uphold the right to FoRB through the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora, and through bilateral engagement. For example, on July 2 the UK convened an ev...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordTax AvoidanceTreasuryTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71175More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to FOI2024/01172, if HMRC will now extend 85% discounts to individual taxpayers affected by the Loan Charge.
Answer: The Government commissioned an independent review of the Loan Charge to help bring the matter to a close for those affected whilst ensuring fairness for all taxpayers. The Government will respond by Autumn Budget 2025.During Oral Questions on 1 July 2025,...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMilorad DodikForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71174More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government recognises Milorad Dodik as the President of the Repulika Srpska Entity following the upholding of his prison sentence and ban on holding office.
Answer: The UK does not recognise Milorad Dodik as the current President of the Republika Srpska Entity. The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has upheld the decision of the Central Election Commission to remove Dodik's mandate, following his conviction, and ...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPrimary Education: AssessmentsDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71173More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an impact assessment of the use of touchscreen devices in Reception Baseline Assessments.
Answer: The digital elements of the reception baseline assessment (RBA) have been in development since 2019 and subject to extensive trials with teachers and pupils, using the Standards and Testing Agency’s internationally recognised assessment development approa...
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordChildcare VouchersTreasuryTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71172More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to review the monthly salary sacrifice cap for existing users of the childcare voucher scheme, in the context of (a) cumulative inflation and (b) increased average childcare costs since
Answer: Childcare Vouchers are now closed to new entrants, and the Government has no plans to reopen or reform them. Existing users can continue to use them as long as they remain with their current employer, the employer continues to offer Vouchers, and their co...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordEast Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71171More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the Ambulance Response Programme in the East Midlands Ambulance Service .
Answer: The Government accepts that urgent and emergency care performance has, in recent years, been short of the standards the public rightly expect. We are determined to put things right.Our Urgent and Emergency Care Delivery Plan for 2025/26 commits to reducin...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordSadeq NikzadHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71170More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the immigration status was for Sadeq Nikzad when he raped a minor in Falkirk in October 2023.
Answer: Any disclosures of the immigration or asylum status of suspects will be made in line with the processes set out in the National Police Chiefs’ Council interim guidance published on the 13 August.
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordDan TesfalulHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71169More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the immigration status was for Dan Tesfalul at the time he was sentenced for the rape of a woman in Norwich in May 2024.
Answer: Any disclosures of the immigration or asylum status of suspects will be made in line with the processes set out in the National Police Chiefs’ Council interim guidance published on the 13 August.
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHamada SalahHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71168More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the immigration status was for Hamada Salah at the time he was sentenced for a sexual offence.
Answer: Any disclosures of the immigration or asylum status of suspects will be made in line with the processes set out in the National Police Chiefs’ Council interim guidance published on the 13 August.
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordZiad KhawlaHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71167More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the immigration status was for Ziad Khawla at the time he was charged with the rape of a minor in Belfast.
Answer: Any disclosures of the immigration or asylum status of suspects will be made in line with the processes set out in the National Police Chiefs’ Council interim guidance published on the 13 August.
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordKamren KhanHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71166More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the immigration status was for Kamren Khan at the time he was charged with multiple rapes of a child between April and July 2025.
Answer: Any disclosures of the immigration or asylum status of suspects will be made in line with the processes set out in the National Police Chiefs’ Council interim guidance published on the 13 August.
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordKhaliz Ali AlshimeryHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71165More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the immigration status was for Khaliz Ali Alshimery at the time he committed rape in November 2023.
Answer: Any disclosures of the immigration or asylum status of suspects will be made in line with the processes set out in the National Police Chiefs’ Council interim guidance published on the 13 August.
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
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