Alicia Kearns MP: written questions
269 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Local Government: Public ParticipationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 6 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29662More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has issued guidance to Councils on the process for residents to issue deputations at meetings; and whether residents are required to provide the full text
Answer: We have been clear that it is not for Government to micromanage local authorities. We do not provide guidance on allowing public participation, such as deputations, at formal local authority meetings; it is for individual authorities to decide what public...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Public ParticipationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 6 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29648More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance (a) her Department has and (b) its predecessor Departments have issued to councils on including within their constitutions provision for public participation at cou
Answer: We have been clear that it is not for Government to micromanage local authorities. We do not provide guidance on allowing public participation, such as deputations, at formal local authority meetings; it is for individual authorities to decide what public...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordElectronic Travel Authorisations: British National (Overseas)Home OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29009More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of exempting people that have British National Overseas status and hold a UK passport from the Electronic Travel Authorisation requirement.
Answer: Electronic travel authorisations (ETAs) have been introduced to enhance our ability to screen travellers upstream and stop those who pose a threat from travelling to the UK.ETAs were expanded to BN(O) passport holders on 27 November 2024 and are currently...
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) BillDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28627More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of holding a public consultation before implementing the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill.
Answer: DWP continues to seek feedback on the Bill through regular engagement with key stakeholders, including at official and ministerial level. This will ensure the measures are designed to be effective and take into consideration wider feedback from the financ...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: Artificial IntelligenceCabinet OfficeTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28095More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of banning the use of the DeepSeek artificial intelligence model (a) on government devices, (b) in government buildings and (c) by government employees.
Answer: Everyone who works with government has a duty of confidentiality and a responsibility to safeguard any government information or data that they process, access or share, and all government departments are required to meet a range of mandatory security sta...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordArtificial IntelligenceForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28094More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his (a) American, (b) European Union and (c) NATO counterparts on the DeepSeek artificial intelligence model.
Answer: We maintain regular dialogue with our international partners on all aspects of policy including the emergence of new technologies.
Answered 17 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordArtificial Intelligence: ChinaDepartment for EducationTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28093More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will ban the DeepSeek artificial intelligence model in educational settings because of its built-in censorship.
Answer: The government has a robust set of security policies in place to oversee how information is handled. We keep these policies under constant review to ensure they are applicable to new technologies. The government's Generative artificial intelligence (AI) f...
Answered 20 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordHome Office: Artificial IntelligenceHome OfficeTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28092More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of banning the use by officials in her Department of the DeepSeek artificial intelligence model.
Answer: The Government has a robust set of security policies in place to oversee how information is handled, within our buildings, on our IT and by our staff.We keep these policies under constant review to ensure they are applicable to new technologies.The Govern...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCrimes against HumanityForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27956More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress he has made on the Mass Atrocity Prevention Hub.
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) continues to strengthen its capacity dedicated to identifying and responding to atrocity risks, drawing on expertise across government departments and working with civil society, academia, bilateral ...
Answered 5 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Written QuestionsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27892More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to provide an answer to Question 24486 on Republika Srpska and Serbia: Politics and Government, tabled on 16 January 2025.
Answer: The answer to this written parliamentary question was published on 31 January.
Answered 7 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordSexual Offences: HospitalsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27707More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many alleged (a) rapes or (b) sexual assaults have taken place in hospitals since 1 January 2024.
Answer: The Government is committed to tackling the appalling crimes of rape and sexual assault. NHS England has introduced a comprehensive package of measures to improve sexual safety across the NHS.NHS providers have a mandatory duty to notify the Care Quality ...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordHospitals: Sexual OffencesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27706More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of reports of (a) rape and (b) sexual assault that have taken place in hospitals since 1 January 2024.
Answer: The Government is committed to tackling the appalling crimes of rape and sexual assault. NHS England has introduced a comprehensive package of measures to improve sexual safety across the NHS.NHS providers have a mandatory duty to notify the Care Quality ...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordChildren's Play: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27605More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has plans to consult the indoor play sector before future business rates reform.
Answer: HM Treasury releases a quarterly record of Minister’s meetings with external individuals and organisations. This can be found online: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travelAt the Autumn Budge...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordChildren's Play: VATTreasuryTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27604More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of giving a VAT exemption on admissions fees for children under 12 for the indoor play sector.
Answer: VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer. One of the key considerat...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAarhus Convention: Local GovernmentDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27603More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on the Aarhus Convention.
Answer: The Aarhus Convention concerns access by the public to environmental information, to participation in environmental decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters. Defra does not issue specific guidance to local authorities on the Conventi...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAsthma: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27445More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to provide additional (a) interventions and (b) support to areas with higher rates of asthma.
Answer: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the British Thoracic Society, and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network published a new collaborative guideline for asthma in November 2024.The guideline covers diagnosing, monitoring, and ma...
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordChinese Embassy: Planning PermissionForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27379More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for what reason the letter from him and the Secretary of State for the Home Department to the Planning Inspector in relation to the planning and listed building consent appli
Answer: It was human error that caused the joint Foreign Secretary/Home Secretary letter to the Planning Inspector to be dated 14 January 2024. The letter was sent to the inquiry on 14 January 2025.
Answered 4 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordChinese Embassy: Planning PermissionHome OfficeTabled 29 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27359More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish any correspondence between her Department and the (a) Planning Inspectorate and (b) Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in relation to the application to build a
Answer: The planning application has been called in by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and she will make this quasi-judicial decision independent from the rest of Government.The Foreign Secretary and Home Secre...
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordChinese Embassy: Planning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27351More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has had discussions with (a) Ministers and (b) hon. Members on the application for a proposed Chinese Embassy.
Answer: As has been the case under successive administrations, government does not normally disclose details of internal discussions or discussions with Members of Parliament.
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordChinese Embassy: Planning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27350More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the letter from the Secretary of State for the Home Department and Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the planning and list
Answer: The conduct of the public inquiry is a matter for the Planning Inspectorate.
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 28 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26937More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether social care providers will be allocated additional funding for measures announced in the Autumn Budget 2024.
Answer: To enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, the Government is making available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26. Overall, core local government spending power is increasing ...
Answered 4 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 28 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26936More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support social care providers with changes announced in the Autumn Budget 2024.
Answer: To enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, the Government is making available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26. Overall, core local government spending power is increasing ...
Answered 4 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence PaymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 28 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26933More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's Get Britain Working White Paper, published on 26 November 2024, whether she has plans to review the eligibility of Personal Independence Payments claimants.
Answer: In the Get Britain Working White Paper we announced our intention to reform the system of health and disability benefits. We are working to develop proposals for reform and will set them out in a Green Paper in spring. We are committed to reforming the sy...
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ReorganisationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26085More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, whether the Government has plans to allow referendums to authorise local authority merges.
Answer: It will be essential for councils to work with local partners, including MPs, to develop plans for sustainable unitary structures capable of delivering the high-quality public services that residents need and deserve. It is for councils to decide how best...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordChina DailyHouse of Commons CommissionTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26084More
Question: To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will ban the China Daily publication from delivery to the offices of hon. Members.
Answer: China Daily has been delivered to our mail screening centre in bulk, addressed to all Members since 2016. There is an unsubscribing email address that is passed to Members who no longer wish to receive it.The bulk delivery has never been requested by the ...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament record
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