Alison Griffiths MP: written questions
114 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Water Companies: OmbudsmanDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15846More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the timetable is for establishing a statutory Water Ombudsman; what assessment she has made of the powers required to provide effective redress to customers; and whether she has m
Answer: The Government will establish the Water Ombudsman at the earliest opportunity. The Government is applying best practice from other sectors, such as energy, communications, finance and rail, to develop a model which includes the powers required to provide ...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15845More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what timetable she has set for ending operator self-monitoring by water companies; what assessment she has made of the additional data, staffing, laboratory, digital and enforcement ca
Answer: The Environment Agency is making a step change in regulatory scrutiny across the sector, moving away from operator self-monitoring towards a more transparent, intelligence-led approach to monitoring. This includes increased inspections, independent audits...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordWater: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15844More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what transitional governance arrangements she plans to put in place before the establishment of a single integrated water regulator; which body will be responsible during that transiti
Answer: Work is already underway to support transition arrangements, including the appointment of Professor Dame Julia Black as Senior Adviser to the Secretary of State on Water Reform Transition to inform the strategic design of the new regulator and oversee tra...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordWater: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15843More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what timetable she has set for introducing primary legislation to reform the regulation of the water sector; and whether she plans to publish (i) draft clauses and (ii) a policy paper
Answer: Work is already underway to support transition arrangements, including the appointment of Professor Dame Julia Black as Senior Adviser to the Secretary of State on Water Reform Transition to inform the strategic design of the new regulator and oversee tra...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordWater: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15842More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish an implementation plan for the recommendations of the Independent Water Commission setting out whether each recommendation (a) has been accepted, rejected and remai
Answer: Work is already underway to support transition arrangements, including the appointment of Professor Dame Julia Black as Senior Adviser to the Secretary of State on Water Reform Transition to inform the strategic design of the new regulator and oversee tra...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordAudiology: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15201More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has undertaken an assessment of geographical variation in access to cochlear implant assessment and treatment services in England; and what the average travel distance and travel time is
Answer: No assessment of the trends in the level of variation in referral pathways for adult audiology services in England has been made.Data on waiting times for specific specialist audiology pathways such as tinnitus, cochlear implant, balance disorders, and co...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordAudiology: Waiting ListsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15200More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS England collects comparative data on waiting times for specialist audiology services, including tinnitus, cochlear implant, balance disorder and complex hearing loss pathways; and what
Answer: No assessment of the trends in the level of variation in referral pathways for adult audiology services in England has been made.Data on waiting times for specific specialist audiology pathways such as tinnitus, cochlear implant, balance disorders, and co...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordAudiology: Bognor Regis and LittlehamptonDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15199More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS audiology providers in England are subject to (i) high assurance, (ii) partial assurance and (iii) improvement support under NHS England’s national audiology improvement programme; and
Answer: The National Audiology Improvement Collaborative, delivered by NHS Elect and commissioned by NHS England, supports audiology services to improve access, reduce waiting times, and improve patient experience and quality. It began in 2024/25 with four teams,...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordAudiology: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15198More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS England has made an assessment of trends in the level of variation in referral pathways for adult audiology services in England, including referrals between community providers, NHS tru
Answer: Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning audiology services to meet the needs of their local populations, taking account of relevant national guidance and local service arrangements. Adult audiology services are delivered through a range o...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordAudiology: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15197More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the outcome was of the NHS England Elect Audiology Improvement Collaborative; and whether he plans to publish its findings and recommendations, including data relating to NHS providers serving
Answer: The National Audiology Improvement Collaborative, delivered by NHS Elect and commissioned by NHS England, supports audiology services to improve access, reduce waiting times, and improve patient experience and quality. It began in 2024/25 with four teams,...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: BillingDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7648More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate he has made of the number of small and medium-sized enterprises expected to benefit from the proposed 60-day payment limit; and whether he will publish the methodology underpinning that e
Answer: The Government has not published an estimate of how many SMEs will benefit from the 60-day maximum payment term, as impact varies across sectors, supply chains and contractual practices. The supporting evidence is set out in the Department’s Impact Assess...
Answered 11 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: BillingDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7647More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, (a) what estimate he has made of the average amount owed to small and medium-sized enterprises through overdue invoices in each of the last five years, and (b) what additional financial and staffing re
Answer: The Government does not hold data on the average amount owed to SMEs in overdue invoices over the last 5 years. However, research commissioned by DBT and published last year highlighted that late payments cost the UK economy £11 billion each year, causing...
Answered 11 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7646More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the net change in business rates liabilities for hospitality businesses in (a) England and (b) each region of England following the introduction of the new retail, hospitality and leisu
Answer: At the Budget, the VO announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since the pandemic, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties. In recognition of the impact of the revalu...
Answered 11 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7645More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the average change in business rates liability arising from the 2026 revaluation for (a) public houses, (b) restaurants, (c) cafés and (d) hotels.
Answer: At the Budget, the VO announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since the pandemic, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties. In recognition of the impact of the revalu...
Answered 11 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness RatesTreasuryTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7644More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the number of retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses that will face an increase in their overall business rates liability in 2026-27 following the 2026 revaluation.
Answer: At the Budget, the VO announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since the pandemic, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties. In recognition of the impact of the revalu...
Answered 11 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness: Conditions of EmploymentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7074More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate his Department has made of the average annual cost per business of complying with the provisions of the Employment Rights Act 2025 by (a) business size and (b) sector.
Answer: The Government has published 29 Impact Assessments representing a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Act: Employment Rights Act 2025: impact assessments - GOV.UK. Each Impact Assessment considers the cost of the polic...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordApprentices: Small BusinessesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7073More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has modelled the potential impact of recent changes in employment costs on trends in the level of apprenticeship recruitment by small and medium-sized enterprises.
Answer: The government has committed a further £1 billion investment in young people, taking total additional investment into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy to £2.5 billion over the next three years. This investment will support almost one mil...
Answered 12 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordApprentices: FinanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7072More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the extent to which the additional funding for apprentices aged under 25 offsets changes in the level of (a) employer National Insurance contributions, (
Answer: The government has committed a further £1 billion investment in young people, taking total additional investment into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy to £2.5 billion over the next three years. This investment will support almost one mil...
Answered 12 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: RecruitmentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7071More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made a quantitative assessment of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Act 2025 on recruitment intentions among (a) micro businesses and (b) small businesses.
Answer: The Government has published 29 Impact Assessments representing a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Act. The analysis shows that the Act could have small, positive effects on the level of employment: Employment Right...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordEmployers' ContributionsTreasuryTabled 4 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7070More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has undertaken modelling of the potential impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions on the level of employment opportunities for people aged between 18 and 24.
Answer: Businesses are able to claim employer NICs reliefs including those for under-21s and under-25 apprentices. This means employers pay no employer NICs for apprentices under 25 or employees under 21 on earnings up to £50,270. These reliefs are estimated to h...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordEmployers' Contributions: Small BusinessesTreasuryTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6131More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the number of small and medium-sized enterprises that are eligible for the Employment Allowance and will pay a higher level of National Insurance contributions relative to 2024/25 in ea
Answer: Estimates on the number of small and medium-sized enterprises that are eligible for the Employment Allowance and will pay a higher level of National Insurance contributions relative to 2024-25 over the next three years are not available.
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordEmployers' ContributionsTreasuryTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6130More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has modelled the potential impact of changes to employers' National Insurance contributions introduced in April 2025 on the level of (a) recruitment, (b) staff retention and (c) wage growth of
Answer: A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer; the economic impacts of the policy; and the impacts on individuals, businesses ...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: Conditions of EmploymentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6129More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Act 2025 on administrative and compliance costs for (a) micro businesses employing fewer than 10 people, (b) small businesse
Answer: The Government has published 29 Impact Assessments representing a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Act: Employment Rights Act 2025: impact assessments - GOV.UK. Each Impact Assessment considers the cost of the polic...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordEmployers' Contributions and Minimum Wage: Small BusinessesTreasuryTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6128More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the cumulative potential impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions and the National Minimum Wage on the level of labour costs for (a) micro busin
Answer: A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer; the economic impacts of the policy; and the impacts on individuals, businesses ...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: Conditions of EmploymentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6127More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the cumulative potential impact of (a) changes to employer National Insurance contributions, (b) changes to the National Minimum Wage, and (c) the Emplo
Answer: The Government has published a range of analytical documents covering the policies referenced, which set out their likely impacts on businesses of different sizes.As per our Better Regulation requirements, each Impact Assessment covering the Employment Ri...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament record
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