Andrew Snowden MP: written questions 2025
1670 published records · newest first.
Written questions
NHS England: StaffDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88930More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the abolition of Commissioning Support Units on (a) staffing levels and (b) management capacity within NHS England.
Answer: The Department recognises that the current process of transition for Commissioning Support Units (CSUs) directly impacts staff. NHS England is working to support CSUs as part of the change process, and the Department and NHS England are committed to treat...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordAviation: CrewDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88929More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions her Department has had with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on the (a) mutual recognition and (b) simplified conversion of pilot licences between the UK Civil Aviation A
Answer: Mutual recognition of personnel licensing and simplified conversion of pilot licences would require an expansion to the Aviation Safety Chapter of the TCA (Trade and Cooperation Agreement) which is reviewed annually at the UK-EU Specialised Committee on A...
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordDeportationHome OfficeTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88928More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many returns agreements her Department have made to enable the return of foreign nationals in the last 12 months.
Answer: The UK has signed returns related agreements with Vietnam, Algeria, Iraq, Moldova and France in the last 12 months.This Government is committed to maintaining and improving returns cooperation with all countries to which we are seeking to remove those wit...
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisoners' ReleaseMinistry of JusticeTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88927More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which prisons had the highest rates of accidental release of prisoners in each of the last five years.
Answer: Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps to address th...
Answered 13 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisoners' ReleaseMinistry of JusticeTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88926More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners have been accidentally released early in each of the last five years.
Answer: Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps to address th...
Answered 13 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPrison Officers: VacanciesMinistry of JusticeTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88925More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the vacancy rate is for prison officers; and what assessment he has made of the regional disparity in demand for prison officers.
Answer: HMPPS publishes the difference between Staff in Post and Target Staffing Figures at establishment and national level in the quarterly HMPPS Workforce statistics (Table 4 of the Prison and Probation Officer Recruitment Annex: HM Prison and Probation Servic...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisons: TechnologyMinistry of JusticeTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88924More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to use technology to improve (a) prison management and (b) prisoner monitoring.
Answer: The Ministry of Justice is committed to developing modern digital platforms and processes to improve prison management and prisoner monitoring. The Ministry of Justice is continuing to deploy Digital Prison Service (DPS) which will provide a new set of di...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordReoffendersMinistry of JusticeTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88923More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of probation services in preventing reoffending.
Answer: Probation services play a vital role in reducing reoffending, with a range of evidence to support this including:For a matched group of offenders, custodial sentences of less than 12 months had reoffending rates 4 percentage points higher than those on co...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordReoffendersMinistry of JusticeTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88922More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the most recent figures are for reoffending rates within 12 months of release.
Answer: The latest quarterly reoffending statistics (October to December 2023 cohort) show that, among adults released from custody, 41.1% reoffended within 12 months—down from 48.8% for the same quarter in 2013. We are committed to tackling the root causes of re...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPrison AccommodationMinistry of JusticeTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88921More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average age of the prison estate is; and how many prisons are rated as being in (a) poor and (b) very poor condition.
Answer: The average age of a currently operating prison in England and Wales is c. 82 years. In reality, there have been more recent additions/replacements to many existing establishments. Information on the condition of establishments, and how they are rated, is...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisoners' Release: LancashireMinistry of JusticeTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88920More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners have been released early in Lancashire in the last 12 months.
Answer: Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps to address th...
Answered 13 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordDogs: Animal WelfareDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88919More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to encourage (a) dog breeders to undertake health testing before breeding puppies and (b) responsible dog acquisition.
Answer: Under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, licensed breeders are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead...
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordDogs: Electronic Training AidsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88918More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent meetings she has had with (a) animal welfare groups and (b) (i) veterinary and (ii) training organisations on the use of electric shock collars on pet dogs.
Answer: DEFRA regularly engage with a wide range of stakeholders on animal welfare issues.
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: RAF ScamptonHome OfficeTabled 4 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87968More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether West Lindsey District Council has raised legal objections with her Department on housing asylum seekers at RAF Scampton.
Answer: Following a review, this Government announced the discontinuation of plans to use former RAF Scampton as asylum accommodation, in September 2024.The Prime Minister reiterated his commitment not to use former RAF Scampton for asylum accommodation on 25 Sep...
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordCharities: VATTreasuryTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87483More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make representations to HM Treasury on the potential impact of VAT on the affordability of (a) Remembrance wreaths and (b) other commemorative items provided by charities.
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of Remembrance events and the role they play in honouring those who have served. Where a charity chooses to offer its goods or services for free and invite voluntary donations, no VAT is charged. Charities also rig...
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRemembrance Day: VATTreasuryTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87482More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that VAT policy does not discourage participation in Remembrance events organised by (a) charities and (b) local authorities.
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of Remembrance events and the role they play in honouring those who have served. Where a charity chooses to offer its goods or services for free and invite voluntary donations, no VAT is charged. Charities also rig...
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRemembrance Day: VATTreasuryTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87481More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the annual revenue raised through VAT charged on Remembrance wreaths purchased by (a) local authorities, (b) schools and (c) community organisations.
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of Remembrance events and the role they play in honouring those who have served. Where a charity chooses to offer its goods or services for free and invite voluntary donations, no VAT is charged. Charities also rig...
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRemembrance Day: VATTreasuryTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87480More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will review VAT rules to ensure that (a) the purchase of wreaths and (b) other purchases made in support of charitable remembrance activities are not subject to VAT.
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of Remembrance events and the role they play in honouring those who have served. Where a charity chooses to offer its goods or services for free and invite voluntary donations, no VAT is charged. Charities also rig...
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimals: InjuriesDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87479More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department plans to review the use of (a) confidentiality clauses and (b) NDAs in consumer redress agreements involving alleged (i) harm or (ii) injury to animals.
Answer: DBT does not currently have any plans to review consumer redress agreements involving alleged harm or injury to animals.The MoJ recently introduced an amendment to the Victims and Courts Bill which ensures that confidentiality clauses or NDAs used in any ...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimals: InjuriesDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87478More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of consumer protections for customers whose animals are injured during paid (a) grooming or (b) veterinary services.
Answer: The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has not made any recent assessments specifically related to consumer protections for veterinary and grooming services. However, consumer legislation sets out protections for all consumers. Under the Consumer Rig...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPets: ShopsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87477More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department has provided to local authorities on the investigation of injuries sustained by companion animals during commercial grooming appointments.
Answer: The Department has not provided any guidance to local authorities on the investigation of injuries sustained by companion animals during commercial grooming appointments. Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 anyone in control of animals must protect them fro...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPets: ShopsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87476More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that grooming services offered by pet retail chains are subject to adequate (a) welfare standards and (b) inspection regimes.
Answer: Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the 2006 Act) anyone who has control of animals must protect them from suffering and provide for their welfare needs. These requirements apply to anyone operating a dog grooming business. Failing to comply with the 2006 ...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: Contract ComplianceCabinet OfficeTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87475More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what mechanisms his Department has put in place to allow people to report (a) poor performance and (b) untidy workmanship from Government contractors.
Answer: Individual contracting authorities are responsible for monitoring contract performance. The Procurement Act 2023 will require contracting authorities to publish Key Performance Indicators and performance against them on major contracts. These will be publ...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordCarbon Emissions: Public OpinionDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87474More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the level of public confidence in Government-backed net zero projects.
Answer: 79% of the UK public are concerned about climate change [1], and are aware of and support the government’s net zero target [2]. We have a credible plan for delivering net zero. The Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan sets out how the UK will continue t...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordChinook Helicopters: AccidentsMinistry of DefenceTabled 31 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 87124More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will establish a judge-led inquiry into the RAF Chinook ZD576 crash on the Mull of Kintyre on 2 June 1994.
Answer: The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident and our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died. The Department has received a formal claim for a Judicial Review of our decision to reject the demand f...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
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