Andrew Snowden MP: written questions 2025
1670 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Open PrisonsMinistry of JusticeTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75265More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will conduct a review of the quality of rehabilitation of prisoners released from an open prison, in comparison with prisoners released from other penal settings.
Answer: Prisons of different categories shape their rehabilitation offer to meet the needs of the prisoner cohorts they accommodate.In open prisons, the intention is for carefully risk-assessed prisoners to participate in activities in the community under Release...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOpen PrisonsMinistry of JusticeTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75261More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Independent Sentencing Review on the population of open prisons.
Answer: A formal assessment has not yet been made. This will form part of the operational implementation planning over the coming months.
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOpen Prisons: Crimes of ViolenceMinistry of JusticeTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75254More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what meetings her Department has had with (a) prison officers, (b) prison officers' unions and (c) other representative bodies of prison staff to discuss assaults in open prisons in the last 12 months.
Answer: We have maintained regular and structured engagement with staff and their recognised trade union representatives on this matter. All prison governors in the open estate routinely hold local staff engagement forums, providing frontline officers with the op...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOpen PrisonsMinistry of JusticeTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75253More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average length of time spent by prisoners in open prisons was in the last (a) 12 months, (b) three years and (c) five years.
Answer: Prisoners may be accommodated in more than one open prison during the course of a sentence. The data that would need to be collated to calculate the average length of time in open conditions is not held centrally and could not be obtained without incurrin...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisons: DrugsMinistry of JusticeTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75250More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of prisoners failed drugs tests upon arrival in the last 12 months.
Answer: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Data on the total number of random mandatory drug tests carried out is published as part of the HMPPS Annual Digest. The most recently released version confirms that in the 12 mont...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisons: DrugsMinistry of JusticeTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75248More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of automatically transferring prisoners in open prisons who fail drugs tests to Category C prisons.
Answer: Prisoners held in open conditions can be re-categorised to higher security conditions at any time if their risk increases, if there is a material change in circumstances that impacts security risk, or information (including existing information not consid...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisons: DrugsMinistry of JusticeTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75242More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners failed drugs tests in each of the last 12 months.
Answer: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Data on the total number of random mandatory drug tests carried out is published as part of the HMPPS Annual Digest. The most recently released version confirms that in the 12 mont...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisons: AccessMinistry of JusticeTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75240More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will require the mapping platform what3words to limit access to the prison estate.
Answer: To protect the public, prisons must hold prisoners securely to prevent further crime, maintain order and provide an environment conducive to reform. The Department is committed to taking every possible measure to strengthen prison security.Whilst we canno...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordFreehold: Mortgages and SalesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75237More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support is available for leaseholders that are unable to obtain a landlord certificate from freeholders due to the freehold owners becoming insolvent.
Answer: When a landlord has gone into administration, it is normally the case that an Insolvency Practitioner/Administrator is appointed to handle their affairs and may provide leaseholders with a landlord's certificate when it is requested. If the appointed inso...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordFreehold: Mortgages and SalesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75236More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing the requirement for leaseholders to require a landlord certificate from freeholders when (a) remortgaging and (
Answer: A landlord certificate demonstrates, among other things, whether a leaseholder is exempt from paying for all costs associated with non-cladding defects. As such, the majority of leaseholders (defined as qualifying under the Building Safety Act) and potent...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHate Crime and IncitementHome OfficeTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75160More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to conduct a review of (a) hate speech and (b) incitement legislation.
Answer: Hate crimes and incitement to violence are inexcusable. We have robust legislation in place to address threatening, abusive, or harassing behaviour, as well as incitement to hatred on the grounds of race, religion, and sexual orientation.The Government is...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHate Crime: InternetHome OfficeTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75159More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many arrests were made for online speech offences in the last five years.
Answer: The Home Office does not hold the information requested.The Home Office collects and publishes data on arrests as part of the ‘Police Powers and Procedures’ statistical series. The latest data is available here: Stop and search, arrests and mental health ...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHate Crime: InternetHome OfficeTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75158More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance is issued to police forces on deploying armed officers for arrests relating to alleged online speech offences.
Answer: The College of Policing issues Authorised Professional Practice guidance around the deployment of armed officers.Decisions around the deployment of armed officers are operational matters for Chief Officers to determine based on a thorough assessment of th...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordFootball: OwnershipDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75151More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made provision for the ability of the Independent Football Regulator to require an owner to divest from a club to be subject to (a) Ministerial oversight and (b) parliamentary scr
Answer: The Football Governance Act establishes an operationally independent regulator. The Act does not provide for any ongoing ministerial or parliamentary role in the IFR’s ownership tests. This is to stop undue political interference in football.
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordFootball: Directors and OwnershipDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75150More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Independent Football Regulator will have the power to retrospectively investigate incumbent owners or directors in instances where new information comes to light after their appointme
Answer: The Independent Football Regulator (IFR) will have the ability to test incumbent owners and officers where it has grounds for concern over their suitability. If an incumbent owner or officer is found to be unsuitable, the IFR has a strong suite of powers ...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordFootball: Directors and OwnershipDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75149More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Independent Football Regulator will be required to publish an annual report detailing the number of (a) individuals and (b) entities it assessed under the ownership and directorship t
Answer: Section 14 of the Football Governance Act requires the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) to publish an annual report, to include a summary of activities undertaken that year. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport can direct the IFR to inc...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordFootball: OwnershipDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75148More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Independent Football Regulator’s ownership rules on (a) smaller and (b) community-owned football clubs.
Answer: The Government recognises the different levels of resources and the different ownership models of smaller and community-owned football clubs. That is why the Football Governance Act has designed the owners’ and directors’ tests to be applied by the Indepe...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHospitals: ConsultantsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74896More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting time is for a first appointment with a consultant in NHS trusts in Lancashire.
Answer: Tackling waiting-lists is a top priority for the Government. We have exceeded our pledge to deliver over two million more elective care appointments. More than double that number, 4.9 million more appointments, have now been delivered in England.On 6 Janu...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordRetail Trade: Health and SafetyDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74887More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the number of employees who work alone in retail environments; and what steps her Department is taking to monitor trends in lone working practices.
Answer: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has the policy lead for workplace health and safety in Great Britain. However, the primary responsibility for managing risk to health and safety lies with employers. An employer is the person or organisation that is l...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordRetail Trade: Health and SafetyDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74886More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential health and safety risks associated with increased lone working in retail.
Answer: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has the policy lead for workplace health and safety in Great Britain. However, the primary responsibility for managing risk to health and safety lies with employers. An employer is the person or organisation that is l...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordParking: FraudMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74806More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help tackle fraud in car parks.
Answer: The government is aware of concerns about the poor practice and behaviour of some parking operators and is determined to drive up standards in the private parking sector. The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 requires the Secretary of State to prepare a...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCredit Cards: FraudDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74805More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent the (a) sale and (b) production of skimming devices used fraudulently steal card details.
Answer: The Home Office announced that an expanded fraud strategy will be published later this year, as part of the government’s Plan for Change, with a key focus of the strategy being combatting tech-enabled fraud.
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordEducation: Energy DrinksDepartment for EducationTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74804More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the consumption of high caffeine energy drinks on (a) schools and (b) educational outcomes.
Answer: The government has committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever to provide them with a better and more prosperous future. That is why the government’s manifesto committed to a ban on the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children u...
Answered 8 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSoft Drinks: LancashireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74801More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the consumption of high caffeine energy drinks on health services in Lancashire.
Answer: On 3 September 2025, the Government published its consultation on banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years in England, an important step towards fulfilling our Plan for Change commitment to create the healthiest generatio...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordExploitation: Criminal InvestigationHome OfficeTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74756More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, by what date she expects all police forces in England and Wales to have full operational access to the TOEX Capabilities Environment.
Answer: The Home Office is providing the Tackling Organised Exploitation (TOEX) programme with £8.8 million this year to increase law enforcements capability to respond to organised exploitation, including by providing dedicated intelligence, analytical and techn...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
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