Andrew Snowden MP: written questions

1837 published records · newest first.

Written questions

  • General Practitioners: Prescription DrugsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99374More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Department has assessed the potential benefits of enabling GPs to issue automatic repeat prescriptions for patients on stable, long-term medication.

    Answer: Responsibility for prescribing, including the issue of repeat prescribing and the duration of prescriptions, rests with the prescriber who has clinical responsibility for that particular aspect of a patient’s care.Electronic repeat dispensing is already i...

    Answered 18 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Undocumented Migrants: English ChannelHome OfficeTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99367More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many small boat crossings have taken place in each of the last ten years, including 2025.

    Answer: The Home Office publishes daily statistics on detected small boat arrivals to the UK in the Small boat activity in the English Channel - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab) release.More detailed published data on small boat arrivals to the UK are provided in the ‘...

    Answered 22 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Sri Lanka: StormsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99366More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what engagement her Department has had with counterparts in Sri Lanka regarding Storm Ditwah.

    Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 18 December in response to Question 99464.

    Answered 18 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Assessments: Digital TechnologyDepartment for EducationTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99352More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps will be taken to ensure that school leaders, exam officers, teachers, parents and students are fully consulted during the 12-week consultation on regulating on-screen assessments.

    Answer: The department recognises the importance of securing responses from teachers, school leaders, exams officers, parents and students, and Ofqual is committed to achieving diverse representation. To support this, Ofqual is engaging these groups through targe...

    Answered 29 Jan 2026

    Original Parliament record
  • Assessments: Digital TechnologyDepartment for EducationTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99351More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what measures will be put in place to prevent any widening of attainment gaps between students with differing levels of access to digital technology when on-screen assessments are introduced.

    Answer: Ofqual is consulting on a controlled approach to any further adoption of on-screen assessment that protects standards, fairness and teachers’ ability to prepare students effectively. Under its proposals, most GCSEs, AS and A levels will continue to be ass...

    Answered 19 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Influenza: LancashireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99331More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce transmission of influenza in Lancashire.

    Answer: Our flu vaccination campaign started in September, and is helping to keep people out of hospital. The UK Health Security Agency is also working closely with colleagues in NHS North West and local integrated care boards (ICBs). There continues to be sustai...

    Answered 19 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Influenza: LancashireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99330More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of hospital admissions due to acute influenza across Lancashire; and how this compares to the same period last year.

    Answer: Data on hospital admissions due to flu at a county level is not published. Between 25 November and 7 December 2025, there was a daily average of 346 adult general and acute beds occupied by flu patients in acute trusts in the North West. This was higher t...

    Answered 17 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Listed Places of Worship Grant SchemeDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98971More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she expects to announce whether the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme will be renewed beyond 31 March 2026.

    Answer: Future funding beyond March 2026 will be considered as we work through the output of the Spending Review and Departmental business planning process. An announcement will be made once this decision is finalised.

    Answered 18 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme: VATDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98968More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December to Question 95479, on Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme: VAT, how many applications to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme in the last 12 months exc

    Answer: Since 1 December 2024, the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme has received a total of 222 applications that exceeded a value of £25,000, with a combined requested value of £12,442,052. Of these, 162 claims totalling £8,793,024 were subsequently approve...

    Answered 19 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Child BenefitTreasuryTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98955More

    Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the written answer of 9 December 25 to question 96953 on Child Benefit, how many of the 23,500 compliance enquiries (i) were confirmed to be eligible, (ii) were found to have been incorrectly receiving t

    Answer: HMRC has now completed its review of Child Benefit compliance cases where a PAYE check had not been undertaken. As of 30 November 2025, out of the 23,794 cases opened between August and October 2025, 14,994 Child Benefit customers have been confirmed to b...

    Answered 16 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Visitor LevyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98714More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which level of local authority will be responsible for collecting the proposed tourist tax; and what estimate his Department has made of the administrative costs of implementing

    Answer: The design and scope of the new visitor levy power is still under development. The government is consulting on whether local authorities or a national authority should be responsible for administering the Visitor Levy in England. The administrative costs ...

    Answered 18 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Visitor LevyTreasuryTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98713More

    Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what criteria will guide decisions on whether an overnight stay levy is “modest” and appropriate for local areas; and will there be a cap.

    Answer: The precise design and scope of the power for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy is still under development. Mayors will decide whether to introduce a levy and, if so, consult on specific proposals. We expect Mayors to engage constructively with business...

    Answered 17 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Undocumented Migrants: DrugsHome OfficeTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98659More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the prevalence of drug smuggling among illegal migrants who arrive in the UK via the Channel.

    Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to questions 71052, 71053 and 71054 on 4th September.

    Answered 17 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Terminal Illnesses: PovertyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98658More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what mechanisms exist for healthcare professionals to report poverty in people with terminal illnesses to the Department for Work and Pensions.

    Answer: The Department for Work and Pensions does not ask healthcare professionals to report a patient’s poverty status.The Government remains committed to providing a financial safety net for those who need it. Support is available through the welfare system to ...

    Answered 5 Jan 2026

    Original Parliament record
  • Railways: NationalisationDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98657More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any train operator has failed to meet its performance benchmarks since entering public ownership.

    Answer: Since April 2025, all operators funded by the Department - both public and private - have failed at least one performance benchmark. Performance is measured on a four-weekly basis against ambitious and realistic targets. We expect train operators to work ...

    Answered 23 Jan 2026

    Original Parliament record
  • Railways: NationalisationDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98656More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the comparative operational performance of publicly owned rail operators versus privately owned rail operators since December 2024.

    Answer: The Department for Transport holds all the operators that it funds to account for delivering performance for passengers. The Rail Minister meets regularly with the Managing Directors of train operators and their Network Rail counterparts to address poor p...

    Answered 23 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Self-assessment: FinesTreasuryTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98655More

    Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the online Self Assessment Time to Pay system in reducing the number of late payment penalties.

    Answer: HMRC’s Time to Pay (TTP) arrangements help taxpayers to pay their liabilities in affordable and sustainable instalments. Late payment penalties do not apply provided the plan is agreed before penalty trigger dates and instalments are paid on time. HMRC’s ...

    Answered 12 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Internet: PrivacyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98654More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the level of use of virtual private networks since July 2025.

    Answer: The government and Ofcom continue to monitor the use of VPNs since the Child Safety Duties commenced in July.After these duties came into force, UK users of VPN apps temporarily doubled to around 1.5 million. Ofcom has since reported that VPN app usage dr...

    Answered 17 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Public Houses: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98588More

    Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions she has had with the brewing and pub sector on business rates affordability following the November Budget.

    Answer: The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years...

    Answered 15 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Civil Servants: Political ImpartialityCabinet OfficeTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98587More

    Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance has been issued to help civil servants distinguish between acceptable network activity and activity that may breach impartiality rules.

    Answer: The Staff Network Policy was launched on 23 September 2025 and is applicable to all cross-Civil Service Staff networks, from this date. Departments have been strongly encouraged to adopt or align to this policy for their own departmental networks. The pol...

    Answered 15 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Department for Work and Pensions: EqualityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98586More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff in his Department are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; and what proportion of overall working time are they permitted to spend on such netw

    Answer: DWP is transitioning its EDI Networks in line with the new Cabinet Office Guidance. Currently in DWP we have 8 Departmental EDI Networks. Each Network has 2 co-chairs who receive 25% time allowance and up to 10 committee members who receive 10%. When all ...

    Answered 7 Jan 2026

    Original Parliament record
  • Civil Servants: LGBT+ PeopleCabinet OfficeTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98585More

    Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much funding was allocated to the Civil Service LGBT Plus Network in each of the last five years.

    Answer: I refer you to the response given by Minister Gould to PQ43014 in April of this year which asked what the cost to the public purse was of this employee network. The Civil Service LGBT+ staff network is a volunteer collaborative group of Civil Service staf...

    Answered 15 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Treasury: EqualityTreasuryTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98584More

    Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff in her Department are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; and what proportion of overall working time are they permitted to spend on such network activity.

    Answer: Participation in staff networks is primarily voluntary and carried out in addition to an employee’s job role.

    Answered 17 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Taxis: LicensingDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98583More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 Oct 2025 to Question 81532 on Taxis: Licensing, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the powers available to local licensing authorities for ensuring the effective enforc

    Answer: The Department for Transport is legislating to tackle inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle licensing. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill would enable the setting of national minimum standards in licensing.We are consi...

    Answered 15 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Water: InfrastructureDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98239More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of water infrastructure.

    Answer: A record £104 billion of investment is planned for the water sector in the next investment cycle. This will provide the water supply and wastewater capacity to secure future water supplies, including nine new reservoirs and several large-scale water trans...

    Answered 11 Dec 2025

    Original Parliament record

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