Angus MacDonald MP: written questions 2025
581 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Helicopters: Rescue ServicesDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101722More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of rescue helicopter operational capability.
Answer: Throughout the procurement and service delivery lifecycle of the UK’s contracted search and rescue helicopter provision, capability is continually assessed against demand, ensuring that it will always meet the needs of the public. Recent examples include ...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordJuriesMinistry of JusticeTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101178More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of its proposals to alter the use of jury trials on defendants.
Answer: An impact assessment will accompany our legislative measures, as is usual practice.
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordRadio: Power FailuresDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100812More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what contingency arrangements exist if local radio transmission infrastructure becomes unavailable during a national emergency.
Answer: The BBC has specific requirements under its Framework Agreement in relation to broadcast security and resilience, and works closely with DCMS in ensuring its networks are able to support emergency communications. DCMS has full oversight of these plans and...
Answered 29 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPower Failures: RadioDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100811More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the (a) effectiveness of the role of BBC Radio 4 in national emergency communications and (b) the resilience of its transmission network to power loss.
Answer: The BBC has specific requirements under its Framework Agreement in relation to broadcast security and resilience, and works closely with DCMS in ensuring its networks are able to support emergency communications. DCMS has full oversight of these plans and...
Answered 29 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRadio: Power FailuresDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100810More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that at least one UK-wide emergency radio service remains accessible to the public during extended power outages.
Answer: The BBC has specific requirements under its Framework Agreement in relation to broadcast security and resilience, and works closely with DCMS in ensuring its networks are able to support emergency communications. DCMS has full oversight of these plans and...
Answered 29 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRadio: Power FailuresDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100805More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department holds data on the loss of radio broadcast coverage during recent power outages in the Highlands and Islands.
Answer: The BBC has specific requirements under its Framework Agreement in relation to broadcast security and resilience, and works closely with DCMS in ensuring its networks are able to support emergency communications. DCMS has full oversight of these plans and...
Answered 29 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRadio: Power FailuresDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100804More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the level of difference in emergency radio broadcast resilience between urban areas and rural or remote communities.
Answer: The BBC has specific requirements under its Framework Agreement in relation to broadcast security and resilience, and works closely with DCMS in ensuring its networks are able to support emergency communications. DCMS has full oversight of these plans and...
Answered 29 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRadio: Power FailuresDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100803More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent testing has been undertaken of emergency power systems at radio broadcast transmission sites; and what the results of that testing were.
Answer: The BBC has specific requirements under its Framework Agreement in relation to broadcast security and resilience, and works closely with DCMS in ensuring its networks are able to support emergency communications. DCMS has full oversight of these plans and...
Answered 29 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRadio: Power FailuresDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100801More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of radio broadcast transmission masts are equipped with on-site backup power capable of operating for more than (a) 12 hours, (b) 24 hours and (c) 72 hours without mains electrici
Answer: The BBC has specific requirements under its Framework Agreement in relation to broadcast security and resilience, and works closely with DCMS in ensuring its networks are able to support emergency communications. DCMS has full oversight of these plans and...
Answered 29 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRadio: Power FailuresDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100795More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the availability and duration of backup power supplies for radio broadcast transmission sites during prolonged power outages.
Answer: The BBC has specific requirements under its Framework Agreement in relation to broadcast security and resilience, and works closely with DCMS in ensuring its networks are able to support emergency communications. DCMS has full oversight of these plans and...
Answered 29 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDrax Group: TimberDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100762More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether Drax is contractually required to disclose to the Government where the trees used in the pellets it purchases were cut down.
Answer: Biomass generators must currently comply with the reporting requirements of the Renewables Obligation and Contract for Difference (CfD). These include reporting sustainability profiling data for biomass which includes the country of purchase of each fuel ...
Answered 24 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDrax Group: TimberDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100761More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department plans to take to verify the proportion of wood burnt at Drax that is sustainable.
Answer: Monitoring and enforcement under the existing Renewables Obligation (RO) and Contract for Difference (CfD) schemes are the responsibility of the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC) and Ofgem respectively, who conduct independent checks to ensure complianc...
Answered 24 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDrax Group: TimberDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100760More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what standards of forest sustainability are required of Drax for the supply of electricity to (a) private data centres and (b) the National Grid.
Answer: Drax must ensure its power generation complies with the terms of its subsidy agreements, currently provided for by the Renewables Obligation (RO) and Contract for Difference (CfD) schemes. These agreements include wide-ranging environmental protections ad...
Answered 24 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPassenger Ships: Territorial WatersDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99662More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of limiting access for foreign-flagged passenger vessels to designated areas of UK territorial waters.
Answer: No recent assessment has been made of the potential merits of limiting access for foreign-flagged passenger vessels to UK territorial waters. Vessels in UK territorial waters are subject to a number of controls, including the United Nations Convention on ...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPassenger Ships: Territorial WatersDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99661More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the regulatory framework governing the operation of foreign-flagged passenger vessels within UK territorial waters.
Answer: No recent assessment has been made of the potential merits of limiting access for foreign-flagged passenger vessels to UK territorial waters. Vessels in UK territorial waters are subject to a number of controls, including the United Nations Convention on ...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPassenger Ships: Coastal AreasDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99659More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing restrictions on the proximity of large passenger vessels to the UK coastline, other than when entering or leaving port.
Answer: We recognise the impact in terms of noise, environmental damage, and air quality that large vessels can have in proximity to coastlines. Whilst we have made no recent assessment of this impact for the purpose of placing restrictions, we have taken signifi...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPassenger Ships: ScotlandDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99658More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Scottish Government on managing cruise ship traffic in sensitive coastal and marine environments.
Answer: Department for Transport Ministers have not discussed with the Scottish Government limiting cruise ship activity. Nor have they undertaken any assessment of the levels of such activity.Cruise visits bring jobs and growth to coastal communities. That’s why...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPassenger Ships: ScotlandDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99657More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the levels of cruise vessel activity in environmentally sensitive coastal areas of the west of Scotland.
Answer: Department for Transport Ministers have not discussed with the Scottish Government limiting cruise ship activity. Nor have they undertaken any assessment of the levels of such activity.Cruise visits bring jobs and growth to coastal communities. That’s why...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordShipping: Fuel OilDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99656More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential environmental impacts of restricting the use of heavy fuel oil within the UK Exclusive Economic Zone.
Answer: The Government is committed to working through the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to reduce the global environmental impact of the maritime sector. We are a leading voice in supporting the adoption of the Net-Zero Framework to reduce global shi...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordShipping: Exhaust EmissionsDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99655More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with the International Maritime Organisation on the designation of additional Emission Control Areas adjacent to the west coast of the United Kingdom.
Answer: We, alongside EU partners, are leading work at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to bring in a new Emission Control Area (ECA) in the North-East Atlantic Ocean. This is a key measure, which covers over 5 million km2 of ocean, to reduce air pol...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordShipping: Fuel OilDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99654More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the use of heavy fuel oil by vessels operating in UK waters.
Answer: The Government is committed to working through the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to reduce the global environmental impact of the maritime sector. We are a leading voice in supporting the adoption of the Net-Zero Framework to reduce global shi...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSubversionHome OfficeTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99142More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports of attempts by foreign state actors to influence UK political discourse during and after the 2016 EU Refer
Answer: It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect the UK against foreign interference. The Government is clear that any interference in our democracy is unacceptable.The Government has taken steps to strengthen our resilience to foreign interfere...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordUK Membership of EU: ReferendumsCabinet OfficeTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99141More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of foreign state influence on UK political activity in the period surrounding the 2016 EU Referendum.
Answer: The UK Government takes issues of foreign interference or attempts to intervene in democratic processes very seriously. Successive governments have not seen any evidence of successful foreign interference in the European Union referendum. The Electoral Co...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordIndependent Review of the Loan ChargeTreasuryTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99135More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what role Ministers and officials had in setting the scope and terms of reference for the review of Loan Charge settlement arrangements conducted by Ray McCann.
Answer: The Review’s Terms of Reference were drafted by the independent reviewer and then agreed with Ministers.Ministers received advice from officials in line with normal processes. This ensured that the Terms of Reference met legal requirements and the objecti...
Answered 19 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordWarner Bros Discovery: TakeoversDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98337More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had discussions with the Competition and Markets Authority on the process for assessing the proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Netflix.
Answer: Investigations by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) are independent of Government. The CMA reviews cases that meet certain jurisdictional tests and considers whether it believes a merger could result in a substantial lessening of competition.
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →