Angus MacDonald MP: written questions
688 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Gaza: Press FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74359More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help ensure enforcement of international humanitarian law protections for journalists in Gaza.
Answer: The UK strongly condemns all violence directed against journalists and media workers. Civilian reporters covering conflicts are afforded protection under international humanitarian law. We are therefore appalled by the extremely high number of fatalities,...
Answered 18 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordGeneral Practitioners: DermatologyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74352More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking with devolved Administrations to help reduce waiting times from GP referral to first routine dermatology appointments.
Answer: It is unacceptable that patients across the United Kingdom continue to wait lengthy periods for treatment. Although health is a devolved matter, bringing down the elective waiting lists, including for dermatology, is a top priority across the four nations...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordRadio FrequenciesDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74351More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to provide financial support to maintain long wave radio services.
Answer: The BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the Government, and the Government cannot intervene in the BBC’s day-to-day operations. The decision on transmissions and distribution of BBC radio services, including for how much longer the BBC m...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordRadio Frequencies: National SecurityDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74349More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of maintaining long wave radio transmission infrastructure on (a) national resilience and (b) strategic defence.
Answer: The BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the Government, and the Government cannot intervene in the BBC’s day-to-day operations. The decision on transmissions and distribution of BBC radio services, including for how much longer the BBC m...
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordRescue Services: HelicoptersDepartment for TransportTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74043More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to publish a list of community-owned helipads currently closed to Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopters due to CAP1264 Version 3 compliance requirements.
Answer: HMCG SAR helicopter provider, Bristow Helicopters Limited (BHL) conducted a review of all Hospital Helicopter Landing Sites (HHLS) against the revised safety guidance in CAP1264. BHL wrote to all impacted hospitals advising them that SAR helicopters will ...
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordRescue Services: HelicoptersDepartment for TransportTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74042More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with (a) NHS Scotland, (b) the Scottish Government and (c) helicopter operators on (i) establishing responsibility for the use of community-owned helipads for hospital pa
Answer: The Department for Transport, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Coastguard have regular engagement with NHS Scotland, the Scottish government and operators to promote safety at helipads. The Civil Aviation Authority CAA publication “Standards for...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordRescue Services: HelicoptersDepartment for TransportTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74039More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopters having to land at alternative, un-surveyed sites instead of community-owned helipads on the safety of (a) patient
Answer: The Civil Aviation Authority publication “Standards for Helicopter Landing Areas at Hospitals (CAP 1264, 3rd edition)” provides guidance on standards for hospital helipads. When operating a Search and Rescue mission, the duty captain of the helicopter can...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordRescue Services: HelicoptersDepartment for TransportTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74037More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance her Department provides on the (a) accountability and (b) operational documentation required for third-party helipads to be used for hospital patient transfers by Coastguard Search and Rescue heli
Answer: The Civil Aviation Authority publication “Standards for Helicopter Landing Areas at Hospitals (CAP 1264, 3rd edition)” provides guidance on standards for hospital helipads. When operating a Search and Rescue mission, the duty captain of the helicopter can...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordRescue Services: HelicoptersDepartment for TransportTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74035More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking with the (a) Civil Aviation Authority and (b) Maritime and Coastguard Agency to help enable community-owned helipads used for hospital patient transfers to (a) meet CAP1264 V
Answer: The Department for Transport, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Coastguard have regular engagement with NHS Scotland, the Scottish government and operators to promote safety at helipads. The Civil Aviation Authority CAA publication “Standards for...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPower Stations: BiofuelsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72690More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department requires operators of biomass power stations to publish annual data on the quantity and composition of ash produced.
Answer: All installations permitted under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 are required to supply pollution inventory data annually. For biomass power stations, this includes the amount of ash produced, but not it’s composition. P...
Answered 7 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordBiofuels: AgricultureDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72689More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of adopting restrictions similar to those in Switzerland on the spreading of biomass ash on fields.
Answer: Defra has not made an assessment of the potential merits of adopting restrictions similar to those in Switzerland on the spreading of biomass ash on fields. Waste and agriculture are devolved policy areas, so this response only covers England. In England ...
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordDrax Power StationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72687More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on whether ash from biomass burned at the Drax power station is (a) spread on agricultural land, (b) used in cement production or (c) sent to land
Answer: Of the 300,000 tonnes of biomass ash produced in 2024, ca 65,000 tonnes (22%) was used in the cement industry with the remainder being landfilled.
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordTimber: Environment ProtectionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72686More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that ash produced from the burning of wood pellets is disposed of in a manner that is safe for (a) the environment and (b) public health.
Answer: Drax power station is regulated by the Environment Agency (EA) under the conditions of its environmental permit and is required to operate in such a way as to minimise the risk of pollution. Ash generated at Drax Power Station is sent to the adjacent Barl...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordDrax Power StationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72685More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on the total quantity of ash produced annually from the burning of biomass at the Drax power station.
Answer: The quantities of various waste streams produced at Drax are required to be reported to the Environment Agency using the national Pollution Inventory system. For 2024 the figure for ash from biomass was just over 300,000 tonnes.
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHoliday Accommodation: ScotlandDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72635More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with her counterpart in the Scottish Government on Scotland’s short-term let regulatory regime.
Answer: DCMS Ministers met with the Scottish tourism minister in July 2025 as part of the Devolved Administrations' Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) for Tourism, where Short-Term Lets were briefly discussed. Additionally, DCMS officials meet regularly with their cou...
Answered 17 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOwner OccupationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72634More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle potential barriers to home ownership for local people in popular tourist destinations.
Answer: The government recognise that excessive concentrations of short-term lets and second homes impact on the availability and affordability of homes for local residents to buy and rent, as well as local services.Local authorities are now able to apply a premi...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHoliday AccommodationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72633More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of short term holiday lets on accessibility to local housing stock.
Answer: The government recognise that excessive concentrations of short-term lets and second homes impact on the availability and affordability of homes for local residents to buy and rent, as well as local services.Local authorities are now able to apply a premi...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHoliday Accommodation: Highlands of ScotlandMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72632More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of short term holiday lets on accessibility to local housing stock for communities in the Scottish Highlands.
Answer: As the hon. Member will be aware, housing within Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Government.
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonationHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72631More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help protect people from identity fraud through impersonation.
Answer: Cifas, a not-for-profit fraud prevention organisation, holds records of first and third-party fraud risk, including identity fraud. In the first six months of 2025, Cifas reported that over 118,000 identity fraud cases were reported to their NFD in their ...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonationHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72630More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people who have faced identity fraud through impersonation.
Answer: Cifas, a not-for-profit fraud prevention organisation, holds records of first and third-party fraud risk, including identity fraud. In the first six months of 2025, Cifas reported that over 118,000 identity fraud cases were reported to their NFD in their ...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72622More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of the total value of community benefit payments from renewable energy infrastructure to communities in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) the Highland Cou
Answer: The Department does not hold data on the value of community benefits payments made by onshore and offshore renewables across Great Britain. Community benefit schemes are administered by the projects themselves and provided voluntarily. We have however, re...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Professions: Migrant WorkersHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72616More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will consider (a) adding dental therapists to the Temporary Shortage List and (b) establishing a transitional sponsorship route for healthcare professionals whose Graduate visas expi
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the Answer I gave on 16th September to Question 70526.
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordDentistry: Skilled WorkersHome OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72615More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of removing Dental Therapist/Hygienist roles from the Skilled Worker visa route from 22 July 2025 on NHS dental services.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the Answer I gave on 16th September to Question 70526.
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordDigital Broadcasting: RadioDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72545More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with Ofcom on improving DAB radio signal reach in north west Scotland.
Answer: The government is highly supportive of the value of radio in local communities, and wants to support areas that are struggling to gain access to local services on digital. Commercial radio and the BBC are responsible for the operation of their respective ...
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordDigital Broadcasting: RadioDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72543More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of DAB radio services in the Highlands.
Answer: The government is highly supportive of the value of radio in local communities, and wants to support areas that are struggling to gain access to local services on digital. Commercial radio and the BBC are responsible for the operation of their respective ...
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →