Angus MacDonald MP: written questions 2025
581 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Latvia: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 16 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68593More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help improve the UK’s relationship with Latvia.
Answer: The UK maintains strong and enduring ties with Latvia across a broad range of bilateral files. We work closely together as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) allies, and are deepening cooperation at the United Na...
Answered 24 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBetting: TaxationTreasuryTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68317More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) recent changes to tax rates applied to betting operators on levels of betting activity and (b) trends in the level of betting activity on revenues to the
Answer: Gambling Duties raised £3.6 billion in revenue in 2024-25, an increase of 7% (£227 million) compared to 2023-24.No changes have been made to the gambling duty rates applied to betting operators in this Parliament.
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHorse Racing: GamblingDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68316More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of tax reform in the (a) betting and (b) gaming sector on equine welfare standards.
Answer: The Minister for Gambling and Heritage recently met the incoming Chair of the British Horseracing Authority to discuss a wide range of matters affecting horseracing including the HMT tax consultation. DCMS has also engaged at ministerial and official leve...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHorse Racing: GamblingDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68315More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the British Horseracing Authority on the potential impact of proposed changes to the taxation of betting operators on that sport.
Answer: The Minister for Gambling and Heritage recently met the incoming Chair of the British Horseracing Authority to discuss a wide range of matters affecting horseracing including the HMT tax consultation. DCMS has also engaged at ministerial and official leve...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordReligious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68283More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in other European countries on promoting freedom of religion or belief.
Answer: We continue to highlight Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) violations and abuses on the international stage, through our position at the UN, G7 and as an active member of the Article 18 Alliance, ensuring joint international action on FoRB, including w...
Answered 25 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordNigeria: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68282More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent diplomatic steps his Department has taken to help promote freedom of religion or belief in Nigeria.
Answer: The Government is deeply concerned about the ongoing violence in Nigeria's Middle Belt and we express our sincere concern for all those impacted. The root causes of intercommunal violence are complex and often linked to land disputes, historical tensions,...
Answered 30 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSouth Asia: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68281More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent diplomatic steps his Department has taken to help promote freedom of religion or belief in south Asia.
Answer: The UK champions freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, and that no one should live in fear because of their religion or belief.On 8 July, the Government launched its new strategy on FoRB. Its overarching goal is to reduce the number of countries i...
Answered 24 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordItaly: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68280More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Italy.
Answer: The UK enjoys a strong, historic relationship with Italy across a broad range of bilateral files. We work closely together through NATO, the G7 and G20 on key foreign policy and defence priorities, including support to Ukraine and conflict in the Middle E...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordEstonia: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68279More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Estonia.
Answer: The UK maintains strong and enduring ties with Estonia across a broad range of bilateral files. We work closely together as North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Joint Expeditionary Force allies, and the UK leads the enhanced Forward Presence at Tapa, su...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordFinland: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68278More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Finland.
Answer: The UK maintains strong and enduring ties with Finland across a broad range of bilateral files. We work closely together as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) allies. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary hosted F...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSweden: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68277More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Sweden.
Answer: The UK maintains strong and enduring ties with Sweden across a broad range of bilateral files. We work closely together as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) allies and Sweden was among the first countries the Fo...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordNorway: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68276More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help improve the UK’s relationship with Norway.
Answer: The UK maintains strong and historic ties with Norway across a broad range of bilateral files. We work closely together as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) allies, and our cooperation has deepened further follo...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordGermany: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68275More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Germany.
Answer: The UK maintains a strong relationship with Germany. We work closely together bilaterally, as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and G7 allies, and through other formats such as the E3. On 17 July, we signed a landmark Bilateral Treaty with Germany...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPuffins: Conservation and EcologyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68274More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent estimate he has made of the of puffins in the UK; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the number of puffins on ecology within the UK.
Answer: Defra provides funding through JNCC to the UK-wide Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP), and the JNCC-led Seabirds Count census which provide UK-wide monitoring for seabirds, including puffins. The results are publicly available and will inform future conse...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPuffins: Conservation and EcologyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68273More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to take steps with the devolved Administrations to improve the sharing of data on puffin (a) ecology and (b) population health.
Answer: Defra provides funding through JNCC to the UK-wide Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP), and the JNCC-led Seabirds Count census which provide UK-wide monitoring for seabirds, including puffins. The results are publicly available and will inform future conse...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPuffins: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68272More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is providing funding for research into puffin conservation.
Answer: Defra provides funding through JNCC to the UK-wide Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP), and the JNCC-led Seabirds Count census which provide UK-wide monitoring for seabirds, including puffins. The results are publicly available and will inform future conse...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCurlews: Conservation and EcologyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68271More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) population status and (b) ecological role of curlews.
Answer: The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is the main scheme for assessing the population changes of the UK’s breeding birds. This publication presents trends for breeding bird populations in the UK and for each UK country, showing population changes. The latest Bre...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCurlews: Conservation and EcologyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68270More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to work with devolved Administrations to improve the sharing of data on curlew (a) ecology and (b) population health.
Answer: Data on UK-wide curlew ecology and population health is primarily gathered and shared through the British Bird Survey (BBS) and the Birds of Conservation Concern (BoCC) review. The BBS is the main scheme for monitoring the population changes of the UK’s c...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCurlews: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68269More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is providing funding for UK-wide research into curlew conservation.
Answer: The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is the main scheme for monitoring the population changes of the UK’s breeding birds to include curlew. The BBS is a partnership jointly funded by the British Trust for Ornithology, the Royal Society for the Protection of Bi...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCurlews: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68268More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the devolved Administrations on coordinated approaches to monitoring curlew populations.
Answer: The Secretary of State has not had discussions with the Devolved Administrations on a coordinated approach to monitor curlew populations. The UK curlew population is monitored under the British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO) Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), an ...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordProof of Identity: Digital TechnologyHome OfficeTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67782More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the the potential impact of digital identity systems on (a) policing and (b) other forms of law enforcement.
Answer: The Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA), within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, is working to enable the use of secure and trusted digital verification services across the UK economy for those who want to use them.
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordElectronic Government: Proof of IdentityDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67780More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on cross-government plans for digital identity systems.
Answer: The Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA), within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, is working to enable the use of secure and trusted digital verification services (DVS) across the UK economy for those who want to use ...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordProof of Identity: Digital TechnologyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67779More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has had discussions with the private sector on the use of digital identity for accessing financial services.
Answer: The Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA), within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, is working to enable the use of secure and trusted digital verification services across the UK economy for those who want to use them. ...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRevenue and Customs: Data ProtectionTreasuryTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67778More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to protect HMRC-held personal data from unauthorised access.
Answer: HMRC have strict security standards, and have appropriate technical, physical and managerial procedures in place to safeguard and secure personal information. HMRC limit access to personal information to those persons, or agents who have a business or leg...
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordDenmark: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67771More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Denmark.
Answer: The UK maintains strong and enduring ties with Denmark across a broad range of bilateral files. We work closely together as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) allies, and cooperation has deepened further followin...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →