Angus MacDonald MP: written questions 2025
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Written questions
France: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67770More
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 France.
Answer: The Government is committed to strengthening its close partnership with France, a commitment that was reaffirmed during President Macron's State Visit on 8-10 July and the UK-France Summit with groundbreaking agreements on migration, defence, growth and c...
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSpain: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67769More
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 Spain.
Answer: The UK and Spain have a strong and wide-ranging relationship, particularly on people-to-people, trade, climate and energy, and security. The Foreign Secretary met his counterpart in Brussels on 11 June for Gibraltar negotiations and in the margins of the ...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPortugal: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67768More
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 Portugal.
Answer: The UK maintains strong and enduring ties with Portugal across a broad range of bilateral files. The Foreign Secretary last met with his Portuguese counterpart Foreign Minister Rangel when he visited Lisbon in March earlier this year. I last met with my P...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChemistry: EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67764More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with her Scottish counterpart on ensuring the sustainability of high-quality chemistry teaching.
Answer: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has not had any discussions with her Scottish counterpart specifically regarding supporting teaching in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects. However, Ministers have ...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPoland: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67763More
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 Poland.
Answer: The UK maintains strong and enduring ties with Poland across a broad range of bilateral files. During the Prime Minister's visit to Poland in January he and Polish Prime Minister Tusk announced the start of negotiations for an ambitious UK-Poland Defence ...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPuffins: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67762More
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 puffin populations.
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 recordBeekeeping: SafetyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67753More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing minimum public safety requirements for beekeepers operating near (a) residential and (b) publicly accessible la
Answer: Defra provides guidance to beekeepers advising that apiaries should be sited away from neighbours, footpaths or public areas to minimise the risk of members of the public being stung. Beekeeping groups also encourage beekeepers to work with their bees in ...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBeekeeping: SafetyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67752More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has had discussions with representatives of the beekeeping sector on improving public safety measures during hive management.
Answer: Ensuring public safety is of great importance to Defra and beekeeping groups. Defra and representatives of the beekeeping sector work closely to raise awareness of the safety measures that should be in place during hive management.
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBeekeeping: SafetyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67751More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of safety protocols for beekeeping activity near (a) residential areas and (b) public rights of way.
Answer: Defra advises beekeepers that apiaries should be sited away from neighbours, footpaths or public areas to minimise the risk of members of the public being stung. It is possible for experienced beekeepers to safely manage bees in a garden area, although us...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBeekeeping: InspectionsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67750More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has issued guidance to beekeepers on the use of (a) temporary signage and (b) other public warnings during hive inspections in areas accessible to the public.
Answer: Beekeepers generally keep their bees on their property and away from areas that are accessible to the public. Defra advises beekeepers that apiaries should be sited away from neighbours, footpaths or public areas to minimise the risk of members of the pub...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordMilitary AircraftMinistry of DefenceTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67746More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total annual cost of aircraft leasing arrangements is; and how many such contracts involve offshore-registered companies.
Answer: The information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: VATDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67797More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the hospitality sector on the impact of the current rate of VAT on small businesses.
Answer: The Department for Business and Trade regularly engages with representatives from the hospitality sector, including through the hospitality sector council to understand the challenges they face, including the impact of VAT on small businesses.VAT is a bro...
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: StaffDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66887More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the forthcoming (a) NHS Long Term Workforce Plan and (b) National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme will include policies on staffing in rural areas.
Answer: The 10 Year Workforce Plan will be published later this year. We will work with partners to make sure we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills, to ensure the National Health Service has access to the workforce it needs to treat...
Answered 16 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPalliative Care: Rural AreasDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66886More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to provide sustainable (a) funding and (b) commissioning of (i) hospice and (ii) palliative care services in rural areas.
Answer: Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications. The statutory guidance states that ICBs mu...
Answered 16 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordUniversal Credit: DatabasesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 10 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66885More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of data surveillance on recipients of Universal Credit.
Answer: No assessment has been made as the DWP does not currently or have any plans to use data surveillance to regulate, police or monitor the actions of individuals or groups in receipt of benefits.
Answered 18 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: DatabasesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 10 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66884More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential role of data surveillance in welfare policy.
Answer: No assessment has been made as the DWP does not currently or have any plans to use data surveillance to regulate, police or monitor the actions of individuals or groups in receipt of benefits.
Answered 18 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordJournalism: Higher EducationTreasuryTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66510More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on the potential fiscal implications of ending Strategic Priorities Grant funding for journalism courses.
Answer: My department regularly discusses Strategic Priorities Grant funding and its fiscal implications with the Department for Education. As a result of the challenging fiscal context that we inherited, we are prioritising support for high-cost subjects that ar...
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordJournalismDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66509More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the withdrawal of Strategic Priorities Grant funding for journalism courses on the creative industries.
Answer: The Government has had to make tough prioritisation decisions driven by the challenging fiscal context that we inherited. For the Department of Education, this has meant prioritising support for high-cost subjects that are essential to delivery of our ind...
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordJournalismDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66508More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help support pathways into professional journalism.
Answer: A free, sustainable, and diverse media landscape is the best way to maintain a shared understanding of facts, and we are committed to supporting the invaluable role which journalism plays in the fabric of our society. Trustworthy journalism plays a vital ...
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordJournalismDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66507More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the withdrawal of Strategic Priorities Grant funding from journalism courses on the future sustainability of the journali
Answer: The Government has had to make tough prioritisation decisions driven by the challenging fiscal context that we inherited. For the Department of Education, this has meant prioritising support for high-cost subjects that are essential to delivery of our ind...
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordJournalism: EducationDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66506More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of journalism education on (a) countering misinformation and (b) levels of democratic participation.
Answer: A free, sustainable, and diverse media landscape is the best way to maintain a shared understanding of facts, and we are committed to supporting the invaluable role which journalism plays in the fabric of our society. Trustworthy journalism plays a vital ...
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordJournalism: TrainingDepartment for EducationTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66505More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to introduce alternative funding mechanisms for journalism training, in the context of the removal of Strategic Priorities Grant funding from 2025–26.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member for Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire to the answer of 16 July 2025 to Question 63373.
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordJournalism: Higher EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66504More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of journalism courses on levels of graduate employment.
Answer: Graduate employment rates by higher education subject studied are published annually by the department as part of the Longitudinal Education Outcomes Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes publication, accessible at: https://explore-education-statistics.servi...
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordJournalism: Higher EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66503More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of withdrawing Strategic Priorities Grant funding from journalism courses on the labour market for journalists.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member for Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire to the answer of 16 July 2025 to Question 63373.
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordJournalism: Higher EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66502More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has undertaken an equality impact assessment in relation to its decision to withdraw Strategic Priorities Grant funding from journalism courses.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member for Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire to the answer of 16 July 2025 to Question 63373.
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
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