Angus MacDonald MP: written questions
688 published records · newest first.
Written questions
NHS: 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 recordJournalism: Higher EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66501More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the removal of Strategic Priorities Grant funding from journalism courses on levels of access to 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 recordJournalism: Higher EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66500More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason her Department has withdrawn funding for journalism courses through the Strategic Priorities Grant from the 2025–26 academic year onwards.
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 recordFinancial Ombudsman Service: Fees and ChargesTreasuryTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66499More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of removing the £250 fee for making claims to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Answer: The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) provides a free service for consumers and small businesses to resolve disputes with their financial services providers.The FOS is independent from the government and is funded entirely through a combination of levies ...
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordUniversal Service Obligation: Rural AreasDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66498More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to ensure that the Universal Service Obligation applies to rural areas.
Answer: The government is committed to a sustainable universal postal service for users throughout the UK, including maintaining the one-price-goes anywhere principle including for those in remote and rural areas. It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of ...
Answered 16 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: MenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66102More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to tackle men's low rates of engagement with mental health services.
Answer: It is vital that we put more emphasis on early intervention and recovery to support men and boys experiencing poor mental health to live well and thrive. We will fulfil our commitments to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers by the end of the...
Answered 15 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Illness: MenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66101More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to tackle the high rates of premature mortality in men due to mental health issues.
Answer: It is vital that we put more emphasis on early intervention and recovery to support men and boys experiencing poor mental health to live well and thrive. We will fulfil our commitments to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers by the end of the...
Answered 15 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordIvory: ImportsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 8 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66100More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the UK’s ban on importing ivory on (a) historically and (b) artistically significant ivory.
Answer: The Ivory Act 2018 bans dealing in ivory, including imports to and exports from the UK for the purposes of dealing. The Act includes an exemption to the ban for pre-1918 items of outstandingly high artistic, cultural or historical value. An exemption cert...
Answered 15 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBritish Overseas Territories: CompaniesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 8 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66099More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legitimate interest access filters for beneficial ownership registers.
Answer: Please refer to my Written Ministerial Statement of 3 July which provides an update and details of next steps.It remains our expectation that the Overseas Territories (OTs) and Crown Dependencies will ultimately implement fully public registers. Where OTs...
Answered 15 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordFuel PovertyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 8 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66098More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of using community benefit funds from renewable energy projects to provide fuel vouchers to low-income households on levels of energy aff
Answer: On 21 May, the government published a working paper on community benefits and shared ownership of low carbon energy infrastructure. The government recognises that community benefit funding from renewable energy infrastructure creates opportunities for lon...
Answered 16 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHares: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65543More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Scottish Government on the conservation of mountain hare in Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire constituency.
Answer: We have not held discussions with the Scottish Government regarding the conservation of mountain hare specifically in the Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire constituency. Nature conservation is mainly a devolved responsibility and the conservation of mou...
Answered 11 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHares: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65542More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is funding UK-wide research into mountain hare conservation.
Answer: Nature conservation in the UK is mainly a devolved responsibility. We are therefore not currently funding any UK-wide research into mountain hare conservation.
Answered 11 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHares: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65541More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the devolved administrations on protecting mountain hare populations.
Answer: We have not held discussions with the devolved Governments about protecting mountain hare populations.
Answered 11 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
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