Angus MacDonald MP: written questions
688 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Soft Power: Development AidMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 36026More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that Britain's soft power (a) is maintained (b) continues to play a part in the defence of the UK and her allies, in the context of the reduction in ODA spending.
Answer: The Strategic Defence Review will set out the roles, capabilities and reforms required by UK Defence to meet the challenges, threats, and opportunities of the twenty first century. This takes account of the commitment to increase spending on defence to 2....
Answered 13 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordDevelopment AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 36025More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the reduction in ODA spending on the UK's position on the United Nations Security Council.
Answer: The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending R...
Answered 13 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordBrain: TumoursDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 36024More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of developing a National Brain Tumour Strategy.
Answer: My Rt. Hon friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has announced that a National Cancer Plan for England will be published this year. The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pat...
Answered 14 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence Payment: British Nationals AbroadDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34574More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payments to include people who have been forced to move abroad due to life-threaten
Answer: Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can continue to be paid during an absence from Great Britain for 13 weeks. This can be increased to 26 weeks where the absence is specifically in relation to medical treatment of the condition which existed prior to a t...
Answered 6 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordFuel Poverty: ScotlandScotland OfficeTabled 25 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 902933More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of the recent increase in the energy price cap on fuel poverty in Scotland.
Answer: The Government is taking steps to protect consumers by consulting on an expansion to the Warm Homes Discount. This proposal will help an additional 200,000 households in Scotland with £150 off their energy bills.However, the way to bring down bills for go...
Answered 5 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordElectricity: InfrastructureDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30558More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether guidance on community benefit funds for electricity transmission infrastructure will include transmission projects where (a) voltage and (b) capacity upgrades are required resulting i
Answer: Government is committed to ensuring that communities who live near clean energy infrastructure can see the benefits. This includes publishing guidance on community funds this quarter, which will set out government’s expectations for communities living nea...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordBiofuelsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 6 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29761More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of using renewable liquid fuels as an alternative to mains gas for households unable to connect to the grid.
Answer: As sustainable biomass is a limited resource, the Government expects to prioritise its use in sectors like aviation which have fewest options to decarbonise. Renewable liquid heating fuels (RLHF) are also much more expensive to use than other heating solu...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCarer's AllowanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28443More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of Carer's Allowance in supporting unpaid carers; and whether she plans to increase the rate of that allowance.
Answer: This Government continues to protect the value of benefits paid to carers whilst also spending record amounts in real terms. The Secretary of State undertakes a statutory annual review of benefit and pensions, and the value of Carer’s Allowance is protect...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordFirearms: LicensingHome OfficeTabled 28 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27012More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the funds raised from the increase in firearms licensing fees will be ringfenced for administering firearms licensing.
Answer: On 15 January, the Government laid a statutory instrument before Parliament that will increase fees charged by police forces to provide full-cost recovery for firearms licensing applications. The new fees will come into force on 5 February.It is essential...
Answered 4 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPets: Hazardous SubstancesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26624More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential risks to pets from ingesting antifreeze products.
Answer: The RSPCA and Cats Protection offer advice on how to keep pets safe from accidental poisoning and what to do if someone suspects their pet may have been poisoned. The intentional poisoning of a protected animal is a criminal offence under the Animal Welfa...
Answered 4 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordChemicals: Hazardous SubstancesDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 27 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26621More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will hold discussions with manufacturers on the potential merits of developing antifreeze products without ethylene glycol.
Answer: Products containing ethylene glycol can only be placed on the market if they are safe. This includes meeting any legal requirements on the concentration within that product so that it is at a level that is safe for both humans and the environment. I have ...
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordHeating: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26275More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support is available to households with legacy gas heating systems for the cost of (a) repairs and (b) replacements; and what steps he is taking to (i) encourage and (ii) support those h
Answer: The Energy Company Obligation delivers household energy efficiency retrofits across Great Britain. Subject to eligibility, these retrofits may include measures such as heating controls, insulation, or improvements to legacy heating systems. The Boiler Upg...
Answered 31 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Charging PointsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 17 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24799More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) adequacy of EV charging infrastructure in (i) rural and (ii) remote areas and (b) potential impact of that infrastructure on the phasing out
Answer: The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle. As of 1st of January 2025, the Government and industry have supported ...
Answered 27 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordNeurological Diseases: DrugsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23114More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps with his counterparts in the devolved Administrations to implement a national strategy for treating neurological conditions.
Answer: There are no current plans to implement a national strategy for neurological conditions. We have, however, announced that we are setting up a new United Kingdom-wide neuro forum, facilitating formal, biannual meetings across the Department, NHS England, t...
Answered 14 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordBrain Cancer: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23113More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps with his counterparts in the devolved Administrations to implement a national brain cancer strategy.
Answer: Health Services across the United Kingdom are devolved. In England, we are developing a 10-year plan to radically reform the National Health Service, and my Rt Hon. friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has been clear that there needs...
Answered 13 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: WomenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 21963More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has had discussions with the Leader of the House on scheduling a parliamentary debate on compensation for women affected by changes to the state pension age.
Answer: Sir John Hayes MP (Conservative, South Holland and The Deepings) has secured a Westminster Hall general debate on the topic of ‘Compensation for women affected by changes to the State Pension age’ on Wednesday 15 January 2025.
Answered 9 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPensions: Disclosure of InformationDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 21962More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to increase transparency in the (a) management and (b) adjustment of pension schemes.
Answer: Trustees have a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the scheme membership, and are required by law to provide members with information about how the scheme has been managed. This includes legal duties about transparency and disclosure of inform...
Answered 9 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordConstruction: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 3 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 21961More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to business property relief on (a) plant hire companies and (b) the ability of those companies to help meet housebuilding targets.
Answer: The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms. It is expected that up to around 2...
Answered 13 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordSmart Data Communications Company: EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 3 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 21960More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to support the Data Communications Company in the (a) development and (b) testing of the Virtual Wide Area Network; and whether he plans to make funding av
Answer: The Data Communications Company (DCC) is required to assess opportunities to increase the overall level of communications network coverage for Great Britain beyond its currently provisioned minimum level of 99.25%. To enable the DCC to increase network co...
Answered 13 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordFuel Poverty: DeathDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18867More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the potential impact of levels of fuel poverty on levels of excess deaths in each of the last two years.
Answer: The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) does not collect data on the potential impact of levels of fuel poverty on levels of excess deaths. The Government is committed to a preventative approach to public health. Keeping people warm and we...
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordBereavement Counselling: ScotlandScotland OfficeTabled 20 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15363More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether his Department has had recent discussions with the Scottish Government on ensuring that bereaved families in Scotland are provided with a key worker to support them after the loss of a child.
Answer: The UK Government is committed to supporting those who have experienced the loss of a child through a range of reserved measures, including Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay and Leave.My officials have regular discussions with their Scottish Government c...
Answered 26 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: British Nationals AbroadDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 8 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13364More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential financial impact of uprating the pensions of British pensioners overseas whose state pensions are currently frozen.
Answer: No assessment has been made. The UK's policy on the up-rating of the UK State Pension for recipients living overseas is a longstanding one. The UK State Pension is payable worldwide and is uprated abroad where we have a legal requirement to do so, for exa...
Answered 12 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordMilitary DecorationsMinistry of DefenceTabled 4 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12645More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will introduce a medal for (a) seriously injured and (b) medically retired service personnel.
Answer: Service personnel who are injured and evacuated from a medal earning operational deployment are awarded the relevant Campaign, Operational, or General Service medal regardless of whether or not they have served the required number of days for the medal. W...
Answered 12 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordGynaecology: Waiting ListsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 1 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12345More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking with the devolved Administrations to help (a) reduce waiting times for gynaecological services and (b) address menstrual health inequalities.
Answer: Whilst health is a devolved issue, we intend to work closely with our partners across the devolved administrations in providing support and sharing best practice, to reduce waiting lists and fix the National Health Service. Cutting waiting lists, includin...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordNutritionDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7396More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to restrict the promotion of unhealthy food and drink products; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing fiscal measures to support the produ
Answer: The Government has committed to tackling the childhood obesity crisis, which includes taking action on the promotion and advertising of less healthy products to children.The Food (Promotion and Placement) (England) Regulations 2021 restrict the promotion ...
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →