Angus MacDonald MP: written questions 2025
581 published records · newest first.
Written questions
EqualityMinistry of JusticeTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91748More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing turnover-based penalties for (a) systemic and (b) repeated equality breaches.
Answer: Where a claim under the Equality Act 2010 is upheld, courts and tribunals are able to award an appropriate remedy, including compensation. The Ministry of Justice has no plans to introduce turnover-based penalties for equality breaches.
Answered 27 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordEmployment Tribunals Service: CompensationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91747More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of Employment Tribunal penalties in deterring repeated breaches of employment law by large employers.
Answer: The Government has not undertaken such an assessment, however; through the Plan for Change we will ensure employment rights are fit for a modern economy, contributing to economic growth. As part of this we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement op...
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFood Strategy Advisory BoardDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91746More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria her Department uses to determine eligibility for appointment to the Food Strategy Advisory Board.
Answer: The Food Strategy Advisory Board is a small group of senior leaders selected for their wealth of experience, collectively reflecting important elements within the food system and its diversity. The Board stress tests ideas and provides advice. Members do ...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFood Strategy Advisory BoardDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91745More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of appointing people from organisations that have recently undertaken remedial action on animal welfare issues on the Food Strategy
Answer: Defra is committed to upholding high standards across the food system, including in relation to animal welfare. I was extremely concerned to see allegations and footage of animal welfare and environmental abuse at Cranswick farms. The film taken and share...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFood Strategy Advisory BoardDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91744More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that people appointed to the Food Strategy Advisory Board uphold high standards across the food system, including on animal welfare.
Answer: The Food Strategy Advisory Board is a small group of senior leaders who represent a wealth of experience and important elements within the food system and reflect the diversity of the sector. The Board considers ideas and provides advice on the food strat...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordCrown Estate: Rented HousingTreasuryTabled 11 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89966More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of the transparency of letting arrangements for residential properties managed by the Crown Estate.
Answer: The Crown Estate operates under the requirements set out in the Crown Estate Act 1961, including the requirement to lay in the Houses of Parliament an annual report and accounts audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The Comptroller and Auditor G...
Answered 19 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNature ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89176More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help prevent offences against protected species.
Answer: The Government takes crimes against wildlife seriously and there is a range of legislation in place to protect it. Most notably, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales. Under this Act, as w...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNature Conservation: CrimeHome OfficeTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89175More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the amount of resources available to police forces to investigate wildlife crime.
Answer: Wildlife crime can have devastating consequences for our natural environments and countryside communities. This Government is committed to reducing crime, including in rural areas, and anyone exploiting or deliberately harming British wildlife should face...
Answered 20 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFinance: Advisory ServicesTreasuryTabled 4 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88181More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of increasing public access to free, impartial financial guidance on (a) financial wellbeing and (b) household financial resilience.
Answer: The government recognises the importance of supporting people of all ages to develop the financial skills needed to manage their money effectively, and has taken steps to improve the provision of accessible financial guidance. The Money and Pensions Servi...
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordWater SupplyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88180More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to (a) improve water efficiency and (b) reduce leaks in the public water supply network.
Answer: The Government is delivering on improvements in water efficiency and leakage reductions via a series of water demand targets, which will reduce water usage by 20% per person by 2038 and cut leakage in halve by 2050. To meet these targets, the Government i...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNatural Gas: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88179More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of unqualified operatives performing gas works on levels of public safety.
Answer: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) accepts that unqualified operatives performing gas work pose significant risks to gas safety and believes focusing on the prevention of unsafe gas work through installation, regular servicing and maintenance by qualif...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: Natural GasDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88178More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle unsafe gas works in homes.
Answer: The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (GSIUR) forms the basis of the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) approach to ensuring safe gas work in homes within Great Britain. This includes taking enforcement action against those who do not co...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFish FarmingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87679More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is supporting research into potential methods for reducing the environmental impact of fish farm escapes on wild fish populations.
Answer: In line with our membership of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation (NASCO), the UK is committed to minimising adverse interactions between farmed and wild salmon. From 2027 each of the UK’s Governments will report annually to NASCO on the number of esc...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFish FarmingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87678More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of interbreeding between escaped farmed fish and wild fish on the genetic integrity of wild populations.
Answer: In line with our membership of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation (NASCO), the UK is committed to minimising adverse interactions between farmed and wild salmon. From 2027 each of the UK’s Governments will report annually to NASCO on the number of esc...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFish FarmingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87677More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the risk of fish escaping from aquaculture sites due to (a) infrastructure failures, (b) human error and (c) severe weather events.
Answer: In line with our membership of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation (NASCO), the UK is committed to minimising adverse interactions between farmed and wild salmon. From 2027 each of the UK’s Governments will report annually to NASCO on the number of esc...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFish FarmingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87676More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) prevalence of fish farm escapes and (b) potential impact of fish farm escapes on wild fish populations.
Answer: In line with our membership of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation (NASCO), the UK is committed to minimising adverse interactions between farmed and wild salmon. From 2027 each of the UK’s Governments will report annually to NASCO on the number of esc...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordUtilities: InfrastructureScotland OfficeTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87675More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the adequacy of utility infrastructure in rural Highland communities.
Answer: I regularly engage with the Scottish Government on a variety of shared priorities, including critical infrastructure development in Scotland's rural areas.My discussions also encompass clean energy transition and infrastructure investment, with a particul...
Answered 10 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordUtilities: InvestmentTreasuryTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87674More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential economic merits of public investment in essential utility infrastructure in remote rural communities.
Answer: The government’s number one priority is driving economic growth to boost living standards in every part of the country. The 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy confirmed we will fund at least £725 billion for infrastructure over the next decade. This includes...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordInfrastructure: Rural AreasDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87673More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support essential infrastructure in rural communities at risk of depopulation.
Answer: Rural policy is a devolved matter. Defra regularly publishes statistics on a range of social and economic topics including rural population trends, and rural service provision in The Statistical Digest for Rural England. Net internal migration within Engl...
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordUtilities: Rural AreasDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87672More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the relationship between access to core utilities and population retention in remote rural areas.
Answer: Rural policy is a devolved matter. Defra regularly publishes statistics on a range of social and economic topics including rural population trends, and rural service provision in The Statistical Digest for Rural England. Net internal migration within Engl...
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy Supply: Rural AreasDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87671More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with Ofgem on ensuring that grid investment strategies take into account the long-term sustainability of remote rural communities.
Answer: The Government works with Ofgem to ensure grid investment supports all communities, including remote rural areas. Ofgem has allocated £22 billion for network upgrades under the current electricity distribution price control (2023–2028). The next price con...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordElectricity: Rural AreasDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87670More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a support mechanism for electricity infrastructure projects in rural areas that face high connection costs.
Answer: I recognise that connection costs can be higher in rural areas that are distant from the wider electricity network. Under Ofgem’s price control framework, network companies are investing in new electricity network capacity ahead of need. This should reduc...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Grid: Rural AreasDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87669More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of difficulties in connecting remote communities to the national electricity grid on rural depopulation.
Answer: The Government has not made an assessment of any relationship between connecting to the electricity network and changes in rural populations.
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordElectricity: Rural AreasDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87668More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to support electricity network operators to deliver connection upgrades in remote rural communities.
Answer: The Government works with Ofgem to ensure grid investment supports all communities, including remote rural areas. Ofgem has allocated £22 billion for network upgrades under the current electricity distribution price control (2023–2028). The next price con...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy Supply: Rural AreasDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87667More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of regulatory frameworks in ensuring that rural communities have access to electricity grid connections.
Answer: The Government works with Ofgem to ensure grid investment supports all communities, including remote rural areas. Ofgem has allocated £22 billion for network upgrades under the current electricity distribution price control (2023–2028). The next price con...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
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