Angus MacDonald MP: written questions
151 published records · newest first.
Written questions
NHS: Mental HealthDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64936More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Scottish Government on improving mental health resources for (a) nurses and (b) other medical care providers.
Answer: The health and wellbeing of all National Health Service staff is very important. As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government is committed to making the NHS the best place to work, by supporting our hardworking and dedicated healthcare profession...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordEmployment: ArthritisDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64704More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department has provided to help people with arthritis to (a) remain in and (b) return to work.
Answer: Good work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Disabled people and people with health conditions, including arthritis, are a diverse group so access to the...
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence Payment: ArthritisDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64703More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the number of Personal Independence Payment claimants with a primary condition of arthritis.
Answer: There were 471,358 Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants with a primary medical condition of arthritis in April 2025. This information can be found on Stat Xplore in the ‘PIP Cases with Entitlement from 2019’ table. You can use the ‘Disability’ fi...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64344More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps to ensure that community benefit payments from renewable energy developments are spent on (a) housing, (b) reducing levels of fuel poverty and (c) social care.
Answer: The government believes community fund packages will have the most impact if they can be tailored to the community’s preferences and priorities. The process should be community led and decisions on how community benefit funds are spent should rest with th...
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64343More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of applying a statutory 2% gross revenue contribution requirement to existing renewable energy projects over 1MW in capacity.
Answer: On 21 May, the government published a working paper on community benefits and shared ownership of low carbon energy infrastructure. The paper seeks views on the proposed introduction of a mandatory community benefit scheme in Great Britain, which would re...
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64342More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of allocating a proportion of gross revenues from offshore renewable energy projects to local authority infrastructure funds.
Answer: Communities close to clean energy infrastructure should benefit from it. Offshore wind developers have established community benefit packages, and via the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the Government has published guidance on community funds and direc...
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64341More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of (a) Denmark’s Promotion of Renewable Energy Act 2008 and (b) other international models for statutory comm
Answer: In developing the government’s policy on community benefits, we have undertaken a review of international best practices to ensure our approach is effective and well-informed. This has included consideration of the Offshore Renewable Energy Support Scheme...
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64340More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the total value of community benefit payments made by (a) onshore and (b) offshore renewable energy projects in each of the last five years.
Answer: The Department does not hold data on the value of community benefits payments made by onshore and offshore renewables across Great Britain. Community benefit schemes are administered by the projects themselves and provided voluntarily. We have however, re...
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64339More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with renewable energy developers on establishing a statutory framework for community benefit payments based on a proportion of gross revenue.
Answer: On 21 May, the government published a working paper on community benefits and shared ownership of low carbon energy infrastructure. The paper seeks views on the proposed introduction of a mandatory community benefit scheme in Great Britain, which would re...
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64338More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to encourage consistent revenue-based contributions to community benefit schemes by onshore renewable developments.
Answer: On 21 May, the government published a working paper on community benefits and shared ownership of low carbon energy infrastructure. The paper seeks views on the proposed introduction of a mandatory community benefit scheme in Great Britain, which would re...
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64332More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a statutory minimum revenue contribution from newly consented renewable energy developments to community benefit funds.
Answer: On 21 May, the government published a working paper on community benefits and shared ownership of low carbon energy infrastructure. The paper seeks views on the proposed introduction of a mandatory community benefit scheme in Great Britain, which would re...
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBill Discount SchemeDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64329More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Government’s proposed Bill discount scheme of up to £2,500 over 10 years for those living up to 500m from new and significantly upgra
Answer: The Government’s 'minded to' position of bill discounts of up to £2,500 over 10 years for those living up to 500m from new and significantly upgraded electricity transmission infrastructure aims to ensure communities are recognised for living within proxi...
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable Energy: Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shireDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64328More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of community benefit packages from new renewable energy infrastructure projects on Inverness, Skye, and West Ross-shire constit
Answer: At present, the provision of community benefits in Great Britain is voluntary . In Scotland, developers are strongly encouraged to provide community benefits in line with the Scottish Government’s Good Practice Principles. The government is, currently exp...
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSSENDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64327More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions his Department has had with SSEN Transmission on community benefits.
Answer: Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordOverseas Trade: IsraelDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63718More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the potential impact of the visit by the trade envoy to Israel to Haifa in May 2025 on the U
Answer: The UK’s Trade Envoys play a crucial role in supporting HMG’s growth priorities, through helping deliver the industrial and trade strategies and attracting foreign direct investment to the UK. Lord Austin, in his capacity as Trade Envoy, visited Israel to...
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordWeasels: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63505More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an estimate of the population status of weasels in Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire constituency.
Answer: This is a devolved matter and the responsibility of the Scottish Government.
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordEmployment: AutismDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63504More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support autistic people into work.
Answer: We are committed to supporting neurodivergent people, including autistic people, get into and thrive in work. Our Jobcentres have a range of support available, including Disability Employment Advisors. On 6th March 2025 we announced that we will deploy 10...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence Payment: Blue Badge Scheme and Carer's AllowanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63503More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of uncoupling Carer’s Allowance and Blue Badges from PIP.
Answer: It is a long-established principle that in order for an unpaid carer to receive Carer’s Allowance the person they are caring for should be receiving a “trigger” disability benefit. This link acts as a proxy for establishing that care needs exist. We have ...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHedgehogs: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63502More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support hedgehog conservation initiatives in Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire constituency.
Answer: This is a devolved matter and the responsibility of the Scottish Government.
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHedgehogs: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63501More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage data sharing on hedgehog populations between governments and wildlife organisations.
Answer: In 2024 the first National Hedgehog Conservation Strategy was published with contributions from Natural England, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Forestry Commission. The strategy, which has identified several actions to facilitate and enco...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHedgehogs: Conservation and EcologyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63500More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is funding UK-wide research into hedgehog ecology and conservation.
Answer: Natural England, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Forestry Commission have contributed to the first National Hedgehog Conservation Strategy. This strategy has identified several actions to facilitate and encourage data sharing on hedgehog e...
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHedgehogs: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63499More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the devolved Administrations on collaborative efforts to halt hedgehog decline.
Answer: Yes, Defra works collaboratively with devolved administrations on efforts to halt hedgehog decline. In 2024, Britain’s first National Hedgehog Conservation Strategy was published. The strategy highlights the factors causing a decline in our native hedgeho...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPine Martens: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63498More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with (a) local environmental groups and (b) land managers in Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire constituency on pine marten habitats and distribution.
Answer: This is a devolved matter and the responsibility of the Scottish Government.
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPine Martens: Conservation and EcologyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63497More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support UK-wide research into European pine marten ecology and conservation.
Answer: A Long-term strategic recovery plan for pine martens in Britain was produced in 2021, which presents a summary of what has been achieved so far and sets out a continuing strategic recovery plan for pine martens across Britain, while emphasising the import...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPine Martens: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63496More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the devolved Administrations on monitoring European pine marten populations.
Answer: Yes, Natural England engages with devolved administrations through the national pine marten networking group. This group meets quarterly, and discussions include topics such as monitoring European pine marten populations.
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
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