Ben Lake MP: written questions
153 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Artificial Intelligence: DevolutionDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 13 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23413More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the devolved Administrations on the AI Opportunity Action Plan.
Answer: We are committed to building an AI sector that can scale and win globally, ensuring global AI companies want to call the UK home, and boosting the responsible adoption of AI across all parts of the economy.The plan sets out our intention to deliver growth...
Answered 16 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDeath CertificatesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23412More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (England and Wales) Regulations 2024 on the timely registration of deaths.
Answer: The Government is monitoring the impact of the death certification reforms, including the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death Regulations 2024, which came into legal effect on 9 September 2024. The median time taken to register a death since the introdu...
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDeath Certificates: WalesCabinet OfficeTabled 13 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23411More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, of the deaths registered in Wales between 9 September 2024 and 31 December 2024 and which were not reported to the Coroner, how long on average did it take for a certificate for (a) burial or (b) cremation to be
Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 13th January is attached.
Answered 21 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDeath Certificates: WalesCabinet OfficeTabled 13 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23410More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, of the deaths registered in Wales between 1 January 2024 and 8 September 2024 and which were not reported to the Coroner, how long on average did it take for a certificate for (a) burial or (b) cremation to be i
Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 13th January is attached.
Answered 21 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDeath: WalesCabinet OfficeTabled 13 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23409More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many deaths were registered in Wales between 9 September 2024 and 31 December 2024.
Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 13th January is attached.
Answered 21 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDeath: WalesCabinet OfficeTabled 13 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23408More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many deaths were registered in Wales between 1 January 2024 and 8 September 2024.
Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 13th January is attached.
Answered 21 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: DrugsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 6 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 22055More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the retained margin element of the NHS drug tariff.
Answer: The adequacy of medicine margin that pharmacies are allowed to retain, with medicine margin being the difference between how much pharmacies are reimbursed and how much pharmacies were charged by suppliers, is currently being considered as part of the wid...
Answered 13 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordTurkey: Gülen MovementForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20703More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Turkish counterpart on upholding the human rights of members and those associated with the Gulen Movement.
Answer: We fully recognise how seriously the Turkish Government takes the Gülen movement which they proscribe as a terrorist organisation. We consistently encourage Turkey to uphold the rule of law. The UK Government believes that all legal cases should be treate...
Answered 6 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMohammed HamoudaForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18601More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2024 to Question 15678 on Mohammed Hamouda, what information he has received on Dr Hamouda’s (a) status and (b) well-being.
Answer: We are concerned by the reports that Dr. Mohammed Hamouda was detained by the Israeli authorities on 6 November. I raised his case with the Israeli Ambassador on 18 November and FCDO officials have been following up the case since then. Whilst we do not c...
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordGaza: Health ProfessionsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18600More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps is he taking to help ensure that (a) protections under international humanitarian law for medical professionals in Gaza are upheld and (b) people who violate such
Answer: It is unacceptable that over 1000 health workers have reportedly been killed since 7 October 2023. Israel must do more to protect civilians and those working to support those in such desperate need. The UK has raised protection of civilians and the destru...
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordGaza: Health ProfessionsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18599More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps is he taking to tackle (a) detention and (b) mistreatment of healthcare workers in Gaza.
Answer: Medical workers and facilities, including ambulances and rescue personnel, must be protected in accordance with International Humanitarian Law and allowed to provide life-saving services. It is unacceptable that northern Gaza now has no functioning hospit...
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordChildren: MaintenanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18598More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to enable unearned (a) income and (b) assets be considered in initial Child Maintenance Service calculati
Answer: The Department has been conducting a review of the child maintenance calculation to make sure it is fit for purpose and reflects today’s social trends. The review will also consider the treatment of unearned income and assets within the automatic calculat...
Answered 12 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordIsraeli SettlementsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 27 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16500More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help prevent the development of illegal settlements in North Gaza.
Answer: The UK's position on settlements is clear. They are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution. To date, we have sanctioned eight individuals responsible for inciting and perp...
Answered 4 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordUK Shared Prosperity Fund: WalesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 26 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16233More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding her Department plans to provide through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to projects in Wales in the (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26 financial year by project.
Answer: The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) operates under a delegated delivery model, meaning lead local authorities are responsible for managing the funding for their area and the allocation of funds to projects.Lead local authorities in Wales have been paid ...
Answered 2 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordPublic ExpenditureTreasuryTabled 22 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15661More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to review the (a) operation and (b) adequacy of the Barnett Formula.
Answer: There are currently no plans to modify the operation of the Barnett formula. The Barnett formula has stood the test of time because it is simple, efficient and provides a clear and certain outcome. The Welsh Government currently receives at least 20% more...
Answered 27 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordTourism Industry Council: Passenger ShipsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 20 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15279More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to invite representatives from the cruise industry to sit on the Tourism Industry Council when it is re-established.
Answer: The department is in the process of setting up the new Visitor Economy Council and will share details of the membership as soon as possible when it is confirmed.
Answered 4 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordEmployers' Contributions: WalesTreasuryTabled 11 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13497More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2024 to Question 11940 on Employers' Contributions: Wales, whether the referenced support will be provided annually; and over what duration that support will be provided.
Answer: The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contribution costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments, with the Barnett formula applying in the usual way. Gi...
Answered 14 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordEmployers' ContributionsTreasuryTabled 11 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13481More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the value of increased national insurance contributions from (a) GP surgeries, (b) higher education institutions and (c) care facilities (i) in Wales and (ii) nationally.
Answer: The latest forecasts for tax revenues were published alongside the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) October Economic and Fiscal Outlook. These forecasts are based on economic determinants, including wage growth and employment levels. Detailed tax ...
Answered 14 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordEmployers' Contributions: Public SectorTreasuryTabled 11 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13480More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an estimate of the value of increased national insurance contributions from public sector organisations included within the StatsWales definition of public sector but omitted from the definition
Answer: The Treasury routinely uses the Office for National Statistics (ONS) classification of the public sector boundary, for example in relation to public sector spending, public sector borrowing and public sector debt.The latest forecasts for tax revenues were...
Answered 14 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordEmployers' Contributions: Public SectorTreasuryTabled 11 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13479More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.40 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of using the StatsWales definition of public sector workers for determining e
Answer: The Treasury routinely uses the Office for National Statistics (ONS) classification of the public sector boundary, for example in relation to public sector spending, public sector borrowing and public sector debt.The latest forecasts for tax revenues were...
Answered 14 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 4 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12480More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC 295, what estimate she has made of the number of owners of working farms in Wales by (a) marital and (b) residency status who will be liable
Answer: The Government has published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/what-are-the-changes-to-agricultural-property-relief. In accordance with standard practice, a tax...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 4 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12479More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC 295, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of changes to (a) inheritance tax, (b) agricultural property relief and (c) busine
Answer: The Government has published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/what-are-the-changes-to-agricultural-property-relief. In accordance with standard practice, a tax...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordRoads: WalesTreasuryTabled 4 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12470More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 3.19 of Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, what amount of consequential funding the Welsh Government will receive from the money allocated to local roads maintenanc
Answer: The Welsh Government’s Spending Review settlement for 2025-26 is the largest in real terms of any Welsh Government settlement since devolution. The Welsh Government is receiving at least 20% more funding per person than equivalent UK Government spending i...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordUNRWA: FinanceForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 31 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 12137More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 7336 on Israel: Palestinians, what criteria his Department uses to assess the UK's funding for UNRWA following the resum
Answer: As the Minister for Development reiterated in the House on 29 October, we expect UNRWA to uphold the highest standards of neutrality. We are providing £1 million of the UK's funding support for UNRWA to implement the recommendations of Catherine Colonna's...
Answered 5 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordEmployers' Contributions: WalesTreasuryTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11940More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much and what proportion of the allowance to public sector organisations for changes to employer national insurance contributions has been allocated to the Welsh Government.
Answer: Funding will be provided to the public sector to support them with the additional cost associated with changes to Employer National Insurance Contributions policy. Given the impacts of the policy change are complex, the UK Government departmental and devo...
Answered 4 Nov 2024
Original Parliament record
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