Ben Lake MP: written questions
164 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Rescue Services: Ceredigion PreseliDepartment for TransportTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14912More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's revised volunteer model for Coastguard Rescue Officers on the level of maritime and coastal search and rescue provisi
Answer: Plans to move the Coastguard Rescue Service to an expenses-only volunteer model in September will not go ahead, and current arrangements will remain in place. We will now take time to gather the robust information required to understand the full operation...
Answered 4 Aug 2026
Original Parliament recordRadio Frequencies: Fees and ChargesDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13523More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has had discussions with HM Treasury on alternative uses of spectrum-related revenues to support national connectivity and resilience objectives.
Answer: The resilience of the UK’s critical national infrastructure is of central importance to the essential services the public rely on. We welcome Ofcom’s review of the power resilience of mobile networks, recognising the complexity of the challenge but also t...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordTelecommunications: EnergyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13522More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Technology what discussions she has had with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and DNOs on ensuring rapid restoration of power to telecommunications sites during major inc
Answer: My department works very closely with DESNZ on shared resilience issues. The Government aims to promote collaboration between the electricity and telecommunications sectors, so that when power cuts occur the risk of disruption to services is reduced and a...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordTelevision Licences: Fees and ChargesDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13521More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what analysis her Department has conducted on the potential benefits and impacts of redirecting a portion of Annual Licence Fee revenues towards resilience-enhancing measures.
Answer: The resilience of the UK’s critical national infrastructure is of central importance to the essential services the public rely on. We welcome Ofcom’s review of the power resilience of mobile networks, recognising the complexity of the challenge but also t...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordProstate Cancer: ScreeningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12794More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the UK National Screening Committee plans to build use of Stockholm3 into its screening model.
Answer: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has committed to examine any significant peer reviewed evidence that is relevant to its recommendation on prostate cancer screening, including reviewing evidence on biomarkers such as Stockholm3.When new peer r...
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: VATTreasuryTabled 18 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11167More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment has she made of the potential merits of reducing VAT to 10% for hospitality businesses in Wales.
Answer: VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption. It is a reserved tax and applies across the UK, with the 20 per cent standard rate applying to most goods and services. Reduced rates of VAT come at a significant cost to the Exchequer and reduce the revenue availa...
Answered 23 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordImports: VATTreasuryTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8655More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will commission the Office for Budget Responsibility to undertake an independent assessment of the fiscal impact of (a) withdrawing postponed VAT accounting for imports and (b) requiring payment of import VAT
Answer: Postponed VAT accounting provides significant support for businesses, helping to manage cash flow and facilitate imports. HMRC undertakes regular operational work to ensure compliance with the rules around postponed VAT accounting. The VAT gap has reduced...
Answered 17 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordImports: VATTreasuryTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8654More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2025 to Question 51908, whether she has made an estimate of (a) the cash-flow to the Exchequer of withdrawing postponed VAT accounting for imports, including the interest foregone on
Answer: Postponed VAT accounting provides significant support for businesses, helping to manage cash flow and facilitate imports. HMRC undertakes regular operational work to ensure compliance with the rules around postponed VAT accounting. The VAT gap has reduced...
Answered 17 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordProbate: StandardsMinistry of JusticeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4295More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to reduce the time taken to issue a grant of probate.
Answer: HM Courts & Tribunals Service has invested in more staff in 2026, alongside system and process improvements and a programme of upskilling to improve the processing time for applications and in order to ensure the outstanding caseload does not increase...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHannah SchaferForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 21 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3825More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking with international partners to help secure the release of Hannah Schafer.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to my statement to the House on 21 May, and to the answer provided on 1 June in response to Question 2817.
Answered 2 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordFrance: Military AlliancesMinistry of DefenceTabled 19 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2782More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has considered inviting French forces to participate in Arctic cold-weather training at Camp Viking in Norway under the framework of the Lancaster House Treaties.
Answer: The UK, France and other Allies already engage in cold weather training together in Norway through exercise COLD RESPONSE.
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordFrance: Military AlliancesMinistry of DefenceTabled 19 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2781More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has considered extending the Lancaster House Treaties to include a formal mechanism for Franco-British cooperation on Arctic and High North security.
Answer: NATO provides the formal mechanism for Franco-British cooperation on Arctic and High North security. The UK and France work closely together on NATO's Arctic Sentry mission which is a critical and proportionate step to bolster security in the Arctic and H...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordMarriage Act 1949: ReformMinistry of JusticeTabled 19 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2774More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the consultation on the Marriage Act 1949 reforms will be launched.
Answer: The Government has announced its intention to reform weddings law when parliamentary time allows.The reforms reflect a commitment to making marriage law fairer, simpler, and more modern, whilst also protecting the solemnity and dignity of marriage. The cu...
Answered 28 May 2026
Original Parliament recordMobile Phones: AerialsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 19 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2737More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what proportion of mobile phone mast sites servicing rural areas have alternative power generation or a battery back-up that can be accessed during an unplanned power outage.
Answer: Government does not hold this level of detailed information. Mobile network operators have legal obligations to put in place appropriate and proportionate measures to ensure the resilience of their networks and services. This is overseen by the independen...
Answered 28 May 2026
Original Parliament recordPower FailuresDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 19 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2736More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what was the average duration of an unplanned power outage in each Distribution Network Operator area in each of the last five years.
Answer: The UK has a highly resilient energy network, and industry works to continuously minimise the risk and impacts of unplanned outages. All DNOs are regulated by the independent regulator, Ofgem, and must report their performance against annual targets to Of...
Answered 28 May 2026
Original Parliament recordPower FailuresDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 19 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2735More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many unplanned power outages occurred in each of the last five years.
Answer: The UK has a highly resilient energy network, and industry works to continuously minimise the risk and impacts of unplanned outages. All DNOs are regulated by the independent regulator, Ofgem, and must report their performance against annual targets to Of...
Answered 28 May 2026
Original Parliament recordCustomsTreasuryTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2293More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance HMRC has issued to freight forwarders and customs agents on the steps they should take to verify the genuine UK establishment status of importers before submitting indirect customs declarations; and wh
Answer: HMRC has published GOV.UK guidance which allows businesses to check if they meet the criteria for UK establishment for customs purposes: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-youre-established-in-the-uk-or-eu-for-customs. This guidance is intended to suppo...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordImports: Tax EvasionTreasuryTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2292More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many freight forwarders and customs agents have received demands from HMRC for unpaid import VAT or customs duty in respect of declarations submitted on behalf of importers who were subsequently found to be (a)
Answer: HMRC systems do not record, in a readily extractable format, the number of freight forwarders or customs agents issued demands for unpaid import VAT or duty linked to importers who are not UK established, use fraudulent or virtual VAT registrations, or ar...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordVAT: RegistrationTreasuryTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2291More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many addresses in the United Kingdom are currently registered as the VAT address of 100 or more businesses; and what processes HMRC has in place to verify that such addresses represent legitimate serviced office
Answer: As of Tuesday 19 May 2026, there are 165 UK addresses that are currently registered as the VAT address of 100 or more businesses.HMRC undertakes a range of checks to ensure that business addresses provided for VAT registration purposes are appropriate. As...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordVAT: RegistrationTreasuryTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2290More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consideration has been given to adding (a) a company registration number field to the HMRC VAT number checker service and (b) a VAT registration number field to the Companies House public register, so that the
Answer: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Companies House (CH) are committed to preventing fraud and tax evasion by identifying and holding accountable corporate entities that attempt to evade their responsibilities and tax liabilities. The departments have stron...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordForeign Companies: RegistrationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2289More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Companies House address verification procedures in preventing overseas entities from registering UK companies at virtual office addresses, residential pro
Answer: Companies House is continuously improving its ability to detect and prevent the misuse of addresses on the companies register.The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 enhanced the Registrar’s powers to query and challenge addresses before th...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordEconomic CrimeDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2288More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, since the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 came into force, how many companies have been (a) investigated by Companies House for filing dormant accounts whilst conducting active tradi
Answer: Companies House does not hold data that matches the specified categories requested. However, since the introduction of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, intelligence led targeted activity has been used to identify companies filing do...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordCustomsTreasuryTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2287More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consideration has been given to providing freight forwarders and customs agents with real-time access to the current VAT registration status of importers, so that agents can verify eligibility for Postponed VAT
Answer: HMRC provides a free online service which allows businesses, freight forwarders and customs agents to verify whether an importer or business is VAT registered at Check a UK VAT number - GOV.UK. Postponed VAT accounting (PVA) is not available where an inva...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordCustomsTreasuryTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2286More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many UK VAT registration numbers have been identified as having been used in customs declarations submitted under PVA (Postponed VAT Accounting) after the registration was cancelled, and what steps HMRC took to
Answer: HMRC does not hold information on de-registered VRNs being used in customs declarations. Since June 2025 it has not been possible for entities who have cancelled their VAT registration to continue to use that registration number (VRN) to use Postponed VAT...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordVAT: RegistrationTreasuryTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2285More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, since January 2021, how many applications for UK VAT registration from companies incorporated in the UK within the previous 24 months have been (a) accepted without a compliance check, (b) accepted following a compl
Answer: HMRC introduced a new VAT Registration Service in August 2022. The previous registration service did not include incorporation date data, so figures are only available from August 2022 to 1 January 2026.The figures below relate to UK VAT registration appl...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament record
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