Blair McDougall MP: written questions 2024
67 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Government Departments: AdvertisingCabinet OfficeTabled 7 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7609More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Government has spent on advertising on X.com since October 2022.
Answer: The full Governmental spend on X is not centrally held.There has been zero Cabinet Office spend with X in the last 12 months.
Answered 15 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHuman Rights: Older PeopleForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6801More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of proposals to establish a UN convention on the rights of older people.
Answer: The UK is fully committed to promoting and protecting the rights of all people, including older people. Building stronger legal frameworks at the domestic and international level is key. We were an active participant in the work of the UN's Open-Ended Wor...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordTelephone Systems: Power FailuresDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6800More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he plans to take with providers to help ensure the resilience of the telephone network, in the context of trends in the number of power cuts.
Answer: Although most power cuts are brief, the impact they can have on the telephone network is significant, particularly in rural communities. We are working closely with the regulator, communications providers and the power sector to improve resilience and min...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordMobile PhonesDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6799More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to fill gaps in mobile telephone coverage ahead of the phasing out of landlines by service providers.
Answer: The Government is committed to improving mobile coverage across the UK. The Shared Rural Network will increase 4G geographic coverage throughout the UK to 95% by the end of 2025.In September, Ofcom reported that 94.9% of the UK landmass now has 4G coverag...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordIsrael: PalestiniansForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6798More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department has taken in the context of the G7's commitment to support Israeli-Palestinian civil society peacebuilding.
Answer: The Foreign Secretary and I have stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in our conversations with Israeli, Arab and regional leaders. The Foreign Secretary reiterated this message during visits to the region on 14-15 July and 31 July - 1 August and ...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordInternational Fund for Israeli-Palestinian PeaceForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6797More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has taken steps to work with international stakeholders on creating an international fund for Israel-Palestinian Peace.
Answer: This government has prioritised working to end this conflict and secure the safe release of hostages, in co-ordination with international partners, since day one. We will continue to use every diplomatic lever to bring about a ceasefire deal as the first ...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordNon-surgical Cosmetic Procedures: LicensingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 6 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4563More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he (a) is taking and (b) plans to take steps to prevent the online (i) purchase and (ii) use of harmful dermal fillers and botox injections by unqualified beauticians.
Answer: The Government is currently considering what steps may need to be taken in relation to the safety of the non-surgical cosmetics sector. The Government will set out its position at the earliest opportunity.
Answered 16 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordChina: National SecurityForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4469More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the report entitled China: The top ten priorities for early Labour government action published by the Coalition on Secure Technology and the Council on Geos
Answer: Building economic security is fully compatible with a push for growth. In an age of insecurity, a more resilient economy is essential to avoid geopolitical or climatic shocks leading to economic damage on the living standards of working people. Enhancing ...
Answered 12 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordSmart Devices: ChinaDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 5 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4468More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to pages 4 and 5 of the report entitled China: The top ten priorities for early Labour government action published by the Coalition on Secure Technology and the Council o
Answer: The security of the UK is a top priority for the government. We are taking robust action to ensure new and existing technologies are safely developed and deployed across the UK. The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act requires manuf...
Answered 16 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordChina: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4467More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the report entitled China: The top ten priorities for early Labour government action published b
Answer: This Government will bring a consistent, long-term and strategic approach to managing the UK's relations with China, driven by the national interest. We will co-operate where we can, including on global net zero, health and trade; compete where we have di...
Answered 12 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordGaza: Aid WorkersForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 3 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4086More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help ensure the safety of humanitarian workers delivering aid in Gaza.
Answer: The UK Government remains concerned about the security of humanitarian workers in Gaza and continues to raise this issue internationally - including at the UK-led session at the UN Security Council on 29 August. Over 280 aid workers have been killed in Ga...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordMedical Records: Information SharingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3376More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the efficiency of the sharing of medical records when a patient requires NHS treatment in different nations of the UK.
Answer: While the delivery of healthcare is a devolved matter, health services in England and the devolved administrations cooperate to share medical records for patients’ treatment, with systems such as Primary Care Support England and the National Health Servic...
Answered 11 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordDrugs: ScotlandDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3375More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking with the Scottish Government to (a) improve drug addiction treatments and (b) reduce drug-related deaths.
Answer: As health is a devolved matter, each administration of the United Kingdom takes its own decisions on the provision of treatment and other action to address drug related deaths. Nonetheless, it is important that the four nations work together and share lea...
Answered 5 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordSlaveryHome OfficeTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3374More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to create a specific civil remedy of modern slavery.
Answer: Modern slavery is a horrific crime that devastates lives, leaving victims traumatised with long-lasting effects.There are various routes victims of modern slavery can take to seek compensation for the abuse they have suffered. This includes making a civil...
Answered 5 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordSlavery: VictimsHome OfficeTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3373More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help ensure that survivors of modern slavery feel safe to report exploitation and abuse regardless of their immigration status.
Answer: The Government is committed to tackling all forms of modern slavery; ensuring that victims, regardless of their nationality and immigration status, are provided with the support they need to begin rebuilding their lives and that those responsible are pros...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordCouncil of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human BeingsHome OfficeTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3372More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to directly incorporate the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings into domestic law.
Answer: The UK Government’s response to modern slavery and human trafficking is compliant with both domestic and international obligations, including those set out in the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (ECAT).This respo...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordGaza: ReconstructionForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3371More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he plans to take to help reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
Answer: The UK is committed to the recovery, stabilisation and reconstruction of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) as soon as the context allows. Planning for that must start now. The UK is clear: this must be Palestinian-led and support a political pro...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordProbateMinistry of JusticeTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3370More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the backlog of cases within the probate service.
Answer: HM Courts & Tribunals Service has invested in more staff, alongside system and process improvements, which has seen record levels of grants of probate issued during the last 6 months.Management Information published by HMCTS shows, despite continued h...
Answered 5 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordIran: Political PrisonersForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3369More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help end the execution of political prisoners in Iran.
Answer: The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. Iran's consistently high rate of executions is a deliberate attempt to instil fear and stifle dissent. In August, I said on X that we condemned the Iranian regime's executions...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordGeneral Election 2024: Absent VotingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3368More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to investigate the causes of delays to the delivery of postal votes during the 2024 General Election.
Answer: The Electoral Commission is the independent electoral regulator and will be reporting on the administration of the May elections and the recent General Election. This will include the proportion of individuals turned away for lack of accepted identificati...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordDeveloping Countries: WaterForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3367More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure access to clean water for people in the developing world.
Answer: The UK is committed to advancing access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in developing countries and for those most likely to be marginalised, including women and girls. Our £18.5 million WASH Systems for Health programme is supporting governments ...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordJimmy LaiForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3366More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken to help secure the release of Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigner, Jimmy Lai.
Answer: British national Jimmy Lai's case is a priority for the Government. The Foreign Secretary raised his case in his first meeting with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the ASEAN Summit on 26 July. We will continue to call on the Hong Kong authorities to e...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordRussia: OilForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3365More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to take steps to ban the import of oil products whose origin is derived from crude oil of Russian origin.
Answer: The action the UK and its partners have taken to limit Russian energy revenues is having a significant impact, with Russia forced to shoulder a 24% reduction in oil and gas revenues in 2023 compared to 2022. Importers of oil and oil products into the UK, ...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordTankers: Exclusive Economic Zone and Territorial WatersDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3364More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to take steps to ensure enforcement of environmental laws for sea vessels in (a) UK territorial waters and (b) the Exclusive Economic Zone in the context of reports of Russian shadow oil fleet
Answer: The Department already has robust measures in place to ensure the enforcement and compliance of environmental laws for all sea vessels in UK territorial waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone, including the Russian shadow fleet. The UK is a signatory to t...
Answered 6 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordRussia: OilForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 3363More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will extend UK sanctions on shadow oil tankers dealing in Russian oil to (a) those providing (i) storage facilities and (ii) fuel, (b) port operators that facilitate th
Answer: UK sanctions against Russia aim to deny Putin the means to continue his illegal war. We have sanctioned 15 shadow oil tankers to date - action which has materially disrupted the shadow fleet's ability to operate. The UK cannot comment on future sanctions....
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament record
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