Brian Mathew MP: written questions
63 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Doctors: UkraineDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46433More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve (a) access to training and (b) the integration of Ukrainian doctors into the NHS.
Answer: There are various local schemes to support refugee health and care staff into National Health Service employment. The training and integration of refugee doctors into the NHS, including those from Ukraine, is managed at a local level by NHS employers acco...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGreat Western Main Line: Ticket OfficesDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46432More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to prevent reduction in access to ticket offices on the Great Western Railway network.
Answer: Officials regularly discuss ticket offices with Great Western Railway, including those in Wiltshire, on behalf of the Secretary of State. Any changes to ticket offices in relation to regulated stations covered by Schedule 17 of the Ticketing and Settlemen...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordWarm Homes PlanDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46431More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the merits of extending eligibility for Warm Home Grants to (a) those with EPC ratings higher than D and (b) people with disabilities.
Answer: The Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) scheme is designed to target those in or at risk of fuel poverty. Those with EPC band A-C ratings are out of scope because a household is only considered by Government to be fuel poor if they have a residual income belo...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordUniversities: AntisemitismDepartment for EducationTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46430More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she plans to take with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle antisemitism in universities.
Answer: The department has confirmed £7 million in funding to address antisemitism in education. Additionally, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education will soon be hosting a round table with vice-chancellors to discuss tackling antisemitism on ...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordFood: Genetically Modified OrganismsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44894More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to require standardised information about the inclusion of genetically engineered food ingredients to be clearly marked on food packaging for consumers.
Answer: Existing labelling rules for genetically modified organisms (GMO) stipulate that foods sold in Britain that contain GMO ingredients must be labelled with this information. This labelling gives consumers the choice on whether to consume such foods containi...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCarbon EmissionsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44893More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a holistic approach to tackling carbon emissions.
Answer: While DESNZ leads across Government on net zero, Defra is responsible for reducing emissions from agriculture, land use (including peat), F-gases and waste (including wastewater), whilst simultaneously increasing England's carbon saving potential through ...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordWater SupplyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 3 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44109More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Ministerial roundtable on water security, 13 March 2025: outcome statement, published on 14 March 2025, what steps h
Answer: On 13 March 2025, the Minister for Development chaired a high-level roundtable, bringing together international Ministers and senior representatives from countries and multilateral institutions to discuss how to drive progress tackling the global water se...
Answered 11 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCLEARDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43371More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will hold discussions with the Consortium for Labelling for the Environment, Animal Welfare and Regenerative Farming on tackling carbon emissions.
Answer: Defra officials working on carbon emissions data policy regularly meet with CLEAR and we welcome their contributions, including the recent methodological review of UK eco-labels.
Answered 16 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMusic: EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43333More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that schools are able to offer children high quality music education through (a) the national curriculum and (b) in music education hubs.
Answer: Music is an essential part of supporting children and young people to develop creativity and find their voice. Music is in the national curriculum and is compulsory in all maintained schools in England from the age of 5 to 14 years. The national curriculu...
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning Permission: Air PollutionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41766More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if her Department will include the potential impact of new developments on air pollution in planning decisions in the National Planning Policy Framework.
Answer: The National Planning Policy Framework already makes clear that planning policies and decisions should prevent new and existing development from contributing to, being put at unacceptable risk from, or being adversely affected by, unacceptable levels of a...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordBus Services: DisabilityDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41678More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve bus transport for people with hidden disabilities.
Answer: The Government is committed to improving bus services right across the country, so they are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity, including people with hidden disabilities. On 1st October 2024, the first...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordParking: Private SectorMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 20 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40045More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has plans to introduce a private parking code of practice.
Answer: The Government recognises the need for high standards in the private parking industry and is committed to delivering a Code of Practice, in accordance with The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019. Our code will contain guidance about the operation and man...
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordEarwax: Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39763More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of ear wax removals in primary care settings in Melksham and Devizes constituency.
Answer: Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission cost-effective healthcare to meet the needs of their local population. This includes the arrangement of services for ear wax removal. When ICBs exercise their functions, including...
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordRespiratory SystemDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39287More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to prioritise (a) lung and (b) respiratory health in the NHS Long Term Plan.
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts the National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving respiratory...
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 17 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38770More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what impact neighbourhood plans will have on planning decisions following reforms to the national planning process.
Answer: The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published on 12 December 2024 is clear as to the important role that neighbourhood plans play in the planning system and includes important protections for neighbourhood plans from speculative developm...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: UkraineHome OfficeTabled 10 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 36935More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps to (a) simplify the process and (b) support people making applications for visa extensions for Ukrainian refugees.
Answer: The Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme opened to applications on 4 February 2025, which enables Ukrainians in the UK under the Ukraine visa schemes to apply for a further 18 months’ temporary permission to remain in the UK. Further information on eligib...
Answered 18 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordRare Diseases: ResearchDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 7 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 36536More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to further research into rare diseases.
Answer: The Department funds rare disease research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). 17 NIHR Biomedical Research Centres support research into rare diseases and the NIHR is working in partnership with the Medical Research Council...
Answered 17 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordRare Cancers: Gene TherapiesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35930More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential of targeted mutation treatments through genetic treatment for rare cancers.
Answer: Improvements in genomic capabilities have accelerated the development of new precision medicines which can target genomic mutations, including for rare cancers. To help make precision medicines available to patients, the National Health Service has suppor...
Answered 13 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCancer: GenomicsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35929More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department will allow UK oncologists to test for genetic weaknesses by carrying out Whole Genomic Sequencing.
Answer: Genomic testing in the National Health Service in England is provided through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service and delivered by a national genomic testing network of seven NHS Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs). The NHS GLHs deliver testing as directed by the...
Answered 14 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordRivers: Environment ProtectionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35081More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to protect chalk streams.
Answer: Cleaning up our waters, including iconic sites such as chalk streams is a top government priority. That is why on 23 October 2024, the Secretary of State announced the launch of an independent commission to fundamentally transform how our water system wor...
Answered 11 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35080More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to protect chalk streams in Wiltshire when building new developments.
Answer: The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that to protect and enhance biodiversity and geodiversity, local plans should identify, map and safeguard components of local wildlife-rich habitats and wider ecological networks such as chalk streams. It is...
Answered 11 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordUkraine: Challenger TanksMinistry of DefenceTabled 25 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33731More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will supply Ukraine with additional Challenger 2 tanks.
Answer: At present there are no plans to supply additional Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine.The UK's decision to send a squadron of 14 Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks to Ukraine in 2023 delivered a coherent and combat effective capability and spearheaded the provisio...
Answered 5 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordRight to Acquire Scheme: Rural AreasMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 24 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33265More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to extend the right to acquire to tenants living in rural areas.
Answer: In "designated rural areas" properties cannot be sold under the Right to Acquire so as to preserve social housing in perpetuity for local people. The government has no plans to change this.
Answered 3 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Rented Housing: Rural AreasMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 24 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33264More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to increase funding for the building of social housing in rural areas.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 25804 on 10 February 2025.
Answered 4 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: Children and Young PeopleDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32562More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) improve child and adolescent mental health services and (b) increase the speed of diagnosis for (i) ADHD and (ii) autism.
Answer: Too many children and young people are not receiving the mental health care they need, and we know that waits for mental health services are far too long. We are determined to change that. We will recruit 8,500 additional mental health workers across chil...
Answered 3 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
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