Carla Lockhart MP: written questions 2025
236 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Syria: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94544More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she is taking with international counterparts to ensure the protection of Alawite women and girls in Syria in the context of recent reports of abduction
Answer: Further to the answer given on 18 September to question 74583, I again raised this with the Syrian Foreign Minister during his visit to London in November.
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordStormont: Repairs and MaintenanceNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94543More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the total expenditure has been on the upkeep and maintenance of Stormont House since the Northern Ireland Office vacated the building in 2022; and what future plans his Department has for the use or
Answer: Stormont House is owned and managed by the Northern Ireland Executive. Consequently, the Northern Ireland Office has incurred no expenditure on the building's upkeep or maintenance since vacating the premises in 2022.
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordNorthern Ireland: Diplomatic RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94539More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to promote Northern Ireland’s economic and cultural interests through UK embassies overseas.
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to ensuring the Devolved Governments' economic and cultural interests are promoted internationally. Invest Northern Ireland officials are co-located in a number of FCDO overseas posts, a...
Answered 4 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordReligious BuildingsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94538More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what measures her Department has put in place to protect historic places of worship.
Answer: The Department offers support for the protection and preservation of historic places of worship through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which in January 2025 was extended for a further year to March 2026 with a £23 million budget. This scheme a...
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordReligious BuildingsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94537More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will meet with the National Churches Trust regarding support for the protection of historic places of worship.
Answer: DCMS recognises the value and expertise of the National Churches Trust in supporting the protection of historic places of worship. Baroness Twycross, the Minister for Heritage, is open to meeting with the National Churches Trust. The Department has engage...
Answered 4 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCybersecurity: Northern IrelandDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94536More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what support her Department provides to small and medium-sized enterprises in Northern Ireland to improve their cybersecurity resilience.
Answer: Improving the cyber security of our nation’s small and medium-sized enterprises is critical to the resilience of our wider economy. We recognise many SMEs lack the resources to invest in their cyber security. As such, the government has developed a wide r...
Answered 3 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Wealth Fund: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94532More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the National Wealth Fund has plans to fund projects in Northern Ireland.
Answer: The National Wealth Fund (NWF) is committed to ensuring the benefits of its investments are felt in all four nations of the UK, and opened a Belfast office in December 2024.
Answered 3 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordTerrorism: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94526More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps HM Treasury is taking to increase enforcement of financial sanctions and prevent terrorist financing in Northern Ireland.
Answer: HMT undertakes an evidence-based approach to ensure that counter-terrorism sanctions are used in a timely and effective manner in support of national security and to prevent terrorism, including addressing terrorist financing risks. HMT assesses every ins...
Answered 1 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSyria: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94521More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with international counterparts on the protection of religious minorities in Syria.
Answer: Further to the answer given on 18 September to question 74583, I again raised this with the Syrian Foreign Minister during his visit to London in November.
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAzerbaijan: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94519More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions her Department has had with her Azerbaijani counterpart on reports of harassment of religious leaders, including instances of torture and sexual assau
Answer: The UK is committed to standing up for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) globally. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. We will work to uphold the right to FoRB through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilater...
Answered 1 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: ApprenticesMinistry of DefenceTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94517More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to expand opportunities for defence-related apprenticeships in Northern Ireland.
Answer: As part of the Defence Industrial Strategy, we announced a £182 million skills package that includes initiatives which will support apprentices in the defence sector in Northern Ireland. We will work with the Northern Ireland Executive, industry and other...
Answered 3 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisons: Unmanned Air SystemsMinistry of JusticeTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94286More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times drones have been recorded delivering (a) weapons and (b) drugs into prisons in each of the last three years.
Answer: We publish the number of drone incidents in England and Wales in the HMPPS Annual Digest, please see table 6_1 in the Finds tables. The latest issue covers the 12-month period to March 2025, with a time series of drone incidents starting from the 12-month...
Answered 3 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordBroadband: Northern IrelandDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94285More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that rural areas in Northern Ireland have equitable access to 5G and next-generation broadband.
Answer: The government wants all areas of the UK, including rural areas in Northern Ireland, to benefit from reliable and high-quality mobile coverage, and this is reflected in our ambition for all populated areas of the UK to have higher quality standalone 5G by...
Answered 3 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordChad: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92314More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to raise awareness of the treatment of (a) Christians and (b) other religious minorities in Chad at the United Nations.
Answer: The UK condemns any attacks on individuals on the basis of their religion or belief, including in Chad. We consistently call on all actors in Chad and around the world to respect human rights, freedom of religion or belief, and international humanitarian ...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordBroadband and Digital Technology: Northern IrelandDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92313More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department plans to increase investment in digital connectivity and broadband infrastructure in rural Northern Ireland.
Answer: According to the independent website, ThinkBroadband.com, 97% of premises in Northern Ireland already have access to gigabit-capable broadband. This is the highest of any of the four UK nations.Project Stratum, which has had £199 million of UK government ...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterinary Services: Northern IrelandDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92118More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government will take to ensure that pet owners in Northern Ireland are not faced with increased cost or reduced access to familiar medicines following changes to veterin
Answer: We appreciate that affordability and accessibility to obtain veterinary medicines for pet owners is of great importance. We also understand that online retailers may offer more affordable options. Through our extensive engagement across the supply chain, ...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterinary Services: Northern IrelandDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92117More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what arrangements the Department has put in place to provide real-time operational guidance to veterinary practices and Suitably Qualified Persons in Northern Ireland if product availa
Answer: The Department will continue to engage extensively with stakeholders across the sector beyond 31 December, including those representing vets and SQPs. Should unanticipated disruptions emerge, the Government will work closely with industry, as we are doing...
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterinary Services: Northern IrelandDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92116More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what arrangements are being put in place to ensure clear and timely public communication to farmers and pet owners in Northern Ireland on any changes to the availability or prescribing
Answer: The Government has been taking steps to support businesses and end-users in preparation ahead of 1 January. This includes communications to the farming sector and pet owners. In addition to guidance, we published a manual with specific information for pet...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterinary Services: Northern IrelandDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92115More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the readiness of veterinary practices and farm businesses in Northern Ireland for the end of the grace period on veterinary m
Answer: The Government continues to engage extensively with industry stakeholders across the supply chain to support them with continued availability of veterinary medicines beyond the grace period. This includes engagement with veterinary and farmer associations...
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterinary Services: Northern IrelandDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92114More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when final commercial decisions from manufacturers on veterinary medicine product availability in Northern Ireland will be communicated to veterinary practices and Suitably Qualified P
Answer: Most pharmaceutical companies have already taken or are taking steps to make the required adjustments so we are confident that the disruption to veterinary medicines supply will be limited. Several larger companies have also communicated these decisions p...
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterinary Services: Northern IrelandDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92113More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what direct engagement the Veterinary Medicines Directorate has undertaken with frontline veterinary practices in Northern Ireland to support practical preparedness for the end of the
Answer: Our stakeholder engagement continues to be extensive. In addition to recent in person meetings in Northern Ireland and webinars planned for the end of November, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate meet monthly with wholesalers based in Northern Ireland a...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterinary Services: Northern IrelandDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92112More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to pack sizes, prescribing routes and product availability after 31 December 2025 on farm businesses and pet owners in N
Answer: We continue to engage with businesses across the supply chain to support the transition at the end of this year to ensure that vets, farmers and pet owners continue to have the access to medicines that they need from 1 January. We are aware of the impact ...
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterinary Services: Northern IrelandDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92111More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) the establishment of (i) online and (ii) centralised distributors and (b) other market concentration in the veterinary medic
Answer: The Government is committed to ensuring the continued supply and availability of veterinary medicines to Northern Ireland at the end of the grace period. Through our extensive engagement, we are aware of multiple companies who are either already establish...
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterinary Services: Northern IrelandDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92110More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that veterinary practices and farm businesses in Northern Ireland receive advance notification of changes to the availability of veterinary medicines
Answer: Guidance was issued in a timely manner; first published in June and updated in October and November. Updated guidance included specific references to vets and Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs). Continued access to veterinary medicines for Northern Ireland...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordVeterinary Services: Northern IrelandDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92109More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of issuing Northern Ireland-specific operational guidance close to the end of the grace period on the ability of veterin
Answer: Guidance was issued in a timely manner; it was first published in June and updated in October and November. Updated guidance included specific references to vets and Suitably Qualified Persons. The updated guidance and new supporting explainer were develo...
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
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