Catherine McKinnell MP: written questions 2025
18 published records · newest first.
Written questions
HM Passport OfficeHome OfficeTabled 18 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101362More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will review HM Passport Office's policy on considering urgent government business or compassionate reasons to include (a) scattering of ashes and (b) ritual and prayer ceremonies.
Answer: HM Passport Office policy already allows applications to be considered under compassionate grounds where there is a time-critical requirement arising from religious observance following a death. This includes the scattering of ashes or ritual and prayer c...
Answered 6 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordStreaming: ViolenceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84623More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of legislation governing the livestreaming of violent content.
Answer: The Online Safety Act (OSA) requires services to safeguard children and reduce the risk that they are used to facilitate illegal activity. Ofcom, the regulator, sets out the steps in its codes of practice that providers can take to fulfil these duties. It...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Media: ChildrenDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84622More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press notice entitled New online safety priorities for Ofcom and launch of study into effects of social media on children, published on 20 November 2024, what prog
Answer: The department is developing the evidence base around children’s online safety, including social media use, to continually inform our policy response.As part of this, DSIT commissioned a feasibility study into research on the impact of smartphones and soc...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordMedia: EducationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84621More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on media literacy.
Answer: Ministers have regular meetings with Cabinet colleagues on a wide range of issues, including media literacy. The government is committed to a coordinated, cross-government approach to media literacy policy and delivery.
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordMedia: EducationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84620More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Ofcom’s delivery of its statutory duties on media literacy.
Answer: The government supports Ofcom’s three-year Media Literacy Strategy as a solid foundation for delivering its updated media literacy duties. The Strategy sets out a credible programme focused on strengthening the evidence base, engaging platforms to improve...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordWarm Homes PlanDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84619More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to review (a) regulations and (b) consumer protections through the Warm Homes Plan.
Answer: This government is committed to protecting consumers undertaking home retrofit work, as well as improving the overall consumer journey. We are leading reform of a system which is clearly not fit for purpose. This reform will involve rapidly changing the l...
Answered 31 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy Company Obligation: FraudDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84618More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with Ofgem on the adequacy of its counter-fraud policies, in the context of the National Audit Office’s report titled Energy efficiency installations under the Ene
Answer: Ofgem are the administrator for both ECO4 and GBIS and there is regular engagement between Ofgem and DESNZ on all aspects of the schemes. In regard to the NAO report, Ofgem are actively engaged in the review of evidence relating to possible fraud and they...
Answered 31 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: Tax Rates and BandsTreasuryTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84617More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with Valuation Office Agency on its policy not to review the council tax bandings of multiple properties in one request.
Answer: Council Tax legislation only allows for a formal challenge of multiple properties in exceptional and very specific circumstances, as set in the Council Tax (Alteration of Lists and Appeals) (England) Regulations 2009. If the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) ...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: ReformMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84616More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will reform the current council tax system to reduce localised disparities in property valuations.
Answer: The valuation of all properties in England is carried out by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), who undertake this role independently of ministers. The Chancellor makes tax policy decisions at fiscal events. The Government remains committed to keeping all...
Answered 29 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordTuring Scheme: SchoolsDepartment for EducationTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84599More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to simplify the process for Turing Scheme applications for schools.
Answer: Since bringing management of the Turing Scheme in-house for the 2024/25 academic year, in response to feedback from the education sector, the department introduced a streamlined digital application service that was co-designed. The service also includes s...
Answered 3 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordTuring Scheme: SchoolsDepartment for EducationTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84598More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support schools in disadvantaged areas with applications to the Turing scheme; and what assessment she has made of the trends in the level of concern that the current design of the a
Answer: In order to support schools, especially those in disadvantaged areas, the department provided guidance and webinars to enable potential applicants to find out more about the Turing Scheme, what it could offer their students and how to make their applicati...
Answered 3 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordTuring Scheme: Educational VisitsDepartment for EducationTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84580More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to reduce the risk of schools in disadvantaged areas excluding pupils from Turing Scheme-funded excursions due to the cap on funding.
Answer: In the current academic year of the Turing Scheme, we applied a cap to the funding that schools could apply for. Schools could receive funding of up to £50,000 for a single application or, applying as a consortium, up to £50,000 per school to a maximum of...
Answered 3 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordTuring Scheme: SchoolsDepartment for EducationTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84579More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that Turing grants to schools take into consideration the additional costs of (a) travel, (b) appropriate (i) clothing and (ii) equipment and (c) other items for children and
Answer: Turing Scheme funding is a contribution towards the costs of international educational placements. The scheme provides a contribution to the travel and living costs of students and accompanying staff. Additionally, the Turing Scheme provides readiness to ...
Answered 3 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordErasmus+ Programme: SchoolsDepartment for EducationTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84578More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what contingency plans his Department has in place to support schools during the transition period from the Turing Scheme to Erasmus+.
Answer: The UK and EU have agreed to work towards association to the Erasmus+ programme, on mutually agreed financial terms. Negotiations are underway and the terms of any association will be subject to further discussions. The department will have to consider th...
Answered 3 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordErasmus+ Programme: SchoolsDepartment for EducationTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84577More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to include schools in the Erasmus+ programme.
Answer: The department has agreed to work towards association to Erasmus+, on mutually agreed financial terms. Negotiations are under way, and the terms of association are subject to further discussions.The current Erasmus+ programme is open to a broad audience a...
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordMotorcycles: Anti-social BehaviourHome OfficeTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77052More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle antisocial behaviour from (a) illegally modified and (b) off-road bikes in the Northumbria Police area.
Answer: Tackling anti-social behaviour and the harm it causes is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.The Crime and Policing Bill will give police greater powers to clamp down on anti-social behaviour involving vehicles o...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordNorthumbrian Water: SewageDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77051More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with Northumbrian Water on sewage from storm overflows in the Ouseburn.
Answer: Ministers and officials have regular discussions with a range of stakeholders, including water companies, on many issues related to the water sector including sewage pollution. This Government has put in place the building blocks to clean up our rivers, l...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordProject Gigabit: Newcastle upon Tyne NorthDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77050More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to roll out gigabit connectivity to remaining properties in Newcastle upon Tyne North constituency.
Answer: According to the independent website Thinkbroadband.com, almost 96% of premises in the Newcastle upon Tyne North constituency can already access a gigabit-capable broadband connection (>=1,000 Mbps).We have created a pro-competition regulatory environm...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament record
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