Chi Onwurah MP: written questions 2026
80 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Freeview ServiceDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 14 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 18587More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of a switch-off of terrestrial television on people's ability to watch television in the UK without a smart device.
Answer: The Government is clear that no one should be left behind as television watching increasingly moves online. A core objective of the DCMS’s future of TV distribution work is to ensure that any transition is inclusive, and supports both the continued sustai...
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordNHS: Living WageDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 18509More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on NHS Workforce productivity and moral of the salaries of Band 2 and Band 3 NHS employees in the Agenda for Change being below the N
Answer: On 12 February, we accepted the NHS Pay Review Body’s recommendation on headline pay for Agenda for Change staff, which resulted in a 3.3% consolidated pay uplift to all pay points. Band 2 staff in England saw their minimum basic full time pay increase to...
Answered 17 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordArts: FinanceDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 13 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17999More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much (i) her Department and (ii) its Arm’s Length Bodies have spent on (a) developing the Creative Content Exchange platform and (b) digitising content from partner organisations.
Answer: The Creative Content Exchange (CCE) is funded by UKRI through its Missions Accelerator Programme. My Department has not directly contributed funding to the programme. An early version is already live online with a range of already digitised content. Early...
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordArtificial IntelligenceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 13 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17998More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether (a) her Department and (b) its Arm’s Length Bodies have financially supported the development of any technical solutions to protect the creative industries from unauthorised AI
Answer: The Department has not financially supported the development of any technical solutions to protect the creative industries from unauthorised AI scraping. The Government published a report on AI and copyright on 18 March outlining steps on the use of copyr...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: RobotsMinistry of DefenceTabled 13 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17997More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many robots are deployed in the armed forces and how much funding for robotic development has his department made available.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence does not have a single agreed definition of the term 'robot'. While we operate a wide variety of autonomous platforms, the Department's policy is not to publish detailed information on certain specific capabilities on the grounds o...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordPostal Services: North EastDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17996More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps the Government is taking to improve the delivery performance of first class letters in the North East region.
Answer: The government has been clear that Royal Mail’s quality of service has not been good enough. Responsibility for improving local delivery performance lies with Royal Mail’s management. Royal Mail has published a quality of service improvement plan alongsid...
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordLondon North Eastern Railway: WiFiDepartment for TransportTabled 13 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17995More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2026 to Question 5917 on London North Eastern Railway: WiFi, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact on regional productivity of this timescale.
Answer: The DFTO has developed the Business Case in accordance with Transport Appraisal Guidance, assessing the economic benefits that arise through improvements in rail passenger productivity and the likelihood of additional rail journeys. The DFTO’s assessment ...
Answered 4 Aug 2026
Original Parliament recordImmigration: English LanguageCabinet OfficeTabled 13 Jul 2026Awaiting answerUIN 17994More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps her Department is taking to coordinate across the Home Office, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Education to ensure that English language testing used for i
Answer: No published answer in this record yet.
Original Parliament recordNHS Foundation Trusts: Living WageDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17993More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department plans to take to support (a) Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (b) Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to become accredited as Living Wage E
Answer: Individual National Health Service organisations are free to make local decisions to enhance pay and may choose, at their own discretion, to pursue Living Wage Employer accreditation. The Department does not have plans to provide direct support to foundat...
Answered 17 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDental Services: ResearchDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17992More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his department spent on research into improving the (a) accessibility and (b) cost of dentistry in the last 12 months for which data is available.
Answer: The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds clinical, public health, and social care research and works in partnership with the National Health Service, universities, local government, o...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordArts: FinanceDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 13 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17991More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when the Creative Content Exchange will launch; how it will be funded; who will administer it; and if she will make a statement.
Answer: The Creative Content Exchange (CCE) is funded by UKRI through its Missions Accelerator Programme. My Department has not directly contributed funding to the programme. An early version is already live online with a range of already digitised content. Early...
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBroadband: PricesDepartment for Digital, Culture, Media and SportTabled 13 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17990More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with Ofcom on the potential impact of Openreach pricing on the Government’s strategic priorities for the telecoms sector.
Answer: Ofcom, the independent regulator, is responsible for regulating the UK’s wholesale telecoms market. As part of this, it has powers to impose pricing remedies on Openreach to promote competition and protect consumers. The Government’s Statement of Strategi...
Answered 27 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordTelecommunications: InfrastructureDepartment for Digital, Culture, Media and SportTabled 13 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17989More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of targeted wholesale discounts by Openreach on alternative network providers' investment in full-fibre infrastructure.
Answer: Ofcom, the independent regulator, is responsible for regulating the UK’s wholesale telecoms market. As part of this, it has powers to impose pricing remedies on Openreach to promote competition and protect consumers. The Government’s Statement of Strategi...
Answered 27 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordArtificial Intelligence: LegislationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 13 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17988More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of a) the US Cloud Act and b) the EU AI Act; and whether she has plans to bring forward similar legislation.
Answer: The UK’s starting point is relying on existing rules and regulations and empowering our regulators to consider how best to manage the opportunities and risks of AI. We continue to refine our approach to regulating AI and ensuring our law enforcement autho...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordArtificial Intelligence: FinanceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 13 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17987More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether companies that have breached UK copyright law are eligible for funds from the Sovereign AI Unit.
Answer: The Sovereign AI Fund operates on a commercial basis and within the UK's existing legal framework. Companies supported through Sovereign AI undergo due diligence before receiving funds or other support and are expected to comply and to have previously com...
Answered 17 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordImports: Israeli SettlementsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17986More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what research he has commissioned into distinguishing between goods produced in (a) the Occupied West Bank and (b) Green line Israel through scientific means.
Answer: As I told the House and the Business and Trade Select Committee, we are actively considering a ban on trade with and from the illegal settlements, but we have not commissioned such research.Goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements are not entitl...
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordMinisters: WhatsAppCabinet OfficeTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15327More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 26 June 2026 to question 6356, what guidance he has issued on this topic.
Answer: The Cabinet Office issued the "Non-corporate communications channels" (NCCC) guidance on 30 March 2023. This is available on gov.uk.
Answered 7 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: FinanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 30 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 900827More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Defence Investment Plan on industry in the North East.
Answer: The North East already plays a vital role in our defence industrial base, and the Defence Investment Plan will create even greater opportunities, with £70 billion committed to air capabilities, £32 billion to maritime programmes and £1.1 billion to comple...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDigital Technology: Public BodiesDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 22 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11636More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many positions on standards bodies does the department currently fund and how many will be funded in 2030 following the implementation of the UK's Digital Standards Strategy.
Answer: The Department participates in various international standards development organisations (SDOs), including the International Telecommunication Union, European Telecommunication Standards Institute and Internet Engineering Task Force, in line with the UK’s...
Answered 26 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMinisters: WhatsAppCabinet OfficeTabled 3 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6356More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who in Government is responsible for issuing guidance and/or requirements for the retention, storage and back up of Cabinet ministers a) personal and b) professional whatsapp messages.
Answer: The Cabinet Office is responsible for issuing guidance for the retention, storage and back up of Cabinet ministers Whatsapp messages.
Answered 26 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRailways: WiFiDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5918More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason she proposes to use Starlink to improve Wi-Fi connectivity on trains rather than oneweb.
Answer: Once the procurement for this programme goes live and is concluded, that will determine the choice of supplier. Until then, no decision has been made.
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordLondon North Eastern Railway: WiFiDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5917More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she expects the wifi on LNER to be improved.
Answer: Pending approval of the Business Case for low earth orbit satellite to improve passenger wifi, we will begin delivering the LEO upgrade in 2027, which will include LNER. Exact dates will be determined once the Business Case is approved.
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDementia: ArtsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5916More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the role of creative therapies in the care of people living with dementia.
Answer: The provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs) and may include creative therapies. We expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of National Institute for...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSyria: Politics and GovernmentForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5915More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps her Department is taking to with the Syrian government to open up an inclusive political process that grants rights to all communities, including Kurds,
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to my statement on GOV.UK marking the one‑year anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime, available at the link below, which set out the UK's support for the efforts of the new Syrian government to build a more stable, inclusive, ...
Answered 4 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSyria: Politics and GovernmentForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5914More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the levels of support for women's rights within the new Syrian government and its administration.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to my statement on GOV.UK marking the one‑year anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime, available at the link below, which set out the UK's support for the efforts of the new Syrian Government to build a more stable, inclusive, ...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament record
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