Chi Onwurah MP: written questions 2025
231 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Syria: Human RightsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74583More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the interim Syrian authorities on (a) preventing human rights violations, (b) protecting all Syrians and (c) ending all forms of sectarian vi
Answer: We are deeply concerned about sectarian tensions and violence in Syria. We have consistently advocated for an inclusive, representative and non-sectarian political transition and underlined the importance of protecting the rights of all Syrians, both publ...
Answered 18 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordSaudi Arabia: Capital PunishmentForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74582More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Government of Saudi Arabia on the reported rise in executions in relation to non-violent drug-related offences.
Answer: The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries as a matter of principle, and in all circumstances. Saudi Arabia is well aware of the UK's opposition to the use of the death penalty. We regularly raise our concerns about the use of the death pe...
Answered 17 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordSaudi Arabia: Human RightsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74581More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterpart in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the reported increase in the use of (a) judicial and (b) non-judicial travel bans impose
Answer: The Government and our Embassy in Riyadh regularly monitor the human rights landscape in Saudi Arabia and engage with the Saudi authorities on these matters. We discuss human rights, including individual cases who have been subject to travel bans, with th...
Answered 17 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: SanctionsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74580More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of further sanctions on Israel in response to (a) the humanitarian situation in Gaza and (b) plans for further illegal Isr
Answer: This Government has announced three packages of sanctions since coming to power, two of which targeted individuals, illegal settler outposts and organisations supporting violence against Palestinian Communities in the West Bank. On 10 June we imposed sanc...
Answered 17 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordEnglish Language: AssessmentsHome OfficeTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74579More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the use of l non-SELT, unregulated English language tests for admission to UK higher education institutions on (a) universities and (b) students
Answer: Student sponsors with a track record of compliance can self-assess degree level and above students’ English language ability. The assessment must confirm English ability equivalent to level B2, or above, of the Common European Framework for Language Learn...
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordScience: Human RightsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74268More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether cultural access to science falls within the remit of her Department, in the context of the UK's obligations under (a) Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and (b) Artic
Answer: The UK's obligations under Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights concern cultural participation, science, and intellectual property, and are the respons...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordScience and Discovery CentresDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74267More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether science and discovery centres fall within the remit of her Department.
Answer: Science and discovery centres are vital assets across local communities nationwide. Given the breadth of their mission, they do not fall under the exclusive purview of a single government department. Their work contributes significantly to the objectives ...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordBridges: Newcastle upon TyneDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74266More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the swing bridge is eligible for repair funding from the National Lottery.
Answer: The twelve National Lottery distributor bodies provide good cause funding to organisations independently of Government. Any specific questions on eligibility for projects should be directed to the relevant distributor.
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCultural Heritage: IndustryDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74265More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many and what proportion of full-time equivalent staff in her Department work on the (a) promotion and (b) preservation of industrial heritage; whether industrial heritage sites are eligible
Answer: Within the Department for Culture, Media & Sport there is a small team that oversees Historic England, a team delivering heritage policy, and a team leading on the designation of listed buildings and monuments. Whilst it does not have dedicated staff ...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordScience and Discovery CentresDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74264More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he science and discovery centres fall within the remit of his Department.
Answer: The UK’s Science and Discovery Centres have an important role in engaging the public, with science and technology and in inspiring young people, particularly those from underrepresented groups, to consider studying STEM subjects and related careers.Howeve...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMusculoskeletal Disorders: ResearchDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74263More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to provide funding for research into the (a) prevention and (b) treatment of arthritis and musculoskeletal disease in UK universities.
Answer: The Government does not generally ringfence funding for particular areas of research but has funded a significant amount of applicant-led funding on arthritis and musculoskeletal disease.In 2024, UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) committed over £17 mi...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth: DisadvantagedDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 905342More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to tackle health inequalities in the North East.
Answer: This government is working to stamp out this country’s stark health inequalities. The North East has had the lowest healthy life expectancy for over ten years, which is unacceptable.The Government has put tackling these inequalities at the heart of the 10...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChronic Illnesses: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68390More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that the 10 Year Health Plan supports people with (a) arthritis and (b) other long-term conditions.
Answer: The three shifts outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan will support people with long-term conditions, including those with arthritis, to better manage their condition and access services closer to home. For example, it will empower them to access their medi...
Answered 25 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordArthritis: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68389More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve care for people with arthritis.
Answer: Services for those with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, including arthritis, are commissioned locally by integrated care boards (ICBs). The Department expects MSK services to be fully incorporated into integrated care system planning and decision-making...
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordParking: Newcastle upon TyneDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68388More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she plans to take to help tackle pavement parking in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Answer: The Department held a consultation on pavement parking in 2020 and has been considering all the views expressed in response to the consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will annou...
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordKnee ReplacementsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67337More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential (a) financial and (b) clinical impact of the Zimmer Biomet NexGen Legacy Posterior Stabilized (LPS) knee replacement system on the NHS.
Answer: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued a field safety notice (FSN) in December 2022 about some devices in the NexGen family of knee implants. The FSN was issued following notification by the National Joint Registry (NJR) Imp...
Answered 8 Aug 2025
Original Parliament recordCrime: ElswickHome OfficeTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67336More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Safer Streets Summer Blitz on crime levels in Elswick.
Answer: The Safer Streets Summer Initiative will see a drive to reduce town centre criminality, shop theft, street crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) across England and Wales.Running from 30 June to the end of September, it is focused on preventing crime and A...
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCultural Heritage: IndustryDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67335More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the importance of industrial heritage to the culture of historically industrial (a) cities and (b) towns.
Answer: DCMS has not made a formal assessment of the importance of industrial heritage to the culture of historically industrial cities and towns. However, this government is dedicated to supporting Britain's industrial heritage. Historic England, the government'...
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCultural Heritage: IndustryDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67334More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many full-time equivalent staff in her Department are working on (a) promoting and (b) preserving Britain's industrial heritage; and if she will make it her policy to publish a strategy on th
Answer: Historic England, the government's statutory adviser on the historic environment, is responsible for managing and protecting heritage, including industrial heritage, across the country. As well as funding Historic England, the government announced new, ad...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCultural Heritage: IndustryDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67333More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support Britain's industrial heritage.
Answer: DCMS has not made a formal assessment of the importance of industrial heritage to the culture of historically industrial cities and towns. However, this government is dedicated to supporting Britain's industrial heritage. Historic England, the government'...
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCultural Heritage: IndustryDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67332More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what funding is available to support the refurbishment of (a) the Swing Bridge in Newcastle and (b) other British industrial heritage.
Answer: Newcastle’s Swing Bridge is a Scheduled Monument and Grade II* listed structure. Support for the refurbishment of the bridge and other industrial heritage may be available through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Arms-Length Bodies.Historic E...
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordJobcentres: ICTDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67331More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to improve the (a) availability and (b) portability of (i) digital infrastructure and (ii) IT services at Jobcentre Plus locations, in the context of support for (A)
Answer: We are reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service across Great Britain that will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and care...
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordEconomic Situation: Artificial IntelligenceTreasuryTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67330More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will request that the Office for Budget Responsibility model an AI-accelerated productivity scenario alongside potential fiscal risks for (a) climate change, (b) demographic and (c) other trends.
Answer: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is the Government's official independent forecaster responsible for assessing the UK economic and fiscal outlook. All judgements underpinning these forecasts, including estimates of the impacts of Artificial Inte...
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordEconomic Situation: Artificial IntelligenceTreasuryTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67329More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has requested that the Office for Budget Responsibility assess the potential fiscal impacts of artificial intelligence.
Answer: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is the Government's official independent forecaster responsible for assessing the UK economic and fiscal outlook. All judgements underpinning these forecasts, including estimates of the impacts of Artificial Inte...
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordEconomic Situation: Artificial IntelligenceTreasuryTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67328More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has produced internal modelling on the potential fiscal impacts of artificial intelligence.
Answer: The OBR is the government's official forecaster and is responsible for assessing the UK’s economic and fiscal outlook. Its annual publication of its Fiscal Risks and Sustainability (FRS) report includes biennial long-term projections and analysis of major...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
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