Chris Hinchliff MP: written questions
109 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Landfill: MethaneDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 16 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 10444More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of current timelines for the implementation of a transitional support mechanism for landfill gas operators set out in the Methane Action
Answer: Government recognises that the expiry of Renewables Obligation support from April 2027 could affect the commercial viability of some generators in the landfill gas to electricity sector. DESNZ is progressing the development of a potential transitional sup...
Answered 24 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Works Loan Board: Housing Revenue AccountsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 15 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 10075More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the latest available figure is for Housing Revenue Account debt owed to the Public Works Loans Board by local authorities, including (a) the collective figure for all local
Answer: The Government publishes data on loans issued by the Public Works Loan Board lending facility here Historical Data and here Current Data, which includes loans taken out under the Housing Revenue Account discounted interest rate in place since 15 June 2023...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordFluorinated Gases: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 11 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 9267More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to (a) accelerate the reform of the F-Gas Regulation to phase down hydrofluorocarbons and (b) publish a National Cooling Action Plan.
Answer: Between 5 November and 17 December 2025, Defra consulted on proposals to reform the phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the F-gas Regulation. Following consideration of the 137 responses received, Defra confirmed on 15 May 2026 that further work ...
Answered 22 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAviationDepartment for TransportTabled 1 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5504More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has had discussions with aviation industry stakeholders including (a) representatives of Heathrow Airport, (b) representatives of Aurora Group and (c) others representing the aviation ind
Answer: The Department engages with a broad range of stakeholders on Heathrow expansion and will continue to do so. Ministers and officials engage with stakeholders including (but not limited to) potential scheme promoters, local authorities, transport bodies, co...
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordCrisis and Resilience Fund: HertfordshireDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4700More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department is taking steps to evaluate the effectiveness of the Crisis and Resilience Fund at tackling furniture poverty that exists in areas such as North Hertfordshire.
Answer: The Department is planning to evaluate the Crisis and Resilience Fund across England, including the full range of discretionary support provided through the Fund, such as assistance with essential furniture and white goods. This evaluation is expected to ...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordFurniture Poverty: CornwallDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2637More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has evaluated the effectiveness of the new Crisis and Resilience Fund at tackling furniture poverty in Cornwall.
Answer: The Crisis and Resilience Fund launched in April 2026, and therefore no evaluation has taken place yet. The Department is planning to evaluate the Crisis and Resilience Fund across England, including the full range of discretionary support provided throug...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Rented Housing: FurnitureMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2636More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of undertaking a pilot of furnished tenancies as part of the creation of best practice guidance on furniture provision; and
Answer: People living without essential furniture can access support through their local authority, including via the Household Support Fund until 31 March, and from April, the Crisis and Resilience Fund, to provide discretionary help with essential items such as...
Answered 1 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Rented Housing: FurnitureMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2635More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department will meet bodies other than social landlords to discuss best practice guidance for furniture provision.
Answer: People living without essential furniture can access support through their local authority, including via the Household Support Fund until 31 March, and from April, the Crisis and Resilience Fund, to provide discretionary help with essential items such as...
Answered 1 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Rented Housing: FurnitureMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2634More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether guidance on furniture provision will encourage social landlords to offer furnished tenancies to low-income tenants.
Answer: People living without essential furniture can access support through their local authority, including via the Household Support Fund until 31 March, and from April, the Crisis and Resilience Fund, to provide discretionary help with essential items such as...
Answered 1 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordWater: StandardsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2626More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a High Ecological Status target for the highest-quality waterbodies in England, as part of upcoming reforms to Water
Answer: We committed in the recently published Water White Paper to explore setting new ambitious targets for the water environment. As part of these explorations, we are considering a wide range of suggestions from stakeholders, including calls to monitor small ...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordWater: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2624More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to incorporate (a) ponds, (b) small lakes, (c) headwater streams and (d) other small waters into the Water Framework Directive as part of ongoing reforms to the regul
Answer: We committed in the recently published Water White Paper to explore setting new ambitious targets for the water environment. As part of these explorations, we are considering a wide range of suggestions from stakeholders, including calls to monitor small ...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordBirds: Environmental Land Management SchemesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129926More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that Environmental Land Management schemes include funding for (a) integrated, evidence-based management of predation pressure and (b) specialist far
Answer: Support for specific species is primarily delivered via Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier where land managers can benefit from 1:1 advice and support from Natural England Advisers. In addition to the payments for the correct land management for Curlew, ...
Answered 29 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordTree Preservation OrdersDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128947More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the England Tree Action Plan will review and improve the scope and effectiveness of Tree Preservation Orders.
Answer: The Government committed in the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 to publish a new Trees Action Plan for England in 2026. The Trees Action Plan will set out how the Government will invest in tree planting and the forestry sector to achieve our 2030 inte...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordTrees: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128946More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the England Tree Action Plan will include a new legal protection and designation system for (a) important and (b) heritage trees.
Answer: The Government committed in the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 to publish a new Trees Action Plan for England in 2026. The Trees Action Plan will set out how the Government will invest in tree planting and the forestry sector to achieve our 2030 inte...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordTrees: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128945More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if a Special Representative for important trees will be appointed to champion them at a political level, as recommended in the Government-sponsored Tree Council report, published in 20
Answer: The Defra-funded report led by the Tree Council and Forest Research provides a range of recommendations for improving the protection and stewardship of ‘important’ trees. The Government is carefully considering its recommendations, including their feasibi...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordSites of Special Scientific Interest: AshfordDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128944More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on which date was Natural England first notified of organised criminal activity in Hoads Wood Special Site of Scientific Interest.
Answer: Natural England (NE) does not hold a record of a specific date on which it was first notified of organised criminal activity at Hoads Wood SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest. NE visited the site in February 2020 with Ashford Borough Council and Kent...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordSites of Special Scientific Interest: AccessDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128943More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2026 to question 106695, what discussions she has had Natural England on restricting access to Sites of Special Scientific Interest, including at H
Answer: The Environment Agency is continuing to temporarily restrict vehicular access to Hoads Wood Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and, alongside Kent Police, is leading the criminal investigation into the illegal dumping of waste. The primary legal f...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordFly-tipping: ForestsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128942More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many instances of fly tipping have been recorded on the public forest estate in each of the last 10 years.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Glastonbury and Somerton on 10 April 2026, PQ UIN 125371.
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordNature Conservation: Departmental CoordinationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Apr 2026Awaiting answerUIN 128941More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to question UIN 123866, if he will provide an update on the delivery of the Government's cross-department nature strategy.
Answer: No published answer in this record yet.
Original Parliament recordHousing Associations: HomelessnessMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 15 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127746More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to introduce a duty on housing associations to house homeless households.
Answer: As set out in the government’s National Plan to End Homelessness published on 11 December 2025, which can be found on gov.uk here, we expect social housing landlords to cooperate with councils in housing statutory homeless households and, where joint work...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordHousing Associations: HomelessnessMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 15 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127745More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will take legislative steps to create a duty on housing associations to house homeless households.
Answer: As set out in the government’s National Plan to End Homelessness published on 11 December 2025, which can be found on gov.uk here, we expect social housing landlords to cooperate with councils in housing statutory homeless households and, where joint work...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordFractures: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123870More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when rollout of new Fracture Liaison Services will begin in areas without provision.
Answer: Fracture Liaison Services are commissioned by integrated care boards, which are well-placed to make decisions according to local need.Our 10-Year Health Plan committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030.Offic...
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordNature Conservation: Departmental CoordinationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123866More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 16 December 2025 to question 97320, when her Department will publish its cross-government nature strategy; and for what reason it was not published in March a
Answer: The cross‑government nature strategy is currently undergoing final cross‑government clearance, in line with standard collective agreement processes. Publication in March was dependent on the completion of this process. The Department now expects to publis...
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Land UseDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 122081More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her department expects to be able to publish the fully updated data and mapping for Agricultural Land Classifications in England.
Answer: A new predictive Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) map for England has been created to replace the existing 1960s provisional ALC map. The 1960s provisional ALC map does not show ALC Grade 3 subdivision into subgrade 3a and 3b and reflects a supersed...
Answered 25 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordEnvironment Act 2021Department for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 908381More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to meet the nature targets set out in the Environment Act 2021.
Answer: The Government is clear that nature and development can go hand in hand.The Land Use Framework shows we have enough land to achieve our priorities if we make better decisions about how we use it. We can restore nature and meet our housing and clean energ...
Answered 19 Mar 2026
Original Parliament record
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