Chris Hinchliff MP: written questions
93 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Government Departments: InterpretersCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7163More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will ensure that Departments only use (a) regulated, (b) registered and (c) qualified interpreters.
Answer: Government departments can access interpreters through the Crown Commercial Service’s RM6141 Language Services agreement, which offers innovative language solutions tailored to meet the core needs of the public sector.To secure a place on the RM6141 Langu...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPublic Sector: Translation ServicesCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7162More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will conduct a review on insourcing public sector language services.
Answer: The Government will always aim to secure value for money and social value. As part of this, contracting authorities are required to take an analytical evidenced based approach on each contract and undertake a Delivery Model Assessment when making decision...
Answered 7 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordSpecial Envoy on Freedom of Religion or BeliefForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7161More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to appoint a Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion and Belief.
Answer: This Government will champion freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all. No one should live in fear because of what they do, or do not believe in. Envoy roles are under Ministerial consideration and will be decided upon in due course. In the meantime, ...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordMilitary DecorationsMinistry of DefenceTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7160More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to reform the military honours system to allow those serving in operations abroad to receive appropriate honours upon completion of their service.
Answer: Between 2012 and 2014, Sir John Holmes conducted an independent review of the policy governing the award of military medals. Sir John’s reviews were subject to detailed discussion by the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals and the co...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7159More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the (a) potential merits and (b) viability of auto enrolment for pension credit.
Answer: It is not currently possible to accurately identify people who may be entitled to Pension Credit nor to determine how much they may be entitled to on the basis of the data which DWP holds. Like all means-tested benefits, a person’s eligibility for Pension...
Answered 15 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordEnergy: Social TariffsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7158More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a social tariff in the energy market.
Answer: The Government has no plans to introduce an energy social tariff this winter. However, we are committed to ensuring vulnerable households are supported with their energy bills and we are looking at all options on how to support these households. The Gover...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPension Credit: Take-upDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7157More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure adequate resources to support the surge in applications for pension credit.
Answer: Prior to the Winter Fuel announcement, Retirement Services Directorate (RSD) had 352 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff deployed on Pension Credit claims. Since the announcement, a deployment plan has been agreed to deploy an additional 537 FTE into RSD to ...
Answered 15 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7156More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of moving the qualifying week for Pension Credit to (a) 30 September, (b) 31 October and (c) 30 November 2024 on the number of eligible claimants.
Answer: There is no qualifying week for Pension Credit. A claim for Pension Credit may be made at any time and may be backdated for up to three months as long as the entitlement conditions are met during that period. This means that a pensioner who was eligible f...
Answered 15 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordLister HospitalDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7155More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of awarding teaching status to Lister Hospital; and when his Department plans to respond to the application on this matter.
Answer: Lister Hospital is part of the East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust. Officials are in correspondence with the trust about amending their establishment order to reflect teaching status.
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordIsrael: Arms TradeForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4304More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps to encourage (a) the USA and (b) Europe to review the risk of their arms exports to Israel being used to commit serious violations of international
Answer: The UK has some of the most robust export licencing criteria in the world, which states that the Government will not issue export licences if there is a clear risk that the items might be used in violations of International Humanitarian Law. We have deeme...
Answered 13 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordKnives: CrimeHome OfficeTabled 4 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4303More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce knife crime.
Answer: The government has set on a mission to halve knife crime over the next decade, and is already taking decisive action to prevent young people from being drawn into violent crime and to get dangerous knifes off our streets.
Answered 13 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: ChildrenTreasuryTabled 23 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1455More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the increase in the annual rate of GDP growth that would be required to fund the removal of the two-child benefit cap.
Answer: Had the UK economy grown at the average rate of OECD economies over the fourteen years from 2010, it would be £143.3 billion larger – worth £5,053 for every household in the country. This could have brought in an additional £58 billion in tax revenues in ...
Answered 30 Jul 2024
Original Parliament recordEU Countries: TravelForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 23 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1453More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to negotiate improved mobility rights for UK citizens travelling to EU countries.
Answer: We want to strengthen ties with the UK's immediate neighbours and allies and explore areas where we can boost our prosperity and security through mutually beneficial agreements.We will continue to support opportunities to build our people-to-people links ...
Answered 31 Jul 2024
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: WomenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1451More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she plans to take to help support women affected by the rise in the State Pension age in North East Hertfordshire constituency.
Answer: DWP offers employment support for eligible customers of all ages, including those below State Pension age, through the network of Jobcentres across the UK, and through contracted employment programmes.A dedicated offer for older workers seeks to provide t...
Answered 31 Jul 2024
Original Parliament recordPublic Order Act 2023: ProsecutionsMinistry of JusticeTabled 23 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1448More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people serving prison sentences for prosecutions under the the Public Order Act 2023.
Answer: The Ministry of Justice is aware of the recent media reporting of the sentencing of individuals under the Public Order Act 2023. The Department releases statistical data on offenders on a quarterly basis, with the most recent release being 25 July 2024 co...
Answered 30 Jul 2024
Original Parliament recordUniversal Credit: ChildrenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1447More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential (a) financial cost and (b) impact on levels of child poverty of introducing a child element of Universal Credit of (i) £287.92, (ii) £191.95 and (iii) £14
Answer: We are committed to tackling child poverty and are introducing free breakfast clubs in every primary school to ensure children are fed a nutritious breakfast and are ready to learn. The new Ministerial Taskforce will drive cross-government action on child...
Answered 8 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: HertfordshireDepartment for EducationTabled 23 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1445More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the process to secure a SEND diagnosis for children living in North East Hertfordshire.
Answer: Ofsted inspected local arrangements for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Hertfordshire in July 2023. Its report, published on 10 November 2023, concluded that there are widespread and/or systemic failings, leading to sign...
Answered 30 Jul 2024
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: North East HertfordshireDepartment for EducationTabled 23 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1442More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support (a) children with SEND and (b) their parents, families and carers in North East Hertfordshire constituency.
Answer: This government is committed to providing the necessary support to improve the experiences for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families. The department is committed to taking a community-wide appr...
Answered 26 Jul 2024
Original Parliament record
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