Claire Hanna MP: written questions
272 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Local Growth Fund: Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78756More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 22 September 2025 to Question 76346 on Local Growth Deals: Northern Ireland, whether his Department plans to hold discussions with the (a) voluntary and (b) community sector in
Answer: As announced at the Spending Review, from 2026-27 the UK Government will provide targeted, long-term local growth funding to support growth across Northern Ireland, once the UK Shared Prosperity Fund ends in March 2026. The Northern Ireland Office is work...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordRegional Planning and Development: Northern IrelandMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78755More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding his Department allocated to football clubs through the levelling up funds in Northern Ireland.
Answer: Crusaders Football Club, in Belfast was awarded £2.2 million from the Levelling Up Fund for its Shore Road Skills Centre project. This is the only direct allocation of Levelling Up Funds to a football club in Northern Ireland. Other football clubs in Nort...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordFootball: Northern IrelandDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78754More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding has been allocated to football clubs through the Grassroots Football Facilities Investment Fund in Northern Ireland.
Answer: The Government has committed to invest £3 million in Northern Ireland through the Multi Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2025/26 to build and upgrade pitches and facilities.Between 2021/22 and 2024/25, a total of £6,592,966 was allocated to footba...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLabour Market Evidence Group: Northern IrelandHome OfficeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77655More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Labour Market Evidence Group plans to visit Northern Ireland to consult local businesses.
Answer: The Labour Market Evidence Group (LMEG) is supporting the UK Government’s aim to rebalance UK labour market away from an over-reliance on international recruitment and towards domestic workers and ensuring that growth-driving sectors have access to the sk...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Growth Fund: Northern IrelandMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76346More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress he has made on the Local Growth Fund for Northern Ireland.
Answer: Since the announcement at Spending Review of a new Local Growth Fund for Northern Ireland, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has initiated work with the Northern Ireland Office to design a new fund that will drive growth in Norther...
Answered 22 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMigrant WorkersHome OfficeTabled 9 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76054More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the White Paper entitled Restoring Control over the Immigration System of 12 May 2025, what assessment she has made of (a) levels of current migrant staffing and (b) the potential m
Answer: The Home Office does not monitor the staffing levels of specific sectors; this should be directed to the Northern Ireland’s Department of Health. It is open to the Health and Care sectors to use the options available to them; this includes international r...
Answered 17 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordIVF: HomosexualityDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76053More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the (a) Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 and (b) Articles (i) 42 and (ii) 43 of that Act on same-sex, non-married or civil partne
Answer: Section 42 and 43 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 provide a framework of protection from disputes over legal parenthood. These provisions allow female couples who are married or in a civil partnership, or who have undertaken treatment i...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: EqualityDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71279More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the 10 year plan for the NHS, what steps he plans to take to ensure that equality of access to the NHS is retained for all.
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan, along with associated policies and initiatives, details several measures to ensure equality of access to the NHS is retained for all. This includes:- Redirecting funds to deprived areas: Funding flows are being realigned towards a...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordVideo GamesDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 17 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68901More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the games publishing industry on the potential impact of remotely disabling and terminating video games on their responsibilities under the Consumer Rights Act 2
Answer: The Government is aware of concerns relating to the continued access to video games, including licensed, online-only video games, and we appreciate the frustrations of players of some games that have been discontinued. The Government has spoken with the v...
Answered 25 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: PalestiniansForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66303More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of Israeli government plans to confine Palestinians to the Rafah area of Gaza.
Answer: We are appalled by Israeli Defence Minister Katz's proposal to move Gaza's population to Rafah. Palestinian territory must not be reduced. Civilians must be able to return to their communities. We need to move towards a ceasefire deal and open a pathway t...
Answered 29 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBroadcasting: CompetitionDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64133More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of Ofcom’s proposals to remove the prohibitions on (a) matching rights and (b) bundling.
Answer: As we set out in our Creative Industries Sector Plan, the Government wants a healthy and mixed TV ecology. This includes public service broadcasters providing an engine room of creativity whilst our independent production sector continues to create more i...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordDeposit Return Schemes: CostsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64053More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's planned timetable is for publishing the set-up costs for the Deposit Return Scheme.
Answer: The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers in England is industry-led, funded by producers and delivered by producers and retailers collectively through the Deposit Management Organisation. Most international schemes follow this model. The appo...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRecycling: Local GovernmentDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64052More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to take to ensure that local authorities use funding from the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme to improve recycling provision.
Answer: We have instructed PackUK to exercise its existing powers within the pEPR regulations to ensure local authorities in England only receive pEPR funds that are spent on household packaging, waste management, and recycling. When local authority payments are ...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRecycling: Local GovernmentDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64051More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to ensure that funding derived from Extended Producer Responsibility fees will be ringfenced to support local authorities to improve their recycling provi
Answer: We have instructed PackUK to exercise its existing powers within the pEPR regulations to ensure local authorities in England only receive pEPR funds that are spent on household packaging, waste management, and recycling. When local authority payments are ...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordJournalism: Mental Health ServicesDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63345More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support mental health services in journalism.
Answer: Ministers and officials regularly meet stakeholders to discuss a range of issues which affect media organisations and journalists. Officials in my department would be pleased to meet with Media Strong.The Government is not currently taking specific steps ...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordJournalismDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63344More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if will meet with Media Strong.
Answer: Ministers and officials regularly meet stakeholders to discuss a range of issues which affect media organisations and journalists. Officials in my department would be pleased to meet with Media Strong.The Government is not currently taking specific steps ...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordUK Internal Trade: Northern IrelandCabinet OfficeTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62674More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the Federation of Small Businesses Northern Ireland's report entitled Windsor Framework realities - barriers to trade in
Answer: The Government stands by its view that the Windsor Framework is delivering practical benefits in Northern Ireland and we are committed to its implementation alongside protecting the UK internal market. The Windsor Framework provides a wide range of suppor...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits and Welfare Tax Credits: UpratingDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62267More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy to uprate (a) inflation-linked benefits and (b) tax credits for the 2026–27 financial year in line with the consumer prices index rate of inflation for September.
Answer: The Social Security Administration Act 1992 requires the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to review State pension and benefit rates each year to see if they have retained their value in relation to the general level of prices or earnings. Where th...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Expenditure: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61306More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the document entitled UK Infrastructure: A 10 Year Strategy, CP 1344, published on 19 June 2025, if he will publish the Barnett consequential for Northern Ireland for each new item of funding annou
Answer: The Barnett formula is applied when departmental budgets change – not when departments announce how they are spending their budgets. When changes to UK Government departments’ budgets were confirmed at Spending Review 2025 on 11 June, the Barnett formula ...
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordChildcareDepartment for EducationTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61305More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the document entitled UK Infrastructure: A 10 Year Strategy, CP 1344, published on 19 June 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of childcare provision on the delivery of
Answer: Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.Investment in childcare provision is an essential part of the government’s 10 Year Strategy, which is why it sets out an investment of almost £370 million to delive...
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMaternity Allowance: Universal CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 17 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60535More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the report by Maternity Action, entitled Pushed into Poverty, published in May 2025, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the recommendation on £7.99 million model
Answer: No assessment is planned. Universal Credit treats Maternity Allowance in the same way as legacy means-tested benefits, such as Income Support or Income Based Jobseeker’s Allowance, in that it is taken fully into account. Whilst we keep all policies under ...
Answered 25 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMaternity Allowance: Universal CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 17 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60534More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of treating Maternity Allowance as earned income for the purposes of calculating Universal Credit.
Answer: No assessment is planned. Universal Credit treats Maternity Allowance in the same way as legacy means-tested benefits, such as Income Support or Income Based Jobseeker’s Allowance, in that it is taken fully into account. Whilst we keep all policies under ...
Answered 25 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordParental Pay: Living WageDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60146More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what long-term plans her Department has to increase levels of (a) maternity, (b) paternity and (c) parental pay in line with the National Living Wage.
Answer: Government spends approximately £3 billion a year on parental payments. When considering calls to increase the level of maternity benefits generally, those must be balanced against limited resources as well as being mindful of the burden on employers, the...
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordParental Pay: Living WageDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60144More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing (a) Statutory Maternity Pay, (b) Maternity Allowance and (c) Shared Parental Pay to 62.5 per cent of the weekly National Living Wage by
Answer: Government spends approximately £3 billion a year on parental payments. When considering calls to increase the level of maternity benefits generally, those must be balanced against limited resources as well as being mindful of the burden on employers, the...
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: Humanitarian AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58734More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Israeli government on the prevention of aid entering Gaza from the sea.
Answer: The Government of Israel has halted the entry of all goods and supplies into Gaza for over four months. We have repeatedly called on the Government of Israel to abide by its obligations under International Humanitarian Law to ensure full, rapid, safe and ...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
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