Claire Hanna MP: written questions
162 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Work Capability Assessment: Northern IrelandDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 29 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16993More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Northern Ireland will be impacted by changes proposed to the Work Capacity Assessment.
Answer: Social security is transferred (devolved) to the Northern Ireland Executive where it is administered by the Department for Communities.
Answered 9 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordClean Energy: Northern IrelandDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 27 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16566More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Clean Power 2030 Advisory Commission will consider matters relating to Northern Ireland.
Answer: Energy policy is largely devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive (NIE). As such the Clean Power 2030 Advisory Commission is focused on decarbonisation of the power system in Great Britain. However, we are keen to share learnings from this process with ...
Answered 3 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordTerrorism (Protection of Premises) BillHome OfficeTabled 26 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16309More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department will provide (a) guidance and (b) practical support to (i) charities, (ii) community groups and (iii) voluntary groups to assist them in complying with the requirements of the T
Answer: Free, dedicated guidance and support will be provided to ensure that those in scope will understand how to meet the obligations of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill. Guidance is currently being designed so that it is self-explanatory and easy to...
Answered 4 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordTerrorism (Protection of Premises) BillHome OfficeTabled 26 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16308More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill on (a) charities, (b) community groups and (c) voluntary organisations that organise events.
Answer: The Government is extremely mindful of the many community, voluntary-run and charity events that occur across the UK.The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill has been designed to achieve public protection outcomes whilst avoiding undue burden on busine...
Answered 4 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordHelp to Buy Scheme: Individual Savings AccountsTreasuryTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15503More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to revise the upper purchase price on help to buy ISAs in line with the housing market.
Answer: This Government is committed to helping first time buyers own their own home, and will do this by building 1.5 million more homes.The Government keeps savings policy under review, any changes of this kind would be made at a relevant fiscal event.
Answered 27 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordDevelopment AidTreasuryTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15483More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress she is making on returning the level of the aid budget to 0.7% of gross national income.
Answer: The Government remains committed to restoring Official Development Assistance (ODA) spending to 0.7% of GNI as soon as fiscal circumstances allow, but this isn’t currently affordable. The OBR’s latest forecast shows that the ODA fiscal tests are not due t...
Answered 27 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordDevelopment AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15482More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to increase the proportion of Overseas Development Assistance spent on development and humanitarian work overseas.
Answer: The Government is taking measures to reduce the asylum backlog and end the use of expensive hotel accommodation. We expect these plans to enable a greater proportion of the ODA budget to be spent on our international development priorities overseas. The F...
Answered 27 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPackaging: RecyclingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13847More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the policy objective is of (a) extended producer responsibility and (b) packaging recovering notes; and what the relationship is between the two policies.
Answer: Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) is intended to make producers responsible for the costs of managing their packaging, incentivising them to use less packaging and make the packaging they do use more sustainable. The key pEPR obligatio...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordTravel: Northern IrelandDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13830More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will take steps to increase (a) sustainable travel options and (b) (i) rail and (ii) sail provision between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Answer: The UK ferry market predominantly operates on a private sector, commercial basis without government support or intervention. As such decisions on increased services is a matter for the relevant operators, and we note that there are multiple routing option...
Answered 20 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordChildcare: Tax AllowancesTreasuryTabled 8 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13281More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of eligible households in Belfast South and Mid Down constituency are availing of the Tax Free Childcare scheme.
Answer: Data on Tax-Free Childcare users for 2024 parliamentary constituencies will not be published until May 2025. However, the number of families who used Tax-Free Childcare in 2023/24 in the three former constituencies that predominantly make up Belfast South...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPublic Expenditure: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 4 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12605More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what Barnett Consequential have been calculated for the Northern Ireland Executive following the recent announcement of additional rates support for (a) retail, (b) hospitality and (c) leisure in the Autumn Budget 2
Answer: As a result of decisions taken at the Autumn Budget, the Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) is receiving £18.2 billion in 2025-26, including an additional £1.5 billion Barnett consequentials. The NIE’s settlement for 2025-26 delivers a real-terms increase a...
Answered 12 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: PayTreasuryTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11400More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will release funding to enable payment for the Pay Review Body recommendation for a 5.5% pay uplift for health workers in Northern Ireland.
Answer: The Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) is being funded above its independently assessed relative need level of 124% in 2024-25 and 2025-26, including the 2024 restoration financial package. As a result of decisions taken at the Autumn Budget and Phase 1 of ...
Answered 5 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: PayNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11399More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Health Minister on ensuring pay parity for health workers in Northern Ireland with Great Britain.
Answer: Public sector pay is a devolved matter. It is for the Northern Ireland Executive to take decisions on pay awards.
Answered 4 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordUK Internal Trade: Northern IrelandDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 25 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11173More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what his timetable is for the publication of guidance to Great Britain based businesses trading in Northern Ireland on the General Product Safety Regulations 2025 .
Answer: The updated General Product Safety Regulation largely formalises the reality of how businesses are already operating in the UK and the measures are therefore likely to have limited impact. Where businesses need to make changes, we expect that they will be...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordVisas: HorticultureHome OfficeTabled 23 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10787More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had recent discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the potential merits of implementing a bespoke visa for for the horticulture sector in Northern Ireland.
Answer: There have been no discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the potential merits of implementing a bespoke visa for the horticulture sector in Northern Ireland. The UK operates a national immigration system, covering all areas of the country. Th...
Answered 1 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordTerrorism: Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 22 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10510More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make it his policy that any future Northern Ireland troubles legacy proposals will have capacity to deal with murders that took place after 10th April 1998.
Answer: Investigating suspected criminal activity that took place following the Good Friday Agreement is the responsibility of the relevant police force.The Government is committed to repeal and replace the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) ...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordElectronic Travel Authorisations: Northern IrelandHome OfficeTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10175More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has made on the review of the impact of the Electronic Travel Authorisation policy in Northern Ireland.
Answer: The Government keeps the operation of the ETA scheme under constant review, including its impact within Northern Ireland, and my changes to the scheme will be announced in the normal way.
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPesticidesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10174More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the updated National Action Plan on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides will be published.
Answer: We intend to publish a National Action Plan in due course that reflects the Government’s priority to minimise the risks and impact of pesticides on human health and the environment and facilitate sustainable use.
Answered 24 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSodium Valproate: CompensationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10173More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Hughes report published by the Patient Safety Commissioner on 7 February 2024, if he will take steps to introduce a compensation scheme which is open to (a) all UK and (b) Nor
Answer: The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. We will be providing an update to the Patie...
Answered 30 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordUK Infrastructure Bank: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 18 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9961More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many applications for funding from the UK Infrastructure Bank for schemes in Northern Ireland were (a) awarded and (b) rejected.
Answer: The National Wealth Fund (NWF), formerly the UK Infrastructure Bank, has committed funding to three transactions that have benefited Northern Ireland (NI) with a total of £71m invested to date. Two of these deals are debt investments in the digital sector...
Answered 24 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPrivate Education: VATTreasuryTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9582More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made a comparative assessment of (a) boarding departments in state schools in England and (b) grant aided schools in Northern Ireland, in the context of the introduction of VAT on independent schools
Answer: On 29 July, the Government announced that, as of 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training provided by a private school in the UK for a charge will be subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20 per cent. This will also apply to boardin...
Answered 25 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordOffshore Industry: Migrant WorkersHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9569More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's guidance entitled Offshore well boat workers: Immigration Rules concession 2022, updated on 24 January 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of
Answer: Concessionary arrangements outside of the immigration rules are put in place where exceptional circumstances are demonstrated. They are always time limited and reviewed regularly. There are no plans to extend the existing concession beyond its original pa...
Answered 25 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordMortgages: Government AssistanceTreasuryTabled 14 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8921More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to include support for home owners struggling with mortgage commitments in the Budget.
Answer: This Government recognises that many households have been faced with higher mortgage rates in recent years. That is why we are committed to delivering economic stability to grow the economy and keep taxes, inflation and mortgage rates as low as possible. ...
Answered 21 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: British Nationals AbroadDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 11 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8684More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will review the Government's policy on uprating the State Pension for people living overseas.
Answer: There are no plans to review the policy on up-rating the UK State Pensions Overseas. UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, without regard to nationality, and are only uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries ...
Answered 16 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordTerrorism: Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 9 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8240More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what his planned timetable is for resuming inquests relating to the troubles in Northern Ireland that ended when the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 came into force; and wh
Answer: The Government has made clear its intention to propose measures that allow legacy inquests previously halted by the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) Act 2023 to proceed, should that be the preference of the victims’s families. A num...
Answered 16 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
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