Colum Eastwood MP: written questions 2025
32 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Child Benefit: FraudTreasuryTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92196More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 October 2025 to Question 85934, if HMRC utilised or was given access to passenger name records as part of the Data Usage Agreement with the Home Office.
Answer: HMRC did not directly access passenger name records held by the Home Office as part of its efforts to reduce Child Benefit non-compliance. The process involves HMRC sharing a data set with the Home Office, which includes the Child Benefit claimant’s name....
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: LebanonForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91656More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the statement of 14 November 2025 by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon that Israel’s wall in southern Lebanon has crossed the Blue L
Answer: The UK is concerned by reports of escalating strikes by Israel on Lebanon, and of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers being affected by Israeli military activity. All necessary measures must be taken to protect UNIFIL personnel a...
Answered 20 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: LebanonForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91655More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Israeli counterpart about Israel’s occupation of parts of south Lebanon.
Answer: The UK is concerned by reports of escalating strikes by Israel on Lebanon, and of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers being affected by Israeli military activity. All necessary measures must be taken to protect UNIFIL personnel a...
Answered 20 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLebanon: RefugeesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91654More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
Answer: The UK plays a leading role in responding to the humanitarian needs of vulnerable groups across Lebanon.This year, the UK has provided £15.5 million in programming budget support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the...
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLebanon: CeasefiresForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91653More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps the Government is taking to help ensure a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Answer: The UK is concerned by reports of escalating strikes by Israel on Lebanon, and of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers being affected by Israeli military activity. All necessary measures must be taken to protect UNIFIL personnel a...
Answered 20 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: LebanonForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91652More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Israeli counterpart about the continued Israeli bombing in south Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.
Answer: The UK is concerned by reports of escalating strikes by Israel on Lebanon, and of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers being affected by Israeli military activity. All necessary measures must be taken to protect UNIFIL personnel a...
Answered 20 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLebanon: CeasefiresForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91651More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment the government has made of how the parties have respected the November 2024 ceasefire in Lebanon.
Answer: The UK is concerned by reports of escalating strikes by Israel on Lebanon, and of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers being affected by Israeli military activity. All necessary measures must be taken to protect UNIFIL personnel a...
Answered 20 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: United NationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91602More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the Israel Defense Forces statement that it fired at two UN peacemakers.
Answer: The UK is concerned by reports of escalating strikes by Israel on Lebanon, and of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers being affected by Israeli military activity. All necessary measures must be taken to protect UNIFIL personnel a...
Answered 20 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: Skilled WorkersHome OfficeTabled 31 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 87109More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating an expedited process for healthcare organisations seeking Certificates of Sponsorship to support visa renewals for existing employees
Answer: The same service standard applies to all sponsors using the immigration system and the onus is on the sponsors to be aware of the legal status of their workers and request the relevant Certificates of Sponsorship in accordance with those timescales. Prior...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: Skilled WorkersHome OfficeTabled 31 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 87108More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the length of time taken for UK Visas and Immigration to process requests for an increase in undefined Certificates of Sponsorship allocations for healt
Answer: The same service standard applies to all sponsors using the immigration system and the onus is on the sponsors to be aware of the legal status of their workers and request the relevant Certificates of Sponsorship in accordance with those timescales. Prior...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordMinisters: Visits AbroadForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86760More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of Ministers travelling to settlements deemed illegal under international law.
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office did not provide support. UK Government Ministers do not visit Israeli-run institutions in the West Bank.
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: Northern IrelandMinistry of DefenceTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86759More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2025 to Question 84961 on Armed Forces: Northern Ireland, whether there were any remuneration capping arrangements applied to legal costs incurred in the defence of Soldier F;
Answer: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) did not impose any cap on the legal costs associated with the defence of Soldier F. Schedule 1 of the Legal Aid for Crown Court Proceedings (Costs) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2005 does not apply to costs funded by the MOD. The ...
Answered 4 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: Northern IrelandMinistry of DefenceTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86758More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2025 to Question 84961 on Armed Forces: Northern Ireland, what the hourly rate of legal fees paid to (a) Senior Counsel, (b) Junior Counsel and (c) solicitors instructed durin
Answer: This is considered commercially sensitive information and is being withheld accordingly. The MOD will continue to provide the welfare and legal support to all service personnel that served during the Troubles.
Answered 4 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: Northern IrelandMinistry of DefenceTabled 29 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86328More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2025 to Question 84961 on Legal costs for ‘Soldier F’, what information his Department holds on the cost to the public purse for pastoral care provided to (a) Soldier F and (b
Answer: The Ministry of Defence do not provide pastoral care to those who have not served. Pastoral care provided to Soldier F during his legal proceedings involved the time of various employees and multiple organisations across the Department. Most of the associ...
Answered 4 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: Northern IrelandMinistry of DefenceTabled 29 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86327More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2025 to Question 84961 on legal costs for ‘Soldier F’, if she will publish the cost for each stage of the legal processes for which support was provided.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence do not hold records of legal costs in a way that allows for the extraction and presentation of costs associated with each stage of the legal process. The Ministry of Defence will continue to provide the welfare and legal support to...
Answered 4 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: Visits AbroadForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86326More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his policy is on ministerial visits to Israeli-run state institutions beyond the Green Line.
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office did not provide support. UK Government Ministers do not visit Israeli-run institutions in the West Bank.
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPaul GivanForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86325More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department provided support to Paul Givan MLA on his recent official visit to the Ofek school in Jerusalem.
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office did not provide support. UK Government Ministers do not visit Israeli-run institutions in the West Bank.
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy: ConservationDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85935More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress he has made on implementing an energy labelling scheme that is compatible with EU standards.
Answer: The Government is assessing updates to Great Britian’s energy labelling standards on a case-by-case basis. The department is working to address challenges from differing labelling regimes, informed by independent analysis of EU standards and potential imp...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordChild Benefit: FraudTreasuryTabled 28 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85934More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that HMRC’s fraud detection systems do not incorrectly suspend child benefit payments for claimants that travel through the Republic of Ireland.
Answer: Child Benefit is paid to over 6.9 million families, supporting 11.9 million children. It is one of the most widely accessed benefits in the UK. As part of its ongoing efforts to reduce error and fraud in the Child Benefit system, HMRC undertook a pilot la...
Answered 3 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: Northern IrelandMinistry of DefenceTabled 24 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84961More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of (a) legal costs and (b) other support provided to Soldier F relating to the case of the alleged murders of James Wray and William McKinney.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence is committed to supporting veterans and their families. As part of this, Soldier F has received legal and welfare support throughout his legal proceedings at public expense. The legal fees associated with these proceedings (includi...
Answered 29 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPalestine ActionHome OfficeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78799More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 8 October 2025 to Question 76347 on Palestine Action, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the decision to proscribe Palestine Action on N
Answer: Decisions on proscription are not taken lightly. They are informed by a robust evidence-based process, with contributions from a wide range of experts from across government, the police and the intelligence community. The intelligence and advice from the ...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Growth Fund: Northern IrelandMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78798More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress has been made on delivering the Local Growth Fund in Northern Ireland.
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 the UK, once the UK Shared Prosperity Fund ends in March 2026. In Northern Ireland, we are working closely w...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPalestine ActionHome OfficeTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76347More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department had discussions with the (a) Department of Justice in Northern Ireland and (b) Police Service of Northern Ireland prior to the decision to proscribe Palestine Action.
Answer: Decisions on proscription are not taken lightly. They are informed by a robust evidence-based process, with contributions from a wide range of experts from across government, the police and the intelligence community.Counter terrorism is a reserved matter...
Answered 8 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCoroners: Northern IrelandMinistry of DefenceTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 904911More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on the resumption of inquests into deaths at Loughgall in 1987.
Answer: As the Secretary of State has already said today in this House, he is working closely with the Northern Ireland Secretary on policy proposals in relation to the Legacy Act, including to ensure that we discharge our duty to Veterans. We must find a way for...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRefugees: PalestiniansHome OfficeTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52828More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing a resettlement scheme for Palestinian refugees seeking to join family members resident in the UK.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 13 March to Question 35970.
Answered 20 May 2025
Original Parliament record
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