Colum Eastwood MP: written questions

Written questions

• Heat Pumps: HousingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 11 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13577More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of support arrangements for the installation of domestic heat pumps.

  Answer: The Government is taking a range of action to support the transformation of the low-carbon heating market. Further detail on the government’s approach to support the transition to cleaner, energy-secure homes and buildings will be set out in the governmen...

  Answered 14 Nov 2024

  Original Parliament record
• Armenia: Detainees and RefugeesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 11 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13576More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to make representations on (a) a right of return for Armenians and (b) the release of detained Armenians during the COP29 summit.

  Answer: The Government has encouraged Azerbaijan to provide clarity on the rights and security of ethnic Armenians displaced by conflict who wish to return to Nagorno-Karabakh. The UK continues to urge Azerbaijan to ensure that those detained during September 202...

  Answered 18 Nov 2024

  Original Parliament record
• Gaza: Food SupplyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 11 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13575More

  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 the Famine Review Committee's alert entitled, Gaza Strip, Published on 8 November 2024.

  Answer: The Famine Review Committee's warning that areas of northern Gaza likely face imminent famine is appalling. At a UK-chaired meeting of the UN Security Council on 12 November, Lord Collins called on Israel to finally, and immediately, make good on its comm...

  Answered 19 Nov 2024

  Original Parliament record
• General Practitioners: Employers' ContributionsTreasuryTabled 5 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12760More

  Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.40 of the Autumn Budget 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to employer National Insurance contribution rates on GPs in Northern Ireland; and whether s

  Answer: Raising the revenue required to fund public services and restore economic stability requires difficult decisions on tax, which is why we are asking employers to contribute more. A Tax Information and Impact Note will be published in due course alongside t...

  Answered 11 Nov 2024

  Original Parliament record
• SpikingHome OfficeTabled 8 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7870More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is her policy to create a standalone criminal offence for drink spiking; and what steps she is taking to help tackle drink spiking.

  Answer: Spiking is an abhorrent crime and illegal in any form, whether through vape, food, drink or needle. The Government’s manifesto and the King’s Speech committed to strengthening spiking legislation to help the police better respond to this crime. We are cur...

  Answered 14 Oct 2024

  Original Parliament record
• Passports: Republic of IrelandHome OfficeTabled 10 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5143More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing (a) elected representatives from Ireland and (b) other Irish passport holders to verify UK passport applications using the HM Passpor

  Answer: As part of the criteria for a person to act as a referee to a passport application, His Majesty’s Passport Office requires that the referee must hold a passport that it can validate to confirm that person’s identity. In addition to British passport holder...

  Answered 7 Oct 2024

  Original Parliament record
• Electronic SurveillanceHome OfficeTabled 25 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1819More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department (a) received and (b) granted requests to provide communications data on (i) lawyers, (ii) journalists and (iii) Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly in each of the last five

  Answer: The Investigatory Powers Commissioner's Office is the independent oversight body responsible for communications data authorisations.The most recent Information on the authorisation of investigatory powers, including the use of powers and number of authori...

  Answered 31 Jul 2024

  Original Parliament record
• Surveillance: Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 24 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1584More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to figure 19.6 of the Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Office’s annual report 2022, published on 26 March 2024, if he will hold discussions with the Department of Justice in Northern Ir

  Answer: Figure 19.6 of the Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Office’s annual report 2022 refers to statistics for communications data authorisations involving members of a sensitive profession between 2018 and 2022. These are statistics for the whole of the UK,...

  Answered 29 Jul 2024

  Original Parliament record
• Arms Trade: IsraelDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 23 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1408More

  Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for Government policy on arms export licenses to Israel of the decision of the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to issue

  Answer: The Government assesses export licences against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. We will continue to monitor developments as part of the assessment process. The Foreign Secretary met with President Netanyahu in Israel on 14 July and pushed for an ...

  Answered 26 Jul 2024

  Original Parliament record