David Smith MP: written questions
159 published records · newest first.
Written questions
British Coal Staff Superannuation SchemeDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89195More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress his Department has made on (a) agreeing a way forward on the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme and (b) considering the transfer of its investment reserve to its members.
Answer: The Department is engaging with HM Treasury with a view to agreeing a way forward on the transfer of the reserve to members. The Government is aiming to reach agreement on an outcome that can be implemented later this year which will benefit scheme member...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFarms: InspectionsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89194More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what coordination processes are in place between (a) the Rural Payments Agency, (b) the Animal and Plant Health Agency and (c) other arms-length bodies of her Department to (i) reduce
Answer: Our arm’s-length bodies are implementing more risk-based approaches for inspections and increasing use of remote monitoring tools, reducing administrative burdens on farmers who are doing the right thing. We are also implementing a more advice-led approac...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordWarm Homes PlanDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 29 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86508More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) levels of rurality, (b) local average temperature and (c) average age of housing on the implementation of the Warm Homes Plan.
Answer: The UK government is committed to ensuring that no-one is left behind in the transition to Net Zero, supplying solutions that work for all buildings regardless of age or location. Therefore, research was commissioned by the Department to develop a definit...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy Performance Certificates: Solar PowerDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86087More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how solar schemes that contribute to residential energy efficiency are accounted for when measuring energy performance certificate ratings.
Answer: Solar photovoltaic (PV) is currently reflected in the domestic Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating, which is based on energy costs. Electricity generated by PV is assigned a value and deducted from the property’s energy cost, improving the EPC Rat...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordWarm Homes Plan: Rented HousingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86086More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much and what proportion of the funding for the Warm Homes Plan will be made available for (a) social and (b) private landlords; and how they will be able to access that funding.
Answer: The £13.2 billion investment in the Warm Homes Plan includes funding for the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) and the Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) with more information at www.gov.uk/government/collections/find-energy-grants-for-you-home-help-t...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy: ConservationDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86085More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department plans to take to support rural properties to improve their energy efficiency.
Answer: This government is investing £13.2 billion in the Warm Homes Plan to upgrade up to 5 million homes, including £500 million to be delivered from 2025-28 through the Warm Homes: Local Grant. The WH:LG provides energy performance measures to low-income homes...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: CorrespondenceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 28 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86084More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the level of readability of the correspondence sent by his Department when setting out how a constituent's New State Retirement Pension has been calculated (a) when consid
Answer: Individuals enrolling in a private pension scheme should receive clear and accessible information from their pension provider or employer about how the scheme may affect their State Pension entitlement. They can forecast their State Pension entitlement us...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordEggs: UkraineDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81638More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had discussions with Ukrainian egg farmers on improving the welfare standards of imported eggs.
Answer: Ministers have not had direct discussions with Ukrainian egg farmers or with Ukrainian counterparts on egg production standards. However, as set out in the UK’s Trade Strategy, the Government will not lower food standards and will uphold high animal welfa...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordEggs: UkraineDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81637More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of an agreement with Ukraine on egg imports on domestic egg production,.
Answer: Under our Free Trade Agreement with Ukraine, tariffs on all goods are temporarily removed until March 2029, except for poultry and eggs, where the liberalisation is due to end on 31 March 2026.We consistently consider the views and impact on our domestic ...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCarbon Emissions: HousingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81636More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to publish the research commissioned on the costs of different approaches to decarbonising the most complex housing archetypes.
Answer: The Government commissioned research to gather data on the costs of different approaches to decarbonising the most complex housing archetypes, including the use of alternative low-carbon heating solutions where appropriate. The results of this research ar...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSports: Young PeopleDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80396More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how community sports teams can become youth hubs; and how they can access funding for community sports facilities.
Answer: Sports facilities provide important community hubs for people of all ages to be active and connect people to the places in which they live.On 20 June 2025, the Culture Secretary announced that following the Spending Review, £400 million is going to be inv...
Answered 27 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordCarmen LauHome OfficeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80395More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for her policies on China of the case of Carmen Lau.
Answer: Upholding national security and keeping the public safe is the first duty of Government.The Government, working alongside operational partners, keeps potential threats to the UK and its residents, including from China, under constant review and, where nec...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSubversion: ChinaHome OfficeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80394More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the influence of the Chinese state on British residents.
Answer: Upholding national security and keeping the public safe is the first duty of Government.The Government, working alongside operational partners, keeps potential threats to the UK and its residents, including from China, under constant review and, where nec...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCoronavirus: VaccinationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80393More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he considered including people suffering from Long Covid within the Clinical risk group eligible for the covid-19 vaccination in the Autumn 2025 vaccination programme.
Answer: The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains th...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPackaging: RecyclingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80392More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that supermarkets are required to use packaging that is recyclable through household recycling systems; and whether she has considered tak
Answer: The Government is taking several steps to incentivise the use of use or recyclable packaging by supermarkets and other producers.Under the UK wide Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) scheme, which came into effect on 1 January 2025, prod...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSustainable Farming IncentiveDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80391More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications to the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) are responded to within the appropriate time frame; how many complaints have been recorded against the RPA each year for the pa
Answer: The Rural Payments Agency RPA) are supporting Defra as they continue to develop the reformed Sustainable Farming Incentive. This includes fully considering deliverability and opportunities to simplify scheme administration. The RPA administers a wide rang...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: SanctionsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77360More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing economic sanctions on Israel in relation to the expansion of settlements in the West Bank.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 17th September to Question 74580.
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: PalestiniansForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77359More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking with the Palestinian Authority to support a two-state solution.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the announcements made by the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary on 21 September, further details of which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-formally-recognises-palestinian-state.
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordIsraeli SettlementsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77358More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking in response to the expansion of settlements in the West Bank.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 3 September to question 71442.
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordFootball Index: InsolvencyDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74675More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to address regulatory failings highlighted in the independent review by Malcolm Sheehan KC concerning the collapse of football index.
Answer: The Independent Review announced by the previous Government and conducted by Malcom Sheehan KC made a number of recommendations for the Gambling Commission and Financial Conduct Authority, both of which are independent of Government. All recommendations o...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordBreakfast Clubs: TransportDepartment for EducationTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74231More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support children who arrive at school by (a) state-provided buses and (b) taxis to make use of free breakfast clubs.
Answer: The government is committed to offering every primary aged child a free breakfast club and is currently working with 750 early adopter schools to test how best to implement this policy ahead of national rollout. Transport will be considered as part of thi...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: NegligenceMinistry of JusticeTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74066More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to (a) alter the statute of limitations and (b) review time limits for claims for (i) brain injuries and (ii) other lifelong conditions resulting from (A) medical and (B) clinical negligence.
Answer: Limitation periods set statutory time limits within which a party must bring a civil claim, or give notice of a claim, to the other party in a dispute. For negligence resulting in personal injury (which would include clinical negligence claims) the limita...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordObesity: DrugsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74036More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has considered including lipedema as a relevant condition for NHS prescription of (a) Mounjaro injections and (b) other weight loss treatments.
Answer: Semaglutide, brand name Wegovy, tirzepatide, brand name Mounjaro, and liraglutide, brand name Saxenda, are approved for the management of obesity. They are recommended as cost-effective for use on the National Health Service for people who have a body mas...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordBluetongue Disease: ScreeningDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72984More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to expand testing capacity for the bluetongue virus.
Answer: All diagnostic testing for bluetongue virus is conducted at the bluetongue national reference laboratory at The Pirbright Institute. Current testing capacity is sufficient to meet the demands for disease control and movement testing. Nevertheless, Pirbrig...
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordLivestock: Animal BreedingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72983More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the turn around time for results on livestock samples at the Pirbright lab has been in the latest period for which data is available.
Answer: The Pirbright Institute is the UK national reference laboratory and provides a commercial testing service five days a week. Results from submissions from private vets are reported within three working days from the time samples are received at the lab, as...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
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