David Smith MP: written questions 2024
14 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Free School MealsDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20413More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department last made an estimate of the proportion of pupils who are eligible but not registered for means-tested free school meals.
Answer: The new government has a central mission to break down barriers to opportunity for every child.The government has inherited a trend of rising child poverty and widening attainment gaps between children eligible for free school meals (FSM) and their peers....
Answered 23 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordEnergy: MetersDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18788More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that people have functioning smart meters in (a) North Northumberland constituency and (b) other rural areas.
Answer: The Department is working closely with industry to make sure they are addressing meters across GB that are not providing automatic readings. Statistics on meters not providing automatic readings are published at a GB wide level only (at: https://www.gov.u...
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordDomestic AbuseMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14423More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she is taking steps to ensure her Department's policies are trauma-informed; and what guidance her Department issues women fleeing domestic abuse.
Answer: This Government is committed to tackling the horrendous crime of domestic abuse, in line with our manifesto commitment to halve violence against women and girls within a decade, with improved support for victims.Since 2021, councils in England have a duty...
Answered 22 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: WomenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 14 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14421More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has had discussions with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman on the contents of it's report entitled Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues, pu
Answer: The Secretary of State has not had discussions with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman since the report into Women’s State Pension age was published on 21 March 2024. As Pensions Minister, on behalf of the ministerial team, I had a meeting wit...
Answered 22 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: WomenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 14 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14420More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of women born in the 1950s affected by State Pension age changes in (a) North Northumberland constituency and (b) Northumberland.
Answer: ONS population estimates suggest that in 2021 there were approximately 7,630 females born in the 1950s currently resident in the North Northumberland constituency, and 23,639 females currently resident in Northumberland.
Answered 19 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordRailways: North EastDepartment for TransportTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14150More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the public ownership of railways for the North East.
Answer: Public ownership will end the failed franchising system, allowing operators to serve the interests of passengers and taxpayers in the North-East and across the country, rather than private operators and their shareholders. Public ownership will mean all p...
Answered 22 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordImport Duties: UK Trade with EUTreasuryTabled 1 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12310More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to reduce import duties on businesses spending less than £10,000 on goods in Europe on a single trip.
Answer: The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement governs goods trade between the UK and EU and provides that all goods can be traded tariff-free subject to rules of origin requirements being met. The Government is committed to working with European partners to i...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordUK Trade with EUTreasuryTabled 1 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12309More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to reduce the administrative requirements for businesses spending less than £10,000 on a single trip in Europe.
Answer: Passengers bringing in accompanied commercial goods into Great Britain can benefit from Merchandise in Baggage arrangements such as making a simple online declaration, rather than a full electronic customs declaration, and not being required to make a Saf...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordFreight: Channel TunnelDepartment for TransportTabled 1 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12308More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will hold discussions with freight companies on the cost of transporting small vans across the Channel.
Answer: As Minister for the Future of Roads I regularly meet with freight companies and trade associations, as do officials. Noting that lorries and vans crossing the Channel continue to be a key route for importing and exporting goods, I am keen to continue thes...
Answered 8 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordOverseas TradeTreasuryTabled 1 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12307More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to simplify the (a) commodity code system, (b) requirements to weigh items and (c) other administrative requirements for businesses operating cross-border trade.
Answer: The UK's commodity code nomenclature forms the core structure for delivering the UK's international trade policy. Derived from the World Custom’s Organization’s Harmonized System, for which HMRC represents and promotes UK interests, the commodity codes us...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordLong CovidDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11719More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the NHS is taking to improve support for people suffering from long covid.
Answer: Since 2020, the National Health Service in England has invested significantly in supporting people with long COVID. This includes setting up specialist post-COVID services nationwide for adults, and children and young people, as well as investing in ensur...
Answered 5 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordLong CovidDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11718More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what research his Department has commissioned on (a) the effects of and (b) treatment for long covid.
Answer: The Department funds research on health and social care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).Over the last five years, the Government, through NIHR and the Medical Research Council (MRC), has invested over £57 million in long...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordBiofuels: Vegetable OilsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 29 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11717More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to make a decision on the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil fuel in homes.
Answer: As sustainable biomass is a limited resource, the Government expects to prioritise its use in sectors like aviation, and potentially the small number of homes unsuitable for heat pumps, as these sectors have fewest options to decarbonise. The cost of rene...
Answered 4 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: WomenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7141More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to meet regularly with representatives of the Women Against State Pension Inequality campaign.
Answer: I met representatives from the WASPI campaign on the 5th September. There are currently no future meetings planned.
Answered 15 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
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