Desmond Swayne MP: written questions 2025
55 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Pupils: HealthDepartment for EducationTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99146More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make proposals to support pupils with medical conditions, including allergies.
Answer: Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. Schools should ensure they are aware of any pupils with medical c...
Answered 23 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordTemporary Employment: Working HoursDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98735More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he has made an assessment of how reasonable notice periods may vary for agency workers in sectors that require high levels of flexibility or short notice.
Answer: The government understands that what should be considered reasonable notice will differ depending on different sectors and circumstances. Regulations will specify how much notice should be ‘presumed reasonable’ as well as other factors that should be cons...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordStatutory Sick Pay: Agency WorkersDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98734More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has of the potential impact of removing the waiting period for statutory sick pay on the number of claims made by agency workers; and what steps he plans to take to ensure
Answer: Strengthening Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is part of the Government’s commitment to implement our Plan to Make Work Pay. The Government conducted a Regulatory Impact Assessment here on the impact of the SSP measures, including the removal of the waiting peri...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordTemporary Employment: Working HoursDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98732More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has conducted international comparisons on the definition of low hours to inform how the threshold for low hours is set and the reference periods used to calculate guaranteed hou
Answer: The definition of the hours threshold and the length and frequency of reference periods will depend on the outcome of the forthcoming consultation on the details of the measures to end exploitative zero hours contracts. We have considered international ex...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordTemporary Employment: Working HoursDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98731More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, under the provisions of the Employment Rights Bill, in what circumstances will responsibility for providing guaranteed hours to an agency worker default from the end hirer to the employment agency.
Answer: The government will consult on the details of the measures to end exploitative zero hours contracts to inform regulations. Decisions on the circumstances in which regulations might place the duty to offer agency workers guaranteed hours on the agency or a...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSecurity Action for EuropeMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 906907More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it is his policy to seek UK participation in the Security Action for Europe instrument.
Answer: As outlined in the Minister for Cabinet Office’s Written Ministerial Statement on 1 December, we entered good-faith negotiations on SAFE participation, but no agreement was possible that met our national interest. UK industry retains access under third-co...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMotorcyclesDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96598More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what engagement she has had with organisations representing motorcyclists in preparation for the Integrated National Transport Strategy.
Answer: The department has conducted extensive research and engagement with stakeholders and members of the public to inform the strategy. We have heard directly from motorcyclists and motorcycle representative groups, including the Motorcycle Action Group, throu...
Answered 8 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordTransportDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96597More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to publish the Integrated National Transport Strategy.
Answer: The Integrated National Transport Strategy will be published early next year and set the long-term vision for domestic transport across England.
Answered 8 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordNigeria: AbductionForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 24 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93632More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Nigerian counterpart on the recent abduction of students and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri; a
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 27 November 2025.
Answered 27 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRefineries: LincolnshireTreasuryTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91897More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the level of fuel duty that is now outstanding following the closure of the the Lindsey oil refinery.
Answer: HMRC cannot comment on specific businesses due to taxpayer confidentiality.
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPupil PremiumDepartment for EducationTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91896More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that Pupil Premium Plus is not absorbed into school budgets but is spent spent specifically on adopted the children that qualified for the payment.
Answer: The pupil premium grant provides funding to schools to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. ‘Pupil premium plus’ (PP+) refers to the portion of the pupil premium grant for children who are looked after by the local authority or were prev...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordBangladesh: ChristianityForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91281More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she had had with her counterpart in Bangladesh on recent targeted attacks on St Mary’s Cathedral and St Joseph’s School in Dhaka; and what steps she is takin
Answer: We condemn all acts of violence in Bangladesh, including those on 7-8 November, and we regularly raise issues of justice, accountability and the protection of fundamental rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), with Bangladesh's Interim Go...
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPalestine: CurriculumForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90095More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions has he had with the Palestinian Authority on ensuring that content which promotes hatred is excluded from the Authority's school curriculum.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 29 October to question 79968.
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNorthern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023Northern Ireland OfficeTabled 11 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 906383More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to replace the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023.
Answer: I introduced the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill on 14 October – a significant step in fulfilling our commitment to repeal and replace the Legacy Act. The Bill received its Second Reading yesterday, and I look forward to continued debate and scrutiny as it...
Answered 19 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRainforests: Development AidDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88560More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to continue financial support for the Tropical Forests Forever Facility.
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer given on 11 November to my hon Friend the Member for Edmonton and Winchmore Hill (Kate Osamor) to Question UIN 87351.
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPalestine: CurriculumForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87216More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, following the Memorandum of Understanding with the Palestinian Authority of April 2025, what step she is taking to help to ensure that content which promotes (a) hatred and (
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided to question 83047 on 29 October 2025.
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordBroadband: Fees and ChargesDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87215More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make it her policy to reduce the Passive Infrastructure Access charges to broadband providers installing their own cabling parallel to existing Openreach broadband infrastru
Answer: As the independent regulator for telecommunications, Ofcom is responsible for making regulatory decisions in the fixed telecoms sector, including on the Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) product. PIA rental charges are set by Ofcom and based on the tot...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNigeria: DetaineesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87214More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her counterpart in Nigeria on the detention of eight children from the Du Merci Christian orphanage; and whether she is taking diplomatic
Answer: The UK government welcomed the return of eight children to the custody of the Du Merci Centre. We are aware that a further eight children remain in the custody of Kano State authorities as court proceedings are ongoing. We have raised this case at senior ...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNigeria: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83221More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the murder of Christians in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria on 14 Oct
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided by Baroness Chapman to question HL10250 on 23 September.
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: Waiting ListsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 905921More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of recent trends in the length of NHS waiting lists.
Answer: Waiting lists have fallen by over 206,000 since we came to office, and we’ve delivered 5.2 million extra appointments in our first year – more than double what we promised.Our Elective Reform Plan sets out how we will return to the 18-week standard for el...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordBurkina Faso: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 14 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81793More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her counterpart in Burkina Faso on violence towards Christian communities in that country; and what steps she is taking to promote religi
Answer: The UK is committed to supporting efforts to address the root causes of violence and discrimination in Burkina Faso.I also refer the Right Hon. Member to the answer Minister Falconer gave on 9 July to Question 63385, concerning UK calls for action on huma...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Society CovenantDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 77963More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to engage faith leaders and organisations who are unaware of the Civil Society Covenant framework launch.
Answer: The Civil Society Covenant Framework was launched in October 2024 and used as the basis for extensive engagement with over 1,200 organisations across government and civil society’s full diversity, including many faith and interfaith groups. These insights...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordIndependent National Maternity and Neonatal InvestigationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 77962More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish (a) the long list of NHS trusts considered by the Chair for inclusion in the Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation and (b) the selection criteria used by the Investiga
Answer: The 14 National Health Service trusts to be looked at in the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation were announced on 15 September 2025. There are no plans to publish the long list of NHS trusts considered by the Chair for inclusion in the National...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordIndependent National Maternity and Neonatal InvestigationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 77961More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, who has been selected to represent (a) midwifery, (b) obstetrics and (c) neonatal care for his Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation.
Answer: The list of Expert Advisers supporting Baroness Amos is published in the terms of reference. They include:a) Professor Julia Sanders and Lesley Sharkey, both midwives.b) Professor Alex Heazell and Dr Christine Ekechi, both obstetricians.c) Dr Edile Murdoc...
Answered 4 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordArmy: RecruitmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 77960More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what metrics are used to assess the efficiency of the Army recruitment system; and what estimate he has made of the most recent assessment of the efficiency of the Army recruitment system.
Answer: The efficiency of the British Army Recruitment pipeline is constantly measured on a daily, weekly and monthly basis through various key performance indicators (KPI) throughout the recruitment process to the end of basic training. These KPIs vary depending...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament record
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