Ellie Chowns MP: written questions 2025
289 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Active TravelDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39383More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring local authorities to (a) provide (i) active travel routes, (ii) all-weather surfaces and (iii) appropriate signage and (b) regularly clear enc
Answer: The Government recognises the merits of enabling local authorities to deliver and maintain high-quality, well-signed active travel routes to support its economic growth, health and net zero missions. Active travel can help to revitalise high streets, enab...
Answered 20 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordActive TravelDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39357More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to promote active travel.
Answer: The Department for Transport and Active Travel England (ATE) are working with local authorities to boost walking, wheeling and cycling across England. On 12 February, the Government announced almost £300 million of funding to boost walking, wheeling and c...
Answered 21 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordActive TravelDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39356More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure compliance with active travel provisions agreed by developers during the planning process.
Answer: Active Travel England (ATE) is an executive agency of the Department and a statutory planning consultee for new housing developments comprising at least 150 homes or 5 hectares in site size. In discharging this function, ATE makes recommendations to impro...
Answered 21 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordBuildings: StorageDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39354More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Committees and Local Government on requiring all new community buildings to have storage space for outdoor clothing and equipment.
Answer: Active Travel England (ATE) is an executive agency of the Department and a statutory planning consultee for new housing developments comprising at least 150 homes or 5 hectares in site size. In discharging this function, ATE makes recommendations to impro...
Answered 21 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordBicycles: HousingDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39352More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government about design standards in new dwellings to allow for sufficient securely enclosed cycle storage to accom
Answer: Active Travel England (ATE) is an executive agency of the Department and a statutory planning consultee for new housing developments comprising at least 150 homes or 5 hectares in site size. In discharging this function, ATE makes recommendations to impro...
Answered 21 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordActive Travel: HousingDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39351More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps to promote active travel in new housing developments.
Answer: Active Travel England (ATE) is an executive agency of the Department and a statutory planning consultee for new housing developments comprising at least 150 homes or 5 hectares in site size. In discharging this function, ATE makes recommendations to impro...
Answered 21 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordHospitals: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39227More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to help prevent hospital treatment in corridors.
Answer: The Government recognises that long waits in accident and emergency departments are unacceptable and lead to worse patient outcomes. Patients should expect and receive the highest standard of service, and we are determined to tackle the issue of corridor ...
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordFossil Fuels: SubsidiesTreasuryTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39226More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2025 to Question 34130 on Fossil Fuels, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the World Trade Organisation definition of fossil fuel subsidies; and if she will make it her
Answer: The UK follows the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) definition of a fossil fuel subsidy. The IEA defines a fossil fuel subsidy as government action that lowers the effective cost for fossil fuels paid by consumers to below world market prices.There are...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordMV Solong and MV Stena Immaculate: AccidentsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39225More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the collision between the Solong and Stena Immaculate on harbour porpoises.
Answer: Now the overall situation has stabilised, the response has moved from a Major Incident Response into the recovery phase. Both ships remain afloat and normal maritime traffic has resumed. Though the situation is stable, recovery work will continue with the...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordMV Solong and MV Stena Immaculate: AccidentsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39224More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the level of pollution caused by the collision between the Solong and Stena Immaculate.
Answer: Defra is working with multiple organisations including the Centre of Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) and the PREMIAM (Pollution Response in Emergencies: Marine Impact Assessment and Monitoring) to assess the impact of this incident ...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordManahel al-OtaibiForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 13 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38335More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Saudi counterpart on the case of Manahel al-Otaibi.
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office have monitored the case of Manahel Al-Otaibi and will continue to do so. We have raised the case with the Saudi authorities. The British Embassy in Riyadh has attempted to observe Ms Al-Otaibi's trials. W...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordEarwax: Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38296More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support ICBs to offer community wax removal services to people requiring them.
Answer: The Department does not have plans to intervene in locally led arrangements for the provision of ear wax removal services. Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning ear wax removal services in local areas in line with the recommendations fo...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordGambling CommissionDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37932More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the progress of the Gambling Commission’s investigation on allegations under section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005 relating to bets placed on the date of the
Answer: The Gambling Commission is continuing its investigation into potential criminal offences of cheating under section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005 in relation to bets placed on the timing of the 2024 General Election. It would be inappropriate to comment whil...
Answered 20 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordElections: SubversionHome OfficeTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37924More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2025 to Question 35504 on Elections: Subversion, whether the Defending Democracy Taskforce plans to consider evidence on alleged Kremlin-linked interference in past
Answer: We have robust systems in place to defend the UK from all forms of malign state interference in UK democratic processes, including from Russia.The Defending Democracy Taskforce brings together Ministers from across Government, along with representatives f...
Answered 20 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: DisabilityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37827More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to (a) the level of and (b) eligibility criteria for (i) disability and (ii) incapacity benefit payments on child poverty.
Answer: Delivering our manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty is an urgent priority for this Government, and the Ministerial Taskforce is working to publish a Child Poverty Strategy which will deliver lasting change.The Strategy will look at all available l...
Answered 20 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordSexual OffencesHome OfficeTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37826More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the incident rate per thousand people of (a) rape and (b) other sexual offences in (i) Herefordshire and (ii) each of the other 14 comparators areas in the Mos
Answer: The Office for National Statistics publishes information on rates per population for offences recorded by the police in England areas and Wales, by offence group and Community Safety Partnership level (CSP). Data for the CSP of Herefordshire, and the 14 r...
Answered 20 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordBus Services: ConcessionsDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37825More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make it her policy to remove time limits on disabled persons concessionary bus passes to improve access to (a) education, (b) work and (c) other opportunities.
Answer: The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, such ...
Answered 17 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordNatural History: GCSEDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 36968More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2024 to Question 18517 on Natural History: GCSE, what progress she has made in her consideration of next steps on the implementation of a new GCSE in Natural History.
Answer: This government recognises the importance of providing all children and young people with the knowledge, skills and behaviours to understand and develop a connection to the natural world, access green careers, and thrive in life and work in a world with a...
Answered 21 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: Carbon EmissionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 5 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35935More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to publish the updated Future Homes Standard.
Answer: The Government understands the urgency of introducing new energy efficiency standards so that as many homes as possible are built to be zero-carbon ready. We are committed to implementing the Future Homes Standard this year, and we are taking the time to ...
Answered 13 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: HerefordshireTreasuryTabled 5 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35934More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the level and threshold of (a) employer National Insurance contributions and (b) business rates relief on the hospitality sector in Herefordshire.
Answer: A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer; the economic impacts of the policy; and the impacts on indi...
Answered 12 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordElections: SubversionCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35505More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral contribution by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 6 February 2025, Official Report, House of Lords, column 803, if he will mak
Answer: ISC reports, including the Russia report, contain highly classified material which would damage the operational capabilities of UK intelligence agencies if published unredacted. All ISC reports go through a number of administrative stages and processes be...
Answered 7 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordElections: SubversionCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35504More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Intelligence and Security Committee report entitled: Russa HC 632 published 21 July 2020, if he will open an investigation into alleged Kremlin-linked interference in UK elections.
Answer: We are committed to ensuring we have robust systems in place to defend the UK from all forms of malign state interference in UK democratic processes. The Defending Democracy Taskforce brings together Ministers from across Government, along with representa...
Answered 12 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordDoctors: TrainingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35503More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the next iteration of the (a) NHS Long Term Workforce Plan and (b) 10-year Health Plan will include targets for increasing medical specialty training places in (i) anaesthetics and (ii) oth
Answer: We are committed to training the staff we need, including anaesthetists and all other medical specialities, to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. We have launched the 10-Year Health Plan which will set ou...
Answered 10 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAnaesthetics: TrainingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35502More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether funding for additional higher anaesthetic training places will continue in 2025-26.
Answer: We are committed to training the staff we need, including anaesthetists and all other medical specialities, to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. We have launched the 10-Year Health Plan which will set ou...
Answered 10 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordDevelopment Aid: Food Insecurity and Natural ResourcesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34492More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the reduction in ODA spending on the ability of recipient countries to respond to (a) resource scarcity and (b) food in
Answer: The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security, and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending ...
Answered 6 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
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