Ellie Chowns MP: written questions
460 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Water Companies: FinesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6231More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Government News Story published on 19 June 2025 entitled Government to invest over £100m in water company fines to local environmental projects, if she will publi
Answer: On 20 January 2026, Government announced alongside the White Paper that the next tranche of £29 million in water company fines will support further local water improvement projects through catchment partnerships, the Water Environment Improvement Fund (WE...
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSites of Special Scientific InterestDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6058More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to meet the target of designating 50 new sites of special scientific interest each year.
Answer: Designation of new Sites of Special Scientific interest (SSSIs) is Natural England’s duty. Natural England has a rolling programme to keep under review places that may merit and benefit designation as SSSIs. Natural England is adapting its protected sites...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: Small BusinessesTreasuryTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6057More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the business rates system is supportive of SMEs; what assessment she has made of the potential merits of reducing VAT rates for smaller and medium sized businesses;
Answer: The Government has extended Small Business Rates Relief to support small businesses to grow and expand, by giving them an additional two years of Small Business Rates Relief when they open a second premises. SMEs in rural areas may also be eligible for Ru...
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMembers: CorrespondenceTreasuryTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6056More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when she plans to respond to the letter of 2 March 2006 from the hon. Member for North Herefordshire.
Answer: A response to the letter of 2 March 2026 from the hon. Member for North Herefordshire was issued on 3 June 2026.
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordCentral Africa: EbolaForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4936More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of the creation of a UN coordinator role to lead regional responses to the Ebola outbreak in central Africa.
Answer: Further to my statement to the House on 21 May (HCWS60), the Minister of State for International Development visited Kinshasa on 29 May to see first-hand how agencies on the ground are responding to the Ebola outbreak, with the support of the UK and other...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDemocratic Republic of the Congo: EbolaForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4935More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that healthcare workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are safeguarded from the Ebola outbreak.
Answer: Further to my statement to the House on 21 May (HCWS60), the Minister of State for International Development visited Kinshasa on 29 May to see first-hand how agencies on the ground are responding to the Ebola outbreak, with the support of the UK and other...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDemocratic Republic of the Congo: EbolaForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4934More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she is taking with international partners to engage conflict parties in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to improve humanitarian access to a
Answer: Further to my statement to the House on 21 May (HCWS60), the Minister of State for International Development visited Kinshasa on 29 May to see first-hand how agencies on the ground are responding to the Ebola outbreak, with the support of the UK and other...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDemocratic Republic of the Congo: EbolaForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4933More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to prepare humanitarian support for countries bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the event of the Ebola outbreak spreading.
Answer: Further to my statement to the House on 21 May (HCWS60), the Minister of State for International Development visited Kinshasa on 29 May to see first-hand how agencies on the ground are responding to the Ebola outbreak, with the support of the UK and other...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDemocratic Republic of the Congo: EbolaForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4932More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps her Department is taking to ensure safe and unrestricted humanitarian access in areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo affected by the Ebola outb
Answer: Further to my statement to the House on 21 May (HCWS60), the Minister of State for International Development visited Kinshasa on 29 May to see first-hand how agencies on the ground are responding to the Ebola outbreak, with the support of the UK and other...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMembers: Telephone ServicesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 19 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3028More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what is the (a) average time and (b) target time for a substantive response to enquiries by the MP hotline.
Answer: The Department for Work and Pensions responds to enquiries received via the MP Hotline as quickly as possible. (a) Information on the average time taken to provide a substantive response to MP Hotline enquiries is not centrally collated, as the service is...
Answered 1 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence Payment: AppealsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2651More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 22 October 2025 to Question 80479 on Personal Independence Payment, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of increasing decision making resource on reducing
Answer: From October 2025 onwards, the Department has cleared more PIP Mandatory Reconsiderations than it has received. This coincides with an increase in decision-making resource. The latest published statistics indicate this has had an effect on median clearanc...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: FuelsDepartment for TransportTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2650More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential number of commercial flights that could avoid cancellation if private jet flights were banned during the disruption to global oil markets.
Answer: The Government is working closely with industry and regulators to ensure the resilience of jet fuel supply and the continuity of commercial aviation operations. There has been no evidence of changes in flight schedules or short notice cancellations due to...
Answered 17 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: FuelsDepartment for TransportTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2649More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a temporary ban on private jet travel to save available jet fuel for commercial flights.
Answer: The Government is working closely with industry and regulators to ensure the resilience of jet fuel supply and the continuity of commercial aviation operations. There has been no evidence of changes in flight schedules or short notice cancellations due to...
Answered 17 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordIndonesia: RainforestsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 661More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions her Department's (a) Ministers and (b) officials based overseas have had with the Government of Indonesia on the clearance of indigenous peoples’ rainforests
Answer: We are aware of the ongoing issues around the implementation of food estates in Papua, including in Merauke District.The UK's Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders, raised the importance of free, prior and informed consent for indigenous people and loc...
Answered 21 May 2026
Original Parliament recordIndigenous Peoples: IndonesiaDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 660More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether discussions her Department has had with the Government of Indonesian on the UK-Indonesia Economic Growth Partnership has included the clearance of indigenous peoples’ rainforests for food estat
Answer: The UK is a leading advocate for human rights around the world. We raise issues affecting indigenous people through ongoing diplomatic engagement on international human rights commitments. The Economic Growth Partnership with Indonesia reaffirms commitmen...
Answered 22 May 2026
Original Parliament recordIndigenous Peoples: IndonesiaDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 659More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to protect the human rights of Indigenous Peoples in Indonesia, in the context of the UK-Indonesia Economic Growth Partnership.
Answer: The UK is a leading advocate for human rights around the world. We raise issues affecting indigenous people through ongoing diplomatic engagement on international human rights commitments. The Economic Growth Partnership with Indonesia reaffirms commitmen...
Answered 22 May 2026
Original Parliament recordIndigenous Peoples: IndonesiaDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 658More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the UK-Indonesia Economic Growth Partnership on (a) indigenous peoples’ human rights and (b) tropical forests.
Answer: The UK is a leading advocate for human rights around the world. We raise issues affecting indigenous people through ongoing diplomatic engagement on international human rights commitments. The Economic Growth Partnership with Indonesia reaffirms commitmen...
Answered 22 May 2026
Original Parliament recordBus Services: FacilitiesDepartment for TransportTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 634More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to develop a comprehensive National Bus Stop Standard that prioritises accessibility, safety, comfort and up-to-date information.
Answer: The Government recognises the vital role that safe, accessible and high-quality bus stops provision plays in supporting and encouraging people to use local bus services. The Bus Services Act 2025 places a duty on local authorities and National Highways to...
Answered 21 May 2026
Original Parliament recordForeign Investment: Dispute ResolutionDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 23 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129653More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the UK's Investor-State Dispute Settlement Scheme on foreign policy goals.
Answer: The UK is party to 77 Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) that contain Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS). The UK’s international investment agreements aim to enhance opportunities for UK businesses to expand overseas, with commitments that seek to...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordMembers: CorrespondenceTreasuryTabled 23 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129635More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the acknowledgement of my letter of 7 January 2026, its referral in error to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the subsequent allocation of reference MC2025/27941 on 16
Answer: HM Treasury recognises the important role Parliament has in holding the Government to account and the need to provide full and timely responses to requests for information. Treasury Ministers have received significant volumes of correspondence since the B...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 23 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129634More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her email of 7January 2026 acknowledging receipt of my letter ref MC2025/27941, whether she will set out (a) the reasons for the widely differing changes to rateable values and (b) her Department’s
Answer: At the Budget, the Valuation Office (VO) announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since the pandemic, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties. The VO are independent a...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordEnergy: CompaniesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 22 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129429More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had recent discussions with Ofgem regarding the adequacy of the support offered by energy companies to people living with brain injuries, including conditions such as aphasia,
Answer: My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions with the industry regulator Ofgem on a range of issues. DESNZ is working closely with other Government Departments, including the Department of Health and Social Care, on the National Data ...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: ProcurementCabinet OfficeTabled 22 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129378More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to publish data on (a) the number and outcomes of procurement challenges and (b) the costs incurred by both contracting authorities and suppliers in such cases.
Answer: It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Answered 29 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: ProcurementCabinet OfficeTabled 22 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129377More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government has considered establishing a low-cost, specialist tribunal or ombudsman to handle procurement disputes more quickly and affordably than the current High Court process; and what assessment
Answer: At present, the Cabinet Office has two free services to address procurement concerns.The Procurement Compliance Service (PCS) investigates contracting authorities’ compliance with the requirements of the Procurement Act 2023 and, where appropriate, may is...
Answered 27 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordUSA: Arms TradeForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129326More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the risk of the possibility of arms supplied from the UK to the USA being used to commit serious violations of humanitarian law in Iran.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 2 April in response to Question 122968.
Answered 27 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
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