Gregory Stafford MP: written questions
296 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Horizon IT System: CompensationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57541More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to provide funding for legal advice for Sub-Postmasters pursuing compensation claims.
Answer: The Department for Business and Trade meets the reasonable legal costs of postmasters in applying to its Horizon redress schemes, and encourages claimants to take up this offer. Legal cost frameworks and tariffs for each scheme delivered by the Department...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHorizon IT System: CompensationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57540More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment his Department has made of the (a) fairness and (b) efficiency of the Horizon compensation schemes.
Answer: As of 2 June 2025, over £1 billion has been paid to over 7,300 claimants across the 4 horizon schemes. This represents a fourfold increase since July 2024, with more than 4,500 victims receiving compensation for the first time.Claims for Horizon redress a...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMobile Broadband: Rural AreasHome OfficeTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57159More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of poor mobile signal on police capacity to (a) respond to and (b) manage rural crime.
Answer: This Government is committed to reducing crime in rural areas. Our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will deliver 13,000 more neighbourhood police by the end of the Parliament, whilst also ensuring each community, including rural communities, has a named, ...
Answered 11 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordApprenticesDepartment for EducationTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57100More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to introduce a national alternative to the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge programme.
Answer: The government is committed to ensuring every young person can develop the skills they need to succeed in work and life. We want them to have access to good quality careers advice as part of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity, under our Pla...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordApprenticesDepartment for EducationTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57099More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of ending the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge programme on regional equality of access to apprenticeship (a) information and (b) advice.
Answer: Enabling access to apprenticeships and technical education remains a key part of this government’s education policy. The decision not to continue the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge (ASK) programme was based on:Growth in awareness of apprenticeships ...
Answered 11 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordApprentices: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57098More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of withdrawing funding for level 7 apprenticeships for people aged 22 and over on workforce planning in critical public services.
Answer: This government has a driving mission to break down barriers to opportunity.From January 2026 the government will no longer fund level 7 apprenticeships, equivalent to master’s degree level, except for young apprentices under the age of 22. This will enab...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordApprentices: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57094More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that employers are financially able to support level 7 apprenticeships in the context of the proposed funding changes from January 2026.
Answer: This government has a driving mission to break down barriers to opportunity.From January 2026 the government will no longer fund level 7 apprenticeships, equivalent to master’s degree level, except for young apprentices under the age of 22. This will enab...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordUnitary Councils: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 56000More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to prevent unitary authorities formed through the Local Government Reorganisation requiring exception financial support.
Answer: On 5 February, the Government issued invitations to councils in two-tier areas in England and neighbouring unitary councils to prepare proposals for local government reorganisation. The invitation sets out the criteria against which proposals will be asse...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFires: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 55981More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to take legislative steps to regulate bonfires.
Answer: At this present time, we are not planning any new measures restricting bonfires. Government guidance on the rules about garden bonfires is available at: https://www.gov.uk/garden-bonfires-rules.
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordCare Homes: Fees and ChargesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 55599More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of capping the cost of care homes.
Answer: Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care market and to commission a range of high-quality, sustainable care support services to meet the diverse needs of all local people. This includes encouraging a wide ran...
Answered 19 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDental Services: Farnham and BordonDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54580More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the provision of dentistry services in Farnham and Bordon constituency.
Answer: The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild den...
Answered 2 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSlaughterhouses: ClosuresDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54215More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question 52818 on Slaughterhouses: Closures, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of access to slaughter facilities for livestock prod
Answer: The provision of and access to abattoir facilities is a matter for individual business. However, Defra recognises the importance to livestock producers across England of having access to smaller abattoirs who provide local slaughter facilities particularl...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 21 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54147More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with representatives of the Council for Disabled Children on the potential impact of SEND reforms on (a) special needs children and (b) EHCP allocation.
Answer: The department regularly works with a range of stakeholders, including the Council for Disabled Children (CDC), on a number of areas relating to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) policy. We regularly meet the CDC to discuss the development...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordParking: Pedestrian AreasDepartment for TransportTabled 19 May 2025AnsweredUIN 53431More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with Hampshire County Council on pavement parking; and whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to support local authorities in tackling concerns related to pavem
Answer: The Secretary of State has not had discussions with Hampshire County Council about pavement parking. The Department held a consultation in 2020 and has been considering the responses to the consultation and working through the policy options and the appro...
Answered 23 May 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ReorganisationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52993More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to (a) allow the establishment of new precepting (i) parish, (ii) town and (iii) community councils and (b) (A) retain and (B) improve the Community Governance
Answer: The ability to establish new parish, town and community councils is devolved to principal local authorities through the community governance review process. This remains the case. Areas considering new parish councils should think carefully about how they...
Answered 23 May 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 16 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52992More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will meet with (a) the hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon and (b) farmers from that constituency to discuss reforms to (i) Agricultural Property Relief and (ii) Business Property Relief.
Answer: The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advant...
Answered 22 May 2025
Original Parliament recordMeat: Rural AreasDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52819More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to incorporate the needs of small-scale meat (a) producers and (b) processors into his Department's (i) food strategy and (ii) future rural support programmes.
Answer: Developing a food strategy is not a job for the Government alone. We are forming a coalition with the food sector, academics and charities, citizens, and key thinkers to pool our collective ideas, influence, and effort. As part of our engagement, we are h...
Answered 23 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSlaughterhouses: ClosuresDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52818More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has identified geographic regions where the closure of small abattoirs has resulted in livestock producers not having adequate access to slaughter facilities.
Answer: Defra recognises the vital role small and medium sized abattoirs play in supporting local livestock producers and maintaining a resilient, competitive food supply chain. Defra works closely with the industry through the Small Abattoirs Working Group and t...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordFood Standards Agency: Fees and ChargesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52817More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to Food Standards Agency inspection charges on the financial viability of (a) small abattoirs and (b) private kill services.
Answer: Information on the 2025/26 charge rates for official controls (inspections) conducted in meat premises is available on the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) website.https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/charges-for-controls-in-meat-premisesAs in previous ...
Answered 23 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSlaughterhouses: Veterinary ServicesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52816More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of implementing a five per cent rule to exempt low-throughput abattoirs from full-time veterinary oversight requirements
Answer: Defra remains committed to identifying potential opportunities to ease regulatory and/or administrative burdens that apply to smaller abattoirs. This includes the livestock unit regulatory flexibility (5% rule). Working closely with the Devolved Governmen...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordApprenticesDepartment for EducationTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52815More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of promoting workplace apprenticeships as an alternative to sixth form or college education.
Answer: This government has a driving mission to break down barriers to opportunity. Too many young people are struggling to access high quality opportunities, and this government wants to ensure that more young people can undertake apprenticeships.The department...
Answered 30 May 2025
Original Parliament recordElectricity: PricesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 14 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52552More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of zonal electricity pricing on pensioners in the south of England.
Answer: The Government is considering reforms through the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA) to transition to a secure and decarbonised electricity system at lowest cost and pass through the benefits of cheaper renewables to consumers. We will provi...
Answered 20 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBuildings: SafetyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52551More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has had discussions with the Building Safety Regulator on (a) the adequacy of the (i) resources and (ii) technical capacity available to enable it to make timely dete
Answer: We recognise that there are delays to the Gateways process and that processing times need to improve. Delays have the potential to slow the delivery of new homes and may impact on investment decisions in high-rise projects. MHCLG are working urgently with...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBuildings: SafetyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52550More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the time taken for approvals to be made under the Building Safety Regulator’s Gateways process on (a) the delivery of new
Answer: We recognise that there are delays to the Gateways process and that processing times need to improve. Delays have the potential to slow the delivery of new homes and may impact on investment decisions in high-rise projects. MHCLG are working urgently with...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBuildings: SafetyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52549More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many applications for Gateway Two approval for higher-risk buildings have been submitted to the Building Safety Regulator since 1 October 2023; how many of those applications
Answer: We recognise that there are delays to the Gateways process and that processing times need to improve. Delays have the potential to slow the delivery of new homes and may impact on investment decisions in high-rise projects. MHCLG are working urgently with...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament record
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