Hannah Spencer MP: written questions 2026
45 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Asylum: ChildrenHome OfficeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 5053More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what safeguarding processes are in place to (a) identify and (b) protect (i) unaccompanied and (ii) age-disputed children under the one in and one out policy.
Answer: Unaccompanied children are not subject to the agreement between the United Kingdom and France on the prevention of dangerous journeys, also known as the one-in, one-out policy.Upon arrival, where an individual claims to be a child without any credible and...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordPrison Officers: Industrial DisputesMinistry of JusticeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 5038More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the ruling by the European Committee of Social Rights entitled ECSR Conclusions XXIII-1, published on 23 January 2026; and if he will
Answer: Prison officers work in difficult environments every day, with some of the most challenging people in society. The Government recognises that the work of prison officers is of critical importance in keeping the public safe.Section 127 of the Criminal Just...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSchools: Drinking WaterDepartment for EducationTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 5028More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring schools to provide easy access to free drinking water.
Answer: The department takes the health and wellbeing of both pupils and staff very seriously. All schools need to be safe, well-maintained, and compliant with all relevant regulations. This is the responsibility of those running our schools, which includes local...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordUniversities: Conditions of EmploymentDepartment for EducationTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4964More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has issued guidance to universities on the Employment Rights Act; and what steps she is taking to prevent university employers engaging in fire and rehire practices before January 2027.
Answer: Universities are autonomous institutions and, as such, like any other employer, are expected to comply with UK employment laws. The government has not issued specific guidance to universities on the Employment Rights Act, but clearly they should comply wi...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Housing Allowance: Older PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 21 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4055More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate he has made of the number of older private renters in receipt of Housing Benefit whose rent exceeds the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate; and what assessment he has made of the im
Answer: Information on the number of older private renters in receipt of Housing Benefit, and if it covers rent (after application of Local Housing Allowance, reductions and deductions), is available on Stat-Xplore via the Housing Benefit official statistics. The...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordPigs: Animal WelfareDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3739More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of (a) the extent and (b) impact on pig welfare of pig thumping in the pig industry.
Answer: Piglet thumping (a manual percussive blow to the head) it is not a permitted method for stunning or killing piglets due to serious concerns about the welfare consequences. The Department is engaging with the industry to encourage use of alternative humane...
Answered 4 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordPrescription Drugs: Cost EffectivenessDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3691More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to UIN 114047 on Prescription Drugs: Cost Effectiveness answered on 4 March 2026, if he will provide a copy of the a) impact assessment and b) details of modelling for changes to the
Answer: There are no plans to provide an impact assessment or details of the modelling in relation to changes to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s cost-effectiveness threshold to the Health and Social Care Select Committee. Information inclu...
Answered 1 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Rented Housing: Empty PropertyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3689More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will take legislative steps to provide new powers for councils to help bring more long-term empty homes into use.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 104908 on 19 January 2026.
Answered 5 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Education: RedundancyDepartment for EducationTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3688More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will ensure no compulsory redundancies among staff who cannot relocate from her Department's offices which are closing.
Answer: The department is committed to supporting colleagues affected by the closure of six office locations and have developed a package of mitigations to support those affected, resulting in the majority of colleagues accepting moves to one of our remaining eig...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordPer- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl SubstancesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2448More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Ninth Report of the Environmental Audit Committee of Session 2024-26 on Addressing the risks from Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), HC 852, pu
Answer: Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as ‘forever chemicals’, represent one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. On 3 February 2026, the Government fulfilled its commitment from the revised Environmental Improveme...
Answered 4 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAutism: Departmental CoordinationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129065More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the development of the next national Autism Strategy is aligned with (a) the Department for Education’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
Answer: The Autism Act 2009 places a duty on my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to consult on, publish, and keep under review a national strategy for meeting the needs of autistic adults in England. My Rt Hon. Friend may choose ...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordAutism: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129064More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timeline is for publishing a new national Autism Strategy.
Answer: The Autism Act 2009 places a duty on my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to consult on, publish, and keep under review a national strategy for meeting the needs of autistic adults in England. My Rt Hon. Friend may choose ...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordAutism: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129061More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the development of the next national Autism Strategy is co-produced with autistic people and their families.
Answer: The Autism Act 2009 places a duty on my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to consult on, publish, and keep under review a national strategy for meeting the needs of autistic adults in England. My Rt Hon. Friend may choose ...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordAutism: Departmental CoordinationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129060More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how responsibility for delivering the next national Autism Strategy will be coordinated across the Department for a) Education, b) Health and Social Care) Work and Pensions d) other Government Depa
Answer: The Autism Act 2009 places a duty on my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to consult on, publish, and keep under review a national strategy for meeting the needs of autistic adults in England. My Rt Hon. Friend may choose ...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordAutism: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129057More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what metrics will be used to assess whether the next national Autism Strategy improves outcomes for autistic people across a) education b) health and c) employment.
Answer: The Autism Act 2009 places a duty on my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to consult on, publish, and keep under review a national strategy for meeting the needs of autistic adults in England. My Rt Hon. Friend may choose ...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordAsylum: Artificial IntelligenceHome OfficeTabled 20 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128591More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to WPQ UIN 121674, tabled on 17 March 2026 on Asylum: Artificial Intelligence if people will be informed if their asylum case is being assessed with the input of AI under the ACS and APS sche
Answer: Both ACS and APS underwent user acceptance testing and evaluation was conducted following pilots of both tools. All caseworkers were given comprehensive training on the use of APS before it was operationalised (to note ACS is not yet fully operational). A...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordAsylum: Artificial IntelligenceHome OfficeTabled 20 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128589More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to WPQ UIN 121674, tabled on 17 March 2026 on Asylum: Artificial Intelligence what a)steps were taken at the design stage to assess b)mechanisms are in place to monitor the i) accuracy ii) po
Answer: Both ACS and APS underwent user acceptance testing and evaluation was conducted following pilots of both tools. All caseworkers were given comprehensive training on the use of APS before it was operationalised (to note ACS is not yet fully operational). A...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordFurs: Imports and SalesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126492More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the UK-EU SPS Agreement on the UK's ability to unilaterally ban the import and sale of fur products.
Answer: As announced at the UK-EU Leaders' Summit on May 19, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area. Negotiations with the EU on the SPS agreement are underway. While those discussions are ongoing, we cannot provide a r...
Answered 16 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordTeachers: PayDepartment for EducationTabled 19 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 122454More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to publish the latest School Teachers' Review Body report on teacher’s pay; and what discussions she has had with head teachers and their representatives on (a) the publication date of that repor
Answer: The government has received the School Teachers’ Review Body’s 36th Report. As is the case each year once the report is received, the government is now in the process of discussing the recommendations and will publish the report, in addition to the govern...
Answered 10 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordTeachers: PayDepartment for EducationTabled 19 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 122453More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her Department's policies of the recommendation on the competitiveness of teachers’ pay in The National Foundation for Educational Research repor
Answer: The department notes the recent National Foundation for Educational Research report, which highlights some improvement in the competitiveness of teachers’ pay.The department values all teachers, which is why we have delivered two above inflation awards th...
Answered 27 Mar 2026
Original Parliament record
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