Iain Duncan Smith MP: written questions 2024
45 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Volkswagen: AuditDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 10 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8409More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the report entitled Classification of the audit at SAIC-Volkswagen (Xinjiang) Automotive Ltd, published by Volkswagen in
Answer: No company should have forced labour in its supply chains. This Government is committed to working with international partners and businesses to ensure global supply chains are free from human and labour rights abuses. The Government is reviewing how we c...
Answered 18 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordJimmy LaiForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8097More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with his Chinese counterparts on the release of Jimmy Lai during his visit to China in October 2024.
Answer: I met with Sebastien Lai and Jimmy Lai’s international legal team on Tuesday 8 October in my capacity as Minister for the Indo-Pacific. The Foreign Secretary raised Jimmy Lai's case in his first meeting with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the ASEAN ...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordOverseas Trade: Forced LabourDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 5827More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the report entitled Classification of the audit at SAIC-Volkswagen (Xinjiang) Automotive Ltd, published in September 2024, what steps the Government is taking to ensure products enter
Answer: No company should have forced labour in its supply chains. This Government is committed to working with international partners and businesses to ensure global supply chains are free from human and labour rights abuses. The Government is reviewing how we c...
Answered 9 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordWhipps Cross Hospital: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 5826More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September to Question 4582 on Whipps Cross Hospital, whether his Department has considered a request for the remaining funding for Whipps Cross Hospital.
Answer: £1.2 million has recently been released to Barts Health NHS Trust to support them in continuing the development of their Outline Business Case for the new Whipps Cross Hospital during the review into the New Hospital Programme (NHP). While the review is t...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordRyan CorneliusForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 5825More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 3938 on Ryan Cornelius, what discussions he had with his UAE counterpart on Ryan Cornelius during his visit to UAE on 5
Answer: The Foreign Secretary raised the importance of consular issues, although not this specific case, during his visit to the UAE on 5 September and first meeting with Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed. The Foreign Secretary and I fully appreciate the...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordChina and Hong Kong: British Nationals AbroadForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5527More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an estimate of the number of British National (Overseas) visa holders in (a) Hong Kong and (b) China who do not have access to consular protection.
Answer: The FCDO and our embassies, high commissions and consulates worldwide provide consular assistance to British nationals abroad. This includes BN(O)s who, under the Memoranda to the Joint Declaration, are eligible for consular assistance in third countries,...
Answered 7 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordJimmy LaiForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4961More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of (a) threats made against Jimmy Lai’s international legal team and (b) other aspects of the UN Secretary Ge
Answer: Any attempts to coerce, intimidate or harm those who cooperate with the United Nations, are unacceptable. The UK unequivocally condemns each and every act of intimidation or reprisal.We are carefully reviewing the UN's report on 'Cooperation with the Unit...
Answered 16 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordWhipps Cross Hospital: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4582More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September to Question 3677 on Whipps Cross Hospital: Repairs and Maintenance, whether he plans to provide £2.5 million in funding to complete the Outline Business Case.
Answer: As stated in the answer of 9 September 2024 to question 3677, £1.2 million has recently been released to the Barts Health NHS Trust to support them in continuing the development of their Outline Business Case for the new Whipps Cross Hospital.We are conti...
Answered 12 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordRyan CorneliusForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 3 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3938More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with his counterpart in the United Arab Emirates on releasing Ryan Cornelius from imprisonment in Dubai.
Answer: FCDO Ministers regularly raise consular cases with their counterparts at appropriate opportunities. The FCDO continues to provide consular assistance to Mr Cornelius.
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordWhipps Cross Hospital: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3677More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on the Whipps Cross Hospital redevelopment programme.
Answer: We are reviewing the New Hospital Programme to put it on a sustainable footing, including a realistic timetable for delivery and clarity on the funding required. The review will be completed as soon as possible this autumn. Once concluded, Parliament will...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordForced Labour: Supply ChainsHome OfficeTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 2707More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on the adequacy of section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act in preventing the use of forced labour products in
Answer: The Home Office works across government to tackle modern slavery in supply chains and holds regular discussions with other government departments on legislative and non-legislative measures to enhance our approach.The Home Office is currently updating the...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordGambling: AdvertisingDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 2706More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the prevalence of gambling advertising in the context of the findings of the Gambling Survey of Great Britain, published on 25 July 2024.
Answer: We are in the early stages of the new Government and are still considering the full range of gambling policy. The Government recognises the impact harmful gambling can have on individuals and their families and, as stated in its manifesto, the Government ...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordGambling: TaxationDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 2705More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will immediately implement a statutory levy on gambling operators to fund research, education and treatment of gambling harms.
Answer: We are in the early stages of the new Government and are still considering the full range of gambling policy. The Government recognises the impact harmful gambling can have on individuals and their families and, as stated in its manifesto, the Government ...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordGambling: ReformDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 2704More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take urgent steps to implement the reforms set out in the white paper entitled High stakes: gambling reform for the digital age, published by the previous Administration on 27 April 2
Answer: We are in the early stages of the new Government and are still considering the full range of gambling policy. The Government recognises the impact harmful gambling can have on individuals and their families and, as stated in its manifesto, the Government ...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordGamblingDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 30 Aug 2024AnsweredUIN 2703More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she plans to take to prevent gambling harms in the context of the findings of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain published on 25 July 2024.
Answer: We are in the early stages of the new Government and are still considering the full range of gambling policy. The Government recognises the impact harmful gambling can have on individuals and their families and, as stated in its manifesto, the Government ...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordSolar PowerDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 26 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1904More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he intends to publish the Solar Roadmap report.
Answer: The Government recently announced the re-establishment of the Solar Taskforce to bring together experts from across Government and industry. Publication of the Solar Roadmap will follow shortly and that will set out recommendations on how we and industry ...
Answered 2 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordForced LabourHome OfficeTabled 24 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1458More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department issues on whether products that have been made (a) entirely and (b) partially with forced labour should be sold in the UK.
Answer: The Home Office does not provide guidance on whether specific products have been made entirely or partially with forced labour.The Government encourages businesses to monitor their supply chains with rigour, to uncover and remedy any instances of modern s...
Answered 1 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordSolar Power: XinjiangDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 24 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1457More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether it is his policy that solar arrays produced using polysilicon mined in Xinjiang province should not be used in the UK.
Answer: No company in the UK should have forced labour in its supply chain. We will be working with colleagues across Government to tackle the issue of Uyghur forced labour in supply chains. We are also relaunching the Solar Taskforce, which will focus on identif...
Answered 29 Jul 2024
Original Parliament recordTax AvoidanceTreasuryTabled 22 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 864More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will commission an independent review into the loan charge.
Answer: The Chancellor and I know that the loan charge is a very important matter for many members and their constituents. We have been considering this matter since taking office and will provide an update in due course.
Answered 25 Jul 2024
Original Parliament recordSpecial Envoy on Freedom of Religion or BeliefForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 863More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to recommendation 6 of the Bishop of Truro's Independent Review of FCDO support for persecuted Christians, published in 2019, whether he plans to appoint a Spe
Answer: This Government will champion freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. Envoy roles will be decided upon in due course. In the meantime, we will use the strength of our gl...
Answered 30 Jul 2024
Original Parliament record
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