Iain Duncan Smith MP: written questions
106 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Batteries and LithiumDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11826More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to (a) support the development of the UK’s lithium industry and (b) enhance battery manufacturing capabilities.
Answer: Domestic production of lithium will be increasingly important as demand for resilient and responsible sources of critical minerals grows. Government has supported several lithium projects through the Automotive Transformation Fund, and the UK recently cel...
Answered 6 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordLithium: LabellingDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11825More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) report entitled Agency Opinion on the classification and labelling of lithium carbonate [1] lithium chloride [2] and lithium hydroxide [3], publ
Answer: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is considering whether to initiate the Article 37A process under the GB Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation (GB CLP) following publication of the Agency Opinion on the classification and labelling of li...
Answered 5 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordChemicals: LabellingDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11824More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of applying a weight of evidence approach when making decisions on the mandatory (a) classification and (b) labelling of chemicals.
Answer: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) leads across government on the classification and labelling of chemicals and acts as the Agency for the assimilated Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures a...
Answered 7 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordBritish National (Overseas): ChildrenForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11223More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to (a) ensure that children of British National (Overseas) passport holders (i) born in the UK and (ii) of Hong Kong descent will not be r
Answer: If you're a British national (overseas), your child is a British citizen if both: they were born in the UK, and you were a British citizen or settled in the UK (had 'indefinite leave to remain') when they were born. The FCDO provides consular assistance t...
Answered 5 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordChagos Islands: SovereigntyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 24 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10968More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports that the British High Commissioner to Mauritius’ phone conversations were leaked; and if
Answer: The reported event occurred prior to the launch of negotiations in November 2022. This is the subject of an ongoing police investigation in Mauritius, and we are unable to provide further comment.
Answered 4 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordReoffenders: CannabisMinistry of JusticeTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10038More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of people who were convicted for simple cannabis possession were also convicted for another offence by the category of that other offence in each of the last five years.
Answer: The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the total number of convictions for possession of cannabis on all-offence basis in the All-offence prosecutions and convictions data tool.A breakdown on how many offenders convicted for possession of cannabis were...
Answered 24 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordCannabisMinistry of JusticeTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10037More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people received custodial sentences for personal possession of cannabis excluding people imprisoned for intent to supply, production, or importation in each of the last ten years.
Answer: The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the number of offenders who received custodial sentences for possession of cannabis in the Outcomes by Offence tool: December 2023.This can be accessed by navigating to the ‘Sentence Outcomes’ tab and using the ‘S...
Answered 24 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordGubad IbadoghluForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9396More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made recent representations to his Azerbaijani counterpart on the detention of Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu; and if he will take steps to secure his immediate release on
Answer: Since Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu's arrest in July 2023, the UK has consistently advocated for the right to a fair legal process and appropriate medical access, including permission for temporary leave from Azerbaijan to receive specialist medical care abroad, if ...
Answered 22 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordChina: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9395More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of statements on the UK's role in the century of humiliation made by Chinese officials at celebra
Answer: This Government will take a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing the UK's relations with China, rooted in UK and global interests.We will carry out an audit of the UK's relationship with China as a bilateral and global actor, to improv...
Answered 24 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordTsai Ing-wenForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9394More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department advised postponement of the visit to London of former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.
Answer: The UK's longstanding position on Taiwan has not changed. The UK does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan but a strong unofficial relationship based on deep and growing ties in a wide range of areas and underpinned by shared democratic values.There ...
Answered 24 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHong Kong: British NationalityForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 14 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8752More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7 October 2024 to Question 5527 on China and Hong Kong: Diplomatic Service, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Hongkongers who (a) a
Answer: FCDO's Travel Advice for China explains that China does not recognise dual nationality and anyone born in China to a Chinese national parent would be considered by the Chinese authorities to be of Chinese nationality and treated as a Chinese citizen. This...
Answered 23 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordVolkswagen: 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 record
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