Ian Byrne MP: written questions
231 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Medical Records: Data ProtectionDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123744More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Palantir’s role supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the US on the confidence of NHS patients to divulge medical information.
Answer: The NHS Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP) holds no information on the immigration or residency status of patients. NHS England has published extensive information on the NHS FDP, its contractual safeguards, and how it is designed solely for medical purpos...
Answered 16 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordNHS: DatabasesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123743More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department carried out an equalities impact assessment of the Federated Data Platform (FDP) (a) prior to its rollout and (b) at any point since.
Answer: The NHS Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP) is a data platform rather than a clinical service in itself. NHS England does not require an Equality and Health Inequalities Impact Assessment (EHIA) by default for data platforms. As such, a determination was ma...
Answered 16 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordNHS: DatabasesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123742More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of concerns raised by the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee regarding the outsourcing of NHS data infrastructure to a single overseas technology p
Answer: Data infrastructure in the National Health Service is not outsourced to a single provider, as the NHS makes use of a variety of technology providers, including hyper-scalers. Contracts include specific provisions to ensure the security of personal data.
Answered 16 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordNHS: DatabasesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123741More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what role Senior Information Risk Owners and Caldicott Guardians play in overseeing data governance for the Federated Data Platform (FDP) within Integrated Care Boards and NHS trusts; and whether t
Answer: Every integrated care board and National Health Service trust board, who are data controllers for data held within their own individual instance of the NHS Federated Data Platform, has responsibility for data governance and managing risk.Integrated care b...
Answered 16 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordNHS: DatabasesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123740More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what contractual safeguards and sanctions are contained within the Federated Data Platform (FDP) agreement to address any breach of data protection obligations by the contracted technology provider
Answer: The NHS Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP) is built with robust security and privacy controls to ensure that access to National Health Service data is tightly governed and independently auditable.The NHS FDP Information Governance Framework clearly lays ou...
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordNHS: DatabasesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123739More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what statutory and contractual reporting requirements apply where an information governance breach relating to the Federated Data Platform (FDP) occurs; what oversight arrangements ensure complianc
Answer: The Information Governance Framework for the NHS Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP) is published at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/federated-data-platform-information-governance-framework/Data breaches are determined in line with t...
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordNHS: DatabasesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123738More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether a standardised definition of an information governance breach applies across all NHS trusts and Integrated Care Boards in relation to the Federated Data Platform (FDP); what criteria are us
Answer: The Information Governance Framework for the NHS Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP) is published at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/federated-data-platform-information-governance-framework/Data breaches are determined in line with t...
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordMedical Records: Data ProtectionDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123737More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assurance mechanisms are in place to safeguard patient-identifiable data within the Federated Data Platform (FDP) operating across NHS trusts and the Integrated Care Board in Cheshire and Mers
Answer: The NHS Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP) is built with robust security and privacy controls to ensure that access to National Health Service data is tightly governed and independently auditable.The NHS FDP Information Governance Framework clearly lays ou...
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Treatment: InfrastructureDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121500More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of current levels of investment in wastewater infrastructure.
Answer: A record £104 billion of private sector investment has been secured to accelerate the cleaning up of our rivers, lakes and seas. This includes over £10 billion to improve nearly 2,500 storm overflows in England over the next five years. We will move to a ...
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Treatment: InspectionsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121499More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many inspections of wastewater treatment works and storm overflows were conducted by the Environment Agency in each of the last five years.
Answer: The Environment Agency has provided the following figures for inspections of wastewater treatment works and storm overflows in each of the last five financial years. Financial YearTotals2021-226392022-238782023-2414422024-2546722025-2610150 * 2025/26 data...
Answered 23 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordSewage: Waste DisposalDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121498More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of enforcement action taken against water and sewerage undertakers for breaches of environmental permits.
Answer: We will not let companies get away with illegal activity and where breaches are found, the Environment Agency (EA) will not hesitate to hold companies to account. The Water (Special Measures) Act has provided the most significant increase in enforcement p...
Answered 23 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordWater: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121497More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help improve coordination between Ofwat, the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate in regulating water and sewerage undertakers.
Answer: Defra is working closely with the existing regulators, including Ofwat, the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate, to strengthen coordination across the regulatory system. This includes supporting the regulators in their work to actively ...
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: Conflict of InterestsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121496More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what safeguards are in place to prevent conflicts of interest arising between regulators of the water sector and the water and sewerage undertakers they regulate.
Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) and Ofwat have robust safeguards in place to prevent conflicts of interest between regulators and the water and sewerage companies they oversee. All EA employees, contractors and temporary workers must submit an annual declarat...
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: PrivatisationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121494More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will make an assessment of alternative governance for water utilities, including public ownership and mutual structures.
Answer: There are several different ownership models in the companies providing water in the United Kingdom.Where a company requests to transition to a new ownership model, we have committed in the White Paper that the regulator will develop a transparent process...
Answered 23 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordStudents: LoansDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120935More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of (a) the average outstanding student loan balance and (b) the proportion of borrowers currently making repayments in (i) Merseyside and (ii) the North West of England.
Answer: The average outstanding student loan balance of borrowers in the North West government region who have been funded by Student Finance England was £37,000 (rounded to the nearest thousand) on 15 March 2025. This includes all loans, even those not yet liabl...
Answered 31 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordStudents: LoansDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120934More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of borrowers on Plan 2 student loans whose outstanding balance is projected to increase for at least the first ten years of repayment due to interest accr
Answer: The department does not hold analysis of the proportion of borrowers whose loan is projected to increase in their first ten years of repayment.Student loan repayments are linked to income, not to the amount borrowed or interest applied. As repayments rema...
Answered 31 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordStudents: LoansDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120933More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increased student loan balances on graduates’ access to mortgages and savings.
Answer: The size of one’s outstanding student loan is not a barrier to accessing a mortgage and savings. Student loan balances do not appear on borrower credit records, meaning the total size of the student loan debt is not considered in a borrower mortgage appli...
Answered 23 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordStudents: LoansDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120932More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of freezing the income repayment threshold for Plan 2 student loans on the level of disposable income of graduates earning between £29,000 and £40,000 per ye
Answer: Plan 2 student loans were designed and implemented by previous governments, and students in England starting degrees under this government have different arrangements. Threshold freezes have been introduced to protect taxpayers and students now, alongside...
Answered 23 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordStudents: LoansDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120931More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of interest rates applied to income-contingent student loans on the total level of graduate debt.
Answer: The department does not hold analysis on the impact of interest rates on total level of graduate debt.No Plan 5 borrower should see their loan balance grow in real terms without additional outlay, as the rate of interest for Plan 5 loans is applied at Ret...
Answered 23 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Office (Accountability) BillAttorney GeneralTabled 12 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 908366More
Question: To ask the Solicitor General, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the Public Office (Accountability) Bill.
Answer: The Public Office (Accountability) Bill, will fundamentally alter the relationship between those who govern and the people they serve. The Bill, once passed into law, will introduce substantial changes, including a new professional and legal Duty of Can...
Answered 19 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordIran: Armed ConflictForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117440More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will publish the legal advice on which the UK Government has relied to determine that its support for collective defensive operations in relation to the conflict invol
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the summary of legal advice published on 1 March, and available on GOV.UK at the following link : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/summary-of-the-uk-government-legal-position-the-legality-of-defensive-action-in-respect-of-irani...
Answered 11 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordFood PovertyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 116899More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of food price inflation on households experiencing food insecurity; and how that assessment informs current food and agr
Answer: Food price inflation is part of a wider challenge on cost of living and the Government’s approach goes beyond tackling food alone. The Government is working to address the cost-of-living pressures facing families across the country through targeted measur...
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordFood PovertyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 116898More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her department has assessed the long-term implications of reliance on emergency food provision for the fulfilment of the right to food; and what steps she is taking to reduce s
Answer: Defra has not assessed the implications of emergency food provision for fulfilment of a right to food. The Government is committed to tackling poverty and ending mass dependence on emergency food parcels. From 1 April 2026, The Government is introducing a...
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordFood PovertyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 116897More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what mechanisms are in place to ensure coordination between her Department and the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Department for Ed
Answer: The Good Food Cycle, published in July 2025, identifies 10 priority outcomes across themes of healthier food, sustainability, food security, affordability and inequality, and good growth. Defra leads on coordination across government on the Good Food Cycl...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordFood PovertyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 116896More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what indicators her department uses to assess progressive realisation of access to adequate, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food; and whether she plans to publish a consolidate
Answer: Defra publishes the triennial UK Food Security Report, which contains data on household food security including accessibility, affordability and dietary patterns. The next report will be published in 2027. In the intervening years, the UK Food Security Di...
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Original Parliament record
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