Joe Robertson MP: written questions 2025
626 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Agriculture and Environment Protection: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41761More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how his Department quantifies compliance costs for new regulations.
Answer: ‘’Compliance costs” are the costs of complying with government regulation. These will typically include familiarisation costs, costs relating to monitoring or data reporting, and costs related to inspections where relevant. When analysing impacts on busin...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironmental Protection: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41757More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department maintains accurate records of compliance costs for agricultural regulations.
Answer: Costs of compliance for regulations are assessed through Impact Assessments when regulations are introduced according to the Better Regulation Framework. Defra regulators carry out regular monitoring and evaluation of regulations to understand their effec...
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironmental Protection: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41744More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department maintains records of compliance costs for agricultural regulations.
Answer: Costs of compliance for regulations are assessed through Impact Assessments when regulations are introduced according to the Better Regulation Framework. Defra regulators carry out regular monitoring and evaluation of regulations to understand their effec...
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironmental Protection: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41742More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to conduct a review of environmental compliance obligations.
Answer: Defra complies with the Better Regulation Framework alongside HMT’s Green Book and Magenta Book principles. Where required, Defra will conduct post implementation reviews (PIRs) of legislation.The Chancellor’s Action Plan, published 17 March 2025, is supp...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: SubsidiesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41741More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce compliance costs for agricultural subsidies.
Answer: “Compliance costs” are the costs of complying with Government regulation. Our Environmental Land Management Schemes provide farmers and land managers with the support they need to help restore nature, which is vital to safeguard our long-term food securit...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordFisheries: CostsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41740More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to (a) monitor and (b) reduce compliance costs for fisheries regulations.
Answer: Costs of compliance for regulations are assessed through Impact Assessments when regulations are introduced according to the Better Regulation Framework. Defra regulators keep all regulations under review to understand their effectiveness. We are also min...
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMotabilityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41638More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria her Department uses to assess the value for money of the Motability scheme's investments in electric vehicles.
Answer: The Motability Foundation is independent of government, and regulated by the Charity Commission, so is wholly responsible for the terms and the administration of the Scheme, including assessing the value for money of its investments and charitable donatio...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordMotabilityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41637More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason her Department funds electric vehicles through the Motability scheme.
Answer: The Department works closely with Motability Foundation and whilst we are responsible for the disability benefits that provide a passport to the Motability Scheme, we do not fund vehicles, be they electric or otherwise. Motability Foundation is an indepen...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordFree School MealsDepartment for EducationTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40892More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to extend universal free school meals to children in (a) Isle of Wight East constituency and (b) other areas of high child poverty.
Answer: The government has a central mission to break down barriers to opportunity for every child, having inherited a trend of rising child poverty. That is why the government is committed to delivering an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty, tackling the...
Answered 23 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHousehold Support FundDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40885More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to provide longer-term support for local services via the Household Support Fund.
Answer: This Government is committed to a sustainable, long-term approach to drive up opportunity and drive down poverty across the UK. That is why we are providing £742 million in England to extend the Household Support Fund (HSF) by a further year, from 1 April...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Housing Allowance: RentsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40883More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to amend local housing allowance rates to reflect actual rental market costs (a) on the Isle of Wight and (b) in other areas.
Answer: Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates are reviewed annually, usually at an Autumn fiscal event. Rates are set based on the area of the country a person lives and their bedroom entitlementThe Secretary of State’s decision at last year’s Autumn Budget to main...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordMedicine: Postgraduate EducationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40779More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the review of postgraduate medical training will be carried out in full.
Answer: The postgraduate medical training review announced by the Chief Medical Officer for England and National Medical Director of NHS England is underway and on track. NHS England launched an extensive engagement and listening exercise to consider the future o...
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAccident and Emergency Departments: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40778More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce the use of temporary care environments in patient care.
Answer: The Government recognises that long waits in accident and emergency departments are unacceptable and lead to worse patient outcomes. Patients should expect and receive the highest standard of service, and we are determined to tackle the issue of corridor ...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAccident and Emergency Departments: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40777More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of publishing year-round data on the number of patients treated in temporary care environments.
Answer: We continue to keep the data which is available and published to support improvements to urgent and emergency care services under review.NHS England has been working with trusts since last year to put in place new reporting arrangements related to the use...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordBusiness RatesTreasuryTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40774More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will ensure that the proposed higher business rates multiplier for properties with a rateable value of £500,000 or more is index-linked.
Answer: The Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27. This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so the Government intends to apply a higher ra...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordInflationTreasuryTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40773More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) the Autumn Budget 2024 and (b) Extended Producer Responsibility on inflation in 2025.
Answer: The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) publish their Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO) where they assess inflation, including the impact of policy. In their October 2024 EFO they assessed policies announced at Autumn Budget 2024. Since the...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordRetail Trade: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40772More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the number of shops with increased business rates under proposed reforms to that system.
Answer: As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including those on the high street, from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordRetail Trade: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40771More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed higher business rates multiplier on larger stores.
Answer: As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including those on the high street, from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Service: StandardsCabinet OfficeTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40727More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what data his Department collects on the outcomes of performance management procedures.
Answer: Cabinet Office staff, except those on career breaks or new joiners, are allocated a performance marking at mid-year and end of the year. All line managers are instructed to upload these performance markings onto our HR system, which is called SOP. In ...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Service: StandardsCabinet OfficeTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40726More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how frequently performance management statistics are (a) reviewed and (b) reported in the civil service.
Answer: Departments are responsible for collating, and monitoring their performance management. For Senior Civil Service, this is normally collated annually. For grades below the Senior Civil Service (SCS), each department has delegated responsibility for monitor...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMotabilityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40700More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total expenditure on electric vehicles through the Motability scheme was in the most recent year for which data is available.
Answer: The Department works closely with Motability Foundation and is responsible for the disability benefits that provide a passport to the Motability Scheme. Motability Foundation is an independent charitable organisation that is wholly responsible for the ter...
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordMotabilityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40698More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will conduct a value for money assessment of the funding provided as part of the Motability Scheme.
Answer: The Motability Scheme is open to claimants who are in receipt of an eligible benefit. If a claimant elects to join the Scheme, the Department directly transfers the mobility allowance to Motability Operations on behalf of the eligible claimant. The Motabi...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: Rural AreasDepartment for EducationTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40681More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to (a) review and (b) adjust the national funding formula to reflect additional (i) staffing, (ii) maintenance, (iii) transport and (iv) other costs for small rural schools.
Answer: The 2025/26 schools national funding formula (NFF) uses the same factors as the 2024/25 NFF. This continuity from the previous year minimises disruption to local authorities and schools.The government is undertaking a review of the schools NFF to consider...
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: Rural AreasDepartment for EducationTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40680More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what (a) financial and (b) other support her Department provides to local authorities to help maintain small rural schools.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member for Isle of Wight East to the answer of 28 March 2025 to Question 40354.
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: Rural AreasDepartment for EducationTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40394More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the closure of small village schools on the sustainability of rural communities.
Answer: The government recognises the essential role that small schools play in their communities, many of which are in rural areas. The schools national funding formula (NFF) accounts for the particular challenges faced by small schools in rural areas through th...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
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