Joe Robertson MP: written questions 2025
626 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Schools: Rural AreasDepartment for EducationTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40355More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of (a) the sparsity factor and (b) other elements of the national funding formula in supporting small rural schools.
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 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: Rural AreasDepartment for EducationTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40354More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how the sparsity factor in the national funding formula is (a) calculated and (b) applied to small rural schools for 2025-26.
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 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal Experiments: LicensingHome OfficeTabled 20 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40058More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for project licences to use animals under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were approved on average in each week in 2024.
Answer: In 2024, on average 17 applications for project licences to use animals under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were approved each week.The Government publishes extensive guidance for the regulated sector on applying for project licences. Appli...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal Experiments: LicensingHome OfficeTabled 20 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40057More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) inspectors were responsible for assessing project licence applications and (b) project licence applications were approved for licences to use animals under the Animals (Scientific Procedu
Answer: The number of staff that are employed to process and issue project licences in the Home Office Regulator, under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, are published in the Regulator's annual report accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/colle...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal Experiments: LicensingHome OfficeTabled 20 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40056More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2025 to Question 31403 on Animal Experiments: Licensing, when that project licence application was refused; for what reason it was refused; and what the intended
Answer: The project licence refused by the animals in science Regulator in November 2024 was for training and educational purposes. It was refused due to the existence of a scientifically satisfactory alternative.The structuring of the application process means t...
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordGreat British Energy: LogosDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 20 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40055More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether external (a) firms and (b) individuals were hired for the Great British Energy logo redesign.
Answer: Great British Energy’s branding and logo were developed in-house with government resources.
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordGreat British Energy: LogosDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 20 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40054More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the cost was of redesigning the Great British Energy logo (a) in total, (b) for design, (c) for consultancy and (d) for legal fees.
Answer: Great British Energy’s branding and logo were developed in-house and with government resources. The only external costs were for legal advice and fees to trademark the branding. This was £10,710 plus VAT.
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: Performance AppraisalCabinet OfficeTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39748More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what data his Department holds on the average duration that civil service employees remain under performance management before a resolution is reached.
Answer: Performance management is managed by individual departments, meaning this information is not held centrally. In March, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced that the Government will be strengthening performance processes for the SCS.
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: Performance AppraisalCabinet OfficeTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39701More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the number of civil service employees under performance management procedures.
Answer: Performance management is managed by individual departments, meaning this information is not held centrally. In March, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced that the Government will be strengthening performance processes for the SCS.
Answered 2 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMilitary Aircraft: MinistersMinistry of DefenceTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39690More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of (a) 28 February 2025, to Question 31166 and (b) 5 March 2025 to Question 34449, on Ministers: Aviation, if he will list the number of individual journeys that aggregates to the £4,282 co
Answer: Between 5 July and 31 December 2024 there were 36 tasks relating to Ministers who travelled on the RAF Envoy.It has been the practice of successive administrations not to publish granular information relating to the official movements of Ministers and tho...
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordMinisters: HelicoptersMinistry of DefenceTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39689More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2025 to Question 34448, on Ministers: Helicopters, how much of the post-4 July Ministerial expenditure to date relates to helicopter travel (a) before 1 January 2024 and (b) afte
Answer: All expenditure relates to the period 4 July to 31 December 2024. There has been no Ministerial expenditure on helicopter transport since 1 January 2025.
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPrime Minister: AviationCabinet OfficeTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39688More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to (a) the Answer of 6 March 2025 to Question 34453 on Prime Minister: Aviation and (b) his letter to the hon. Member for Isle of Wight East of 13 March 2025 on helicopter travel, if he will publish an
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to my answer of 6 March 2025, Official Report, PQ 34453.
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: AviationCabinet OfficeTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39687More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance he has issued on publishing (a) details of individual helicopter flights under £25,000 in value on gov.uk and (b) the total annual spend on helicopter flights by (i) each Department and (ii) all De
Answer: As was the case under the previous administration, data on ministers’ travel is published on a quarterly basis. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-overseas-travel-and-meetings-ju...
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordMinisters: HelicoptersCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39292More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2025 to Question 34447 on Military Aircraft: Helicopters, which suppliers supply helicopter services under the Ministerial Air Transport administered contract.
Answer: I refer the honourable member to the answer given on 18 March 2025 in response to question 36675.
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordMinisters: HelicoptersMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39291More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2025 to Question 34448 on Ministers: Helicopters, how many journeys this figure relates to; and whether this cost was the total cost of the journeys or a pro-rata cost for Minist
Answer: The figure provided relates to three helicopter journeys undertaken by Defence Ministers since 4 July 2024. It covers the costs captured for helicopter use for those journeys.
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPensioners: Poverty and TelevisionDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39283More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on the number of pensioners who (a) are in poverty and (b) rely on free terrestrial television to watch TV.
Answer: The department does not currently hold data that combines TV distribution method, age and poverty. DCMS is currently undertaking a project to evaluate the future distribution of television over the next decade. This project will continue to consider the i...
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordTelevision: Rural AreasDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39282More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that her Department’s Future of TV Distribution Stakeholder Forum takes account of the needs of rural communities.
Answer: DCMS is currently undertaking a project to evaluate the future distribution of television as the sector continues to evolve over the next decade. As part of this project, the Government published independent research led by Exeter University last year tha...
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordTelevision: Rural AreasDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39281More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of digital terrestrial television on rural connectivity.
Answer: DCMS is currently undertaking a project to evaluate the future distribution of television as the sector continues to evolve over the next decade. As part of this project, the Government published independent research led by Exeter University last year tha...
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: Conditions of Employment and ProcurementCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39259More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to introduce a feedback mechanism for small-to-medium sized businesses to report issues relating to the (a) National Procurement Policy Statement procurement criteria and (b) obligations fo
Answer: The National Procurement Policy Statement supports Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSEs), giving them greater opportunities to win public contracts by instructing contracting authorities to maximi...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: Conditions of Employment and ProcurementCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39258More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the (a) updated National Procurement Policy Statement and (b) Employment Rights Bill on the capacity of small and medium enterprises
Answer: The National Procurement Policy Statement supports Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSEs), giving them greater opportunities to win public contracts by instructing contracting authorities to maximi...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: Conditions of Employment and ProcurementCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39257More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the National Procurement Policy Statement on 13 February 2025, what discussions his Department has had with representatives of small-to-medium sized enterprises on the potential impact of the (
Answer: The National Procurement Policy Statement supports Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSEs), giving them greater opportunities to win public contracts by instructing contracting authorities to maximi...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordManufacturing Industries: ProcurementDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39256More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of net zero requirements on the competitiveness of British manufacturers in public procurement.
Answer: The transition to net zero is critical for driving growth and delivering new jobs. This government has been clear that decarbonisation should not mean deindustrialisation. This government is working with business, including through the Industrial Strategy...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Transport: ProcurementDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39253More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of public transport procurement projects contracted by her Department since 5 July 2024 have included net zero requirements; and if she will make an estimate of the total extra cost as a result
Answer: The Department for Transport does not record the net-zero requirements included in procurement projects contracted.
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Energy Security and Net Zero: ContractsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39252More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many and what proportion of public sector projects contracted by his Department have had cost overruns due to mandatory net zero requirements since 5 July 2024.
Answer: This information is not held centrally.
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: ProcurementCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39251More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of procurement training for Cabinet Office officials has been delivered by organisations affiliated with trade unions since 5 July 2024.
Answer: Information on supplier organisations’ affiliations with trade unions is not held.
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
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