Joe Robertson MP: written questions
506 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Electronic CigarettesTreasuryTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91793More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the UK delegation attending the fourth Meeting of Parties to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control plans to (a) oppose the extension of the scope of application of the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Tra
Answer: The procedures for amending the World Health Organization Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products are laid down in Articles 38 and 39 of that treaty. These stipulate that any proposals need to be communicated to parties at least six months...
Answered 20 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: StrikesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91043More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2025 to Question 77546 on NHS: Strikes, whether (a) paid and (b) unpaid trade union facility time can be used for NHS staff who are trade union representatives
Answer: It is for each National Health Service employer and representatives of locally recognised trades unions to agree in partnership to local arrangements and procedures on time off and facilities that are appropriate in local circumstances and whether that ti...
Answered 1 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: StrikesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91042More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2025 to Question 77546 on NHS: Strikes, whether NHS staff who are on strike may be paid by another NHS trust for undertaking (a) agency and (b) locum during the
Answer: Regulation 7 of the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 stipulates that striking National Health Service staff can work for another NHS trust on days of industrial action as long as they do not do so via an employment...
Answered 1 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: StrikesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91040More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2024 to Question 73326 on NHS: Strikes, if he will take steps to amend NHS contracts to ban the practice of NHS employees who are on strike from being paid by
Answer: There are no current plans to prohibit National Health Service employees in England who undertake strike action from being paid for work by other NHS bodies on strike days.NHS staff who are on strike are not prevented by law from working for non-NHS bodie...
Answered 10 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordTrade Unions: EqualityDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91039More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Pursuant to the answer of 10 October, to Question 75034, on Trade Union: Equality, which civil service diversity networks in (a) his department and (b) NHS England are eligible for network time; an
Answer: Within the Department, paid facility time is provided for accredited trade union representatives to carry out duties in line with legislation and the trade union partnership framework, but not for participation in staff networks.Chairs and committee membe...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: NegligenceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90836More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help tackle increases in legal costs for clinical negligence.
Answer: The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than doubled in the last 10 years and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NHS fi...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: Isle of Wight and HampshireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90835More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support the (a) health and (b) wellbeing of the NHS workforce (i) on the Isle of Wight and (ii) in Hampshire.
Answer: The health and wellbeing of all National Health Service staff is a top priority. Local employers across the NHS have in place existing arrangements for supporting staff, including occupational health provision, employee support programmes, and a focus on ...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS Trusts: City of Sanctuary UKDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90801More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to issue guidance to NHS Trusts to discourage them from supporting City of Sanctuary.
Answer: There are no plans to issue guidance on this matter. National Health Service organisations are required to use their resources in the interests of patients and to secure value for money for taxpayers.
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: FreightDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90564More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to ensure that (a) the Office of Rail and Road or (b) another independent body has powers to (i) oversee, (ii) intervene in and (iii) appeal decisions on (A) access, (B) contract duration and
Answer: The ORR will act as a robust and independent appeals body overseeing access and charging decisions made by GBR on the GBR network. The ORR will be able to consider appeals relating to all GBR’s decisions on access to and use of the network and its chargin...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: InspectionsDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90563More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to set out inspection frequency requirements for the Office of Rail and Road under Great British Railways.
Answer: It will be for the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), as the independent rail safety regulator, to monitor Great British Railways' compliance with its statutory safety requirements and determine the frequency of inspections it will undertake.
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordGreat British Railways: SafetyDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90562More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what minimum safety standards will apply to Great British Railways infrastructure and operations.
Answer: The minimum safety requirements that apply under existing rail safety legislation will remain unchanged for Great British Railways.
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: TechnologyDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90561More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of (a) new technologies, (b) automation and (c) artificial intelligence in rail operations on levels of safety.
Answer: New technologies such as artificial intelligence present potentially significant opportunities for the rail industry to improve performance in areas such as safety. It is for the industry, overseen by the Office of Rail and Road, to assess how new technol...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordGreat British Railways: FinanceDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90560More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of future levels of funding on Great British Railways' service provision.
Answer: SR25 and CP7 set budgets up to and including 2028/29. Future Spending Reviews and the next Periodic Review will determine funding levels, and what outputs that is expected to deliver, beyond 2028/29.
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordGreat British RailwaysDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90062More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of requiring Great British Railways to publish its (a) board minutes and (b) key decision papers.
Answer: We expect Great British Railways to be transparent in its decision-making and the way in which the Board holds the Executive to account. The full details of how that will be achieved will be set out in due course as the organisation is stood up.
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRailway Network: Environment ProtectionDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90060More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential environmental impact of proposed rail network expansion under the Railways Bill.
Answer: The Railways Bill does not propose any additional network expansion. However, the environmental impact of any future network expansion would be considered during development of such a proposal as per the legal requirements for such projects
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: SafetyDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90059More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to balance safety considerations with efficiency requirements in Great British Railways’ statutory duties.
Answer: GBR’s general duties, including the duty to ensure efficient use of taxpayers’ money, will not negate GBR’s statutory obligations under the safety regime. The Railways Bill will not change the safety regime from the existing model that keeps the travellin...
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: SafetyDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90058More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to publish guidance on the Office of Rail and Road's enforcement actions for safety breaches.
Answer: The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is the independent railway safety regulator for the UK. Its enforcement powers derive from the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and range from giving advice and information through to prosecution in the courts. The ORR ...
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordCurriculum and Assessment ReviewDepartment for EducationTabled 11 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90024More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to accept the recommendation of the Curriculum and Assessment Review to develop a programme of work to provide evidence-led guidance on curriculum and pedagogical adaptation.
Answer: The Curriculum and Assessment Review looked closely at how to break down the barriers that hold back children and young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, those with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), and those who are...
Answered 19 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFamily Hubs: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89086More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to ensure continued funding for Start for Life (a) infant feeding support, (b) parent–infant relationships, (c) perinatal mental health care and (d) other services.
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan sets out an ambitious agenda to improve the nation’s health. As part of this, we will expand Start for Life services and integrate zero- to five-year olds’ health and children’s services into communities, with a strong focus on the...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFamily Hubs: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89085More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the total funding required for Start for Life services over the next Spending Review period; and of how much funding will be required to support (a) geograp
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan sets out an ambitious agenda to improve the nation’s health. As part of this, we will expand Start for Life services and integrate zero- to five-year-olds’ health and children’s services in communities, with a strong focus on the c...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFamily HubsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89084More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of extending Start for Life services to a wider age range on costs to the public purse.
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan sets out an ambitious agenda to improve the nation’s health. As part of this, we will expand Start for Life services and integrate zero- to five-year olds’ health and children’s services into communities, with a strong focus on the...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFamily HubsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89083More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the potential cost to the public purse of the planned geographical expansion of Start for Life services from 2025–26.
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan sets out an ambitious agenda to improve the nation’s health. As part of this, we will expand Start for Life services and integrate zero- to five-year olds’ health and children’s services into communities, with a strong focus on the...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFamily Hubs: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89082More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to confirm funding allocations for the Start for Life programme beyond 1 April 2026.
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan sets out an ambitious agenda to improve the nation’s health. As part of this, we will expand Start for Life services and integrate zero- to five-year olds’ health and children’s services into communities, with a strong focus on the...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordMotor Vehicles: CrimeHome OfficeTabled 27 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85570More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to help prevent the misuse of Motability vehicles in criminal activity.
Answer: The Home Office has not issued national guidance to police forces on the recording and investigation of criminal activity involving Motability vehicles.Enforcement of the law, including road traffic legislation, is an operational matter for individual pol...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordMotor Vehicles: CrimeHome OfficeTabled 27 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85569More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance she has issued to police forces on (a) recording and (b) investigating criminal offences involving Motability vehicles.
Answer: The Home Office has not issued national guidance to police forces on the recording and investigation of criminal activity involving Motability vehicles.Enforcement of the law, including road traffic legislation, is an operational matter for individual pol...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
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