John Cooper MP: written questions
162 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Newspaper PressDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 31 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 87202More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the cooling-off period proposals in section 267 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 on printed news products.
Answer: The Government has consulted on how refunds should work when consumers exercise their statutory cooling-off rights (Consultation on the implementation of the new subscription contracts regime). We are analysing all the responses, including in relation to ...
Answered 10 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordTrade AgreementsScotland OfficeTabled 14 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 905883More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of visits abroad by Scottish Government Ministers on UK trade policy.
Answer: The Hon Gentleman, not the Scottish Government, can be assured that it is the UK Government that has delivered trade deals with India, the United States, the European Union. As the former trade policy Minister, I have some experience in these matters. In ...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordUnited KingdomWales OfficeTabled 8 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 905161More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on strengthening the Union.
Answer: The Spending Review demonstrated how our two Labour Governments are investing in Wales’ future and strengthening our Union for generations to come.With a record settlement for the Welsh Government, an historic investment of at least £445m into Welsh rail,...
Answered 16 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHorizon IT System: ConvictionsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 8 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66089More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans his Department has to review the convictions of postmasters affected by Capture errors in instances where those convictions have not already been quashed.
Answer: There is no definitive number or record of the number of convictions related to Capture. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has received 31 pre-Horizon applications to date. Incomplete due to the passage of time complicates confirming they are Ca...
Answered 16 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHorizon It System: CompensationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 8 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66088More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress he has made on providing (a) redress and (b) justice for people affected by Capture software.
Answer: There is no definitive number or record of the number of convictions related to Capture. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has received 31 pre-Horizon applications to date. Incomplete due to the passage of time complicates confirming they are Ca...
Answered 16 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHorizon IT System: ConvictionsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 8 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66087More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate his Department has made of the number of postmasters convicted as a result of failures in the Capture software; and how many of those convictions have been quashed.
Answer: There is no definitive number or record of the number of convictions related to Capture. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has received 31 pre-Horizon applications to date. Incomplete due to the passage of time complicates confirming they are Ca...
Answered 16 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: JapanForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 26 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63228More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions his Department had with the Scottish Government on the planned visits of the Scottish Government's (a) Minister for Business and Employment to China and Japa
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and our Embassies in Beijing and Tokyo engaged with Scottish Government officials in support of the visit of the Scottish Government's Minister for Business and Employment to China and the visits of Ministe...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordScottish Government: China and JapanScotland OfficeTabled 26 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63227More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions his Department had with the Scottish Government on the planned visits of the Scottish Government's (a) Minister for Business and Employment to China and Japan in April 2025 and (b) Cabinet Secre
Answer: The Scotland Office, in coordination with the FCDO, regularly engages with the Scottish Government to discuss and coordinate overseas ministerial visits. This ongoing engagement ensures alignment with UK foreign policy objectives. Discussions of this natu...
Answered 3 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordWales Office: Civil ServantsWales OfficeTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57592More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many permanent civil servants in her Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment register, (d) talent
Answer: There are no permanent Civil Servants in my Department without assigned posts and no permanent Civil Servants are placed in a people action team, priority movers list, redeployment register, talent pool, or skills match hub in the most recent period for w...
Answered 10 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordScotland Office: Civil ServantsScotland OfficeTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57591More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many permanent civil servants in his Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment register, (d) tal
Answer: The Scotland Office has no permanent civil servants without assigned posts and no staff are placed in the referenced categories.
Answered 10 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordNorthern Ireland Office: Civil ServantsNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57590More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many permanent civil servants in his Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment register,
Answer: At any point in time, there is likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their cost centres or, for example, have returned from a loan from another department and their role no longer exists. The exact n...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Culture, Media and Sport: Civil ServantsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57589More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many permanent civil servants in her Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment r
Answer: At any point in time, there is likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or who, for example, have returned from a loan from another department and their role no longer exists. The e...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Civil ServantsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57588More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many permanent civil servants in his Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) red
Answer: At any point in time, there is likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or, for example, have returned from a loan from another department and their role no longer exists. The exact...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: Civil ServantsDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57587More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many permanent civil servants in her Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment register, (d) ta
Answer: There are no permanent civil servants within DfTc and the Agencies without assigned posts.The Department for Transport (DfTc and the Agencies) has a priority movers list/redeployment register. Within a payroll workforce of over 16000*, the number of peopl...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology: Civil ServantsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57586More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many permanent civil servants in his Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) rede
Answer: At any point in time, there is likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or, for example, have returned from a loan from another department and their role no longer exists. The exact...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Business and Trade: Civil ServantsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57585More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many permanent civil servants in his Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment registe
Answer: At any point in time, there is likely to be a number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within business units or have returned from a loan from another department and their role no longer exists. The exact number changes on a day t...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Energy Security and Net Zero: Civil ServantsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57584More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many permanent civil servants in his Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployme
Answer: The Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero currently has 34 individuals in the redeployment register.
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment of Health and Social Care: Civil ServantsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57578More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many permanent civil servants in his Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment reg
Answer: As of 6 June 2025, the Department has five civil servants without a permanent assigned post. These individuals are undertaking temporary assignments until a permanent post can be found. The Department does not hold any of the equivalent programme categori...
Answered 12 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Education: Civil ServantsDepartment for EducationTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57565More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many permanent civil servants in her Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment register, (d) ta
Answer: At any point in time, there are likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or, for example, have returned from a loan from another department and their role no longer exists. The exac...
Answered 25 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Justice: Civil ServantsMinistry of JusticeTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57563More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many permanent civil servants in her Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment register, (d) tale
Answer: At any point in time, there is likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or, for example, have returned from a loan from another department and their role no longer exists. The exact...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Defence: Civil ServantsMinistry of DefenceTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57562More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many permanent civil servants in his Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment register, (d) tale
Answer: At any point in time, there is likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or, for example, have returned from a loan from another department and their role no longer exists. The exact...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordTreasury: Civil ServantsTreasuryTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57561More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many permanent civil servants in her Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment register, (d) talent
Answer: We do not currently operate any of the systems listed in the question. At any point in time, there is likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or, for example, have returned from a ...
Answered 11 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Civil ServantsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57560More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many permanent civil servants in his Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers lis
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) operate a Directorate Flexible Resource (DFR) pool. The DFR is the FCDO's resourcing model for when staff are between substantive roles in our rotational model of home and overseas roles. The DFR off...
Answered 11 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHome Office: Civil ServantsHome OfficeTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57559More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many permanent civil servants in her Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment regist
Answer: The exact number changes on a day-to-day basis. At any point in time, there is likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or, for example, have been on loan to another department duri...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRichard LochheadForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 55788More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the visit by Richard Lochhead MSP to to Beijing.
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has made no assessment of the effectiveness of the visit. The delivery of Scottish Government ministers is properly to be assessed by Scottish parliamentary scrutiny mechanisms. The FCDO engaged with...
Answered 11 Jun 2025
Original Parliament record
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