John McDonnell MP: written questions
183 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Balochistan: Human RightsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 28 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 95360More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made recent representations to her Pakistani counterparts on reports of escalating human rights violations in Balochistan.
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given on 2 June to Question 51410.
Answered 4 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordTrade: BalochistanDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 26 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94633More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the level of the risk that UK-supplied equipment could contribute to human rights violations in Balochistan.
Answer: The UK remains deeply concerned by reports of human rights abuses in Pakistan, including in Balochistan. Advocating for civil and political rights is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement with Pakistan. To that end, the Minister of State for the M...
Answered 5 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordArms Trade: PakistanDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 26 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94632More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the Government has authorised any export licences for military equipment or dual-use items to Pakistan that could be used in drone operations or internal security actions in Balochistan.
Answer: The UK remains deeply concerned by reports of human rights abuses in Pakistan, including in Balochistan. Advocating for civil and political rights is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement with Pakistan. To that end, the Minister of State for the M...
Answered 5 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordGurkhas: Pay and Workplace PensionsMinistry of DefenceTabled 26 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94631More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to review Gurkha pay and pensions in accordance with the 1947 Tripartite Agreement.
Answer: The Government holds the Gurkhas in the highest regard and deeply values their unique and enduring contribution to the United Kingdom. Their bravery, loyalty, and dedication have been an integral part of the British Armed Forces for over two centuries. Th...
Answered 4 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordUnemployment InsuranceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 26 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94630More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to consult on the implementation of Unemployment Insurance Benefit.
Answer: We announced the introduction of a new contributory benefit, provisionally called ‘Unemployment Insurance' (UI) in the Pathways to Work green paper, and consulted specifically on the time limit and what support should be available whilst on UI. We publish...
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: Private Finance InitiativeDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93639More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what are the findings of the department’s business case on new private finance in the NHS.
Answer: As set out in the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy (the Strategy) and the 10-Year Health Plan, in addition to significant capital investment, the Government would explore the feasibility of using new Public Private Partnership (PPP) models for taxpayer-fun...
Answered 23 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordNeighbourhood Health Centres: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93638More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of renegotiating current private finance debt to fund neighbourhood health centres with any potential savings.
Answer: Private finance initiative contracts are not held by the Department. Contracts are held between the local National Health Service trust and their respective private finance company.The Department’s Private Finance Centre of Best Practice (CoBP) team, toge...
Answered 1 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93637More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of how much the NHS budget will need to grow to keep pace with patient need, drug prices, inflation and private finance debt in each of the next five years.
Answer: The financial pressures and the cost of new commitments for the National Health Service are analysed as part of the Spending Review process. The outcome of the most recent Spending Review is given in the policy paper Spending Review 2025, which is availab...
Answered 1 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: EmbassiesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90115More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what her Department's policy is on the employment of staff at (a) the British Embassy in Tel Aviv and (b) other government missions that reside in illegal Israeli settlements
Answer: It has been the longstanding policy under successive governments not to comment on personnel and security matters in relation to individual members of staff.
Answered 19 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: EmbassiesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90114More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the (a) vetting and (b) due diligence carried out for employees of the British Embassy in Tel Aviv includes assessments of whether they (i) reside in illegal settleme
Answer: It has been the longstanding policy under successive governments not to comment on personnel and security matters in relation to individual members of staff.
Answered 19 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordGila Ben-Yakov PhillipsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90113More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will conduct an urgent inquiry into the continued employment of Gila Ben-Yakov Phillips at the British Embassy in Tel Aviv; and if she will publish the findings of the
Answer: It has been the longstanding policy under successive governments not to comment on personnel and security matters in relation to individual members of staff.
Answered 19 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: EmbassiesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90112More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will publish the (a) due diligence and (b) vetting reports produced for the appointment of members of staff at the British Embassy in Tel Aviv.
Answer: It has been the longstanding policy under successive governments not to comment on personnel and security matters in relation to individual members of staff.
Answered 19 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: EmbassiesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90111More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will undertake a review of the (a) due diligence, (b) selection and (c) security protocols for staff at the British Embassy in Tel Aviv; and if she will make it her po
Answer: It has been the longstanding policy under successive governments not to comment on personnel and security matters in relation to individual members of staff.
Answered 19 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax and Universal CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88565More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, why income that was disregarded under Employment Support Allowance is now being considered as income on Universal Credit for Council Tax and Social Care purposes.
Answer: Universal Credit does not replicate previous legacy benefits. Therefore, customers migrating to Universal Credit may be subject to different rules, including different treatment of income and how it is disregarded in assessing their benefit entitlement. T...
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordBritish Library: FinanceDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 5 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88182More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of funding that her Department provides to the British Library, in the context of its industrial dispute with the Public and Commercial S
Answer: As an arms-length body of the department, the British Library’s funding is considered in the round as part of Spending Review arrangements and departmental business planning.The British Library is operationally independent of government and the day to day...
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government Pension SchemeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87223More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to ensure that planned reforms to the Local Government Pension Scheme are compliant with not aiding or assisting serious breaches of international law.
Answer: Local Government Pension Scheme administering authorities set the investment strategies for their funds, and must include how social, environmental and corporate governance and responsible investment considerations are taken into account. Authorities must...
Answered 13 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government Pension SchemeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87222More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his Department’s planned timeline is for responding to the Local Government Pension Scheme Advisory Board's letter, dated 13 October 2025, requesting guidance on investments
Answer: The Department has received the Local Government Pension Scheme Advisory Board's letter and will treat it in line with the Government’s usual approach to correspondence.
Answered 10 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government Pension SchemeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87221More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he is taking steps to ensure that Local Government Pension Scheme investments are compliant with the UK’s duty (a) not to aid and (b) assist serious breaches of internati
Answer: Local Government Pension Scheme administering authorities set the investment strategies for their funds, and must include how social, environmental and corporate governance and responsible investment considerations are taken into account. Authorities must...
Answered 13 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government Pension SchemeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87220More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department provides guidance to local authorities administering Local Government Pension Scheme on ensuring their investments are compliant with the UK’s duty (a) not
Answer: Local Government Pension Scheme administering authorities set the investment strategies for their funds, and must include how social, environmental and corporate governance and responsible investment considerations are taken into account. Authorities must...
Answered 13 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government Pension SchemeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87219More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides to local authorities administering Local Government Pension Scheme funds to assist them in ensuring their investments are compliant with the
Answer: Local Government Pension Scheme administering authorities set the investment strategies for their funds, and must include how social, environmental and corporate governance and responsible investment considerations are taken into account. Authorities must...
Answered 13 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordUniversal CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 29 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86172More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference disabled people migrating to Universal Credit from Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), for what reason income that was disregarded for the purposes of ESA is considered to be income f
Answer: Universal Credit was not designed to replicate previous legacy benefits. Therefore, customers migrating to Universal Credit may be subject to different rules, including different treatment of income and how it is disregarded in assessing their benefit ent...
Answered 6 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordCulture: GrantsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 29 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86171More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with HM Treasury on increasing the grant-in-aid funding available to (a) cultural institutions, (b) museums and (c) galleries.
Answer: The Secretary of State has had constructive conversations with HM Treasury to secure grant-in-aid funding for our institutions. These successful conversations were borne out in February 2025, when we announced a £270m Arts Everywhere Investment package th...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordSkilled Workers: VisasDepartment for TransportTabled 29 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86170More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 83230 on Skilled Workers: Visas, what estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of the changes to income thresholds in the Statement of Chang
Answer: The Department for Transport has not produced a formal estimate of the number of individuals across the transport sector who may no longer have leave to remain as a result of the changes introduced in the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules (HC 997)...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: Skilled WorkersHome OfficeTabled 29 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86169More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 83227 on Visas: Skilled Workers, what assessment she has made of the number of workers working under the skilled worker visa route who will find t
Answer: Updates to the salary requirements on the route reflect the latest available UK pay data and do not contain any policy changes. We expect sponsored workers’ pay to progress similarly to other UK workers. Transitional arrangements exempt workers who are al...
Answered 4 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordInsolvency Service: StandardsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 27 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85065More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the average time taken was for the Insolvency Service to investigate civil offences in the latest period for which data is available.
Answer: The average time taken by The Insolvency Service to investigate corporate civil misconduct, in the 6-months to 30 September 2025, was 188 days from allocation to an investigator to the investigation being completed.
Answered 3 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
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