John Milne MP: written questions
252 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Arms Trade: IsraelDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117036More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has assessed the risk of diversion for ammunition for civilian use licensed from the UK to Israel, including to settlers in the West Bank.
Answer: The UK Government has a clear position that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal under international law.All export licence applications are assessed for the risk of diversion in line with Criterion 7 of the Strategic Ex...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordArms Trade: IsraelDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117035More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many export licences covering military training equipment to Israel were extant between 1 January 2025 and 31 September 2025.
Answer: The Department does not hold continuous records on the number of export licences extant at any point over historic periods, but publishes data regularly based on decisions taken and has, on an exceptional basis, periodically published further detail on li...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordArms Trade: IsraelDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117034More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many of the non-suspended extant military licences to Israel as at 31 July 2025 identified as (a) being for and (b) supporting re-export to third parties outside of Israel are incorporation SIELs.
Answer: At 31 July 2025 there were 167 extant licences that include military items. Of these 84 were identified as being for, or supporting, re-export to third parties outside of Israel. These exports are defined as those where Israel is not the Ultimate End-User...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordArms Trade: IsraelDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117033More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will list ML3 arms export licences to Israel licensing the transfer of ammunition for civilian use extant between 1 January 2025 and 31 September 2025.
Answer: The Department does not hold continuous records on the number of export licences extant at any point over historic periods, but publishes data regularly based on decisions taken and has, on an exceptional basis, periodically published further detail on li...
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordArms Trade: IsraelDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117032More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will list ML3 arms export licences to Israel licensing the transfer of bullets extant for August 2025.
Answer: I refer the Member to the answer I gave on 5 March to question 117033.
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordBroadband and Mobile Phones: Rural AreasDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116671More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to improve the reliability of broadband and mobile connectivity for businesses in rural areas.
Answer: The government recognises that high quality digital connectivity is essential for businesses in the UK, including in rural areas. Our ambition is for all populated areas to have access to higher quality standalone 5G by 2030 and we have a target to delive...
Answered 6 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordElectricity: Rural AreasDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116670More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the resilience of electricity networks serving rural businesses.
Answer: Energy resilience is one of our top priorities. The Government is working with the industry to continually improve and maintain the resilience of old and new energy infrastructure, networks and assets, including the ones in rural areas. This will reduce v...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordRetail Trade: CrimeHome OfficeTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116669More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help improve police responses to retail crime in rural areas.
Answer: The central aim of our police reforms is to protect and revitalise neighbourhood policing. We are lifting national responsibilities off local forces so they focus on tackling local issues, like fighting retail crime. All communities, including rural commu...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordRetail Trade: CrimeHome OfficeTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116668More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of existing mechanisms for reporting retail crime by businesses in rural areas.
Answer: The central aim of our police reforms is to protect and revitalise neighbourhood policing. We are lifting national responsibilities off local forces so they focus on tackling local issues, like fighting retail crime. All communities, including rural commu...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDeposit Return Schemes: Rural AreasDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116667More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Deposit Return Scheme on small retailers in rural areas.
Answer: Defra published the Final Impact Assessment on DRS, including its assessment of impact on retailers, for England and Northern Ireland in 2024. This can be found at: The Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers (England and Northern Ireland) Regulations 2024.
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDeposit Return Schemes: Rural AreasDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116666More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that exemption arrangements under the Deposit Return Scheme are accessible to rural retailers.
Answer: The regulations set out rules requiring all grocery retailers that sell drinks that are included in the scheme to host a return point, unless they qualify for an exemption. Retailers, including those in rural communities, will be able to apply to the depo...
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ReorganisationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116665More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that Local Government Reorganisation take account of the needs of rural businesses.
Answer: Strong local government will help grow the economy and drive up living standards – the government’s number one mission.We understand communities, including rural businesses, should be able to have their say on the future of their local public services so ...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordRetail Trade: Rural AreasMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116664More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of local infrastructure planning on the sustainability of retail businesses in rural areas.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 112724 on 3 March 2026.
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordHousing: Water SupplyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116660More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to mitigate water demand from new housing developments in water-stressed regions.
Answer: The Department is taking forward a number of steps to mitigate water demand from new housing developments in water stressed regions. Policy options on amendments to Water Efficiency Standards in Building Regulations have been tested through a public consu...
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordWater: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116659More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to promote water literacy training.
Answer: Defra works closely with Waterwise, an independent not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation who are spearheading the Water Literacy Training Pilot, which aims to equip professionals with the knowledge and tools to play their part in tackling water sc...
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordMarine Protected Areas: Bottom TrawlingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 25 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115916More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to introduce measures to manage bottom trawl fishing in the 41 English marine protected areas consulted on in 2025; and if she will set out a timeframe for
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Ely and East Cambridgeshire on 13 November 2025, PQ 88509.
Answered 4 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: AppealsTreasuryTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112027More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing businesses to continue paying rates based on the previous year's valuation where a newly determined business rates valuation is under
Answer: If customers disagree with their Rateable Value (as published in the Rating Lists), there is a three-stage process run by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) known as Check, Challenge, Appeal to challenge this. Ratepayers are required to continue paying bus...
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110281More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2026 to UIN 105608, if he will publish the evidence on the application of the Remoteness Adjustment in the Fair Funding Review.
Answer: The government will apply the remoteness adjustment to the Adult Social Care Formula, but not to formulas more broadly. The government recognised in the Fair Funding Review 2.0 the case in principle for the impact of a remoteness adjustment on costs.The b...
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Security BenefitsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109453More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of families subject to the household benefit cap are blended families.
Answer: The information requested is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Answered 6 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordFirearms: LicensingHome OfficeTabled 20 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107298More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2026 to Question 104116 on Firearms Licensing, whether the government will set out a timeline for publication of the consultation on firearms licensing; and whethe
Answer: The Government will be publishing the public consultation paper on strengthening the controls on shotguns shortly.The Government will provide the necessary impact assessments in due course, depending on whether we decide to make any changes following the ...
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordAmmunition: IsraelTreasuryTabled 20 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107297More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC holds customs export data identifying exports of live munitions, including bullets or cartridges, from the United Kingdom to Israel; and whether such data distinguishes live munitions from training, spo
Answer: HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection of Customs declarations and the publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK.Data on ammunition exports does not distinguish between live ammunition and other form...
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordExports: AmmunitionDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 20 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107296More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2026 to Question 103110 on Exports: Ammunition, on what evidential basis the Minister stated that the Government does not licence the export of any bombs or ammunit
Answer: Licence applications for the export of controlled goods, including bombs and ammunition, are considered by the Export Control Joint Unit. Relevant teams, including technical experts and officials within DBT, FCDO and MOD, consider every application on a c...
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSecond Homes: Council TaxMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105978More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his department holds data outlining the Local Government Finance Settlement allocations for individual councils discounting second home premium council tax projections.
Answer: At the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026-27 to 2028-29 on 17 December 2025, we set out the funding available to councils through the longstanding Core Spending Power measure, which was calculated in line with the approach used at previo...
Answered 20 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSecond Homes: Council TaxMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105884More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to publish a revised local government finance settlement that excludes consideration of income received through second home council tax premiums.
Answer: At the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026-27 to 2028-29 on 17 December 2025, we set out the funding available to councils through the longstanding Core Spending Power measure, which was calculated in line with the approach used at previo...
Answered 20 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105608More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what data, analysis, and modelling did the Department use to determine the removal of the remoteness factor from the Area Cost Adjustment, and if the Government will publish or s
Answer: The government is committed to tackling the issues that matter to rural communities. In addition to including a remoteness adjustment in adult social care formulas, we are including a journey times adjustment, which aims to account for the impact of the d...
Answered 20 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
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