Julian Smith MP: written questions
103 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Dogs: Animal WelfareDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 34839More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure all dog rescue organisations adhere to a standardised national framework for the safe rehoming of dogs.
Answer: Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, any person responsible for an animal, whether on a permanent or temporary basis, has a duty to ensure the welfare of the animals in their care. Companion animal rescue and rehoming organisations in England and Wales must...
Answered 10 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordResearch: FinanceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31926More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Government backs UK R&D with record £20.4 billion investment at Autumn Budget, published on 31 October 2024, when he plans to p
Answer: The Autumn Budget set out the government’s funding plans and departmental allocations for R&D in 2025/26, with an overall R&D budget of £20.4 billion. Of this, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology was allocated £13.9 billion for 2...
Answered 3 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: Health ServicesMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30063More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of numbers of medical appointments on the medical readiness of serving personnel; and what steps he is taking to ensure timely access to primary hea
Answer: The Defence Medical Services (DMS) provide primary healthcare for Armed Forces personnel and entitled families. Patients registered with DMS have good access to primary care. Urgent primary care appointments are available within one working day in 99% of ...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordOffenders: DeportationHome OfficeTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30062More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people are currently in custody who have exhausted all rights of appeal and have signed deportation orders but have not yet been deported; and what steps her Department is taking to expedite
Answer: The number of individuals who simultaneously fall into all these categories cannot be readily obtained from available data, and such a snapshot exercise could only be conducted for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordDrugs: InternetDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28938More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with internet service providers and with national and international partners on steps taken to prevent unlicensed medicines from entering the UK.
Answer: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), acting on behalf of my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, is responsible for the regulation of all medicines and medical devices in the United Kingdom, by ensu...
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordLead: ContaminationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27858More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 14 November 2024 to Question 13215 on Lead: Contamination, when the review of lead in food (a) commenced and (b) plans to report.
Answer: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is reviewing dietary lead as part of its ongoing risk analysis of environmental contaminants in food, including in areas with higher exposure. Scoping work has begun to identify the additional evidence needed, including pla...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordLead: ContaminationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27857More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2024 to Question 6209 on Lead: Contamination, whether he has had recent discussions with the Environment Agency on the Water and Abandoned Metal Mi
Answer: Defra works closely with the Environment Agency to ensure it is equipped to carry out its functions effectively and deliver for the public and the environment; this includes its work to reduce pollution from abandoned metal mines.
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordLead: Health HazardsTreasuryTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27856More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she hold discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of lead exposure on trends in the level of gross domestic product.
Answer: The Treasury works closely with other government departments to manage risks to the UK economy and support economic stability, an essential foundation for long-run economic growth. This includes collaboration with colleagues from the Cabinet Office Civil ...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: LeadMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27855More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussion has she had with the Housing Ombudsman on the potential merits of a pilot testing scheme on for lead in UK housing stock.
Answer: Government has regular dialogue with The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and other professional bodies in the built environment to ensure that the services their members provide uphold the highest ethical and technical standards for consum...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: LeadMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27854More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Housing Ombudsman on testing for (a) lead contamination and (b) risk in housing.
Answer: Government has regular dialogue with The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and other professional bodies in the built environment to ensure that the services their members provide uphold the highest ethical and technical standards for consum...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordLead: Health HazardsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27853More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions has she had with the Chief Medical Officer on the potential merits of the inclusion of lead testing in early years medical screening for children.
Answer: Government has regular dialogue with The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and other professional bodies in the built environment to ensure that the services their members provide uphold the highest ethical and technical standards for consum...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordLeadMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27852More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions has she had with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors RICS on the inclusion of lead hazards in communications to its members.
Answer: Government has regular dialogue with The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and other professional bodies in the built environment to ensure that the services their members provide uphold the highest ethical and technical standards for consum...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: SurveyingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27851More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors on the potential merits of amending its single survey property inspection technical guidance to inc
Answer: Government has regular dialogue with The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and other professional bodies in the built environment to ensure that the services their members provide uphold the highest ethical and technical standards for consum...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordBuildings: LeadMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27850More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with he Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors on the inclusion of questions on (a) lead pipes and (b) paint in its vendor liaison checklist.
Answer: Government has regular dialogue with The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and other professional bodies in the built environment to ensure that the services their members provide uphold the highest ethical and technical standards for consum...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordBuildings: LeadMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27849More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions has she had with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors on the inclusion of tests for (a) lead paint, and (b) sampling of (i) dust and (ii) for lead in its
Answer: Government has regular dialogue with The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and other professional bodies in the built environment to ensure that the services their members provide uphold the highest ethical and technical standards for consum...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: SurveyingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27519More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions has she had with Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyor on extending the Home Survey Standard to include (a) soil, (b) lead light windows, (c) decorative lead f
Answer: Government has regular dialogue with The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and other professional bodies in the built environment to ensure that the services their members provide uphold the highest ethical and technical standards for consum...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordHormone Treatments: SalesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27169More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to prevent health companies based overseas from selling hormone treatments online to people living in the UK.
Answer: In response to recommendations by the Commission on Human Medicines, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced an indefinite ban on gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues for new patients with gender dysphoria...
Answered 4 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordVaccination: ChildrenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23742More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to allow children who are (a) out of school and (b) in alternative provision to receive seasonal vaccinations that are otherwise provided on school premises.
Answer: The Government is committed to protecting those most at risk from vaccine preventable diseases through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. This includes the offer of a seasonal flu vaccine to children...
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordExtended ServicesDepartment for EducationTabled 9 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 22904More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to support local authorities to provide activities which promote children’s (a) health, (b) wellbeing and (c) learning during school holidays.
Answer: Departmental budgets for 2025/26 will be confirmed in due course, including the exact funding available for this type of support for children, young people and families during the holidays.
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordLead: ContaminationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13215More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Food Standards Agency's planned review of dietary lead will consider the extent of contamination up to 100 kilometres downstream of historical lead mining sites.
Answer: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is planning to review dietary lead as part of its rolling programme of risk analysis of environmental contaminants in food. This will include consideration of areas where exposure is likely to be higher. Scoping work has st...
Answered 14 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordLead: ContaminationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13214More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Food Standards Agency is taking to (a) assess and (b) mitigate the risk of lead contamination in (i) allotments and (ii) other food growing areas located on floodplains downstream of
Answer: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is planning to review dietary lead as part of its rolling programme of risk analysis of environmental contaminants in food. This will include consideration of areas where exposure is likely to be higher. Scoping work has st...
Answered 14 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordLead: ContaminationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13213More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate the Food Standards Agency has made of the risk of lead contamination in (a) silage and (b) animal feed produced on floodplains downstream of historical lead mining sites.
Answer: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is planning to review dietary lead as part of its rolling programme of risk analysis of environmental contaminants in food. This will include consideration of areas where exposure is likely to be higher. Scoping work has st...
Answered 14 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordWater: PollutionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 8 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13212More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to update its policy guidance on metal mine pollution to reflect the primary risk from sediment contamination in river channels and floodplains.
Answer: There is no specific policy guidance on metal mine pollution. The Environment Agency (EA) considers the primary risk from abandoned metal mines to be pollution of rivers and estuaries, with around 1,500km of rivers polluted by metals. The government has a...
Answered 20 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordLead: ContaminationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 8 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13211More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his department has made of the potential changes to the level of risk of lead contamination from flooding events due to climate change in areas downstream of historical l
Answer: Environment Agency (EA) monitoring indicates that climate change could potentially increase the mass (kg/day) of metals washed into rivers from historic metal mines. Erosion of spoil heaps during storm events can increase the mobilisation of metals into r...
Answered 22 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordLead: ContaminationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 8 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13210More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the extent of sediment-associated lead contamination in (a) river channels and (b) floodplains downstream of historical lead mines; and if he w
Answer: In 2008, the Environment Agency (EA) published the report: Assessment of metal mining contaminated river sediments in England and Wales - GOV.UK. The report brought together all available information on metal concentrations in river sediments, riverbanks ...
Answered 28 Nov 2024
Original Parliament record
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