Kirsty Blackman MP: written questions
68 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Childminding: Tax AllowancesTreasuryTabled 20 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 113770More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate HMRC has made of the number of childminders who will leave the profession as a result of the removal of the wear and tear allowance when they start using the digital tax system.
Answer: Childminders make a significant contribution to children’s development, learning, and wellbeing. The Government has eased rules on working from schools and community centres and increased early years funding rates above 2023 average fees. These increases ...
Answered 27 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordScience and Discovery Centres: FinanceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 20 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 113687More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Science and Discovery Centres have access to central Government funding streams, including eligibility for Department for Culture, Med
Answer: The Government recognises the contribution of Science and Discovery Centres to inspiring young people to pursue STEM interests and careers. Where they carry out research, Science Discovery Centres are eligible to apply for funding through UK Research and ...
Answered 12 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordScience and Discovery CentresDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 20 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 113686More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when she plans to write to the Science and Technology Committee in response to questions 50-52, on Science and Discovery Centres, in the oral evidence session of 3 December 2025.
Answer: The Government recognises the contribution of Science and Discovery Centres to inspiring young people to pursue STEM interests and careers. Where they carry out research, Science Discovery Centres are eligible to apply for funding through UK Research and ...
Answered 12 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordConversion TherapyWomen and EqualitiesTabled 10 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112135More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when she expects to publish the draft Conversion Practices Bill announced in the 2024 King's Speech.
Answer: This Government’s position is that conversion practices are abuse. Such practices have no place in society and must be stopped. We are absolutely committed to bringing forward a full trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices, starting with publishing ou...
Answered 26 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordUniversal CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 10 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112134More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what (a) number and (b) proportion of Universal Credit claimants have income levels above the income tax personal allowance.
Answer: The requested information is provided below. a) In November 2025, 1.9 million people on UC had net earnings above £1047.50 (which is the £12,570 annual personal allowance divided by 12). This includes earnings from employment and self-employment. b) This ...
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordOverseas Students: GazaHome OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110772More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of issuing emergency visas to students in Gaza who have confirmed UK university places; and whether her Department has had recent discussions wit
Answer: The Government provided exceptional support to enable the departure of Chevening Scholars and fully funded scholarship students from Gaza, for students whose courses began before 31 December 2025. This support was for students who met the relevant require...
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordGaza: Overseas StudentsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110771More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of border arrangements in Gaza for supporting eligible students to travel to study in the UK.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 12 January in response to Question 103313.
Answered 13 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordGaza: Overseas StudentsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110770More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help support students in Gaza with confirmed offers from UK universities to come to the UK; and whether her Department has set a timeta
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 12 January in response to Question 103313.
Answered 13 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Licences: HealthDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110007More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the length of delays in the DVLA medical licensing process, particularly the time taken for applications to be reviewed by medical caseworkers after receipt;
Answer: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. However, driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer as they vary wid...
Answered 10 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordEqual Pay: Disability and Ethnic GroupsWomen and EqualitiesTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109111More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when she plans to publish the (a) evidence received from the consultation on how to implement mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for large employers, and (b) draft Equality (Race and Disabili
Answer: As set out in our manifesto and in the King’s Speech in July 2024, the government is committed to introducing mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for large employers and making the right to equal pay effective for ethnic minority and disa...
Answered 3 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordRace Equality Engagement GroupWomen and EqualitiesTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109110More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the Race Equality Engagement Group has published any (a) reports and (b) other documents since March 2025.
Answer: The Race Equality Engagement Group (REEG) held its first meeting in June 2025. On 25 September 2025 the REEG held its first thematic roundtable covering tackling the barriers to accessing finance and investment for ethnic minority entrepreneurs, and the P...
Answered 3 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordRace Equality Engagement GroupWomen and EqualitiesTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109109More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will list engagements that the Race Equality Engagement Group has had with (a) stakeholders and (b) community organisations since March 2025; and the output from these engagements.
Answer: The Race Equality Engagement Group (REEG) held its first meeting in June 2025. On 25 September 2025 the REEG held its first thematic roundtable covering tackling the barriers to accessing finance and investment for ethnic minority entrepreneurs, and the P...
Answered 3 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordPolitical Parties: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100362More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the independent review into foreign financial interference in UK politics will consider donations to individual (a) candidates and (b) politicians in addition to donation
Answer: The Rycroft review into foreign financial interference in UK politics will involve an in-depth assessment of current financial and bribery related rules and safeguards that regulate political parties and political finance. Those rules apply to candidates ...
Answered 19 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPoverty: ChildrenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99880More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of legally-binding child poverty reduction targets on cross-departmental coordination and prioritisation of resources.
Answer: Our Child Poverty Strategy fulfils our commitment to reducing poverty this Parliament and sets out our ambition to fundamentally fix the structural drivers of child poverty as part of a long-term, 10-year strategy for lasting change. From the beginning of...
Answered 19 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPoverty: ChildrenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99789More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what mechanisms are in place to ensure ministerial accountability to Parliament for progress on child poverty reduction.
Answer: We want to see an enduring reduction in child poverty over this parliament as part of long-term, 10-year strategy for lasting change.The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, published alongside the Strategy, sets out how we will track progress and evaluat...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPoverty: ChildrenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99788More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to set child poverty and deep poverty reduction targets at the start of each Parliament.
Answer: Our Child Poverty Strategy fulfils our commitment to reducing poverty this Parliament and sets out our ambition to fundamentally fix the structural drivers of child poverty as part of a long-term, 10-year strategy for lasting change. From the beginning of...
Answered 19 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPoverty: ChildrenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99787More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria his Department intends to use to evaluate progress towards the Child Poverty Strategy’s headline metrics.
Answer: We want to see an enduring reduction in child poverty over this parliament as part of long-term, 10-year strategy for lasting change.The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, published alongside the Strategy, sets out how we will track progress and evaluat...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPoverty: ChildrenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99786More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing statutory targets for reducing child poverty and deep poverty through the Child Poverty Strategy.
Answer: Our Child Poverty Strategy fulfils our commitment to reducing poverty this Parliament and sets out our ambition to fundamentally fix the structural drivers of child poverty as part of a long-term, 10-year strategy for lasting change. From the beginning of...
Answered 19 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordTaxation: Fossil FuelsTreasuryTabled 28 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 95391More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she received representations from Anas Sarwar MSP between 1 July 2025 and 27 November 2025 on the windfall tax on oil and gas companies.
Answer: The government receives representations from a wide range of stakeholders on the budget, including those from Scottish Labour.
Answered 3 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Expenditure: ScotlandTreasuryTabled 27 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 95053More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what correspondence she has received from Anas Sarwar MSP between 1 July 2025 and 26 November 2025 on (a) the Budget and (b) the decision to allocate £820 million to the Scottish Government over the Spending review
Answer: The government listens to a wide range of representations to help shape the Budget, including those from Scottish Labour.
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Expenditure: ScotlandTreasuryTabled 27 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 95052More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Budget Statement of 26 November 2025, what was the evidential basis for the decision to allocate £820 million to the Scottish Government over the Spending review period through the Barnett form
Answer: The additional funding referenced is a result of the operation of the Barnett formula based on the decisions taken at the Autumn Budget.
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPensions: SurveysDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93727More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his answer of 20 November to Question 91350, whether his predecessor was provided with DWP research report no. 447 “Evaluation of Automatic State Pension Forecasts”.
Answer: Ministers were informed of the relevance of report no. 447 and then provided with the full report in November 2025. We have decided to retake the decision as this report (no. 447) was not considered at the time of the original decision and was not shared ...
Answered 27 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPensions: SurveysDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93726More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer of 20 November to Question 91351, when he was first provided with DWP research report no. 447 “Evaluation of Automatic State Pension Forecasts”.
Answer: Ministers were informed of the relevance of report no. 447 and then provided with the full report in November 2025. We have decided to retake the decision as this report (no. 447) was not considered at the time of the original decision and was not shared ...
Answered 27 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: WomenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93725More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his answer of 20 November 2025 to Question 91352, whether he can cite, excepting DWP research report no.434 "Attitudes to pensions: the 2006 survey", which other "research from 2006",
Answer: In her Oral Statement of 17 December 2024, the research from 2006 referenced by the former Secretary of State was the "Attitudes to pensions: the 2006 survey" Research Report no. 434. Research Report no.434 was published in 2007 but includes ana...
Answered 27 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordImmigrationHome OfficeTabled 24 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93724More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Oral Statement of 20 November 2025 on A Fairer Pathway to Settlement (Official Report, Vol.775, c.889-891), whether equalities impact assessments have been made for (a) the decis
Answer: The new earned settlement model outlined in A Fairer Pathway to Settlement has been subject to an equality impact assessment. Equality impact assessments are kept under regular review.
Answered 27 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
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