Lewis Atkinson MP: written questions
20 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Prisoners: DrugsMinistry of JusticeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15026More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of his Department's report entitled Prison leavers in substance misuse treatment.
Answer: I refer the Honourable member to the answer I gave on 1 June 2026 to Question 2708: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-05-19/2708/.
Answered 14 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDrugs: CrimeHome OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15025More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent progress the Joint Combating Drugs Unit has made; and what policy work relating to combating drugs she is currently undertaking with other departments.
Answer: The Joint Combating Drugs Unit (JCDU) continues to work closely with departments to ensure we take a coordinated, whole-system approach to tackling drugs and drug-related harms.JCDU maintains strong cross-system governance at national level, supported by ...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordMusic: TicketsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 30 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 14464More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the introduction of a voluntary levy on stadium and arena live music tickets.
Answer: The Government has called for widespread adoption of the live music sector’s £1 voluntary ticket contribution to help safeguard the future of the grassroots music sector. We want to see the levy in place for as many stadium and arena shows in 2026 as poss...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDomestic AbuseHome OfficeTabled 16 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 10270More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of legislation addressing coercive and controlling behaviour in respect of capturing patterns of such behaviour occurring within groups, organisations or c
Answer: We know that controlling and coercive behaviour (CCB) is a particularly insidious form of abuse and recognise the long-term emotional and psychological distress it can cause.Controlling or coercive behaviour is an offence in the Serious Crime Act (2015). ...
Answered 24 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordBangladesh: Human Rights and Rule of LawForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8803More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of (a) respect for human rights and (b) the independence of the rule of law in Bangladesh in the past three months.
Answer: I met Prime Minister Rahman on 17 February and reinforced the UK's commitment to working with the Government of Bangladesh to advance democratic, economic and social reforms. I welcomed the peaceful and credible parliamentary elections held earlier that m...
Answered 18 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordEndometriosis: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8690More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of NHS specialist endometriosis care since the publication of the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England on 15 April 2026.
Answer: The Government acknowledges the challenges faced by women with endometriosis and the impact it has on their lives, their relationships and their participation in education and the workforce. We are committed to improving waiting times for diagnosis and tr...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHomelessness: Sunderland CentralMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 908627More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle the causes of homelessness in Sunderland Central constituency.
Answer: Our National Plan to End Homelessness sets out how we will tackle the root causes of homelessness across England, including a generational increase in new social and affordable homes backed by £39 billion investment and tackling poverty by scrapping the t...
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDrugs: Departmental ResponsibilitiesHome OfficeTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 116994More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she can list the (a) Ministerial responsibilities and (b) the responsibilities and reporting arrangements of any relevant cross-departmental units in relation to drugs policy.
Answer: The Joint Combating Drugs Unit (JCDU) is responsible for driving and co-ordinating efforts across Government to tackle drugs, working in close partnership with six departments – the Home Office, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Ministry of Ju...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordSexual Offences: TrialsMinistry of JusticeTabled 11 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112797More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average Crown Court waiting time is for sexual offences in England and (b) Northumbria Local Criminal Justice Board; and what steps he is taking to help reduce those waiting times.
Answer: Waiting time is the time that a defendant spends at the Crown Court before the main hearing starts (for example, the trial). The latest data to Q3 2025 shows that the median waiting time for sexual offences in England was 27 weeks and was 32 in the Northu...
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordSunderland Station: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for TransportTabled 5 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 907852More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the performance of Network Rail and Northern Trains in the refurbishment of Sunderland station.
Answer: Network Rail has apologised for the frustration and inconvenience caused to the people of Sunderland. It has conducted an investigation of the issues raised, and I am aware that Northern is working with the honourable member to improve various aspects of ...
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: StaffDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110911More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) retention of DVSA employed driving test examiners and (b) pay of DVSA driving test examiners in comparison to the earnings of private sector driving instr
Answer: To aid retention and to encourage existing driving examiners (DE) to stay in role, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is making an exceptional payment of £5,000 to DEs and eligible roles (divided into two payments) over the next 12 months. By ...
Answered 11 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: North EastDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110910More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) average and (b) longest waiting time was for a driving test in each of the the test centres in the North East region in each of the last ten years.
Answer: To aid retention and to encourage existing driving examiners (DE) to stay in role, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is making an exceptional payment of £5,000 to DEs and eligible roles (divided into two payments) over the next 12 months. By ...
Answered 11 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordHM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services: FinanceHome OfficeTabled 8 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104267More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of funding of HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.
Answer: His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) receives core funding from the Home Office.In 2025/26 HMICFRS is receiving £28m to enable it to carry out its statutory functions. Additional in-year funding is provided i...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordReserve Forces: RecruitmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 101891More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the suitability of the current upper age limits for former members of the Armed Forces seeking to join the Reserve Forces, in the context of the Government's plan to exp
Answer: Alongside delivering the Strategic Defence Review recommendations aimed at re-energising our relationship with, and increasing the strength of our Reserve Forces, we continue to review the policies and legislation which shape the Reserves landscape. This ...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: North EastDepartment for TransportTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94427More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average waiting time is for a driving test in (a) Sunderland and (b) neighbouring test centres; and how many additional driving examiners have been recruited to test centres in the North East since May
Answer: The table below shows the current average waiting time in weeks and the number of tests available at Sunderland, Gateshead, Gosforth and Durham driving test centres (DTC) as of 24 November 2025. Driving test centre (DTC) Average car practical driving te...
Answered 1 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: Community CareDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92660More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of NHS neighbourhood mental health service pilot sites; and how learning from those sites will be used to inform his Department's future policy on m
Answer: The six National Health Service neighbourhood mental health centres currently being piloted will bring together a range of community mental health services under one roof, including crisis services and short-stay beds. People with serious mental illness s...
Answered 27 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordProduction Methods: LabellingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88892More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of introducing method of production labelling to (a) the economy and (b) farm incomes.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Manchester Rusholme, Afzal Khan, on 20 October 2025, PQ UIN 78472.
Answered 13 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordOpioids: DeathDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78852More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of (a) the accuracy of officially reported numbers of opioid related deaths and (b) the potential implications for his policies.
Answer: The Department is aware of several limitations that apply to drug-related death statistics. These include the limitation that figures reported for specific substances are undercounts as it is not always possible to determine which drugs were involved from...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordUndocumented Migrants: International CooperationForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 26 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 905372More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with international partners to help tackle irregular migration to the UK.
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are taking on the serious, hard work needed to tackle the global problem of irregular migration. We are getting ready to return the first set of small boat arrivals under our groundbreaking returns deal wit...
Answered 2 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Illness: Community CareDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66679More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to routinely publish waiting time data for community adult mental health services.
Answer: Waiting time data for community adult mental health services is already routinely published. Since July 2023, NHS England has included waiting time metrics for referrals to community-based mental health services in its monthly mental health statistics pub...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
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