Lisa Smart MP: written questions 2025
413 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Social Security Benefits: AppealsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 18 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101510More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of mandatory reconsiderations on the (a) finances and (b) emotions of affected people; and how the Department is ensuring those reconsiderations are c
Answer: Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) offers claimants the opportunity to challenge decisions and provide additional information which may be relevant to their claim. Entitlement is usually from the date of claim, so if a decision is changed at MR, the amount aw...
Answered 8 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: PaymentsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98568More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the receipt of combined monthly benefit payments on claimants with (a) severe mental health conditions and (b) reduced capacity.
Answer: Universal Credit (UC) is designed to support people both in and out of work, using up to date information to assess UC entitlement each month, meaning that the benefit calculated accurately reflects the needs of the household. DWP understands that some cu...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordNeurology: Waiting ListsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97917More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of neurology waiting times on patients; and what steps his Department is taking to support NHS trusts in reducing routine neurology backlogs.
Answer: The Department recognises that long waits for neurology appointments can have a significant impact on patients, including delayed diagnosis, prolonged uncertainty, and potential deterioration in health and quality of life. Neurological conditions are ofte...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordFurniture: Fire PreventionDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97871More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the use of formaldehyde and other chemicals in fire retardants for furniture.
Answer: As set out in the policy paper the fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture, published in January 2025, we are reviewing the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (FFRs) with the aim of maintaining a high level of fire safety whi...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordContraceptives: ClinicsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96545More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to support GP practices in providing specialist in-house coil clinics, in the content of levels of staffing, clinic space, equipment and stock availability; and what step
Answer: The Government remains committed to ensuring equitable access to a range of contraceptive methods, including the coil.Under the GP Contract, contraceptive services are part of the essential services that practices must provide, either directly or by makin...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordWork Capability AssessmentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96494More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what service standards on timeliness are in place for making decisions on Work Capability Assessments; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce these waiting times.
Answer: The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) is one part of the process for making a UC or ESA benefit entitlement decision. Health Care Practitioners undertake the Work Capability Assessment and following this functional assessment make a recommendation to the d...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMyCSP: Telephone ServicesCabinet OfficeTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96456More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of call-handling capacity at MyCSP and what action is being taken to reduce waiting times for members seeking assistance.
Answer: As of Monday 1 December, MyCSP is no longer the contracted administrator for the Civil Service pension scheme. The new contract was awarded to Capita. To support the transition, Capita has employed an additional 194 staff over and above the workforce tran...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRoad WorksDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94903More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve oversight and coordination of road works undertaken by local authorities and utilities companies.
Answer: The Government supports lane rental as an effective measure to reduce congestion from the most disruptive works by incentivising better planning. It allows highway authorities to charge up to £2,500 per day for works on the busiest roads at peak times, in...
Answered 4 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordIncontinence: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 26 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94902More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a joined-up continence care pathway between the NHS, local authorities and care home providers to ensure residents receive appropriate and per
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan will shift care from hospital to community, and will thereby help to drive more joint working in neighborhoods between primary care, pharmacies, community health care, and social care to help people to manage continence at home, he...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAcademiesDepartment for EducationTabled 26 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94901More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of allowing academy trusts to prioritise feeder schools within their own trust on the distances that children travel to school.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member for Hazel Grove to the answer of 28 November 2025 to Question 92797.
Answered 5 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordNeurodiversity: Patient Choice SchemesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 26 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94900More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that patients receiving (a) ADHD and (b) autism treatment through the Right to Choose pathway receive safe and uninterrupted care when GPs are unable to accept sha
Answer: Shared care within the National Health Service refers to an arrangement whereby a specialist doctor formally transfers responsibility for all or some aspects of their patient’s care, such as prescription of medication, over to the patient’s general practi...
Answered 3 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordNeurodiversity: Mental Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 26 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94899More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has considered a national workforce strategy to retain ADHD and autism clinicians within NHS services.
Answer: The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has t...
Answered 3 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordFireworks: RegulationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94354More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to meet with fireworks industry stakeholders, such as Fireworks Impact Coalition, to discuss the potential merits of a comprehensive review of current fireworks legislation
Answer: The Government has made no assessment to determine if the 120 dB noise limit is sufficiently protecting animals and vulnerable people from harm. The Government is continuing to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities, including those support...
Answered 3 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordNoise: Pollution ControlDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94353More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department conducted to determine if the 120 dB noise limit is sufficiently protecting animals and vulnerable people from harm.
Answer: The Government has made no assessment to determine if the 120 dB noise limit is sufficiently protecting animals and vulnerable people from harm. The Government is continuing to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities, including those support...
Answered 3 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAcademies: AdmissionsDepartment for EducationTabled 19 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92797More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether any assessment has been made of the potential impact of allowing academy trusts to prioritise feeder schools within their own trust in their admissions policy on the average distance that children have
Answer: The School Admissions Code permits a trust naming another school in the trust as a feeder school. As with any selection of a feeder school, the trust must ensure that the named school is chosen on reasonable grounds, and the arrangements must be lawful an...
Answered 28 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRoad Works: Small BusinessesDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92082More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing compensation schemes for small businesses affected by prolonged or disruptive roadworks.
Answer: The Government remains committed to supporting small businesses across the country and helping them thrive. While we recognise the importance of minimising disruption, essential works do need to take place from time to time, and many businesses will ultim...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFireworks: RegulationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91648More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to hold discussions with (a) fireworks industry stakeholders, such as Fireworks Impact Coalition, and (b) animal welfare focused charities on the adequacy of fireworks legi
Answer: Building on the work of my predecessor, I will continue to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on fireworks-related issues.The insights from these discussions, as well as other evidence gathered on the impact of firewo...
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFireworks: RegulationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91647More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to review the adequacy of fireworks legislation to determine whether it is fit for purpose and protects animals and vulnerable people.
Answer: Building on the work of my predecessor, I will continue to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on fireworks-related issues.The insights from these discussions, as well as other evidence gathered on the impact of firewo...
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: AdmissionsDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88917More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of feeder schools taking priority in school admissions on the average distance that pupils have to travel to school.
Answer: It is for admission authorities to set the oversubscription criteria which are most suitable for their schools according to their local circumstances. The School Admissions Code allows admission authorities to give priority within their oversubscription c...
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordSewers: Private SectorDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 5 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88436More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has considered streamlining adoption processes for (a) sewers and (b) drainage systems where (i) easements and (ii) multiple landownerships delay adoption by wat
Answer: Almost all private sewers, lateral drains, and pumping stations built before 2011 should have been adopted by water companies. In cases where adoption has not occurred, householders are advised to contact Ofwat. The Government is committed to using legisl...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: Sewers and Unadopted RoadsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 5 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88435More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to reduce the time taken for the adoption of (a) highways and (b) drainage infrastructure on completed housing developments.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 81305 on 24 October 2025.
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordProperty Development: InsolvencyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 5 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88434More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to support (a) local authorities and (b) residents where housing developments cannot be adopted because developers have gone into liquidation.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 81305 on 24 October 2025.
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordCriminal InvestigationHome OfficeTabled 5 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88433More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to update guidance for police forces on the investigation of (a) false and (b) malicious allegations as potential criminal offences.
Answer: Section 5 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 sets out that wasting police time is a criminal offence, which includes by knowingly making a false report.Furthermore, the Common Law offence of perverting the course of justice could also be considered by police an...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: Care LeaversMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 5 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88432More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to review housing allocation guidance to ensure that care leavers’ (a) welfare and (b) community ties are taken into account when determining (i) local connectio
Answer: Local authorities have discretion to manage their housing registers (waiting lists) and are free to develop solutions that make best use of their social housing stock. Many local authorities have adopted a residency or local connection test for social hou...
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: Care LeaversMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 5 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88431More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that care leavers are able to remain in areas they have (a) links to and (b) family connections in.
Answer: Local authorities have discretion to manage their housing registers (waiting lists) and are free to develop solutions that make best use of their social housing stock. Many local authorities have adopted a residency or local connection test for social hou...
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
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