Lisa Smart MP: written questions 2025
413 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Migraines: EmploymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43133More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to raise awareness of the impact of migraines in the workplace.
Answer: The Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Health and Social Care are committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including people with migraines, with their employment journey. The Disability Confident Scheme e...
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHonoursCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42632More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the average time taken to process nominations for national honours.
Answer: Processing the large number of nominations for national honours can be lengthy but it is critical to ensure the integrity of national honours is maintained. Verifying information about nominees can take time to ensure the independent process has been comp...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCounselling: RegulationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42626More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent people without accreditation from offering paid counselling services.
Answer: There are no current plans to extend statutory regulation to therapists and counsellors, and no recent assessment has been made of the potential impact of the lack of statutory regulation on patient safety.When considering which professions should be prot...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCounselling and Psychiatry: RegulationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42625More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to introduce statutory regulation for (a) counsellors and (b) psychotherapists to help ensure minimum standards of (i) training, (ii) supervision and (iii) professional conduc
Answer: There are no current plans to extend statutory regulation to therapists and counsellors, and no recent assessment has been made of the potential impact of the lack of statutory regulation on patient safety.When considering which professions should be prot...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCounselling and Psychiatry: RegulationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42624More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of levels of statutory regulation of (a) counsellors and (b) psychotherapists on patient safety.
Answer: There are no current plans to extend statutory regulation to therapists and counsellors, and no recent assessment has been made of the potential impact of the lack of statutory regulation on patient safety.When considering which professions should be prot...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSpeed Limits: CamerasDepartment for TransportTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42616More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's guidance entitled Using speed and red-light cameras for traffic enforcement: deployment, visibility and signing, published on 31 January 2007, what recent assessment her Depar
Answer: The Department for Transport has not made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of the criteria for the placement of fixed speed cameras in reducing (a) speeding and (b) road collisions. While the speed camera guidance does include criteria for placeme...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSpeed Limits: CamerasDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42355More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to update guidance on the deployment of fixed speed cameras to allow their proactive use.
Answer: Measures to address speeding will be considered for inclusion within the forthcoming road safety strategy. The Department for Transport guidance on ‘Using speed and red-light cameras for traffic enforcement: deployment, visibility and signing’ notes that ...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordWindrush CommissionerHome OfficeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41918More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to mandate the Windrush Commissioner to report regularly to (a) Parliament (b) the Home Affairs Committee.
Answer: The Windrush Commissioner will provide independent scrutiny, challenge and advice to the Home Secretary and Ministers, ensuring the lessons from Windrush are applied across the Home Office and are acted on throughout government.As the Windrush Commissione...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordWindrush CommissionerHome OfficeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41917More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what mechanisms her Department will put in place to ensure the Windrush Commissioner’s (a) advice and (b) recommendations to the Government are promptly acted upon.
Answer: The Windrush Commissioner will provide independent scrutiny, challenge and advice to the Home Secretary and Ministers, ensuring the lessons from Windrush are applied across the Home Office and are acted on throughout government.As the Windrush Commissione...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Bodies: Disclosure of InformationCabinet OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41606More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his planned timetable is to establish a duty of candour for public servants.
Answer: The Government remains committed to implement a ‘Hillsborough Law’ which will place a legal duty of candour on public servants and authorities. The details of this Bill will be announced in due course.
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41605More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has plans to restore the core schools budget to 2010 in real terms.
Answer: Overall core revenue funding for schools totals almost £61.6 billion for the 2024/25 financial year. The overall core schools budget (CSB) is increasing by £3.2 billion in 2025/26, meaning the CSB will total over £64.8 billion.The latest schools funding s...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordWindrush CommissionerHome OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41568More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she considered the potential merits of consulting the Windrush scandal's (a) victims and (b) victims' representatives in determining the role specification of the Windrush Commissioner.
Answer: The Windrush Commissioner will be a public appointee, operating independently of the Home Office to serve as an advocate and trusted voice for victims, families and impacted communities affected by the Home Office Windrush Scandal. They will provide indep...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordWindrush CommissionerHome OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41567More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure the the independence of the Windrush Commissioner in terms of (a) appointment, (b) resourcing and (c) reporting mechanisms.
Answer: The Windrush Commissioner will be a public appointee, operating independently of the Home Office to serve as an advocate and trusted voice for victims, families and impacted communities affected by the Home Office Windrush Scandal. They will provide indep...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordWindrush CommissionerHome OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41566More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Windrush Commissioner will have the authority to compel responses from government departments or agencies in the course of their work.
Answer: The Windrush Commissioner will be a public appointee, operating independently of the Home Office to serve as an advocate and trusted voice for victims, families and impacted communities affected by the Home Office Windrush Scandal. They will provide indep...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordWindrush CommissionerHome OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41565More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what metrics will be used to assess the effectiveness of the Windrush Commissioner in assuring delivery of the Windrush Compensation Scheme.
Answer: The Windrush Commissioner will be a public appointee, operating independently of the Home Office to serve as an advocate and trusted voice for victims, families and impacted communities affected by the Home Office Windrush Scandal. They will provide indep...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordWindrush CommissionerHome OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41564More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Windrush Commissioner will have (a) statutory powers of investigation and (b) access to Home Office data to fulfil their role independently.
Answer: The Windrush Commissioner will be a public appointee, operating independently of the Home Office to serve as an advocate and trusted voice for victims, families and impacted communities affected by the Home Office Windrush Scandal. They will provide indep...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordArts: FinanceDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40834More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 13614 on Arts: Finance, what progress her Department has made on ensuring that artists and creators are appropriately remunerated for the us
Answer: This government is committed to ensuring that all creators receive the recognition, respect, and fair compensation they rightfully deserve for their work, while also fostering an environment that enables the creative industries to flourish, innovate, and ...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMusic Venues: Greater ManchesterDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40833More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support grassroots music venues in Greater Manchester.
Answer: The government is urging the live music industry to introduce a voluntary levy on tickets for stadium and arena shows, to help safeguard the future of the grassroots music sector. We welcome steps taken by industry to set up a charitable trust to distribu...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Work and Pensions: Working HoursDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40832More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of four-day working weeks.
Answer: While the government continues to monitor the impact of flexible working, it has made no assessment of the four-day week specifically. Additionally, the government has no plans to mandate a four-day week, however, through the Employment Rights Bill we are...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: Greater ManchesterDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40831More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase recruitment in NHS mental health services in Greater Manchester.
Answer: As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future, we will recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers nationally to reduce wait times and provide faster treatment. To ensure the NHS has the right people, in the ri...
Answered 2 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEmployment: Visual ImpairmentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40828More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support visually impaired people in the workplace.
Answer: Appropriate work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. The DWP & DHSC are committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, inc...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordParental Leave: ReviewsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40825More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress has been made on the upcoming parental leave review; and if he will make a statement.
Answer: The government has committed to review the parental leave system to ensure it best supports working families. Planning work is underway across government. Details of the timeline of the review will be shared in due course.
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordParental Leave: ReviewsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40369More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what his planned timetable for when the review of the parental leave system will report.
Answer: The government has committed to review the parental leave system to ensure it best supports working families. Planning work is underway across government. Details of the timeline of the review will be shared in due course.
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordParental Leave: ReviewsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40368More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress his Department has made on the upcoming parental leave review; and if he will make a statement.
Answer: The government has committed to review the parental leave system to ensure it best supports working families. Planning work is underway across government. Details of the timeline of the review will be shared in due course.
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Rented Housing: Furniture PovertyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40318More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has had discussions with the Child Poverty Taskforce on (a) furnished tenancies and (b) the potential impact of the Decent Homes Standard on trends in the levels of f
Answer: The government will consult this year on a reformed Decent Homes Standard for the social and private rented sectors. The Deputy Prime Minister is part of the ministerial Child Poverty Taskforce, which is aiming to publish a Child Poverty Strategy. As part...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
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