Lisa Smart MP: written questions 2025
413 published records · newest first.
Written questions
British NationalityHome OfficeTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54438More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the guidance entitled Nationality: good character requirement, published on 11 February 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to the good c
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answers I gave on 3 April to Question 40163, and on 25 February to Question 31371.
Answered 6 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordEmpty Property: Business PremisesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 20 May 2025AnsweredUIN 53698More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing measures to support the redevelopment of vacant commercial properties into affordable housing
Answer: The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that substantial weight should be given to the value of using suitable brownfield land within settlements, including bringing back into residential use empty homes and the development of under-utilised la...
Answered 28 May 2025
Original Parliament recordRefugees: FamiliesHome OfficeTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52733More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions her Department has had with the charity sector on changes to refugee family reunion rules.
Answer: The Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues, including family reunion, further details of which will be set out in due course.
Answered 23 May 2025
Original Parliament recordImmigration Controls: English LanguageHome OfficeTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52732More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's White Paper entitled Restoring Control over the Immigration System, published on 12 May 2025, what level of English language proficiency people applying for refugee
Answer: The Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues, including family reunion, further details of which will be set out in due course.
Answered 23 May 2025
Original Parliament recordRefugees: FamiliesHome OfficeTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52731More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to family reunion rules on the number of refugees taking dangerous journeys.
Answer: The Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues, including family reunion, further details of which will be set out in due course.
Answered 23 May 2025
Original Parliament recordParking Offences: FinesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52360More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether they will consider introducing a requirement for companies issuing parking tickets by post to use signed-for delivery services in order to provide proof of receipt.
Answer: The government is aware of concerns regarding the poor practises on some parking operators. The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 places a duty on the Government to prepare a Code of Practice containing guidance about the operation and management of pri...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: StandardsHome OfficeTabled 14 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52359More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the time taken to process visa applications.
Answer: Visa processing times are published on the UKVI website at Visa decision waiting times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Visa decision waiting times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). UKVI are currently processing appl...
Answered 22 May 2025
Original Parliament recordMortgages: CompetitionTreasuryTabled 13 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52017More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to support people in switching to more affordable mortgage products.
Answer: According to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the vast majority of borrowers switch within 6 months of the end of an introductory deal. However, the Government understands the challenges facing mortgage borrowers that struggle to switch to new loans...
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordMortgages: CompetitionTreasuryTabled 13 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52016More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of homeowners who are unable to switch to a cheaper mortgage due to changes in the (a) lending regulations and (b) policies of their current lender.
Answer: According to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the vast majority of borrowers switch within 6 months of the end of an introductory deal. However, the Government understands the challenges facing mortgage borrowers that struggle to switch to new loans...
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordInternet: SafetyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51540More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he expects Ofcom to publish updates on the (a) progress and (b) outcomes of the investigations conducted by the online safety small but risky taskforce.
Answer: The Government has regular meetings with Ofcom on matters relating to online safety, including on how it will enforce against non-compliant providers.Ofcom established the Small but Risky (SBR) task force to address the unique risks posed by these service...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordInternet: SafetyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51539More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many online platforms the Ofcom online safety small, but risky, taskforce has engaged with to date.
Answer: The Government has regular meetings with Ofcom on matters relating to online safety, including on how it will enforce against non-compliant providers.Ofcom established the Small but Risky (SBR) task force to address the unique risks posed by these service...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordInternet: SafetyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51538More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what criteria is used by Ofcom's online safety small but risky, taskforce to identify which online platforms pose a sufficient risk to warrant (a) engagement, (b) investigation and (c)
Answer: The Government has regular meetings with Ofcom on matters relating to online safety, including on how it will enforce against non-compliant providers.Ofcom established the Small but Risky (SBR) task force to address the unique risks posed by these service...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordInternet: SafetyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51537More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with Ofcom on which external stakeholders have been consulted by Ofcom's online safety small but risky taskforce.
Answer: The Government has regular meetings with Ofcom on matters relating to online safety, including on how it will enforce against non-compliant providers.Ofcom established the Small but Risky (SBR) task force to address the unique risks posed by these service...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordInternet: SafetyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51536More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many staff are currently deployed as part of Ofcom's online safety small but risky taskforce.
Answer: The Government has regular meetings with Ofcom on matters relating to online safety, including on how it will enforce against non-compliant providers.Ofcom established the Small but Risky (SBR) task force to address the unique risks posed by these service...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordGender Dysphoria: Children and Young PeopleDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51535More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will list the dates on which patients who were invited to a first appointment for NHS Children and Young People's Gender Services in April 2025 were first referred, broken down by each servic
Answer: Data is not collected in this format. The most recent figures show that the number of children and young people on the waiting list for gender services is 6,225.
Answered 2 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: RecruitmentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51178More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support the employment of qualified counsellors in paid roles within mental health services.
Answer: The Department welcomes the appointment of qualified counsellors to roles within National Health Service mental health services. However, employment decisions are for individual employers, and we would expect any such appointments to be based on the succe...
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPostal Services: Universal Service ObligationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 9 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51177More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he has taken to hold Royal Mail accountable when local delivery services fall below the standard expected under its regulatory obligations.
Answer: It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to set and monitor Royal Mail’s service standards, and to decide how to use its powers to investigate and take enforcement action.In December 2024, following its investigation of Royal Mail...
Answered 16 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPostal Services: Universal Service ObligationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 9 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51176More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment his Department has made of Royal Mail’s compliance with its Universal Service Obligation in areas experiencing delivery delays of 7 to 10 days between mail deliveries.
Answer: It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to set and monitor Royal Mail’s service standards, and to decide how to use its powers to investigate and take enforcement action.In December 2024, following its investigation of Royal Mail...
Answered 16 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPre-school Education: Special Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 8 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50954More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of local authority funded early years places for children with SEND under the age of 9 months.
Answer: The department does not fund places for children under the age of nine months. This is because the earliest a child can take up their government-funded place is the term after a child turns nine months old.
Answered 29 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPre-school Education: Communication SkillsDepartment for EducationTabled 2 May 2025AnsweredUIN 49979More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the long-term development of (a) speech, (b) language and (c) social skills for early years children.
Answer: Substantial work has been conducted on the impact of the pandemic on child development and the department recognises the impact of the pandemic on critical speech, language and social skills.That is why, as part of the early years education recovery progr...
Answered 13 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPre-school Education: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 2 May 2025AnsweredUIN 49978More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding her Department is providing to early years providers to help meet increases in staffing costs.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member for Hazel Grove to the answer of 23 April 2025 to Question 42009.
Answered 28 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPre-school Education: Business Rates and Employers' ContributionsDepartment for EducationTabled 2 May 2025AnsweredUIN 49977More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the increase in (a) business rates and (b) employer National Insurance contributions on the early years sector.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member for Hazel Grove to the answer of 23 April 2025 to Question 42009.
Answered 28 May 2025
Original Parliament recordLeisure: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 May 2025AnsweredUIN 49976More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of public funding for local leisure facilities.
Answer: The Department works closely with local government and other government departments to understand specific demand and cost pressures facing local government on an ongoing basis. This involves looking at a range of cost and demand data, as well as regular ...
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: PayDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 May 2025AnsweredUIN 49975More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of recent reductions in NHSP overtime pay rates on the NHS's ability to meet (a) existing and (b) projected patient demand.
Answer: The Department has not made this specific assessment.NHS Professionals Ltd (NHSP) is a company, wholly owned by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, providing temporary staffing services to National Health Service trust cl...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordNurses: PayDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 May 2025AnsweredUIN 49974More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of recent reductions in NHSP overtime pay rates for Band 5 nurses on NHS staff (a) retention and (b) morale.
Answer: NHS Professionals, a limited company wholly owned by the Department, contracts on an arm’s length basis with National Health Service trusts to provide flexible workforce solutions, including managed bank services and its National Bank offering.Shifts made...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament record
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