Luke Akehurst MP: written questions
49 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Swimming and Water: CurriculumDepartment for EducationTabled 7 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27840More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to review the statutory swimming and water safety requirements in the National Curriculum.
Answer: The current PE national curriculum requires all primary pupils to be taught to swim competently and confidently over 25 metres, use a range of strokes effectively, and perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.The government accepted th...
Answered 15 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordVictim Support Schemes: Rural AreasMinistry of JusticeTabled 3 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27083More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the level of the barriers to accessing support services for victims of crime who live in rural communities.
Answer: The Ministry of Justice is investing £550 million in victim support services over the next three years – the biggest investment in these services to date. We will be increasing funding for victim support services year on year, from 2026 to 2029, recognisi...
Answered 10 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordCrime: Rural AreasHome OfficeTabled 3 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27082More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of dedicated rural crime officers and rural crime coordinators on preventing and detecting crime in rural communities.
Answer: The Government recognises the significant impact that offences such as agricultural machinery theft and fuel theft can have on rural communities, farmers and businesses. While rural crime is not recorded as a distinct category within police recorded crime...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordCrime: Rural AreasHome OfficeTabled 3 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27081More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department holds on average police response times to incidents in rural areas by police force area in each of the last five years.
Answer: The Home Office does not currently hold a national dataset of average police response times to incidents in rural areas.The Home Secretary has been clear that she wants the Home Office to play a greater role in monitoring and improving police performance....
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordCrime: Rural AreasHome OfficeTabled 3 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27080More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to improve cross-border intelligence sharing between police forces to help tackle rural crime.
Answer: The Government recognises the significant impact that offences such as agricultural machinery theft and fuel theft can have on rural communities, farmers and businesses. While rural crime is not recorded as a distinct category within police recorded crime...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordAgricultural Machinery and Fuels: TheftHome OfficeTabled 3 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27079More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of recent trends in (a) agricultural machinery theft and (b) fuel theft affecting rural communities.
Answer: The Government recognises the significant impact that offences such as agricultural machinery theft and fuel theft can have on rural communities, farmers and businesses. While rural crime is not recorded as a distinct category within police recorded crime...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordWaste: Organised CrimeHome OfficeTabled 3 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27078More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the adequacy of the level of protection provided to farmers and landowners who report organised wast
Answer: The Government recognises the impact that organised waste crime can have on farmers, landowners and local communities, including the challenges faced by those who come forward to report it.While the Home Secretary has not held recorded discussions with th...
Answered 11 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordWaste: CrimeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 27077More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria are used to determine eligibility for the Illegal Waste Site Clearance Scheme; and whether any sites in County Durham have been assessed for inclusion.
Answer: No sites in Durham, including North Durham, have been identified as high-priority sites and therefore assessed against the Waste Crime Action Plan clearance criteria. Sites are selected for the Illegal Waste Site Clearance Scheme based on operational risk...
Answered 10 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordLasers: WeaponsMinistry of DefenceTabled 1 Sept 2026Awaiting answerUIN 26254More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the funding allocated in the Defence Investment Plan to Directed Energy Weapons will be spent on (a) laser-directed energy weapons, including DragonFire, and (b) Radio Frequency Directed Energy
Answer: No published answer in this record yet.
Original Parliament recordSyria: Education and ReconstructionForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23591More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what arrangements his Department has put in place to monitor significant changes to the Syrian national curriculum; and how the findings of any monitoring will inform the UK'
Answer: Supporting the different groups in Syria is a UK priority which we promote through our humanitarian work and via our support to the education sector. The UK's 'Syria Education Programme' has delivered quality, inclusive education to over 980,000 primary a...
Answered 10 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordPalestine: EducationForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 23590More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information his Department holds regarding the independent audit of the revised Palestinian Authority curriculum, including the experts contracted and the scope of their
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 6 July to question HL1132.
Answered 10 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordUkraine: DefenceMinistry of DefenceTabled 14 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 18818More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to apply the Project Octopus model of manufacturing Ukrainian-designed systems in the UK to other capability areas, including electronic warfare and marine autonomy.
Answer: Project OCTOPUS is our first collaborative capability project with Ukraine under Programme LYRA, which the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy launched last June. Programme LYRA enables the bilateral exchange of battlefield technology and intellectual ...
Answered 21 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordUkraine: DefenceMinistry of DefenceTabled 14 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 18817More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support his Department provides to Ukrainian defence technology companies seeking to establish production facilities in the UK, including through initiatives including the UK/EU-Ukraine Defence Innovation Co
Answer: The UK is committed to deepening its defence industrial partnership with Ukraine, including by helping Ukrainian defence technology companies engage with UK industry, innovation networks, and potential routes to production, especially where these align wi...
Answered 22 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordUkraine: Small BusinessesMinistry of DefenceTabled 14 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 18816More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Kyiv Business Centre will be fully operational; and if he will set how UK SMEs will be able to access its services.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence has now placed a contract with Audere Group to deliver the Kyiv Business Centre. Initial operating capability is expected in summer 2026, with the Centre moving to full operating capability later in the year, aligned with wider UK-...
Answered 22 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordUkraine: DefenceMinistry of DefenceTabled 14 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 18815More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the defence technology export mechanism recently approved by the Government of Ukraine on UK defence companies; and what steps he is taking to support UK com
Answer: The Ministry of Defence continues to identify and exploit defence and industrial collaboration opportunities with Ukraine. Under our 100-Year Partnership, we are establishing stronger and closer defence cooperation both on a governmental and industrial ba...
Answered 22 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordElectronic Warfare and Unmanned Air Systems: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 14 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 18814More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Investment Plan published on 30 June 2026, what milestones have been set for the delivery of counter-drone and electromagnetic warfare capabilities.
Answer: The pace of technological innovation and development of uncrewed aerial systems means the threat is in a state of constant change. To keep pace with this rapid evolution of the threat, counter drone capability needs to focus on spiral development, flexibi...
Answered 22 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordUkraine: DefenceMinistry of DefenceTabled 14 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 18813More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the UK/EU-Ukraine Defence Innovation Corridor Parliamentary Roundtable held on 23 June 2026, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) procurement speed, (b) technology transfer between
Answer: Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, MOD Ministers and officials have maintained a continuous dialogue across government, the private sector, and with Ukrainian counterparts to enable UK industry to collaborate on and support Ukraine’s highest priorities. ...
Answered 22 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordRevenue and Customs: Criminal InvestigationTreasuryTabled 14 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 18812More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what mechanisms exist to ensure independent oversight of allegations of serious misconduct or criminality involving HMRC investigators, including compliance with referral requirements and the effectiveness of arrang
Answer: In England & Wales, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has the authority to investigate the most serious complaints and conduct matters in connection with the enforcement activities of HMRC. The statutory requirement for HMRC to refer su...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordRevenue and Customs: Criminal InvestigationTreasuryTabled 14 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 18811More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC has undertaken, or plans to undertake, any review of enforcement actions, civil penalties or criminal proceedings that may have been affected by concerns regarding the reliability, authorisation, proven
Answer: Evidence gathering within HMRC criminal investigations is subject to strict legal and procedural requirements as set out in legislation and related Codes of Practice and is in line with the standards expected across the Criminal Justice System.Decisions t...
Answered 17 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordRevenue and Customs: Criminal InvestigationTreasuryTabled 14 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 18810More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what measures are in place to ensure that forensic testing, intelligence, analytical methodologies and other evidence relied upon by HMRC in enforcement action and criminal proceedings are lawfully obtained and inde
Answer: Evidence gathering within HMRC criminal investigations is subject to strict legal and procedural requirements as set out in legislation and related Codes of Practice and is in line with the standards expected across the Criminal Justice System.Decisions t...
Answered 17 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordPolice: TechnologyHome OfficeTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17530More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support her Department is providing to police forces in adopting modern technologies to the identification of trends across complaints, misconduct, training, supervision and welfare data.
Answer: The Government does not determine which technology police forces procure or deploy. This is a matter for operationally independent Chief Constables, held accountable by directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners.The Home Office does recognise the imp...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordPolice: Artificial IntelligenceHome OfficeTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17529More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to equip police forces to identify patterns of misconduct, welfare issues, and organisational risks through analysis of existing workforce data.
Answer: The Government does not determine which technology police forces procure or deploy. This is a matter for operationally independent Chief Constables, held accountable by directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners.The Home Office does recognise the imp...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordPolice: Artificial IntelligenceHome OfficeTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17528More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential for artificial intelligence technology to allow police forces to securely integrate information from across agencies to identify risk and suppo
Answer: The Government does not determine which technology police forces procure or deploy. This is a matter for operationally independent Chief Constables, held accountable by directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners.The Home Office does recognise the imp...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordUndocumented MigrantsHome OfficeTabled 7 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 900978More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce illegal migration.
Answer: Last November, we announced the most significant reforms to the asylum system in a generation, and on 30 June introduced the Immigration and Asylum Bill to deliver them.We are already backing these reforms with action: by December 2025, returns had increa...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament record
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