Luke Akehurst MP: written questions
240 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Television: Digital BroadcastingDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 20 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 114557More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the (a) one-off and (b) ongoing costs to households, including those with low incomes and in fuel poverty, of a switch-off of the digital terrestrial television netw
Answer: The Government recognises the vital role television plays in the lives of people across the UK and the impact that the discontinuation of digital terrestrial television may have on those at risk of digital and social exclusion, including those with low in...
Answered 2 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordFuture of TV Distribution Stakeholder ForumDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 20 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 114556More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent progress has the Future of TV Distribution Stakeholder Forum made.
Answer: The Future of TV Distribution Stakeholder Forum met 6 times times over the course of one year, to identify key issues, build the evidence base, and explore policy options. The Stakeholder Forum was supported by three working groups covering the TV sector,...
Answered 2 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordFrancesca AlbaneseForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 20 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 114367More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the UK will join France in calling for the resignation of UN special rapporteur for the Palestinian territories Ms. Francesca Albanese.
Answer: Along with several other countries, we have raised concerns about a series of comments made by the Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Ministers have raised these concerns directly with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, an...
Answered 4 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordIran: ElectionsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 20 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 114366More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the UK objected to the recent election of Abbas Tajik of Iran as a Vice-Chair to the Bureau for the sixty-fifth session of the UN's Commission for Social Development.
Answer: Iran put forward the only candidate so there was no vote.
Answered 26 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordNeurology: Health ProfessionsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112795More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increased funding and planning for the neurology workforce; and what steps his Department is taking to increase neurology specialty training p
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan, published on 3 July 2025, set out that over the next three years we will create 1,000 new specialty training posts with a focus on specialties where there is greatest need. The Government will set out its next steps on this in due...
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordNeurology: Health ProfessionsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112794More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the absence of a regular, comprehensive national workforce census on neurology workforce planning; and if he will commit to establishing such
Answer: No such assessment has been made. NHS England already publishes well-established official statistics on the medical neurology workforce, therefore there are no plans to introduce a census. The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan...
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordNeurology: Health ProfessionsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112793More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps is his Department taking to increase neurology specialty training posts and consultant neurologist numbers.
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan, published on 3 July 2025, set out that over the next three years we will create 1,000 new specialty training posts with a focus on specialties where there is greatest need. The Government will set out its next steps on this in due...
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordNeurology: Health ProfessionsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112792More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Association of British Neurologists’ Workforce Report 2025, which shows that the UK has approximately 1–2 consultan
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan, published on 3 July 2025, set out that over the next three years we will create 1,000 new specialty training posts with a focus on specialties where there is greatest need. The Government will set out its next steps on this in due...
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordPalestine: CurriculumForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110165More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the answer to Question 104985, whether the Government is aware of which independent audit firm the Palestinian Authority has contracted to complete the review of
Answer: I currently have nothing further to add to the previous answer to which the Hon Member refers in his question. As and when there is further information to report on this matter, I will update him and other Members accordingly.
Answered 6 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCancer: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109323More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that the views and lived experience of teenagers and young adults with cancer are being incorporated into his forthcoming national cancer plan; and how their invol
Answer: The Department is committed to improving outcomes for teenagers and young adults with cancer. The Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce was relaunched on 4 February 2025 to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences for young cancer p...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCompanies: RegistrationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109322More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps are being taken to prevent organisations with extreme proximity to sanctioned groups, individuals, and jurisdictions from establishing UK-registered companies.
Answer: The nature of any association with sanctioned persons or jurisdictions can vary considerably, and such links do not, in themselves, prevent an organisation or its directors from establishing a lawful UK company. Nor does the existence of such an associati...
Answered 3 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordHigher Education: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109321More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the (a) revenue from the international student levy on higher education providers’ income from international students and (b) cost of introducing maintenance grants for
Answer: The International Student Levy (ISL) will require higher education providers to pay a flat fee of £925 per international student per year. An impact analysis of the ISL published in November 2025 estimated that the levy would raise £445 million in the 202...
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordStudents: GrantsDepartment for EducationTabled 28 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109320More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that reintroduced maintenance grants reach students who need them most; what proportion of the student population will be eligible for support; and what steps she is taking to
Answer: This government is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to attend higher education. This is why we are reintroducing maintenance grants for students from low-income households studying courses aligned...
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDerwentside Immigration Removal Centre: TransportHome OfficeTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108392More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how the siting and operation of the proposed new vehicle base will improve the logistical servicing of Derwentside IRC; and what interim arrangements are being made to improve escorting and transport
Answer: The current service delivery model for immigration escorting is to locate vehicle bases at or near Immigration Removal Centres, where most escorting movements begin and end. The nearest vehicle base to Derwentside IRC is currently more than 100 miles away...
Answered 3 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordPalestine: CurriculumForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 12 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104985More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2025 to Question 98592, what independent audit firm the Palestinian Authority has contracted to complete the review of curriculum reform
Answer: It will be for the Palestinian Authority to publish the full details of their audit, including the firm hired to conduct it, and we will assess the reliability of that audit based on the information published.
Answered 20 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: BusesDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104976More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the risk that electric buses operating in the UK could be remotely rendered inoperable via their internet-connected systems by hostile state actors.
Answer: The Government takes national security seriously and recognises the systematic challenges of increased connectivity and the cyber security implications for almost every area of government policy, including vehicles. My Department works closely with the tr...
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHealth Professions: Hazardous SubstancesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 907243More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to protect NHS workers from occupational exposure to hazardous medicinal products.
Answer: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 30 October 2025 to Question UIN 84144.
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordGuided Weapons: National SecurityMinistry of DefenceTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103986More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has reviewed existing command arrangements for ground-based air defence in relation to the protection of critical national infrastructure.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) continually reviews its operational capabilities, including command arrangements for ground-based air defence, to ensure they remain effective and fit for purpose. The protection of the United Kingdom’s critical national infr...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordGuided WeaponsMinistry of DefenceTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103985More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has assessed the role of air defence artillery systems in countering unmanned aerial systems.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence regularly engages with subject matter experts, both at home and abroad, to assess the effectiveness of different types of Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems (C-UAS). This includes the role of air defence artillery systems.The UK opera...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordUnmanned Air SystemsMinistry of DefenceTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103984More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on developing a policy for the active engagement of unmanned aerial systems.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) works closely with partners across Government on a range of Counter-Uncrewed Aerial Systems (C-UAS) issues. The Home Office is responsible for C-UAS policy and strategy in the Homeland during peacetime. During wartime, C-UAS ...
Answered 16 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMilitary AlliancesMinistry of DefenceTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103983More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there are any formal agreements in place with allied nations for the provision of ground-based air defence for the UK homeland.
Answer: The UK is a NATO ally and participant in the NATO Integrated Air Defence System (NATINAMDS) a network of interconnected national and NATO systems comprising sensors, command and control facilities, and weapon systems. This system allows the UK to exchange...
Answered 16 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordGuided Weapons: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103982More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether spending on UK ground-based air defence and Integrated Air and Missile Defence effectors will be deferred until the 2030s.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence is committed to modernising the UK's air and missile defence capabilities, including ground-based systems such as Sky Sabre, to ensure robust national resilience as highlighted in the Strategic Defence Review. UK capabilities provi...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordGuided Weapons: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103981More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many additional Aster 30 missiles have been ordered for the Type 45 destroyer fleet since 2022.
Answer: I am withholding further detail for operational security reasons.
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordGuided WeaponsMinistry of DefenceTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103980More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Starstreak and Lightweight Modular Missiles have been ordered since 2022 to replace stocks donated to Ukraine.
Answer: I am withholding further detail for operational security reasons.
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordGuided WeaponsMinistry of DefenceTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103979More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of current UK stockpiles of short-range ground-based air defence missiles compared with stock levels held in 2022.
Answer: I am withholding further detail for operational security reasons.
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
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