Mark Pritchard MP: written questions
347 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Domestic Abuse: MenHome OfficeTabled 8 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13218More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle domestic abuse against men.
Answer: The definition of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) encompasses crimes which disproportionately, but not exclusively, affect women and girls. We recognise that men and boys also experience abusive and violent crimes, such as stalking, domestic abuse...
Answered 14 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordDomestic Abuse: MenHome OfficeTabled 8 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13188More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will (a) commission and (b) publish research into domestic abuse against men.
Answer: The definition of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) encompasses crimes which disproportionately, but not exclusively, affect women and girls. We recognise that men and boys also experience abusive and violent crimes, such as stalking, domestic abuse...
Answered 14 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordStarlinkDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11232More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the level of reliance on Starlink in the (a) private and (b) public sectors; what steps he is taking to help increase
Answer: The government acknowledges rapid evolutions in the global satellite communications sector. Monopoly rarely serves the public interest and a competitive market is important to ensuring public and private sector value. We are keen to secure UK leadership i...
Answered 5 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPrivate Education: VATDepartment for EducationTabled 25 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11162More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of imposing VAT on independent school fees on access to independent schools' sports facilities for state sector pupils.
Answer: The VAT treatment of the hiring or letting out of facilities will not change as a result of the decision to impose VAT on private school fees. HM Revenue and Customs have published guidance on charging and/or reclaiming VAT on goods and services related t...
Answered 4 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordBluetongue Disease: ShropshireDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 25 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11161More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help reduce the number of Blue Tongue virus livestock cases in Shropshire.
Answer: Defra acted quickly to contain bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) when the first case this season was detected on 26 August, implementing zones with movement controls on susceptible livestock to prevent spread. These disease control restrictions have been adap...
Answered 4 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordRAF CosfordMinistry of DefenceTabled 25 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11160More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to upgrade and modernise married living quarters at RAF Cosford.
Answer: Circa 95% of Service Family Accommodation (SFA) supporting RAF Cosford is at or above Decent Homes Standard. Improving our Service accommodation across the UK and providing good quality homes that are safe and well maintained is a top priority for the Dep...
Answered 6 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAnimal Welfare: FireworksDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10062More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will commission research into the (a) public health and (b) animal welfare impact of quiet fireworks.
Answer: The Government is looking at existing policy to decide if and where policy changes may be needed. We also intend to engage with business, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on issues with and impacts of fireworks, including on animal welfare...
Answered 24 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordTennis: FacilitiesDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10061More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to increase access to (a) covered and (b) indoor community tennis courts.
Answer: The Government is committed to doing more to ensure that everyone from all backgrounds have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities. Sport and physical activity is central to achieving our health and opportunity manife...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordFood: Supply ChainsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10060More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's closed consultation entitled The UK fresh produce sector: review of the supply chain, updated on 14 May 2024, whether he plans to introduce new regul
Answer: The Government will deliver a resilient and healthy food system, with a new deal that ensures fairness in the supply chain across all sectors, including the fresh produce sector. Farmers should always receive a fair price for their products and the Govern...
Answered 25 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordFood: ProductionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10059More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to increase domestic production of fruit and vegetables.
Answer: This Government recognises that food security is national security and fruit and vegetables grown in the UK have an important part to play. As part of our mission-driven government and, in partnership with the sector, we are considering several ways to ac...
Answered 25 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPrisoners: VeteransMinistry of JusticeTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10058More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to provide rehabilitation to military veterans serving custodial sentences.
Answer: HMPPS delivers a range of initiatives to support veterans. This includes the Veterans Activity Hubs at HMP Holme House and HMP Risley, which provide safe and supportive spaces for veterans, improving their wellbeing and confidence, and make their transiti...
Answered 28 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordReoffenders: VeteransMinistry of JusticeTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10057More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to reduce reoffending by military veterans who have served custodial sentences.
Answer: HMPPS delivers a range of initiatives to support veterans. This includes the Veterans Activity Hubs at HMP Holme House and HMP Risley, which provide safe and supportive spaces for veterans, improving their wellbeing and confidence, and make their transiti...
Answered 28 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: Reciprocal AgreementsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8634More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to establish new reciprocal healthcare agreements with non-EU countries.
Answer: Reciprocal healthcare arrangements (RHAs) cover emergency and medically necessary healthcare for United Kingdom nationals or residents on short-term visits. They benefit people with long term, pre-existing conditions, and along with insurance, offer all t...
Answered 17 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordDoctors: Migrant WorkersDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8415More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to introduce additional measures to (a) verify and (b) validate the medical qualifications of non-UK trained doctors working in the NHS.
Answer: My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has no current plans to introduce additional measures to verify and validate the medical qualifications of non-United Kingdom trained doctors working in the National Health Service.The G...
Answered 17 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordBus Services: ConcessionsDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8117More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of offering free any time bus travel to disabled bus pass holders.
Answer: The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. Local authorities in England have the power to go beyond their statutory ob...
Answered 17 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: Visual ImpairmentDepartment for EducationTabled 9 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8116More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure schools make reasonable adjustments to support children with vision impairments.
Answer: The government’s ambition is that all children and young people receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ...
Answered 18 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordInsurance: Competition and MonopoliesTreasuryTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 5969More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take legislative steps to (a) increase competition and (b) reduce monopolies in the consumer insurance market.
Answer: The Government is committed to ensuring that the insurance industry operates on a fair and competitive basis. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as the independent regulator, has a primary objective to ensure relevant markets are functioning well and ...
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHealth Professions: Migrant WorkersDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 5968More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will improve checks on declared medical qualifications for international employees in the NHS.
Answer: There are currently no plans for my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to improve checks on declared medical qualifications for international employees in the National Health Service. NHS trusts have robust recruitment poli...
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordAfghanistan: HazaraForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 5967More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps with his international partners to help protect Hazara communities in Afghanistan.
Answer: The Government continues to call for the human rights of all Afghans to be protected, including those of Hazara communities, most recently in our statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 27 September. We condemn recent attacks against Hazaras. In line ...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordFarms: TenantsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 5966More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of allowing tenants in rented properties on working farms to have pets on (a) farm safety and (b) biosecurity.
Answer: The Renters' Rights Bill requires landlords not to unreasonably withhold consent when a tenant requests to have a pet in their home, with the tenant able to challenge a decision. The government will issue detailed guidance in due course to help landlords ...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordTyres: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 5 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 4343More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps with car manufacturers to agree a minimum stopping safety requirement for car tyres which are (a) manufactured in the UK and (b) imported.
Answer: All new tyres, both UK made and imported, require GB type approval before they are permitted for sale. To gain approval, manufacturers must demonstrate that they achieve a range of technical performance requirements. This includes a minimum wet grip perfo...
Answered 11 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordHomicide: ChildrenHome OfficeTabled 3 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3953More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish data on the number of deaths of children through (a) murder and (b) manslaughter in England in (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.
Answer: The Home Office Homicide Index holds information on the age of victims and whether the offence was initially classified as murder or manslaughter. The data are given in the table.Table 1: Offences currently recorded as homicide by initial classification o...
Answered 11 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordNational Wildlife Crime Unit: FinanceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3689More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will increase his Department's funding to the National Wildlife Crime Unit.
Answer: The National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) helps prevent and detect wildlife crime by obtaining and disseminating intelligence, undertaking analysis which highlights local or national threats and directly assisting law enforcers in their investigations. Defr...
Answered 10 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordProstate Cancer: ScreeningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3688More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve early detection of prostate cancer through screening.
Answer: Screening for prostate cancer is currently not recommended by the UK National Screening Committees (UK NSC). This is because of the inaccuracy of the current best test Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). A PSA-based screening programme could harm men as some...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordProstate Cancer: ScreeningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 3687More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects the UK National Screening Committee to conclude the prostate cancer screening evidence review it commissioned in November 2023.
Answer: The UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) evidence review for prostate cancer screening is already underway and plans to report within the UK NSC’s three-year work plan. The evidence review includes modelling the clinical cost effectiveness of severa...
Answered 9 Sept 2024
Original Parliament record
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