Mark Sewards MP: written questions 2025
39 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Mathematics: Higher EducationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98631More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what internal discussions her Department has had on the allocation of funding for the mathematical sciences within the 2026-27 Strategic Priorities Grant.
Answer: The allocation of funding for mathematical sciences within the 2026-27 Strategic Priorities Grant is the responsibility of the Department for Education (DfE). As such, there has been no specific internal discussion within the Department for Science, Innov...
Answered 23 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMathematics: Higher EducationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98630More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the role of the mathematical sciences within future Strategic Priorities Grant funding.
Answer: The mathematical sciences sector is key to delivering the Government’s missions and plays an important role from advising government and business, to sharing expertise that underpins the innovation and scientific discovery that helps our country and econo...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordBita ShafieiForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96588More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has raised the detention of Bita Shafiei on 13 November 2025 with her Iranian counterparts.
Answer: We are aware of Bita Shafiei's case and continue to raise the rights of women and girls and human rights defenders with the Iranian Government in multilateral fora. The UK co-sponsored an Iran Human Rights Resolution, adopted by the UN Third Committee on ...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: VeteransMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96478More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of moving disabled military veterans from Employment and Support Allowance to Universal Credit on their eligibility for loca
Answer: Support for working age households, including the treatment of benefits, is designed by councils in consultation with their residents, taking into account the needs and circumstances of their local communities. Each year, councils must consider whether to...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordNeurological Diseases: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 27 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 95281More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his department is taking to improve (i) support, and (ii) access to treatments, for people with (a) Multiple System Atrophy, and (b) Parkinson’s.
Answer: At the national level, there are several initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with Parkinson’s and Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), including the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit and the Getting It Rig...
Answered 4 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth: MenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92798More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department have made on the impact of participation in (a) gyms, (b) swimming pools, and (c) leisure centres on men’s (i) mental and (ii) physical health.
Answer: The Government knows that addressing physical inactivity and getting people moving more is important for improving health outcomes, well-being, reducing demand on the National Health Service, and supporting economic growth.Our 10-Year Health Plan sets out...
Answered 27 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92400More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure early intervention for pupils with special educational needs.
Answer: I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Leeds South West and Morley, to the answer of 12 November 2025 to Question 86204.
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: Children and Young PeopleDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92399More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of waiting times for children and young people accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.
Answer: We know too many children and young people are waiting too long for mental health support, and through our Plan for Change, we’re determined to give children and young people the best start in life. The Government is expanding access to mental health supp...
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLand: OwnershipMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90957More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of powers available to local authorities to (a) maintain and (b) intervene on land where ownership is (i) unknown and (ii)
Answer: HM Land Registry (HMLR) are responsible for registering the ownership of land. Approximately 11% of land in England and Wales remains unregistered. My Department is working with HMLR to widen and deepen transparency of land ownership and control.
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLand: OwnershipMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90956More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities in identifying ownership of land that has remained unregistered since 1974.
Answer: HM Land Registry (HMLR) are responsible for registering the ownership of land. Approximately 11% of land in England and Wales remains unregistered. My Department is working with HMLR to widen and deepen transparency of land ownership and control.
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordDental Services: CarersDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84996More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to NHS dental services for (a) carers and (b) frontline care workers.
Answer: We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a National Health Service dentist including for carers and front-line workers. We have asked integrated care boards (ICBs) to commission extra urgent dental appointments from 1 April 2025.ICBs are also rec...
Answered 6 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordGeneral Practitioners: CarersDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84995More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people in full-time employment who have caring responsibilities can access GP appointments.
Answer: The Department is expanding capacity in general practice which will help deliver more appointments to patients, ensuring everyone, including those in full-time employment and with caring responsibilities, can access care.General practitioner (GP) core hou...
Answered 6 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordCervical Cancer: ScreeningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61657More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to expand access to smear tests.
Answer: NHS England launched its first ever cervical cancer elimination creative campaign and communications toolkit for Cervical Screening Awareness Week, from 16 June 2025 to 24 June 2025. The campaign included digital resources that create a strong sense of sh...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHormone Replacement TherapyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60784More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing levels of access to hormone replacement therapy treatment on the NHS.
Answer: While menopause is a natural part of a woman’s life course, we recognise that menopause symptoms can be wide-ranging and debilitating, affecting a woman’s physical and mental health.Women should not have to suffer in silence and any woman concerned about ...
Answered 1 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordIndia: PakistanForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56666More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the safety of British nationals located on the India-Pakistan border.
Answer: The safety of British nationals will always be our priority. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) continues to monitor developments closely and is ready to support British nationals 24/7. Any British nationals in the region should follo...
Answered 4 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMotor Vehicles: Anti-Social BehaviourHome OfficeTabled 2 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56665More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to prevent dangerous car racing.
Answer: Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for the Government and a key part of the Safer Streets Mission.On 25 February 2025, the Crime and Policing Bill was introduced to Parliament. The Bill includes proposals to give the police greater powers to...
Answered 10 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: London AllowanceCabinet OfficeTabled 2 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56482More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to ensure that London weighted salaries for civil servants only apply to employees that live in London.
Answer: Decisions on pay, including London weighting, are delegated to individual departments for grades below the Senior Civil Service (SCS). The SCS pay framework is managed centrally and only operates a national pay range.
Answered 10 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPackaging: RecyclingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48692More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility packaging taxation will ensure that the cost of recycling is passed to manufacturers.
Answer: Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) implements the polluter-pays principle by obligating brands and packaging producers to pay the costs of managing household packaging waste.
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordTax Avoidance: Multinational CompaniesTreasuryTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46337More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to introduce measures to help tackle (a) profit shifting and (b) other corporation tax avoidance methods used by multinational corporations.
Answer: The UK is tackling profit shifting and multinational tax avoidance through measures including Corporate Interest Restriction, Country by Country Reporting, and the Global Minimum Tax. The most recent Finance Bill, introduced by this Government, put legisl...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNurses: RegistrationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45281More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will have discussions with the Nursing and Midwifery Council on the potential merits of reducing or removing the annual registration fee for nurses.
Answer: The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the independent regulator of nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom, and nursing associates in England. The UK's model of healthcare professional regulation is founded on the principle of regulators operating ...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordRight to Buy SchemeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45280More
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 allowing Council Housing tenants to sell their property to buyers other than their Local Authority if the
Answer: Former council tenants who have purchased their home under the Right to Buy scheme but wish to resell or dispose of it within a 10 year period, must first offer the property for sale at the full market value to either the former landlord or to another soc...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: ParkingDepartment for TransportTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45279More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to make it an offence for non-electric vehicles to park in an electric vehicle charging space.
Answer: Parking enforcement on local highways is a local authority matter. Local authorities can use traffic regulation orders to designate and enforce electric vehicle (EV) only bays. For private land, enforcement falls to the landowner.
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMusic and Dance SchemeDepartment for EducationTabled 7 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 44756More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to (a) continue to fund the Music and Dance Scheme and (b) ensure that all Centres for Advanced Training continue to operate.
Answer: The department will inform Music and Dance Scheme providers about funding for the 2025/26 academic year following the conclusion of the spending review in the spring.
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Transport: InfrastructureDepartment for TransportTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42638More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps to reduce private car ownership and improve the connectivity of public transport.
Answer: This Government recognises the importance of improving public transport to ensure that people have greater choice around how they travel and has recently confirmed its commitment to phasing out new cars that rely solely on internal combustion engines from...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordAvoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: ChildrenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42636More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support families with children suffering from Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.
Answer: Commissioning pathways for avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) are locally determined by integrated care boards. All eating disorder teams should work collaboratively with other children and young people’s community teams to address co-occur...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament record
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