Oliver Dowden MP: written questions 2025
117 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Antisemitism: EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 12 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59341More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing mandatory education on antisemitism in schools.
Answer: Schools and colleges are a place of protection, as well as education. There is no place for antisemitism in our society, and it is essential that Jewish students feel safe in education.The Holocaust is the only historic event which is compulsory within th...
Answered 20 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRadlett Station: AccessDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58968More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 October 2024 to Question 9480 on Radlett Station: Access, if she will make it her policy to provide funding to improve accessibility at Radlett Station.
Answer: This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities. In May 2024, the previous government selected 50 stations for initial feasibility work for potential upg...
Answered 18 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordOfgem: Sustainable DevelopmentDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58615More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking with Ofgem to help ensure there is adequate data (a) governance and (b) controls for sustainability arrangements at Ofgem.
Answer: Ofgem is an independent regulator and HM Treasury has principal oversight over Ofgem’s finances. As an independent regulator and Non-Ministerial Government Department, Ofgem is responsible for setting its own internal policies and controls in-line with it...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordBiofuels: SubsidiesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58614More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussion his Department has had with Ofgem on companies receiving subsidies for unsuitable biomass.
Answer: Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
Answered 18 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDrax Power StationDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58613More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions his Department has had with Ofgem on Drax.
Answer: Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
Answered 18 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordBiofuels: TimberDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58612More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that wood from primary forests will not be used for the generation of energy.
Answer: We have strengthened the sustainability criteria for large-scale biomass generation from the previous government to ensure wood from primary forest is not used for energy generation. Under new arrangements as part of the Low Carbon Dispatchable Contract f...
Answered 18 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRailway Stations: AccessDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58611More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her Department’s timetable is for announcing the next steps of the Access for All programme.
Answer: Access for All (AfA) funds accessibility improvements to station infrastructure and to date has delivered over 260 additional step-free stations across Britain. We have funded Network Rail to undertake feasibility studies on 50 stations which could be upg...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: AccessDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58610More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the merits of removing Appendix B from the Persons with Reduced Mobility National Technical Specification Notice.
Answer: We recently published the Accessibility National Technical Specification Notice (NTSN), replacing the Persons with Reduced Mobility NTSN following an extensive review and public consultation facilitated by the Rail Safety and Standards Board. The Accessib...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGreen BeltMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58609More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 143 of the National Planning Policy Framework, if she will ensure that grey belt land is assessed against the five green belt purposes.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 39471 on 26 March 2025.
Answered 19 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: IsraelDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58242More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions her Department has had with the BBC board on impartiality in news coverage of the conflict in Israel and Gaza.
Answer: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport meets regularly with BBC leadership, including its Board, to discuss a range of topics.The Government believes that it is absolutely fundamental that stories about the events in Gaza are told and heard, but are ...
Answered 20 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58241More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he last met the Israeli ambassador to the UK; and what he discussed.
Answer: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Ministers regularly engage with their Israeli counterparts to continue to urge for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a full resumption of aid. I met with the Israeli ambassador to the UK on 20 May when ...
Answered 12 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordUNRWAForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58240More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the United Nations on UNRWA neutrality.
Answer: The UK welcomes the active work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in implementing recommendations of the Colonna report. £1 million of the £41 million support for UNRWA in Financial Year 24/25 wa...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCrossbowsHome OfficeTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58239More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of adding wider information on offences involving crossbows in the Annual Data Requirement.
Answer: The responses to the call for evidence on the controls on crossbows have been reviewed and we will publish the Government’s response to this shortly.The Home Office collects a wide range of data from police forces in England and Wales under the Annual Dat...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordCrossbowsHome OfficeTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58238More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department’s timetable is for publishing the response to the call for evidence entitled Controls on the use of crossbows on public safety grounds, which closed on 9 April 2024.
Answer: The responses to the call for evidence on the controls on crossbows have been reviewed and we will publish the Government’s response to this shortly.The Home Office collects a wide range of data from police forces in England and Wales under the Annual Dat...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ReorganisationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58237More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether local plans will need to be updated following local government reorganisation.
Answer: Where reorganisation occurs, new unitary authorities are expected to promptly prepare a local development plan covering the whole of their area. Until that new plan is adopted, existing constituent local plans remain in force as part of the development pl...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning: Local GovernmentMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58236More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if her Department will formalise the role of representative community groups in local planning decisions.
Answer: A key objective of our planning reforms is to improve certainty and decision making in the planning system. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill includes provisions to that end, including a national scheme of delegation and requiring planning committee me...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning: Local GovernmentMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58235More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with local authorities on consistency in local planning decisions.
Answer: A key objective of our planning reforms is to improve certainty and decision making in the planning system. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill includes provisions to that end, including a national scheme of delegation and requiring planning committee me...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: Green BeltMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58234More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement entitled Building the Homes We Need, of 30 July 2024, HCWS48, what steps she has taken to ensure local authorities are reviewing their gre
Answer: The revised National Planning Policy Framework was published on 12 December 2024, following extensive consultation, including with local planning authorities.I otherwise refer the hon. Members to the answers given to questions UIN 26508 on 5 February 2025...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAffordable Housing: Green BeltMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58233More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement entitled Building the Homes We Need, of 30 July 2024, HCWS48, what steps she has taken to ensure that development on the green belt will o
Answer: Through the consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system last year, the government sought views on implementing ‘Golden Rules’ to ensure development in the Green Belt is in the public ...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHertsmere Borough Council: Green BeltMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58232More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with Hertsmere Borough Council on protecting the green belt.
Answer: The revised National Planning Policy Framework was published on 12 December 2024, following extensive consultation, including with local planning authorities.I otherwise refer the hon. Members to the answers given to questions UIN 26508 on 5 February 2025...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHertsmere Borough Council: PlanningMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58231More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with Hertsmere Borough Council on the application of the Golden Rules in local planning decisions.
Answer: The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published on 12 December 2024 includes ‘Golden Rules’ for major development involving the provision of housing on land that is situated within, or released from, the Green Belt. The NPPF must be taken ...
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHertsmere Borough Council: PlanningMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58230More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with Hertsmere Borough Council on local planning decisions.
Answer: Officials from my Department have had recent discussions with Hertsmere Borough Council regarding the fact it did not meet the required performance threshold for decision-making quality during the assessment period from April 2022 to March 2024, including...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning: Local GovernmentMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58229More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if her Department will bring in further guidance on how local authorities can uphold the Golden Rules in local planning decisions.
Answer: The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published on 12 December 2024 includes ‘Golden Rules’ for major development involving the provision of housing on land that is situated within, or released from, the Green Belt. The NPPF must be taken ...
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58228More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department plans to take if local authorities do not comply with the (a) Golden Rules and (b) revised NPPF in local planning decisions.
Answer: The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published on 12 December 2024 includes ‘Golden Rules’ for major development involving the provision of housing on land that is situated within, or released from, the Green Belt. The NPPF must be taken ...
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning: Local GovernmentMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58227More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with local authorities on applying the Golden Rules in local planning decisions.
Answer: The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published on 12 December 2024 includes ‘Golden Rules’ for major development involving the provision of housing on land that is situated within, or released from, the Green Belt. The NPPF must be taken ...
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament record
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