Oliver Dowden MP: written questions
123 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Private Education: VATTreasuryTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6308More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made a comparative assessment of the potential merits of introducing VAT on private schools (a) during the academic year and (b) at the start of the new academic year.
Answer: On 29 July, the Government announced that, as of 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training provided by a private school in the UK for a charge will be subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20 per cent. This will also apply to boardin...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordRailway Stations: AccessDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 2362More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to allocate further funding through the Access for All programme.
Answer: We are carefully considering the best approach to the Access for All programme. This Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognise the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.
Answered 3 Sept 2024
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: HertfordshireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 26 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1933More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he (a) has reviewed and (b) plans to review the (i) provision and (ii) location of (A) inpatient and (B) outpatient health services in South Hertfordshire.
Answer: There are currently no plans to review the provision and location of inpatient and outpatient health services in South Hertfordshire. Integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring that the provision and location of both inpatient and outpatient heal...
Answered 5 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordGeneral Practitioners: HertsmereDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 26 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1932More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of GP provision in Hertsmere.
Answer: We know that patients are finding it harder than ever to see a general practitioner (GP) and we are committed to fixing the the crisis in the National Health Service, to ensure that patients receive the care they deserve, and to secure the long-term susta...
Answered 5 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordHinduism: SafetyHome OfficeTabled 26 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1931More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the safety of Hindu communities.
Answer: We are committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion and we will not tolerate anti-Hindu hatred in any form. Government and police regularly review potential threats to ensure that measures are taken to protect commun...
Answered 5 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordJews: SafetyHome OfficeTabled 26 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1930More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the safety of Jewish communities.
Answer: The Jewish Community Protective Security (JCPS) Grant provides protective security measures (such as security personnel services, CCTV and alarm systems) at synagogues, Jewish educational establishments and community sites. The JCPS Grant is managed on be...
Answered 5 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordBBC: Political ImpartialityDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 26 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1929More
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: My Department meets regularly with representatives of the BBC on a range of matters.The BBC is editorially and operationally independent of the Government. As the external independent regulator of the BBC, Ofcom is responsible for ensuring BBC coverage is...
Answered 2 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordUniversities: AntisemitismDepartment for EducationTabled 26 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1928More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to tackle anti-Semitism on university campuses.
Answer: As autonomous institutions, universities are responsible for tackling antisemitism on campus and should have processes in place to deal with unlawful abuse and harassment. Universities, as well as Jewish groups and other stakeholders, have told us that th...
Answered 5 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordAntisemitismMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 26 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1927More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to tackle anti-Semitism.
Answer: Antisemitism has absolutely no place in our society, and tackling antisemitism in all its forms is a top priority for this Government. This Government recently reappointed Lord John Mann as its Independent Adviser on Antisemitism to provide independent ad...
Answered 6 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordUNRWA: FinanceForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 26 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1926More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his oral statement on 19 July 2024, Official Report, column 300 on Israel and Gaza, what assurances his Department received that the UN Relief and Works Age
Answer: UNRWA plays a critical role in Gaza and the wider region, providing essential services, including healthcare and education, to Palestinian refugees.Following the independent review by Catherine Colonna, UNRWA set out an action plan with detailed managemen...
Answered 5 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordPlanning Permission: Public ConsultationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1690More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Planning and Infrastructure Bill will ensure local people are consulted on planning applications.
Answer: Work on the Bill is underway and we will provide more details in due course.
Answered 2 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordPlanningMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1689More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which stakeholders her Department has consulted on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
Answer: Work on the Bill is underway and we will provide more details in due course.
Answered 2 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordPlanningMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1688More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her Department’s planned timetable is for publication of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
Answer: Work on the Bill is underway and we will provide more details in due course.
Answered 2 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordSolar Power: Land UseMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1687More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her Department’s policy is on planning applications for solar plants on agricultural land.
Answer: We place great importance upon our agriculture and food production, and this is reflected in the National Planning Policy Framework. The Framework is clear that local planning authorities should recognise the economic and other benefits of the best and mo...
Answered 2 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordDerelict LandMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1686More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much grey belt land there is in (a) England and (b) Hertsmere constituency.
Answer: The Government set out details of proposed reforms relating to brownfield, grey belt and the Green Belt in the consultation on our approach to revising the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system that began on Tuesday 3...
Answered 2 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordDerelict LandMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1685More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many homes her Department plans to build on grey belt land in 2024.
Answer: The Government set out details of proposed reforms relating to brownfield, grey belt and the Green Belt in the consultation on our approach to revising the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system that began on Tuesday 3...
Answered 2 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordDerelict LandMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1684More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department will take steps to ensure brownfield development is incentivised by planning policy instead of development on greenfield sites.
Answer: The Government set out details of proposed reforms relating to brownfield, grey belt and the Green Belt in the consultation on our approach to revising the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system that began on Tuesday 3...
Answered 2 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordGreen BeltMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1683More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many homes her Department plans to build on Green Belt land.
Answer: The Government set out details of proposed reforms relating to brownfield, grey belt and the Green Belt in the consultation on our approach to revising the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system that began on Tuesday 3...
Answered 2 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1682More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her policy is on top-down housing targets in the National Planning Policy Framework.
Answer: A consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system, including in relation to brownfield development, began on Tuesday 30 July and closes on Tuesday 24 September.We will consider the respon...
Answered 2 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordPlanning: ReformMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1681More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which stakeholders her Department have consulted on the National Planning Policy Framework.
Answer: A consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system, including in relation to brownfield development, began on Tuesday 30 July and closes on Tuesday 24 September.We will consider the respon...
Answered 2 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordPlanning: ReformMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1680More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of retaining the National Planning Policy Framework in its current form.
Answer: A consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system, including in relation to brownfield development, began on Tuesday 30 July and closes on Tuesday 24 September.We will consider the respon...
Answered 2 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordPlanning: ReformMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1679More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans her Department has to reform the National Planning Policy Framework.
Answer: A consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system, including in relation to brownfield development, began on Tuesday 30 July and closes on Tuesday 24 September.We will consider the respon...
Answered 2 Aug 2024
Original Parliament recordGreen BeltMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Jul 2024AnsweredUIN 1678More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to protect the Green Belt in (a) England and (b) Hertsmere.
Answer: The Government set out details of proposed reforms relating to brownfield, grey belt and the Green Belt in the consultation on our approach to revising the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system that began on Tuesday 3...
Answered 2 Aug 2024
Original Parliament record
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