Olivia Blake MP: written questions
88 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Kashmir: Politics and GovernmentForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15022More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what coordination has taken place between her Department and international partners regarding the ongoing issues in Jammu and Kashmir.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 16 June in response to Question 7530, and I can assure her that we are continuing to monitor developments carefully, and discuss them with our international counterparts as necessary.
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Recall PetitionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15021More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will introduce recall petition powers for communities in relation to their elected council representatives.
Answer: The government is not currently proposing to introduce recall petition powers for councillors. Instead, we are committed to strengthening the local government standards regime through a comprehensive package of reforms. The government response to the ‘Str...
Answered 7 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordAsylum: EqualityHome OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15020More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether an equality impact assessment has been undertaken for the raised 'standard of proof' for asylum claims, as amended following the Nationality and Borders Act 2022.
Answer: As required through the Public Sector Equality Duty, we consider equality impact assessments throughout the policy development process. Raising the 'standard of proof' for asylum claims that were made on or after 28 June 2022 when the Nationality and Bord...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordRoad WorksDepartment for TransportTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15019More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will review the national standards that utility companies are required to follow for roads and pavements, including reviewing section 58 of the Highways Act 1980 to reduce the requirement for a resurface
Answer: Restrictions on street works following substantial road works are provided for under section 58 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991. The criteria for applying those restrictions, including the circumstances in which road works qualify as substantia...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordSheep: Animal WelfareDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15018More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made in implementing the Animal Welfare Committee's recommendations on lamb castration and tail docking.
Answer: As a result of considering the recommendations in the Animal Welfare Committee’s Opinion on the Implications of Castration and Tail Docking for the Welfare of Lambs, the Government issued a UK-wide consultation on lamb castration and tail docking which la...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordReserve Forces: Long Service AwardsMinistry of DefenceTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12566More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of current eligibility criteria for long-service medallic recognition for former Volunteer Reserve personnel who completed service prior to 1 April 1999; an
Answer: Prior to the introduction of the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal in April 1999, service in the Reserve Forces was appropriately recognised by the separate decorations and medals that were awarded respectively to officers and other ranks in each of the Se...
Answered 30 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordOsteoporosis: DiagnosisDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12556More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of delayed Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry scan results on timely diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis.
Answer: NHS England guidance sets out that imaging reports must be provided within four weeks, or 28 days, of image acquisition. All National Health Service providers and imaging networks are expected to meet this. Guidance can be found at the following link:http...
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordOsteoporosis: DiagnosisDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12554More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the causes of delays in issuing Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry results within NHS trusts in England.
Answer: Ensuring patients receive their diagnostic test results, including dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) results quickly is a priority for the Government.NHS England guidance, published in August 2023, sets out that imaging reports must be provided with...
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDeprivation of Liberty Safeguards: DisabilityDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11793More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for the rights of disabled people of the recent Supreme Court ruling concerning the assessment of deprivation of liberty.
Answer: The Department’s priority is to safeguard vulnerable people and ensure their rights are protected. We are considering the Supreme Court’s judgment carefully, which sets out the factors to be applied when determining whether a person is deprived of their l...
Answered 26 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordShareholders: Digital TechnologyTreasuryTabled 20 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128429More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consideration has the Government made of the potential impact of shareholder digitisation on a) cooperatives, b) small businesses and c) social enterprises.
Answer: The Digitisation Taskforce, chaired by Sir Douglas Flint, published a report in July 2025 with its recommendations on how to modernise the UK’s shareholding framework, including removing paper shares. The report focused on companies whose securities are t...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordImmigration: Domestic AbuseHome OfficeTabled 20 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128418More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her department has made of the potential impact of the proposed changes to indefinite leave to remain for survivors of domestic abuse.
Answer: Proposals for introducing an earned settlement model, as set out in the Command Paper “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement” (CP1448), were subject to a public consultation, which opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026.As part of this consult...
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: Workplace PensionsCabinet OfficeTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125581More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing compensation payments to those impacted by delays to the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
Answer: The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension ...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordChildcare: Fees and ChargesDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125486More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to take steps to prevent childcare providers from asking parents of children who are receiving publicly-funded care to pay extra charges.
Answer: It is important that government childcare entitlements are accessible and affordable for families. Government funding is intended to deliver 15 or 30 hours a week of free, high-quality, flexible childcare. The 15 or 30 hours must be able to be accessed fr...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordEmployment Schemes: Chronic IllnessesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125482More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures he is taking to support long-term sick people to gain paid and accessible employment.
Answer: Long-term sickness continues to be the most common reason for economic inactivity among the working age population. We know that good work is good for health, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. In ...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordAsylum: Temporary AccommodationHome OfficeTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123770More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what alternative accommodation will be provided to women and children asylum seekers once they are removed from hotels.
Answer: Home Office officials keep the asylum accommodation estate under continual review. As part of this estate management, operational adjustments are made on an ongoing basis to ensure sufficient and suitable capacity is maintained to meet expected levels of ...
Answered 17 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordAsylum: WomenHome OfficeTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123769More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed asylum and returns reforms on women.
Answer: Equality impacts will be considered for individual policies as they continue to be developed and will be kept under review to ensure there are no unintended impacts.
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordGreat British Railways: Workplace PensionsDepartment for TransportTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123756More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer to question UIN 120893 on 24 March 2026, what steps she is taking to protect the pensions of those who joined the Rail Pensions Scheme after midnight on 4 November 1993 in the transition
Answer: We plan for the Railways Pension Scheme to continue to be the primary vehicle through which most rail employees build up their pension provision. This includes those employees who started working post-1993. The Railways Pension Scheme provides a defined b...
Answered 15 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordEnvironment Protection: Water CompaniesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 19 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 122309More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has assessed the potential merits of a statutory mechanism similar to Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 for environmental damage overseen by senior
Answer: The Government set out its new vision for water through a White Paper published on 20 January 2026. To truly turn around the water sector we need the right people in to do the job. We want the sector to be attractive to high quality senior leaders, acting...
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordEnvironment ProtectionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 19 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 122308More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessments he has made of the potential impact of a lack of director-liability provisions for environmental offences including public nuisance on water companies from committing
Answer: The Government set out its new vision for water through a White Paper published on 20 January 2026. To truly turn around the water sector we need the right people in to do the job. We want the sector to be attractive to high quality senior leaders, acting...
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordMusic: StreamingDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 18 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121916More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals on music streaming royalties with respect to a) the adequacy of renumeration for musicians and
Answer: Ensuring that music creators are fairly compensated for their work is crucial to the ongoing success of our world-class music industry, as this is what allows them to invest their time, effort, and money into creating music.Through the Creator Remuneratio...
Answered 25 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordCervical Cancer: ScreeningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121112More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that cervical screening appointments can be booked via the NHS app.
Answer: NHS England takes a digital first approach to issuing invitations and results in the National Health Service cervical screening programme, using the NHS App and SMS.NHS England is committed to making it as easy as possible for those wishing to participate...
Answered 23 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordNetwork Rail and Platform4: Trade UnionsDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121019More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the derecognition of trade unions in the recent TUPE transfer of workers from Network Rail into Platform 4.
Answer: Platform 4 is now the employer following a TUPE process. While trade union recognition agreements were not transferred from Network Rail to Platform 4 under TUPE, Platform 4 has held discussions with the trade unions about recognition, with further discus...
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordGreat British Railways: Collective BargainingDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120894More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help ensure that all future Great British Railways workers are covered by collective bargaining agreements.
Answer: The Secretary of State established the Rail Engagement Group as a means of ensuring sustained dialogue with the trade unions about key matters facing the railway, as we work towards establishing Great British Railways (GBR). What collective bargaining arr...
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordGreat British Railways: Conditions of EmploymentDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120893More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to protect transport workers a) jobs b) pay c) pensions d) conditions and e) travel facilities in the transition to Great British Railways.
Answer: In accordance with TUPE regulations, existing train operator staff transferring to the public-sector operator do so with their contractual terms and conditions protected. We are engaging with trade union leaders on all relevant matters in this area throu...
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordNetwork Rail: RedundancyDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120892More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the recently announced 870 job losses at Network Rail.
Answer: Network Rail is committed to delivering a safe, reliable railway while reducing costs for taxpayers. Accordingly, it needs to ensure it operates as efficiently as possible. To achieve this, Network Rail is reviewing how it operates across its business. In...
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament record
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