Patricia Ferguson MP: written questions 2025
70 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Internet: Age AssuranceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72504More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to ensure that computer generated proofs of age are not used to verify age on websites.
Answer: The Online Safety Act requires providers to protect users’ right to privacy when implementing age assurance. UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act requires data to be processed fairly, lawfully, and transparently. Where Ofcom is concerned that a provider ha...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCharities: Age AssuranceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72503More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has made an estimate of the cost to health advice charities of setting up age verification procedures.
Answer: The Online Safety Act requires providers to protect users’ right to privacy when implementing age assurance. UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act requires data to be processed fairly, lawfully, and transparently. Where Ofcom is concerned that a provider ha...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordInternet: Health ServicesDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72502More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether organisations providing online health advice are required to age verify users.
Answer: The Online Safety Act applies to services which allow users to post content online or interact with each other. This includes a broad range of websites, apps and other services.In-scope services must use highly effective age assurance to prevent children ...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordData Protection: Age AssuranceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72501More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether Ofcom is taking steps to ensure that companies involved in age verification do not (a) retain and (b) misuse personal data.
Answer: The Online Safety Act requires providers to protect users’ right to privacy when implementing age assurance. UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act requires data to be processed fairly, lawfully, and transparently. Where Ofcom is concerned that a provider ha...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: DrugsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72399More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to end the use by NHS England of generic drugs manufactured by companies with links to Israel.
Answer: The Department has no plans to end such purchases as the UK Government currently has a trade and partnership agreement in effect with Israel.
Answered 1 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSupported Housing: Housing BenefitDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72398More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will reduce the Housing benefit taper rate to 55% for those living in supported accommodation.
Answer: It remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment. The Department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing B...
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordSupported Housing: Housing BenefitDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72397More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will review the level of the Housing Benefit disregard for young people living in supported accommodation.
Answer: It remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment. The Department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing B...
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: DrugsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72396More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to end the purchase of Israeli manufactured generic drugs by NHS England.
Answer: The Department has no plans to end such purchases as the UK Government currently has a trade and partnership agreement in effect with Israel.
Answered 1 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCharities: Israeli SettlementsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72395More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to prevent UK-based charities from transferring funds to entities operating in illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answer: The Government and the Charity Commission for England and Wales (the Commission) expect charities to act lawfully, in line with the charity’s purpose, and in the charity’s best interest.The Commission provides guidance to help charity trustees understand ...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: PalestiniansForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71908More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the report by Amnesty International entitled Amnesty International Investigation in Gaza highlig
Answer: The Government has not made an assessment of the 13 June 2023 Amnesty report which was published a year before the current Government entered office.
Answered 17 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial DiscriminationForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71907More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the International Court of Justice’s finding that Israel is in breach of the Convention on the E
Answer: The Government strongly opposes all forms of racism and is committed to promoting a tolerant society for people of all ethnicities, religions and nationalities. The UK is fully committed to international law and respects the independence of the Internatio...
Answered 17 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordEstate Agents: RegulationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71879More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has considered the potential merits of regulating estate agents to ensure best practise.
Answer: It is unacceptable for estate agents to withhold offers from sellers because the potential buyer declines to use their additional services. Where there is evidence of such practices, agents can face sanctions including a ban. The government is committed t...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMortgages: RegulationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71878More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will consider the potential merits of amending the 1979 Estate Agents Act to ban the use of conditional selling.
Answer: It is unacceptable for estate agents to withhold offers from sellers because the potential buyer declines to use their additional services. Where there is evidence of such practices, agents can face sanctions including a ban. The government is committed t...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPalestinians: Academic FreedomHome OfficeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 70102More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Palestinian academics with offers of (a) positions and (b) study placements at universities in the UK can be issued with visas to allow them to travel to the UK.
Answer: I refer my Hon Friend to the statement to the House made by the Home Secretary on 1 September.
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPalestinians: RefugeesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 70101More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether there is a safe evacuation route that allows Palestinian academics to be evacuated from the Occupied Palestinian Territories to allow them to take up positions at uni
Answer: We are working urgently to support Chevening Scholars and fully-funded scholarship holders in Gaza who have offers from British universities to leave and take up their places in the UK. We are doing everything we can to support their safe exit and onward ...
Answered 24 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPalestinians: RefugeesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 70100More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps with the Secretary of State for the Home Department to establish a scheme to facilitate the evacuation of Palestinian academics to the UK.
Answer: We are working urgently to support Chevening Scholars and fully-funded scholarship holders in Gaza who have offers from British universities to leave and take up their places in the UK. We are doing everything we can to support their safe exit and onward ...
Answered 24 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordImmigrationHome OfficeTabled 3 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64914More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued on whether applicants for (a) leave to remain and (b) fee waiver who have (i) had their claims rejected, (ii) lost their right to work, (iii) lost their access
Answer: Immigration applicants can complain to the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) about either:bad service they received from an adviser registered with the IAA; orimmigration advice they received from an unregulated person.If a legal adviser is registered wi...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordInfected Blood Compensation SchemeCabinet OfficeTabled 3 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64910More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Infected Blood Compensation Authority plans to prioritise older claimants when making payments.
Answer: The delivery of compensation is a matter for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) as an independent body. In February, IBCA set out their plans to open the compensation service in stages to make sure it is effective and secure for all those cl...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordWorld Summit for Social DevelopmentForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57024More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Ministers from his Department will attend the Second World Summit for Social Development between 4 and 6 November 2025 in Doha.
Answer: The Government is currently considering attendance at the Second World Summit for Social Development.
Answered 10 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDevelopment Aid: Tropical DiseasesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57023More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to continue to fund the (a) treatment and (b) elimination of neglected tropical diseases.
Answer: Detailed decisions on how the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget will be used are being worked through following the recent Spending Review and through resource allocation processes. We intend to publish final 2025/26 ODA programme allocations i...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDevelopment Aid: EducationForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57022More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to continue to fund disability-inclusive education programmes.
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is committed to mainstreaming a disability inclusion and rights approach across our work. At the recent Global Disability Summit, the UK announced a range of new commitments including ensuring that a...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDevelopment Aid: Sexual and Reproductive HealthForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57021More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he will continue to provide funding to (a) the Women's Integrated Sexual Health program, (b) other Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights programs and (c) access t
Answer: Detailed decisions on how the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget will be used are being worked through following the recent Spending Review and through resource allocation processes. We intend to publish final 2025/26 ODA programme allocations i...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordConvention on the Rights of Persons with DisabilitiesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57020More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if a Minister from his Department will represent the UK at the Eighteenth Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabili
Answer: The UK will be represented at this year's Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by Minister Seema Malhotra in her role as Minister for Equalities. Minister Malhotra will be joined by senior officials fro...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordResident Doctors: TrainingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56483More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that the number of medical training places is proportionate to the increase in medical student numbers.
Answer: We are committed to training the staff we need to ensure that patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the National Health Servic...
Answered 10 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordResident Doctors: TrainingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56481More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help support trainee physicians affected by the withdrawal of speciality training places by the Membership of the Royal College of Physicians.
Answer: The Department asked NHS England to work with the other statutory education bodies in the United Kingdom, the Royal College of Physicians and the General Medical Council to ensure that issues this year with the Membership of the Royal College of Physician...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament record
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