Peter Bedford MP: written questions 2025
357 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Asylum: MOD Garats HayHome OfficeTabled 11 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 906360More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the use of MOD Garats Hay to house asylum seekers.
Answer: As part of our commitment to close all asylum hotels, we are working across government to consider a range of more appropriate sites including ex-military sites to reduce the impact on communities.The Prime Minister has instructed the Home Office and Mini...
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Houses: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 11 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89842More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of abolishing business rates for pubs.
Answer: In April 2026, the Government will introduce permanently lower business rates multipliers for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with ratable values below £500,000. This permanent tax cut will ensure that eligible hospitality businesses, includin...
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordCoronavirus: VaccinationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88141More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will review the covid-19 vaccination eligibility criteria for (a) frontline workers and (b) carers to ensure that (i) those who work in high-risk environments, (ii) those who prov
Answer: The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains th...
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylumHome OfficeTabled 4 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88140More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the impact of pandemic-related delays on asylum seekers’ eligibility for Indefinite Leave to Remain; and whether transitional provisions will be introduced to ensure th
Answer: We have a proud history of providing protection to those who need it, for as long as it is needed, in accordance with our obligations under the Refugee Convention. Settlement applications are determined based on length of residence following a grant of pe...
Answered 13 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordTrade Agreements: CanadaDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 27 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85633More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the expiry of tariff free quotas under the former UK-Canada Trade Continuity Agreement on (a) levels of investment in the UK and (b) economic grow
Answer: Canada is a close ally and valued partner of the UK, and the UK-Canada Trade (TCA) Continuity Agreement underpinned £28 billion worth of bilateral trade in 2024. Several of the TCA’s provisions, as negotiated by the previous government, were time limited ...
Answered 3 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPalliative CareDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 27 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85632More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a national strategy for palliative and end of life care.
Answer: The Department and NHS England are currently looking at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.Additionally, we are supporting the hospice sector with a £...
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordTeachers: Workplace PensionsDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82906More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has had with Capita on resolutions for people impacted by (a) delayed or incorrect pension payments under the Teachers’ Pension Scheme and (b) delayed or incorrect pension valuat
Answer: The department monitors Capita very closely to ensure that Teachers’ Pension Scheme members that are impacted by delayed or incorrect valuations and payments are resolved as quickly as possible.This includes payments relating to the McCloud remedy, which ...
Answered 24 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution and Noise: ConstructionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82905More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to monitor (a) noise and (b) air pollution arising from ongoing (i) housing (ii) rail and (iii) motorway construction projects in Mid Leicestershire
Answer: Local authorities are responsible for monitoring air quality in their areas and reporting annually. Planning authorities require developers of housing, rail, and motorway projects to assess and mitigate air pollution, including dust and emissions, during ...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordFood: PricesTreasuryTabled 14 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82201More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to help businesses mitigate increases in levels of food inflation.
Answer: The Government prioritises sound public finances, which are essential to economic and financial stability, and delivering economic growth. We are living within our means, reducing our levels of borrowing in the years ahead and supporting the Bank of Engla...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordRetail Trade: ClosuresTreasuryTabled 14 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82200More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the British Retail Consortium's analysis entitled 400 of Britain's largest shops at risk, published on 12 September 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies
Answer: From April 2026, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000. This permanent tax cut will ensure that eligible RHL properties benefit from much-ne...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordMotabilityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81706More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions his Department has had with Motability on the (a) adequacy of its protections for disabled consumers in cases when vehicles provided under that scheme exhibit mechanical faults and (b)
Answer: DWP is responsible for the disability benefits which passport people to the Motability scheme. Claimants who receive the higher rate mobility component for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), the enhanced rate of the mobility component for Personal Indepen...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Animal WelfareDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80869More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure that animal welfare laws are more strictly enforced on farms.
Answer: All farm animals are protected by comprehensive and robust animal health and welfare legislation, and potential breaches of the law are taken very seriously. Any allegations of poor animal welfare are investigated by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (AP...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordRetail Trade: CrimeHome OfficeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80868More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with police forces on ensuring consistent implementation of the Retail Crime Action Plan (a) across all police forces and (b) in Mid Leicestershire constituency
Answer: The government is supporting a new strategy, Tackling Retail Crime Together, published by policing, retail sector representatives and industry as part of collective efforts to combat shop theft. The strategy builds on previous progress made by police and ...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal Welfare: SentencingMinistry of JusticeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80867More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to review the sentencing guidelines for animal abuse.
Answer: Sentencing guidelines are developed and reviewed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales, in fulfilment of its statutory duty to do so.In July 2023, the Council issued guidelines on animal cruelty, which provide the Court with guidance on factors ...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordRetail Trade: Crimes against the PersonHome OfficeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80866More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the consistent implementation of the Retail Crime Action Plan across police forces, in the context of recent trends in levels of violence and abuse agains
Answer: The government is supporting a new strategy, Tackling Retail Crime Together, published by policing, retail sector representatives and industry as part of collective efforts to combat shop theft. The strategy builds on previous progress made by police and ...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPupils: Health ServicesDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80865More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of requiring schools to (a) fund and (b) manage specialist medical support for pupils with complex health needs without clinical oversight on (i) school bu
Answer: Maintained schools have a legal duty under section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 to “make arrangements” for supporting pupils with medical conditions, and must comply with their duties under the Equalities Act 2010. The NHS is responsible for ...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: ChildrenDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80864More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that children (a) requiring tracheostomy care and (b) with other complex medical needs receive adequate support in mainstream schools following the withdrawal
Answer: Maintained schools have a legal duty under section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 to “make arrangements” for supporting pupils with medical conditions, and must comply with their duties under the Equalities Act 2010. The NHS is responsible for ...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordVaccine Damage Payment SchemeDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80863More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to review the 60% disability threshold requirement to qualify for the vaccine damage payment scheme.
Answer: I would like to reiterate my deepest sympathies to all those individuals who have experienced harm following vaccination, and to their families.I recognise many of the concerns that campaigners have raised regarding the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS...
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFirearms: LicensingHome OfficeTabled 12 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76947More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's guidance entitled Firearms licensing: statutory guidance for chief officers of police, updated on 5 August 2025, what assessment she has made with the Secretary of S
Answer: The Statutory Guidance does not require medical assessments for firearms certificate holders every six months. When applying for a certificate, or making a renewal every five years, an applicant is required to supply a medical report from their GP or anot...
Answered 22 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordExplosives: LicensingDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 12 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76946More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the time taken to (a) obtain and (b) renew black powder licenses.
Answer: Under the Explosives Regulations 2014, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) sets the legal framework for the safe acquisition and possession of explosives, including black powder. However, the responsibility for issuing and renewing explosives certificat...
Answered 22 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: PowersMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76199More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to extend the enforcement powers of local authorities in respect of (a) parking infringements and (b) obstructions to the
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of effective enforcement in maintaining safe and accessible public highways. Local authorities have a range of powers to enforce parking regulations and address obstructions on the highway under existing legislatio...
Answered 17 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: PayCabinet OfficeTabled 9 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76198More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants have salaries over (a) £150,000, (b) £200,000 and (c) £250,000.
Answer: Information on the number of civil servants by salary band is published annually as part of the Cabinet Office accredited official statistics publication, Civil Service Statistics. Information on the number of civil servants earning more than £150,000 and...
Answered 25 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMembers: AllowancesSpeaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards AuthorityTabled 9 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76197More
Question: To ask the hon. Member for Warrington North, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what recent assessment she has made of levels of public confidence in the administration of hon. Members' business cos
Answer: The Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (SCIPSA) is a statutory body whose role is defined by the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009, as amended by the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. The Committee review...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76196More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the performance of train operators since the announcement of the creation of Great British Railways.
Answer: Great British Railways is set to be the ‘directing mind’ for the rail industry, bringing together the management of the network and the delivery of passenger services into a single public body. Establishing Great British Railways as a new arm’s length bod...
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordFreedom of ExpressionForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76195More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has received representations from his US counterpart on freedom of speech in the UK.
Answer: Like the United States, the UK supports freedom of expression as a fundamental right and we have a long history of promoting freedom of expression globally, underpinned by our commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Answered 22 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
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