Peter Bedford MP: written questions
225 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Schools: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 20 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128544More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential rise in cost of rent, utilities, insurance, and food costs on the sustainability of schools.
Answer: In March 2026, we published the 2026 Schools Costs Technical Note, which includes an estimate of cost pressures for schools’ non-staff costs over the 2026/27 and 2027/28 financial years. The analysis shows £1 billion of headroom in schools’ budgets over t...
Answered 29 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordPre-school Education: StaffDepartment for EducationTabled 20 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128533More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what contingency plans are in place in the event that early years settings (a) reduce places and (b) close due to staffing levels.
Answer: Local authorities are responsible for ensuring adequacy of children provision in their area. The department has regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing. Where local authoriti...
Answered 29 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordPre-school Education: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 20 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128532More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help prevent the funding model for early years settings resulting in operating losses for those settings.
Answer: In 2026/27 the department expects to provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlements, including an increase of 15% in Early Years Pupil Premium, more than doubling annual public investment in the early years sector compared to 2023/24. To calcu...
Answered 29 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordTeachers: Conditions of EmploymentDepartment for EducationTabled 20 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128531More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of statutory requirements on numbers of early years staff being present at least 30 minutes before and after funded sessions; and what fundi
Answer: In 2026/27 the department expects to provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlements, including an increase of 15% in Early Years Pupil Premium, more than doubling annual public investment in the early years sector compared to 2023/24. To calcu...
Answered 29 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordPre-school Education: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 17 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128153More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of early years funding rates for two and three year olds for meeting staffing costs, including required non contact time for preparation, setup, and safeg
Answer: In 2026/27, the department expects to provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlements, including an increase of 15% in Early Years Pupil Premium, more than doubling annual public investment in the early years sector compared to 2023/24. Staff c...
Answered 29 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordRoads: HousingDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128152More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consideration is given within national transport assessment guidance to cumulative and cross boundary impacts in rural areas, including rat running, school run congestion, and early network stress occurrin
Answer: The Department for Transport’s Transport Analysis Guidance provides a technical framework for assessing network‑wide transport impacts, including cumulative and cross‑boundary effects. Through its requirements on scenario testing, forecasting and appraisa...
Answered 23 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordRoad Traffic: Rural AreasDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128151More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to establish a measurable framework for assessing when traffic materially undermines a village’s function as a place, rather than solely assessing vehicle capacity.
Answer: The Department for Transport’s Transport Analysis Guidance includes a qualitative methodology for assessing the impacts of transport schemes on townscape, defined as the physical and social characteristics that contribute to a sense of place. The revised ...
Answered 23 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordRoads: HousingDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128150More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance her Department provides to highway authorities on how the place before movement principle should be operationalised in rural transport assessments, particularly where multiple developments exert c
Answer: My officials work closely with counterparts in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on national planning policy, including how transport is considered in plan‑making and decision‑taking for new development.The revised National Plannin...
Answered 23 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Civil ServantsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128092More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many civil servants in her Department were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 9 January in response to Question 100981.
Answered 23 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: VisasForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127708More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many visas has her Department sponsored for foreign nationals employed in the UK.
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not routinely capture or hold nationality data. Nationality requirements arise only where necessary to meet security clearance criteria and are set out at recruitment. Visa information is not held cent...
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: StaffForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127707More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many and what proportion of foreign nationals are employed by her Department within its UK operations.
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not routinely capture or hold nationality data. Nationality requirements arise only where necessary to meet security clearance criteria and are set out at recruitment. Visa information is not held cent...
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordEuropean Convention on Human RightsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127688More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress has been made on reforming the ECHR.
Answer: Last month, the Steering Committee for Human Rights of the Council of Europe adopted elements for a Council of Europe Political Declaration on the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and irregular migration. Negotiations on the Political Declaratio...
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordUndocumented MigrantsHome OfficeTabled 13 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127007More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department holds an internal estimate of the number of illegal migrant absconders in the UK.
Answer: The information requested is not currently available from published statistics.Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user ...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordAsylum: ApplicationsHome OfficeTabled 13 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127006More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will consider the potential merits of collating and publishing the 2025 asylum claim acceptance rate for cases decided by immigration caseworkers that are foreign nationals.
Answer: Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordPlastic Surgery: VATTreasuryTabled 13 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126997More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to levy VAT on cosmetic surgical procedures.
Answer: VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is charged at the standard rate on all cosmetic procedures unless they are carried out by a health professional to protect, maintain or rest...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Security: ScotlandScotland OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 908697More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effectiveness of the welfare system in Scotland.
Answer: I meet regularly with Cabinet colleagues to discuss matters of government policy. This Government is committed to fixing our broken welfare system, ensuring that it is pro-work and provides strong support for disabled claimants to start or stay in work. W...
Answered 15 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordAttorney General's Office: Civil ServantsAttorney GeneralTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124326More
Question: To ask the Solicitor General, how many civil servants in their Department were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.
Answer: No civil servant in the AGO was found to have broken the Civil Service Code in 2024 or 2025.
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordWales Office: Civil ServantsWales OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124325More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many civil servants in their Department were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.
Answer: Civil Servants are appointed on merit on the basis of fair and open competition and are expected to carry out their role with dedication and a commitment to the Civil Service and its core values: integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality. No civil ...
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordScotland Office: Civil ServantsScotland OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124324More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many civil servants in their Department were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.
Answer: No civil servants in the Scotland Office were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in (a) 2024 or (b) 2025. Civil Servants are appointed on merit on the basis of fair and open competition and are expected to carry out their role with dedication and...
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordNorthern Ireland Office: Civil ServantsNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124323More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many civil servants in their Department were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.
Answer: There were no civil servants in the Northern Ireland Office who were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in 2024 or 2025. Civil Servants are appointed on merit on the basis of fair and open competition and are expected to carry out their role with...
Answered 16 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Civil ServantsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124322More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many civil servants in their Department were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.
Answer: Civil Servants are appointed on merit on the basis of fair and open competition and are expected to carry out their role with dedication and a commitment to the Civil Service and its core values: integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.Allegation...
Answered 23 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Defence: Civil ServantsMinistry of DefenceTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124321More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civil servants in their Department were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence does not centrally record the number of civil servants who have been found to have broken the Civil Service Code and this information could only be provided at disproportionate cost. To determine the number who had, this would requ...
Answered 16 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment of Health and Social Care: Civil ServantsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124320More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many civil servants in their Department were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.
Answer: The following table shows recorded disciplinary cases which were upheld and included breaches of the Civil Service Code, for 2024 and 2025: Year of outcomeNumber of these cases where the allegation included “Breaches of the Civil Service Code”2024<5202...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: Civil ServantsDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124319More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many civil servants in their Department were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.
Answer: In 2024 there were 8 disciplinary cases in the central Government Department that closed in that year and where the reason for the case was categorised specifically as ‘Breaches of the Civil Service Code’. Of these 8 cases, less than 5 resulted in Final ...
Answered 17 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Civil ServantsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124318More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many civil servants in their Department were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.
Answer: Civil servants are appointed on merit on the basis of fair and open competition and are expected to carry out their role with dedication and a commitment to the Civil Service and its core values: integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality. In 2024 a...
Answered 16 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
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