Phil Brickell MP: written questions 2025
110 published records · newest first.
Written questions
UK Bus Manufacturing Expert PanelDepartment for TransportTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42171More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representation non legacy groups have in her Department's Expert Bus Manufacturers Panel.
Answer: The membership of the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel comprises two classifications: Standing Members and Additional Members. Standing Members include Government departments and wider industry bodies. Industry bodies include the Society of Motor Manufac...
Answered 2 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNew Businesses: FinanceDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42169More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the ability of newly formed companies to access finance.
Answer: The Government works with the British Business Bank to improve the access to finance landscape for smaller businesses. An example of the Bank’s interventions is the Start Up Loans programme which provides personal loans to start up a new business or devel...
Answered 10 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEmpty Dwelling Management OrdersMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41312More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many empty dwelling management orders were used in England in each of the last five years.
Answer: The Department does not collect data on the number of Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMOs) that have been issued. Local authorities can apply for an EDMO when a property has been empty for more than two years, subject to the production of evidence that...
Answered 2 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordApprenticeship LevyDepartment for EducationTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40316More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has commissioned research into the satisfaction rates of (a) private companies and (b) students participating in apprenticeship levy programmes.
Answer: The apprenticeship evaluation surveys commissioned by the department provide insights into the satisfaction rates of employers and apprentices.For employers, overall satisfaction rates were 83% for all commercial employers and 89% for all employers who re...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordApprenticesDepartment for EducationTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40314More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of (a) trends in the level of completion rates of people undertaking apprenticeships funded by the apprenticeship levy and (b) the quality of monitoring of Higher Educati
Answer: Qualification achievement rates for apprenticeships are published annually at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships/2024-25. Data for the 2023/24 academic year is available at this link.The department holds a...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Conflict: WomenForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 13 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31609More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support women and girls in states affected by conflict.
Answer: Empowering women and girls is a UK Government priority. The UK will take a leading role on the global stage, building partnerships, particularly in the Global South, to promote greater gender equality that strengthens whole societies and economies. Having...
Answered 24 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordHumanitarian AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 13 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31608More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve partnerships with major humanitarian relief donors, in the context of the recent USAID funding freeze announcement.
Answer: We are currently working to assess the implications of the US funding pause across development sectors, geographic regions and multilateral organisations. We are gathering information and working with other donor partners to share analysis of the pause be...
Answered 3 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordOutdoor EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 13 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31550More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support the outdoor education industry.
Answer: The department believes all children and young people should have access to outdoor learning and the opportunity to learn about and connect with nature. Access to green space has been shown to have positive impacts on the physical, mental and emotional we...
Answered 28 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordActive Travel: FinanceDepartment for TransportTabled 13 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31549More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on long-term funding for active travel.
Answer: The Government recognises that investment in high quality active travel infrastructure supports its economic growth, health and net zero missions by helping to revitalise high streets; enabling people to live longer, healthier lives; and helping to reduce...
Answered 26 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordActive Travel: Greater ManchesterDepartment for TransportTabled 13 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31548More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Greater Manchester Active Travel Commissioner on encouraging (a) walking and (b) cycling across the Greater Manchester region.
Answer: Active Travel England (part of the Department for Transport) has engaged regularly with Greater Manchester’s Active Travel Commissioner over the last year, including on the role active travel can play in supporting the development of the Bee Network. This...
Answered 26 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordActive Travel: Bolton WestDepartment for TransportTabled 13 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31547More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to encourage active travel in Bolton West constituency.
Answer: Bolton West is part of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) area. GMCA was awarded over £5 million through the fifth round of the Active Travel Fund in 2024 to 2025 and will receive over £15 million as part of the integrated settlements for 20...
Answered 26 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordDisclosure of Information: LawDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31536More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will take steps to update whistleblowing laws.
Answer: The Government is updating whistleblowing laws through the Employment Rights Bill which will strengthen the protections for whistleblowers, by making it explicit that sexual harassment can be the basis for a protected disclosure.
Answered 27 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordTaxis: LicensingDepartment for TransportTabled 13 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31535More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to harmonise the licensing requirements for private hire vehicles for every local authority in England.
Answer: The Government is responsible for setting the regulatory structure within which licensing authorities in England administer the taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime. Under this system licensing authorities have the flexibility to set the standar...
Answered 26 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordElectoral RegisterMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29202More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to increase voter registration for elections.
Answer: The government is committed to improving electoral registration. We are exploring a wide range of options to deliver on this manifesto commitment, including making greater use of public data and online government services. Any changes will be based on rob...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordIslamophobiaMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29189More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to tackle Islamophobia.
Answer: Islamophobia is completely abhorrent and has no place in our society. Rooting out this appalling form of hatred is a priority for this Government, and we have already taken a number of steps to achieve this.The Government works closely with the police and...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPharmacyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29185More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has plans to consult on extending the list of conditions patients can be treated for under the Pharmacy First scheme.
Answer: The Government will make sure the National Health Service has the staff it needs to be there for all of us when we need it. We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the NHS. A central part of the 10-Year Health Plan will be our workforce and how w...
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPharmacyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29184More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Pharmacy First service.
Answer: The Government will make sure the National Health Service has the staff it needs to be there for all of us when we need it. We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the NHS. A central part of the 10-Year Health Plan will be our workforce and how w...
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPharmacyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29182More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the number of community pharmacists.
Answer: The Government will make sure the National Health Service has the staff it needs to be there for all of us when we need it. We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the NHS. A central part of the 10-Year Health Plan will be our workforce and how w...
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordLobbyingCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28748More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to respond to the Fourth Report of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee of Session 2023–24, Lobbying and Influence: post-legislative scrutiny of the Lobbying Act 2014 and
Answer: I refer the Honorable Member to PQ UIN 20199.
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordTax EvasionTreasuryTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27634More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue HMRC estimates has been lost due to tax evasion facilitated through overseas territories in the last five years.
Answer: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) estimates the size of the tax gap, which is the difference between the amount of tax that should, in theory, be paid to HMRC, and what is actually paid. The tax gap statistics are published annually and are available at: Meas...
Answered 7 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCyprus: Financial ServicesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27633More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Cypriot counterpart on the use of Cyprus-based financial structures by UK (a) businesses and (b) individuals to evade VAT.
Answer: The Foreign Secretary has not had discussions with Cypriot counterparts on the use of Cyprus-based financial structures by UK businesses or individuals for tax evasion. The UK and Cypriot governments committed to share expertise and invest in capacity bui...
Answered 7 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCarersDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27629More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of the legal right to a care supporter in a health and social care setting.
Answer: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) Fundamental Standard on Visiting and Accompanying (Regulation 9A) came into force on 6 April 2024 to strengthen requirements for CQC registered care homes, hospitals, and hospices to facilitate visiting, unless there are ...
Answered 5 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCoronavirus: FraudTreasuryTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25811More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 22789 on Fraud: Coronavirus, how many (a) civil and (b) criminal compliance actions has HMRC taken relating to tax offences suspected of having been committed by
Answer: HMRC conducts thousands of civil and criminal compliance actions each year. A number of these relate to tax offences suspected of having been committed by those seeking and fulfilling government contracts relating to the procurement and onward supply of P...
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordCoronavirus: FraudTreasuryTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25810More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 22789 on Fraud: Coronavirus, how many (a) civil and (b) criminal compliance actions HMRC has taken on covid-related fraud since January 2020.
Answer: The COVID-19 business support schemes that were administered by HMRC were the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) and Eat Out to Help Out (EOHO).HMRC remain committed to COVID-19 scheme compliance activit...
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordFraud: CoronavirusTreasuryTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25809More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 22789 on Fraud: Coronavirus, what the total number of staff is who work on recovering overpayments on business support schemes in each year since 2020-21.
Answer: The COVID-19 business support schemes that were administered by HMRC were the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) and Eat Out to Help Out (EOHO). Information on the resources deployed on these schemes can...
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament record
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