Rachael Maskell MP: written questions 2025
238 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Israel: Military IntelligenceMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57645More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has withheld any Royal Air Force surveillance information from the Israeli government in the last two years.
Answer: Since early December 2023, the Ministry of Defence have conducted unarmed surveillance flights over Gaza for the sole purpose of locating hostages. Only information related to hostage rescue can be passed to the relevant authority, and is only passed if w...
Answered 19 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: Humanitarian AidMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57644More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has considered providing a sea route for humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Answer: The Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) leads on coordinating the HMG’s humanitarian response to deliver lifesaving assistance to the civilian population in Gaza. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has provided military support when needed to fa...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordF-35 Aircraft: Spare PartsMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57643More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there are any contractual requirements that would prevent the UK from withdrawing from the F35 global spare parts pool.
Answer: The UK Government does not have a contract with the F-35 global spares pool. The prime contractors for the F-35 programme, [the US companies Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney,] operate the F-35 global spares pool on behalf of the F35 programme, incl...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordF-35 Aircraft: Spare PartsMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57642More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the length is of the UK's contract with the F35 global spare parts pool; and when that contract ends.
Answer: The UK Government does not have a contract with the F-35 global spares pool. The prime contractors for the F-35 programme, [the US companies Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney,] operate the F-35 global spares pool on behalf of the F35 programme, incl...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDevelopment AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57641More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reductions in aid spending on the global influence of (a) China and (b) other countries.
Answer: To fund a necessary increase in defence spending, the Government has taken the decision in the current fiscal and economic circumstances to reduce our Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget.This was not an ideological decision, but a hardheaded one,...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDevelopment Aid: EducationForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57640More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reductions in Overseas Development Assistance on the number of children able to access education.
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 recordDiplomatic Service: ExpenditureForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57639More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department spends on diplomacy (a) in numerical terms and (b) as a proportion of gross value added each year.
Answer: Diplomacy is at the heart of all Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) activity, both in the UK and overseas. It is not possible for the FCDO to accurately present a numerical cost of diplomacy, nor the proportion of gross value added each y...
Answered 11 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDevelopment Aid: WomenForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57638More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reductions to international development aid on (a) women and (b) children.
Answer: The UK remains committed to empowering women and girls around the world through our international work. We recognise that supporting women and girls is essential for development and we will continue to do so by using our voice to be a champion for women a...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordNuclear DisarmamentForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57637More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken to achieve multilateral disarmament of nuclear weapons.
Answer: The UK remains committed to the goal of a world without nuclear weapons, and to our Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty obligation to pursue nuclear disarmament negotiations in good faith. Nuclear disarmament is a process as well as an end-state, which is be...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordNuclear Non-proliferation TreatyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57636More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK Government complies with its Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons obligations.
Answer: The UK is compliant with and remains committed to its obligations across all three pillars of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). In line with its commitment under Article VI, the UK continues to pursue negotiations in good faith...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing Benefit: Social Rented HousingDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56828More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with a disabled person in their household pay a spare room subsidy payment.
Answer: Easements from RSRS deductions allow for the provision of an additional bedroom to support the needs of disabled people and families of disabled children such as where members of the household are unable to share a bedroom or where overnight care is requi...
Answered 11 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing Benefit: Social Rented HousingDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56827More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people pay spare room subsidy payments.
Answer: Easements from RSRS deductions allow for the provision of an additional bedroom to support the needs of disabled people and families of disabled children such as where members of the household are unable to share a bedroom or where overnight care is requi...
Answered 11 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing Benefit: Social Rented HousingDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56826More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has considered ending spare room subsidy payments.
Answer: Easements from RSRS deductions allow for the provision of an additional bedroom to support the needs of disabled people and families of disabled children such as where members of the household are unable to share a bedroom or where overnight care is requi...
Answered 11 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: DisqualificationDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56825More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of ending conditionality through sanctioning in relation to social security.
Answer: The Department has made no assessment on ending conditionality through sanctioning. It is right that there should be conditions and consequences to labour market support. We will continue to ensure that claimants who need support receive it and consider h...
Answered 11 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: DisqualificationDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56824More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of conditionality through sanctions on levels of (a) poverty and (b) mental health of social security recipients.
Answer: The Department has made no assessment on ending conditionality through sanctioning. It is right that there should be conditions and consequences to labour market support. We will continue to ensure that claimants who need support receive it and consider h...
Answered 11 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security BenefitsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56823More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what methods her Department uses to calculate the minimum amount of social security that a person can live off.
Answer: Under the Social Security Administration Act 1992 the Secretary of State is required by law to review State Pension and benefit rates each year to see if they have retained their value in relation to the general level of prices or earnings. We have uprate...
Answered 11 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: Military AidMinistry of DefenceTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56822More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the last time was that a member of the Israel Defense Forces was trained by the UK armed forces.
Answer: As part of routine Defence engagement with Israel, the UK is currently training a limited number of Israel Defense Forces personnel on UK-based training courses.
Answered 11 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: SurveillanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56821More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the last time was that his Department provided the (a) Israeli government and (b) Israel Defense Forces with surveillance data of Gaza from Royal Air Force planes.
Answer: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to Questions 56819 and 56820. I hope she will understand that I am unable to comment on detailed intelligence matters.
Answered 11 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: SurveillanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56820More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has (a) passed and (b) sold surveillance data of Gaza to Israel since (i) 7 October 2023, (ii) 5 July 2024 and (iii) 2 September 2024.
Answer: The UK controls what information is passed to Israeli authorities. Surveillance information of Gaza is passed to the relevant Israeli authorities only where it relates to hostage rescue and where we are satisfied that it will be used in accordance with In...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: SurveillanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56819More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many surveillance flights the Royal Air Force has made over Gaza since (a) 7 October 2023, (b) 5 July 2023 and (c) 2 September 2023.
Answer: Since December 2023 the Ministry of Defence has conducted unarmed surveillance flights within the airspace over Israel and Gaza, solely for the purpose of locating hostages. I am unable to comment further on detailed intelligence matters.
Answered 10 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordF-35 Aircraft: Spare PartsMinistry of DefenceTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56818More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had recent discussions with his international counterparts on the potential merits of (a) withdrawing from the F35 global spare parts pool and (b) continuing to sell components to countries within
Answer: Conversations with F-35 Partners occur regularly and cover a range of issues; however, I am unable to disclose details of confidential conversations held within an international programme.
Answered 10 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordF-35 Aircraft: Spare PartsMinistry of DefenceTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56817More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had recent discussions with his international counterparts on the potential merits of placing GPS technology labelling on spare parts for the F35 global spare parts pool.
Answer: Conversations with F-35 Partners occur regularly and cover a range of issues; however, I am unable to disclose details of confidential conversations held within an international programme.
Answered 10 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordF-35 Aircraft: Spare PartsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56816More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what information his Department holds on which countries purchase spare parts from the F35 global spare part pool.
Answer: Once parts are exported from the UK to the global F-35 programme, the UK does not have access to information about the movement of individual components, and does not have control over whether components in the global spares pool are used for specific cus...
Answered 12 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordF-35 Aircraft: Spare PartsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56815More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many UK-manufactured parts have been sold into the F35 global spare parts pool since (a) 7 October 2023 and (b) 2 September 2024; and how many of these parts have been transferred to Israel.
Answer: The Department for Business and Trade does not hold information on the quantity of goods exported under Open General Export Licences. The principle of such licences – such as those for UK suppliers to the F-35 programme – is that they allow registered com...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordF-35 Aircraft: Spare PartsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56814More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what revenues (a) the Government and (b) manufacturers have received from selling components into the F35 global spare parts pool in each of the last three years.
Answer: The UK Government does not sell F-35 components directly, but licences the export of components to the F-35 global programme from a number of UK suppliers. The Department for Business and Trade does not hold information on the revenue of companies generat...
Answered 10 Jun 2025
Original Parliament record
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