Rachael Maskell MP: written questions 2025
238 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Adoption and Special Guardianship Support FundDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48971More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applications to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund are on hold as a result of the delay caused in announcing the funding for the current financial year.
Answer: Since the pause on accepting applications to the adoption and special guardianship support fund ended on 14 April, there are no applications on hold. Many of the applications received for funding which started in the previous financial year have continued...
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordAdoption and Special Guardianship Support FundDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48970More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many complaints were (a) received and (b) upheld against Mott MacDonald in its role administering the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund.
Answer: The department has received no complaints regarding Mott MacDonald’s administration of the adoption and special guardianship support fund.
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordAdoption and Special Guardianship Support FundDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48969More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the potential impact of changes to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund on the a
Answer: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues over a range of important matters.Local authorities exercise their statutory duty to children previously in care and adopted children through region...
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordNuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review ConferenceForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48968More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his Department’s negotiating priorities are for the Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
Answer: Our priorities for the 2025 Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) include to promote and strengthen the NPT for the future, demonstrate the UK's enduring commitment to taking i...
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordNuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review ConferenceForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48967More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to attend the third session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weap
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Director for Defence and International Security and the UK Ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament are representing the UK at the 2025 Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of the Treaty ...
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordEuthanasia and Palliative CareDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45020More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many meetings he has had on (a) assisted dying and (b) palliative care since his appointment.
Answer: Department ministers have attended 16 meetings on assisted dying and palliative care since July 2024.These were a combination of introductory meetings to the policy area, meetings with the bill team and bill meetings with officials and the sponsor.
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordAdoption and Special Guardianship Support FundDepartment for EducationTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42565More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the availability of information on future funding for the adoption and special guardianship support fund on (a) therapy providers (b) levels of redundanci
Answer: Following an announcement on 1 April, the department is delighted to announce that £50 million has been allocated to the adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) for the 2025/26 financial year. No applications to the ASGSF made before 31 Mar...
Answered 11 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordAdoption and Special Guardianship Support FundDepartment for EducationTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42564More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department issued to local authorities on the rules for applications to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund to be carried over into the 2025 financial year.
Answer: Following an announcement on 1 April, the department is delighted to announce that £50 million has been allocated to the adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) for the 2025/26 financial year. No applications to the ASGSF made before 31 Mar...
Answered 11 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordAdoption and Special Guardianship Support FundDepartment for EducationTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42563More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applications made to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund before March 31st 2025 were rejected on the basis that no future funding announcement had been made.
Answer: Following an announcement on 1 April, the department is delighted to announce that £50 million has been allocated to the adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) for the 2025/26 financial year. No applications to the ASGSF made before 31 Mar...
Answered 11 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Impact AssessmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41876More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the impact assessment for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will be published.
Answer: The Government expects to publish the impact assessment before Members consider the bill on Report.
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHealthy Start Scheme: YorkDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41864More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many families receive support under the Healthy Start scheme in York.
Answer: The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) operates the Healthy Start scheme on behalf of the Department. Monthly figures for the number of people on the digital Healthy Start scheme are published on the NHS Healthy Start website, which is available at ...
Answered 2 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPatient Choice SchemesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41851More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on (a) (i) autism and (ii) ADHD assessments and (b) other functions of the Patient Choice department.
Answer: Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead this transformation. As we work to return many of NHS England’s current functions to the Department, we will ens...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNeurodiversity: DiagnosisDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41850More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to the NHS Payments Scheme on access to assessment for (a) autism and (b) ADHD.
Answer: The consultation on the Payment Scheme proposed requiring commissioners to set a payment limit for elective services, and all services paid for on an activity basis, based on the value of planned levels of activity. Providers would not be paid for activit...
Answered 16 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDental Services: Waiting ListsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41849More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting time for an NHS dental appointment was in (a) York Central constituency, (b) Yorkshire and (c) England in each of the last ten years.
Answer: Patients in England are not registered with a National Health Service dental practice, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. There is no geographical restriction on which practice a patient may attend. Dental practices may ...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEnglish Football LeagueDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41848More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the number of teams promoted to from National League into the English Football League.
Answer: I recognise the strength of feeling within the National League regarding promotion arrangements to the EFL and understand the desire for greater opportunities for clubs to progress through the football pyramid. The competitiveness and sustainability of th...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSpeech and Language Therapy: VacanciesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41847More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of speech and language therapy posts are vacant in (a) each Integrated Care Board and (b) England.
Answer: The Department does not hold information on the number of speech and language therapist posts which are vacant.NHS England publishes quarterly NHS hospital trust vacancy and job advert data. This data identifies vacancy rates for total NHS staff and also ...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNeurodiversity: DiagnosisDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41846More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the level of capacity with the NHS for (a) ADHD and (b) autism assessments.
Answer: It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including assessments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and aut...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: Arms TradeForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41845More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to publish legal advice on the licensing of arms sales to Israel.
Answer: The Government has published a summary of the international humanitarian law (IHL) process used to assess and review Israel's compliance with IHL. This summary, informed by legal advice, alongside the Foreign Secretary's Oral Statement outlined the decisi...
Answered 11 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordReligious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40493More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his EU counterparts on the potential merits of introducing a special envoy on the freedom of religion or belief.
Answer: The UK is committed to championing freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in.The appointment of David Smith MP as the UK Special Envoy for FoRB in December 2024 is a clear signal ...
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordBus Services: ConcessionsDepartment for TransportTabled 20 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39863More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will consider extending funding for disabled bus passes to include journeys made before 9:30am.
Answer: The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, such...
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordHoliday Activities and Food ProgrammeDepartment for EducationTabled 26 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33931More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has she made of the contribution of the Holidays and Activities Fund (a) nationally and (b) in York.
Answer: Since 2022, the department has invested over £200 million each year in free holiday club places for children from low-income families, through the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme, with all 153 local authorities in England delivering during the...
Answered 12 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordHoliday Activities and Food ProgrammeDepartment for EducationTabled 26 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33930More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to provide continuity of the Holdiay and Activities Fund after 31 March 2025.
Answer: The government announced over £200 million funding for the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme for 2025/26, as part of the 2024 spending review and set out in the Autumn Budget 2024. The future of the HAF programme beyond 31 March 2026 is subject ...
Answered 29 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordNuclear DisarmamentMinistry of DefenceTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31929More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it is his policy to support nuclear disarmament.
Answer: The United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent exists to deter the most extreme threats to our national security and way of life. It will remain essential for as long as the global security threat picture demands it. This Government's commitment to our nuclear de...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordNuclear WeaponsMinistry of DefenceTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31928More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to review the UK's nuclear weapons policy.
Answer: The United Kingdom’s nuclear deterrent exists to deter the most extreme threats to our national security and way of life, which cannot be deterred by other means. It will remain essential for as long as the global security environment demands. We continua...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordTreaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear WeaponsMinistry of DefenceTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31927More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy to send representatives to attend the Third Meeting of States Parties of the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons as observers.
Answer: No officials will attend the Third Meeting of States Parties of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
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