Rachel Blake MP: written questions 2025
68 published records · newest first.
Written questions
General Practitioners and Physician AssistantsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101171More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department are taking to help ensure that GPs are not replaced with Physician Associates.
Answer: We are clear that physician assistants, still legally known as physician associates, are there to support doctors, not replace them. Professor Leng’s recent review findings were clear that, with changes in line with its recommendations, there remains a pl...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSouth Western Railway: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101169More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve the performance of South Western Railway.
Answer: The new Managing Director of South Western Railway (SWR), Lawrence Bowman, is responsible for both the infrastructure and operations of the SWR network. The new integrated team is working hard to address the issues inherited from the previous private sect...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordNational Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning ServiceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 27 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 95212More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what governance arrangements his Department has considered for the future Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in Victoria Tower Gardens.
Answer: We are considering a range of operating models for the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre and will ensure that there are robust governance arrangements in place which are appropriate to the chosen model.
Answered 5 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMyanmar: Human RightsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91874More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of imposing sanctions on people responsible for human rights violations in Myanmar.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 11 June to Question 57613.
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordAccess to Work ProgrammeDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83683More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the implementation of the guidance entitled Access to Work: staff guide, published on 1 September 2025, on levels of support provided to successful
Answer: The externally published staff guide replicates the internal guidance with some redactions, eg fraud referrals and any internal business processes. This is updated incrementally to mirror any changes to the internal guidance. The guidance published on 1 S...
Answered 24 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLobbying: RegistrationCabinet OfficeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77863More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to consult on extending the definition of those who can be lobbied to trigger registration to include (a) Members of Parliament, (b) peers, (c) senior civil servants and (d) special adviser
Answer: The Government continues to keep transparency around lobbying under review, and will factor into consideration any relevant international comparators, and PACAC's post-legislative scrutiny of the 2014 Lobbying Act, as any policy reforms are considered.
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLobbying: Codes of PracticeCabinet OfficeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77862More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a statutory code of conduct for lobbyists.
Answer: The Government continues to keep transparency around lobbying under review, and will factor into consideration any relevant international comparators, and PACAC's post-legislative scrutiny of the 2014 Lobbying Act, as any policy reforms are considered.
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLobbying: RegistrationCabinet OfficeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77861More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of lobbying registers in (a) Canada, (b) the EU and (c) other jurisdictions in improving public trust in the policy-making process.
Answer: The Government continues to keep transparency around lobbying under review, and will factor into consideration any relevant international comparators, and PACAC's post-legislative scrutiny of the 2014 Lobbying Act, as any policy reforms are considered.
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLobbying: Disclosure of InformationCabinet OfficeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77860More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to require statutory declarations of lobbying activity.
Answer: The Government continues to keep transparency around lobbying under review, and will factor into consideration any relevant international comparators, and PACAC's post-legislative scrutiny of the 2014 Lobbying Act, as any policy reforms are considered.
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLobbying: VATCabinet OfficeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77859More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will review the VAT threshold exemption under the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014.
Answer: The Government continues to keep transparency around lobbying under review, and will factor into consideration any relevant international comparators, and PACAC's post-legislative scrutiny of the 2014 Lobbying Act, as any policy reforms are considered.
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordRegistrar of Consultant LobbyistsCabinet OfficeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77858More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plan to extend the scope of the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists to include (a) in-house lobbyists, (b) trade bodies, (c) think tanks and (d) campaigning organisations.
Answer: The Government continues to keep transparency around lobbying under review, and will factor into consideration any relevant international comparators, and PACAC's post-legislative scrutiny of the 2014 Lobbying Act, as any policy reforms are considered.
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordDentists Act 1921Department of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74390More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Dental Act 1921 in meeting patient needs in orthodontic care.
Answer: The Dentists Act 1921 was repealed in full by the Dentists Act 1957, section 51 and schedule 2, which in turn was repealed by the Dentists Act 1984 , section 54 and schedule 6.
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordBuildings: InsulationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74388More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to address leasehold issues arising from probate sales of properties which did not qualify for cladding remediation support under the Building Safety Act (2022)
Answer: There is a range of support in place for leaseholders, even those whose lease does not qualify for protection under Part 5 of the Building Safety Act 2022. All leaseholders are also protected from cladding remediation and benefit from qualifying status on...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service: Planning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71840More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is planning to take to ensure that local residents are (a) informed and (b) consulted during the Holocaust Memorial Learning Centre (Victoria Tower Gard
Answer: Decisions on the redetermination procedure for this application, and any necessary consultation and engagement with local residents, have not yet been taken.
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordArtificial Intelligence: Holiday AccommodationDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 3 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64941More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of using artificial intelligence in the regulatory process for short-term lets.
Answer: The Government is committed to being at the forefront of artificial intelligence innovation across public services and regulatory processes. Decisions about which technologies, including potential AI applications, will best support the Short Term Lets reg...
Answered 15 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHoliday Accommodation: DatabasesDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 3 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64940More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many full-time equivalent staff will be needed to enforce the short-term lets database.
Answer: Detailed operational requirements, including staffing levels, are being determined as part of the development process.
Answered 15 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHoliday Accommodation: RegistrationDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 3 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64939More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to her Department's consultation outcome entitled Consultation on a registration scheme for short-term lets in England, updated on 19 July 2024, when she will publish a full respon
Answer: DCMS has commenced the second phase of digital development, with public testing due to start in September. The full consultation response will be published alongside the necessary secondary legislation.
Answered 15 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHoliday Accommodation: Business RatesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64938More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate her Department has made of the tax revenue from ensuring compliance with rules on eligibility of short-term lets for business rates.
Answer: Before a short-term let can be assessed as a self-catering accommodation (short-term let) for business rates purposes it must have been available to let for at least 140 days in the past year and demonstrate at least 70 days of actual letting activity in ...
Answered 11 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordInheritance Tax: British Nationals AbroadTreasuryTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63924More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to a residence-based inheritance tax system on the numbers of UK residents with permanent homes outside of the UK.
Answer: A supplementary forecast information release around the costings of reforms to the non-domicile regime, including the move to residence-based inheritance tax system, was published by the Office for Budget Responsibility in January 2025. This costing outli...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordLegal Aid SchemeMinistry of JusticeTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63923More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to resolve ongoing issues with accessing the legal aid portal.
Answer: This is an unprecedented event involving sophisticated organised crime. Every effort is being made to restore systems following the criminal attack on our services. The Legal Aid Agency’s (LAA) digital services have been taken offline to negate the threat...
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHeat Networks: City of WestminsterMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63922More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Pimlico District Heating Undertaking has been subject to departmental review.
Answer: The department has not conducted any such review.
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHeat Networks: City of WestminsterDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63921More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with Westminster City Council on upgrades to the Pimlico District Heating Undertaking.
Answer: Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHeat Networks: FinanceDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63920More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what oversight his Department provides for investments in heat network infrastructure.
Answer: The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero provides capital funding for heat networks via the Green Heat Network Fund and the Heat Network Efficiency Scheme. The Department is represented on the Investment Committees for these schemes. Successful app...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPolice: PowersHome OfficeTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63919More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government plans go give additional powers to policing forces to deal with allegations of (a) trespassing and (b) modern slavery and human trafficking, in the context of the commencement o
Answer: This Government is repealing the outdated Vagrancy Act and introducing new offences which deal with specific risks.Repealing the Vagrancy Act 1824 will leave a gap for the police to tackle organised begging and trespassing, which police have highlighted a...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordIndia: Minority GroupsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62140More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in India on protecting minority rights.
Answer: The UK Government takes all allegations of human rights violations very seriously. The UK Government has a broad, deep and respectful partnership with the Government of India. This includes sharing perspectives on human rights and minority issues and find...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament record
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