Rebecca Paul MP: written questions 2025
152 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Electronic CommerceDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99440More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support UK participation in the WTO Joint Statement Initiative on e-commerce.
Answer: The WTO Agreement on E Commernce (ECA) is the first global digital trade agreement that will make trade faster, cheaper, fairer, and more secure. The UK is an active and supportive participant of the Joint Statement Initiative on E-commerce (JSI). In July...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordOverseas Trade: Digital TechnologyDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99439More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the capacity of the UK’s digital trade infrastructure to support increased trade volumes predicted for the next decade.
Answer: The Trade Strategy committed the UK to remaining at the forefront of harnessing technology to make the most of the opportunities of digital trade. In addition to negotiating FTA chapters, we are developing the policy infrastructure for digital trade throu...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordTrade Agreements: AustraliaDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99438More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what data his Department holds on the number of UK firms utilising preferential tariff rates under the UK–Australia Free Trade Agreement.
Answer: The Department for Business and Trade does not centrally hold any data on the number of UK firms utilising preferential tariff rates under the UK–Australia Free Trade Agreement.The Department holds data on the UK’s utilisation of tariff preferences for im...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordOverseas Trade: QualificationsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99437More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the UK’s ability to conclude mutual recognition agreements for professional qualifications with priority trade partners.
Answer: The Government is committed to improving recognition of professional qualifications with key trading partners. The Government is actively encouraging and supporting the UK’s regulators through guidance on recognition arrangements and targeted funding, to ...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordExports: AdministrationTreasuryTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99436More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the time taken by UK firms to complete export documentation compared with firms in other OECD countries.
Answer: Estimates of the administrative burden of import and export declarations for trade between Great Britain and the European Union are published at the following link: Estimating the customs administrative burden of 2022 declarations - GOV.UK. No direct comp...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordIron and Steel: Public ConsultationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99117More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, which external stakeholders (a) have been consulted to date and (b) remain to be consulted prior to the publication of the steel strategy in 2026.
Answer: The Government is committed to supporting the UK steel sector and delivering a steel strategy. A robust position on trade is a critical element of this strategy, underpinning our approach to defending against unfair practices and global overcapacity. We a...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordIron and SteelDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99114More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the steel strategy will be published before the statutory 30-day consultation period required for any potential changes to the UK steel trade remedies framework expiring in 2026.
Answer: The Government is committed to supporting the UK steel sector and delivering a steel strategy. A robust position on trade is a critical element of this strategy, underpinning our approach to defending against unfair practices and global overcapacity. We a...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordIron and SteelDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99112More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of delaying the publication of the steel strategy on (a) private sector investment decisions and (b) decarbonisation timelines at the Scunthorpe stee
Answer: The Government is committed to supporting the UK steel sector and delivering a steel strategy. A robust position on trade is a critical element of this strategy, underpinning our approach to defending against unfair practices and global overcapacity. We a...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordIron and SteelDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99111More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what his Department's original planned publication date was for the steel strategy; and for what reason the publication of that strategy has been rescheduled to early 2026.
Answer: The Government is committed to supporting the UK steel sector and delivering a steel strategy. A robust position on trade is a critical element of this strategy, underpinning our approach to defending against unfair practices and global overcapacity. We a...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordLeasehold: Ground RentMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99005More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what evaluation his Department has made of the need to ensure that planned reforms to the leasehold system address the matter of leaseholders struggling to sell share-of-freehold
Answer: The government is committed to addressing unregulated and unaffordable ground rents and we will do this in legislation. We will set out further details on our detailed plans for existing ground rents in due course.
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPolice: Workplace PensionsHome OfficeTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98986More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, by when her Department expects to complete its ongoing work to to provide a remedy for those members of the Police Pension Scheme who opted out of, and are now left unable to opt back into, the 1987 p
Answer: The Government recognises concerns that the current legislation does not fully deliver the intended remedy for a small cohort of members who opted out of the police pension scheme and are now unable to return to their original scheme.This is a complex iss...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordDebt Respite SchemeTreasuryTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96332More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of safeguards in the online application process for the Breathing Space debt respite scheme in preventing fraudulent or duplicate applications by the same individual
Answer: The Breathing Space Scheme gives debtors the space to engage with professional debt advice, or to receive crisis treatment for a mental health condition. A standard breathing space provides people in problem debt with protections from creditor enforcement...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDebt Respite SchemeTreasuryTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96331More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a mechanism for creditors to seek redress where a Breathing Space certification has been incorrectly granted and financial loss has resulted.
Answer: The Breathing Space Scheme gives debtors the space to engage with professional debt advice, or to receive crisis treatment for a mental health condition. A standard breathing space provides people in problem debt with protections from creditor enforcement...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDebt Respite SchemeDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96330More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has collected data on the number of Breathing Space certifications which are subsequently cancelled due to ineligibility.
Answer: The Insolvency Service collects data regarding Breathing Space applications in England and Wales; this includes the number of applications subsequently cancelled due to ineligibility. 374,529 Breathing Space applications were registered between 4 May 2021...
Answered 8 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDebt Respite SchemeMinistry of JusticeTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96329More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance his Department provides to county courts on (a) the verification of documents submitted in support of Mental Health Breathing Space applications and (b) instances in which concerns have been raised
Answer: When a Breathing Space is cancelled, the creditor will be automatically notified by the Insolvency Service. They should provide a copy of this notification to the county court when they apply for any further enforcement action.The decision on whether some...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDebt Respite SchemeMinistry of JusticeTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96328More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he plans to take to help ensure that county courts update their records to reflect the cancellation of Breathing Space certifications.
Answer: When a Breathing Space is cancelled, the creditor will be automatically notified by the Insolvency Service. They should provide a copy of this notification to the county court when they apply for any further enforcement action.The decision on whether some...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Health: Debt Respite SchemeDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96327More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that NHS staff are not able to falsely certify documents later used in applications for a Mental Health Breathing Space.
Answer: Access to Mental Health Crisis Breathing Space can only be started if an Approved Mental Health Professional confirms that the individual is receiving mental health crisis treatment. The debt adviser must also seek confirmation from a nominated point of c...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDebt Respite Scheme: FraudTreasuryTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96326More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance her Department provides to police forces in England regarding the handling of cases where there has been an alleged abuse or fraudulent use of the Breathing Space scheme.
Answer: The Breathing Space Scheme gives debtors the space to engage with professional debt advice, or to receive crisis treatment for a mental health condition. A standard breathing space provides people in problem debt with protections from creditor enforcement...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDriving TestsDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96325More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department took to communicate information regarding recent operational changes to the driving test booking system to Approved Driving Instructors ahead of those changes coming into force.
Answer: To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country. The measures the Secretary of State ...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDriving TestsDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96324More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of preventing third parties from booking driving test slots on the range and quality of services driving instructors are able to offer pupils.
Answer: To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country. The measures the Secretary of State ...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Bodies: ScotlandScotland OfficeTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 906520More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that UK public bodies in Scotland implement the For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers Supreme Court judgment.
Answer: The Equality and Human Rights Commission has shared its updated draft statutory code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations with my Right Honourable Friend, the Minister for Women and Equalities. She will consider it fully and make a ...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHMP/YOI Downview: Transgender PeopleMinistry of JusticeTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92334More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many transgender young people are currently held in mixed gender settings within the Children and Young People Estate at HMP & YOI Downview.
Answer: HMP & YOI Downview is not part of the Children and Young People Estate. No children or young people are accommodated there.
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: Prisons and Young Offender InstitutionsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91843More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps his Department has taken to ensure (a) equality of access to and (b) quality of healthcare provision across the (i) women’s and (ii) Children and Young People's estate.
Answer: To improve health and social care outcomes for all women in prison and upon their release, NHS England and His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service commissioned the National Women’s Prisons Health and Social Care Review. The review’s report identified a...
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: PrisonsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91842More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting time is for routine mental health appointments across the prison estate in England.
Answer: The information requested is not held centrally. As part of the formal prisoner induction process, all prisoners undergo health screening that incorporates a mental health assessment. The secondary care mental health assessment is carried out by a mental ...
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: HMP/YOI BronzefieldDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91841More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has identified service gaps in the provision of primary care, mental health, dentistry and substance misuse services at HMP/YOI Downview.
Answer: Primary care, mental health, dentistry, and substance misuse services at HMP/YOI Downview are delivered under the national specification for integrated healthcare. As part of the commissioning monitoring processes outlined in the NHS Strategic Commissioni...
Answered 1 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
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