Richard Holden MP: written questions 2024
322 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Aviation: FuelsMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21065More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department collates information on (a) which flights use sustainable aviation fuel and (b) the proportion of sustainable aviation fuel used for flights (i) from a military airfield and (b) by a milita
Answer: Due to the increasingly routine use of blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), the Department does not collate detailed information on which flights use blended SAF, nor the proportion of SAF used against individual flights. For example, alongside conven...
Answered 8 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMilitary Aircraft: HelicoptersMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21064More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 4 October 2024 to Question 6066 on Helicopters: Official Visits, whether the replacement to the Rotary Wing Command Support Air Transport Helicopter Service will be outsourced to the pri
Answer: The Ministry of Defence is not placing a contract for replacement Rotary Wing Command Support Air Contract. Future Ministry of Defence senior leader rotary wing transport will be met through a Cabinet Office administered Commercial Transport Contract and ...
Answered 9 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: EqualityMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21063More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024,to Question HL1878, on Armed Forces: Equality, if he will list each of the actions from the previous EDI review that were endorsed by his Department's People Committee.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my noble Friend, the Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence (Lord Coaker), on 19 December 2024 to Question HL3228 in the House of Lords.
Answered 9 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordHelicopters: Official VisitsMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21062More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 4 October 2024 to Question 6066 on Helicopters: Official Visits, what the budget is for the replacement service to the Rotary Wing Command Support Air Transport Helicopter Service.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence is not placing a contract for replacement of the Rotary Wing Command Support Air Contract. Future Ministry of Defence senior leader rotary wing transport will be met through a Cabinet Office administered Commercial Travel Contract ...
Answered 8 Jan 2025
Original Parliament record10 Downing Street: Government Art CollectionDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21061More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 18400 on 10 Downing Street: Government Art Collection and to the answer of 4 December 2024 to Question 16604 on 11 Downing Street: Art Works
Answer: No. It is standard practice, as followed by the previous government of which he was a member, for new ministers to select works from the Government Art Collection for their ministerial offices. All such changes of displays of works from the Government Art...
Answered 10 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: FlagsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21060More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her policy is on which flags other than the Union flag should be flown on Government buildings to mark days of (a) national and (b) international significance; and if she will publish her De
Answer: There is a standing encouragement for Government Buildings to fly the Union Flag every day, and the Ukrainian Flag on a second flagpole if they are able. Government Departments are generally free to fly whichever other flags they deem appropriate, provide...
Answered 10 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Justice: Video RecordingsMinistry of JusticeTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21059More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the video on prisons published by her Department on 11 December 2024, what steps she is taking to ensure compliance with the (a) Civil Service Code and (b) Government Communication Service's Pro
Answer: This post was taken down from all channels on 12 December after civil servants identified the content did not meet expectations on impartiality.The Ministry of Justice Communication Team’s usual processes for checking the accuracy and appropriateness of s...
Answered 10 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordInjunctionsMinistry of JusticeTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21058More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has made and assessment of the potential merits of the reform of super-injunctions; and whether she has had recent discussions with 10 Downing Street on the matter.
Answer: There are no plans to reform the law. The courts determine individual applications for interim injunctions to restrain publication of confidential information (and the existence of the injunction) on the merits of each case, and in accordance with the law...
Answered 6 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Unpaid WorkDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21057More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what is (a) his Department's and (b) the Environment Agency's policy on the use of positive discrimination in the recruitment process for internships.
Answer: The core department, Defra, and its Non-Departmental Public Bodies, including the Environment Agency, comply with all legislation relevant to recruitment and will only target an internship recruitment campaign to a specific group as a proportionate form o...
Answered 6 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Work and Pensions: Political ImpartialityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21056More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pursuant to the answer of 25 November 2024 to Question 15237 on Civil Servants: Political impartiality, whether there has been a disciplinary investigation into party political campaigning by officials
Answer: The information you have requested is not on a central system. Gathering this information would require input from team leaders and will incur disproportionate costs.
Answered 9 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMinisters: Private PropertyHome OfficeTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21055More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 1 November 2024, to Question 10992, on Ministers: private property, whether the Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention submitted a claim to the Department for the c
Answer: The Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention has not submitted a claim to the Department for the costs relating to the theft of her personal effects whilst on official duties at the Police Superintendents' Association conference in Kenilworth in S...
Answered 8 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPrime Minister: PensionsCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21054More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to (a) the Crown Prosecution Service, Annual Report and Accounts 2013–14, July 2014, HC6, page 73, and (b) The Pensions Increase (Pension Scheme for Keir Starmer QC) Regulations 2013, what the met
Answer: I refer the right honourable member to the answer given to PQ UIN 2321 on 2 September 2024. The uprating mechanism and benefits have not changed since the Scheme was made in 2013.
Answered 8 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordTrade Union RecognitionDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21053More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether (a) his Department and (b) the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service issue guidance on exemptions to trade union recognition.
Answer: Guidance on the trade union recognition scheme is at Gov.UK. This sets out that the scheme is available to unions where the workplace has 21 or more workers. Therefore the smallest workplaces that have 20 or less workers not in scope of the scheme. The Ce...
Answered 8 Jan 2025
Original Parliament record10 Downing Street: Council TaxCabinet OfficeTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20834More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Ministerial residence in 10 Downing Street pays council tax as a (a) sole or main residence and (b) second home.
Answer: The Chancellor of the Exchequer is currently allocated the flat above 10 Downing Street and pays full council tax.
Answered 27 Dec 2024
Original Parliament record10 Downing Street: ArtworksCabinet OfficeTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20833More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 3 December 2024 to Question HL2664 on 10 Downing Street: Art Works, whether the portrait of Queen Elizabeth I will be permanently installed in 11 Downing Street.
Answer: The Government Art Collection website lists the artworks on display in Downing Street https://artcollection.dcms.gov.uk/?s=downing+street&display=artworkonly
Answered 27 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSpecial Advisers: PayCabinet OfficeTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20832More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to publish a list of the salaries of special advisers.
Answer: Information on Special Adviser numbers and costs is published annually in the Annual Report on Special Advisers as per the requirements of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, as was the case under the previous Administration. The 2025 Annua...
Answered 27 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordHonoursCabinet OfficeTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20830More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the Government’s priorities are for the honours system.
Answer: The priorities for the honours system are available online: https://honours.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/about/governance/#primeminister
Answered 24 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSue GrayCabinet OfficeTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20829More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason Sue Gray was not appointed as Envoy for the Nation and Regions.
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer given by my Noble Friend on 4 December, Official Report, PQ HL2660.
Answered 27 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordNational Security AdviserCabinet OfficeTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20828More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the new National Security Adviser can direct civil servants; and for what reason he was appointed as a special adviser.
Answer: In line with the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, special advisers cannot manage civil servants.
Answered 27 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordReligious FreedomMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20827More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Prime Minister’s oral contribution in response to the question from the hon. Member for Birmingham Hall Green and Mosely, of 27 November 2024, Official Repo
Answer: Desecration of religious texts and abusing or targeting people for their faith or belief is awful and should be condemned. The Government is working with partners to tackle all forms of prejudice, division and hatred experienced by religious and other com...
Answered 24 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordTrade Union RecognitionDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20752More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) lowering the required member percentage from 10% to 2% for the statutory trade union recognition ballot process, (b) removing the
Answer: The Government has published a final stage impact assessment on strengthening workers’ rights to access, recognition and representation. This is available at: Impact assessment: Strengthening workers’ rights to trade union access, recognition and represen...
Answered 24 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordTrade Union RecognitionDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20751More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what information (a) his Department, (b) the Certification Officer and (c) the Central Arbitration Committee hold on (i) successful and (ii) unsuccessful trade union recognition ballots in each of the
Answer: Information from the Central Arbitration Committee in relation to the outcome of statutory trade union recognition ballots is provided below for each of the last 10 years: SuccessfulUnsuccessful201544201651201754201876201962202020202184202251202335202445
Answered 24 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordPublic Sector: ProcurementCabinet OfficeTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20750More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 16510 on Public Sector: Procurement, what his timetable is for publishing the National Procurement Policy Statement; and whether he plans to consult with st
Answer: The government will publish a new National Procurement Policy Statement under the Procurement Act that will support the Government’s missions, drive value for money and deliver social value. We have been consulting with stakeholders on the development of ...
Answered 24 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordGonorrhoea: VaccinationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20742More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress his Department has made on providing a new gonorrhoea vaccine through the NHS.
Answer: On 10 November 2023, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) issued advice on standing up a targeted, routine vaccination programme for the prevention of gonorrhoea.Officials across the Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and NHS...
Answered 23 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordWritten Questions: Government ResponsesLeader of the HouseTabled 16 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20285More
Question: To ask the Leader of the House, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the Government's compliance with section 9.8 of the Ministerial Code in the context of answers provided to written parliamentary questions.
Answer: Parliament has a right to hold Ministers to account. I have written to all members of Cabinet to remind Ministers of their responsibilities to provide helpful and timely responses to Members' PQs.As a member of the Procedure Committee, the hon. Member wil...
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament record
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