Richard Holden MP: written questions 2025
1652 published records · newest first.
Written questions
NHS: Trade UnionsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62761More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether changes have been made to the NHS terms and conditions of service for Agenda for Change in relation to trade unions since 4 July 2024.
Answer: Changes to the National Health Service’s Terms and Conditions of Service, also known as the Agenda for Change contract, are agreed via the NHS Staff Council, which is a partnership body made up of employer and trade union representatives.The NHS’s Terms a...
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCrown Representatives: Political ActivitiesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62760More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what declarations of political (a) activity and (b) interests were made by each Health Crown Representative.
Answer: The appointments of the Health Crown Representatives, as with all Crown Representatives, were made by the Cabinet Office.The Cabinet Office requires all Crown Representatives to declare any Conflict of Interest both on appointment and at regular intervals...
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPornography: InternetDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62261More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to implement recommendation 9 of the Independent Pornography Review: the challenge of regulating online pornography, published on 27 February 2025.
Answer: The government is assessing the recommendations of the Independent Pornography Review in depth. A further update will be provided in due course.Under the Online Safety Act, online pornography companies are regulated by Ofcom. Online firms who publish thei...
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPornographyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62258More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure parity between the regulation of online and offline pornography.
Answer: The government is assessing the recommendations of the Independent Pornography Review in depth. A further update will be provided in due course.Under the Online Safety Act, online pornography companies are regulated by Ofcom. Online firms who publish thei...
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Maternity and Neonatal TaskforceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62251More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the national investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services announced on 23 June 2025 will be empowered to recommend (a) regulatory and (b) structural reform of the Care Quality Com
Answer: My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced an independent investigation into National Health Service maternity and neonatal services to understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies, and families exper...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPakistan: MarriageForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62250More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on first cousin marriage involving UK and Pakistani nationals.
Answer: The UK Government has not held recent discussions with the Government of Pakistan on first cousin marriage involving UK and Pakistani nationals. The Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Bill, currently under consideration in the UK Parliament, is...
Answered 3 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordNeighbourhood PolicingHome OfficeTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62249More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the (a) legal and (b) operational feasibility of local councils (i) establishing or (ii) co-funding neighbourhood policing constabularies under the Police Act 19
Answer: The Government remains firmly committed to ensuring strong neighbourhood policing across England and Wales. The 43 territorial police forces across England and Wales are responsible for neighbourhoods policing in their areas.To reinforce neighbourhood pol...
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordNeighbourhood PolicingHome OfficeTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62248More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of encouraging police forces to establish ringfenced neighbourhood policing units with a dedicated remit to tackle (a) illegal e-scooter use, (b)
Answer: Restoring neighbourhood policing is at the heart of the Government’s Plan for Change and on 10 April the Prime Minister and Home Secretary outlined further details about our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.Through the Guarantee, by July, every community ...
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordMaternity Services: EssexDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62224More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps his Department has taken to improve (a) safety and (b) other standards in maternity services at (i) Southend and (ii) Basildon Hospital.
Answer: Following the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating of maternity services at Southend Hospital as Requires Improvement in January 2025, the trust made several changes to improve the quality of the service. These changes include ensuring qualified midwifery...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal ExperimentsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62213More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding his Department plans to allocate for the (a) development and (b) validation of non-animal human-relevant scientific methods in each financial year until 2028-29.
Answer: UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) invests to support research which can lead to alternatives, such as organ-on-a-chip, cell-based assays, functional genomics and computer modelling. These are categorised as basic research, so calculating funding for alter...
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordT-levelsDepartment for EducationTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61920More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that there is an improved transition from T-levels to (a) Level 4, (b) Level 5 and (c) Level 6 apprenticeships in the (i) creative arts, (ii) media and (iii) computing sectors
Answer: There are currently 21 T Levels available in a range of subjects, including three in the digital sector. T Levels in Craft and Design, and Media, Broadcast and Production were introduced for the first time in September last year.T Levels are based on the ...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGibraltar: British Nationals AbroadForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61876More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of time spent in Gibraltar counting towards the 90-day limit for Schengen short stays on British citizen
Answer: To unlock the benefits of a fluid border, everyone arriving at Gibraltar's airport will undergo dual immigration controls, allowing them to move freely into the EU if they wish to. As visitors will be free to cross into Spain without checks, time spent in...
Answered 27 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Work and Pensions: ComplaintsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61875More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government plans to reform the complaints process to allow the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to intervene earlier in cases of excessive delay by her Department.
Answer: DWP’s online complaints portal provides an automatic acknowledgement on receipt of all complaints, however, does not generate a complaint reference number at this stage. This is because the department handles all complaints initially through its early res...
Answered 1 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Work and Pensions: ComplaintsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61874More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that complaints submitted online are not prematurely disregarded due to a lack of submission evidence.
Answer: Once a customer has submitted an online complaint, they will be contacted by the department regarding the issues raised, at which time the customer can offer evidence to support their complaint; therefore, no additional steps have been taken in this area.
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Work and Pensions: ComplaintsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61873More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason her Department’s online complaints process does not provide an acknowledgment or reference number upon submission.
Answer: DWP’s online complaints portal provides an automatic acknowledgement on receipt of all complaints, however, does not generate a complaint reference number at this stage. This is because the department handles all complaints initially through its early res...
Answered 1 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordGermany: Educational VisitsHome OfficeTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61872More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken with his German counterparts to facilitate more bi-lateral school visits since July 4 2024.
Answer: During the Prime Minister's successful visit to Berlin on 28 August 2024, Chancellor Scholz and he agreed to work on a once-in-a-generation bilateral treaty between our countries, rooted in our shared values and common goals. Within the context of wider a...
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGermany: Military AlliancesMinistry of DefenceTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61871More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department is taking steps to further develop the Trinity House Agreement.
Answer: Since the signing of the landmark Trinity House Agreement, the Ministry of Defence has worked with our German counterparts to take the first steps towards turning the words of the text into real, practical co-operation. The Secretary of State met with Min...
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMembers' Staff: Business InterestsLeader of the HouseTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61870More
Question: To ask the Leader of the House, whether she plans to implement the recommendations of the Third Report of Session 2024-25 of the Standards Committee, Register of Interests of Members' Staff, published on 12 June 2025, HC 943.
Answer: I have responded to the Committee on Standards, welcoming its report (HC 943) and confirming that the relevant motion will be brought forward in due course for the approval of the House.
Answered 1 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: BuildingsCabinet OfficeTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61869More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to improve Departmental compliance with Open Government Partnership data requirements on property condition reporting.
Answer: There are no specific data requirements under the UK’s membership of the international Open Government Partnership (OGP) relating to property condition reporting. The Government Property Data Standard (GPDS), specified by the government’s functional lead ...
Answered 1 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordUnemployment: BasildonDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 17 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60543More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people aged (a) between 16 and 24 and (b) over 16 are unemployed in Basildon and Billericay constituency; and how many and what proportion were unemployed in June 2024.
Answer: The latest information requested is published and available at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp Guidance for users can be found at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp
Answered 20 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGuardianship and Parents: PrisonersDepartment for EducationTabled 17 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60541More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2024 to Question 16525 on Guardianship and Parents: Prisoners, what recent progress her Department has made with the Ministry of Justice to effectively identify children of
Answer: Officials at the Department for Education (DfE) and Ministry of Justice (MoJ) continue to work closely together to deliver on our manifesto commitment to identify children affected by parental imprisonment and ensure they get the support they need to thri...
Answered 25 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisoners: ParentsDepartment for EducationTabled 17 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60540More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that schools are informed when a pupil's parent is sent to prison.
Answer: The government has a key mission to break down the barriers to opportunity for every child, which is why the department is committed to identifying children affected by parental imprisonment and ensuring they get the community support they need to thrive....
Answered 20 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisoners: ParentsDepartment for EducationTabled 17 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60539More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on introducing a formal duty to the criminal justice system to notify (a) schools and (b) local safeguarding boards when the parent of a chil
Answer: The Department for Education and the Ministry of Justice are working closely to deliver our joint manifesto commitment to identify children affected by parental imprisonment and ensure they get the support they need to thrive. We understand the importance...
Answered 25 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPre-school Education and Private Education: ClosuresDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60233More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) private education providers have closed and (b) early years places have been removed in each of the last 12 months.
Answer: The government’s Plan for Change sets out a commitment to give children the best start in life, breaking the link between background and opportunity.The department does not collect this data on a monthly basis. According to the department’s most recent Ch...
Answered 25 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Sector: ProcurementCabinet OfficeTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60226More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to establish a social value council.
Answer: The Government is determined to ensure the £385 billion of public money spent on public procurement annually delivers economic growth, supports small businesses, champions innovation, creates good jobs and skills opportunities across the country, and maxi...
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament record
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