Richard Holden MP: written questions 2024
322 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Council of the Nations and RegionsCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 12224More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason the Prime Minister’s new Envoy for the Nations and Regions did not attend the first meeting of the Council for the Nations and Regions.
Answer: The attendee list at the first meeting of the Council for the Nations and Regions was: the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the First Ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland...
Answered 8 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordElton JohnCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 12222More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether there was a cost to the public purse of the performance by Sir Elton John at the International Investment Summit.
Answer: There was no fee for Sir Elton John to perform at the International Investment Summit.
Answered 15 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordWorkplace PensionsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 31 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 12215More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2024 to Question 11172 on Workplace Pensions, what her planned timetable is for the Pensions Review.
Answer: Phase Two of the Governments landmark Pensions Review will launch later this year. The timetable for delivery will be published in due course as part of the Terms of Reference.
Answered 8 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordRevenue and Customs: Internet and Telephone ServicesTreasuryTabled 31 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 12151More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the adequacy of (a) online and (b) telephone services for voluntary National Insurance contributions.
Answer: To support customers, an enhanced online State Pension forecast service was launched on 29 April 2024. New functionality enables the majority of working age customers to view their payable gaps and make payments online. This service has successfully allow...
Answered 7 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: EpilepsyDepartment for EducationTabled 31 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 12150More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to issue revised guidance to schools on requirements for developing individual health care plans for pupils with epilepsy.
Answer: Statutory guidance, ‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions’, recommends the use of individual healthcare plans as good practice. They can help schools support pupils with medical conditions, providing clarity about what needs to be done, whe...
Answered 5 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordSyringesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11363More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure the adequate supply of needles for (a) diabetic and (b) other healthcare provision.
Answer: NHS Supply Chain sources, delivers, and supplies healthcare products for National Health Service trusts and healthcare organisations across England and Wales, and also has robust measures in place to ensure the continuity of supply of medical products, in...
Answered 5 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPornography: InternetDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11362More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking with her international counterparts to tackle the sharing of illegal pornographic material online.
Answer: We are committed to working closely with our international partners on approaches to ensure tech companies are held to account for addressing illegal and harmful content online. We have a number of bilateral agreements which include online safety. In part...
Answered 1 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPornography: InternetDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11361More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to close down online websites and platforms that host illegal pornographic material.
Answer: The Online Safety Act gives online platforms new duties to tackle illegal content on their services, including illegal pornography. Ofcom as the new regulator for this regime will have extensive enforcement powers if platforms fail to fulfil their duties....
Answered 31 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordDemonstrations: HamasHome OfficeTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11352More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department issues to police forces on expressions of support for Hamas during protests.
Answer: The Government takes proscription offences extremely seriously. Hezbollah is proscribed in its entirety and once an organisation is proscribed, it is an offence to express support for the organisation. It is for the police to determine if an offence has b...
Answered 31 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordDemonstrations: HezbollahHome OfficeTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11351More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department issues to police forces on expressions of support for Hezbollah during protests.
Answer: The Government takes proscription offences extremely seriously. Hezbollah is proscribed in its entirety and once an organisation is proscribed, it is an offence to express support for the organisation. It is for the police to determine if an offence has b...
Answered 31 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordWorkplace PensionsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 25 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11172More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the criteria for auto-enrolment for workplace pensions in the Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) Act 2023.
Answer: Security in retirement is a key priority for this Government We are undertaking a landmark Pensions Review, the second phase of which will consider further steps to improve pension outcomes, including assessing pension adequacy. This will consider options...
Answered 31 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPolice: MisconductHome OfficeTabled 25 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11171More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers are not able to have contact with the public due to ongoing misconduct investigations in each police force; and for how long the ten police officers who have not been able to
Answer: The Home Office does not routinely collect data on the number of police officers who are prevented from having contact with the public due to on-going misconduct investigations, nor the length of time such restrictions have been in place The number of pol...
Answered 31 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordBusiness RatesTreasuryTabled 24 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 900986More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of abolishing business rates.
Answer: The government will create a fairer business rates system that protects the high-street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century. Autumn Budget 2024 announced the first steps including an intention to introduce permanently lower multipliers f...
Answered 31 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordMyasthenia Gravis: DrugsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11055More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of making (a) rozanolixizumab, (b) zilucoplan and (c) efgartigimod available to NHS patients with myasthenia gravis (MG); and w
Answer: The Department has made no such assessment. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS, based on an asses...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordWinter Fuel PaymentTreasuryTabled 23 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 900938More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of people no longer eligible for the winter fuel allowance are higher or additional rate taxpayers.
Answer: The Winter Fuel Payment continues to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit . This means that the Winter Fuel Payment will be better targeted to low income pensioners who need it. Winter Fuel Payments are paid on a household...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordRadiotherapy: Waiting ListsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10784More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help improve waiting times for radiotherapy treatment.
Answer: The Department does not hold data on how many and what proportion of radiotherapy machines are beyond their recommended working life in each integrated care board and hospital. From April 2022, the responsibility for investing in new radiotherapy machines...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordRadiotherapy: Medical EquipmentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10783More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of radiotherapy machines are beyond their recommended working life in each (a) integrated care board and (b) hospital.
Answer: The Department does not hold data on how many and what proportion of radiotherapy machines are beyond their recommended working life in each integrated care board and hospital. From April 2022, the responsibility for investing in new radiotherapy machines...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPensioners: Tax Rates and BandsTreasuryTabled 22 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10501More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2024 to Question 9237 on Pensioners: Tax Rates and Bands, for what reason does Government not publish this data.
Answer: The Winter Fuel Payment continues to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. This means that the Winter Fuel Payment will be better targeted to low income pensioners who need it. This...
Answered 28 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordLebanon: HezbollahForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10500More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking with international partners to help protect United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) personnel from attacks by Hezbollah in southe
Answer: The UK Government condemns all threats to United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon's (UNIFIL) security and calls on all parties to ensure the safety and security of UNIFIL personnel at all times and to allow UNIFIL to continue carrying out its mandate. In ...
Answered 31 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordIsrael: HezbollahForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10499More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of alleged reports that Hezbollah plans to advance into Galilee in Israel on the UK's strategic interests.
Answer: The UK Government has not yet made an assessment on this specific issue. However, we have been clear that resolving the on-going conflict is key to regional security. The United Kingdom condemns Hizballah's attacks on Israel over the last 11 months, which...
Answered 31 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordLithuania: Islamic Revolutionary Guard CorpsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10498More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Lithuanian counterpart on the decision of that country to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organi
Answer: The Foreign Secretary has not raised the proscription of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) with Lithuania's Minister for Foreign Affairs. We do not comment on whether a specific organisation is or is not being considered for proscription. We ha...
Answered 28 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPupil NumbersDepartment for EducationTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10166More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils are in state education per year group in England.
Answer: The most recently published statistics on the number of pupils at schools in England are from the January 2024 school census and can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics...
Answered 24 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSchools: StaffDepartment for EducationTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10165More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) teachers, (b) teaching assistants and (c) other staff are employed in state schools in England.
Answer: Information on the school workforce, including the headcount and full-time equivalent number of teachers, teaching assistants, and other support staff in state-funded schools, is published in the ‘School Workforce in England’ statistical publication avail...
Answered 24 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPensioners: Tax Rates and BandsTreasuryTabled 15 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9237More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2024 to Question 6585, how much and what proportion of the money accruing to the Treasury as a result of changes to eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment she expects to come fr
Answer: The Government does not publish such data.
Answered 21 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordCoal: Imports and MiningDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 14 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9066More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made a comparative assessment of the potential environmental impact of (a) importing coal from abroad for domestic consumption and (b) mining coal in the UK.
Answer: In line with our net zero target, we committed to phasing out unabated coal-fired power generation by 1st October 2024, a year earlier than the original 2025 target, and on September 30th Great Britain’s last coal fired electricity power plant, Ratcliffe-...
Answered 22 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →