Robin Swann MP: written questions 2025
116 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Horticulture: Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 28 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34750More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he expects the issues surrounding the sale and movement of plants to be resolved.
Answer: The Government is absolutely committed to ensuring the smooth flow of goods across the UK internal market. Growers and traders in Great Britain can move plants to Northern Ireland using the Northern Ireland Plant Health Label (NIPHL). We continue to work ...
Answered 5 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordReserve Forces: RetirementMinistry of DefenceTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34542More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2025 to Question 32722 on Reserve Forces: Retirement, whether the review will consider readmitting former reservists if the age of retirement is changed.
Answer: I am grateful for the contribution of our Reserve Forces who provide the UK with the ability to meet the threats we face at home and overseas, with the scale, skills, agility and connection to society that it needs, in a cost-effective way. Alongside the ...
Answered 6 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordNorthern Ireland Public Sector Transformation BoardNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34541More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department are members of the Transformation Fund advisory board; and how many and what proportion of meetings they have attended.
Answer: No UK Government Ministers are members of the Interim Public Sector Transformation Board. The Northern Ireland Office Permanent Secretary is a permanent member of the Interim Board, and has attended all official meetings of the Interim Board.
Answered 4 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordFood and Livestock: Ashford (Kent)Department for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 26 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34165More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many vehicles containing (a) live animals and (b) food products failed to attend a further inspection at Sevington in the last 12 months.
Answer: Due to the intelligence led and dynamic nature of our biosecurity controls, and to ensure operations are not impacted, we are unable to share this data. The risk of legitimate commercial loads not attending Sevington is mitigated by robust, data-backed en...
Answered 5 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordReserve Forces: RetirementMinistry of DefenceTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32722More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the mandatory retirement age for reservists.
Answer: As the Minister for Veterans and People, I have commissioned an internal review in Defence to ensure that we are making the most of the unique contribution our Reserve Forces offer. The review will examine the Reserves landscape and will include some aspe...
Answered 27 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordNorthern Ireland and Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32652More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has received representations on the feasibility of proposals for the Dáil to sit in Northern Ireland; and whether he has made an assessment of the compatibility of those proposals with the Bel
Answer: I have received no such representations.
Answered 26 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAirportsDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32525More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what is required for an airport to be designated as a level 3 airport.
Answer: For an airport to be designated as Level 3 slot coordinated, and therefore requiring the formal allocation of slots by an independent coordinator, the demand for operating services should exceed the airport infrastructure’s capacity for at least one sched...
Answered 3 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordNorthern Ireland Executive: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 13 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 902818More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the development of its international relations strategy.
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has held official-level discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) on their proposal to develop an international relations strategy. We look forward to continuing that engagement with the NIE in ...
Answered 25 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCommissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland: VacanciesNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25567More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the First and deputy First Minister on the continuing vacancy in the office of the Commissioner of Public Appointments for Northern Ireland.
Answer: The appointment of a new Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland is a matter for the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
Answered 27 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordUK Internal Trade: Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25119More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Safeguarding the Union command paper, published on 31 January 2024.
Answer: The Government is committed to implementing the Windsor Framework and to taking all steps necessary to protect Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market. Commitments made in the Safeguarding the Union command paper support this objective, and the...
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordFoot and Mouth Disease: GermanyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25118More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions Ministers in his Department have had with their counterparts in the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in the Northern Ireland Executive
Answer: In response to the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Germany, we are in contact with German counterparts to understand the latest situation and, as is routine procedure, we are working closely with the Devolved Governments to understand the risks to t...
Answered 27 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordFoot and Mouth Disease: Disease ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24376More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled, Government introduces import ban of cattle, pigs and sheep from Germany to protect farmers after Foot and Mouth case, publish
Answer: The measures announced on 14 January 2025 apply to imports into Great Britain. For Northern Ireland the controls on meat and live animals will apply to a 3 kilometres protection zone and 10 kilometres surveillance zones surrounding the infected premises i...
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordIndependent Review of the Windsor FrameworkNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 13 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23685More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework will consider the (a) operation and (b) output of the Northern Ireland Assembly Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee.
Answer: It will be a matter for Lord Murphy to consider the programme of work of the Review. In line with the Terms of Reference, the Review will be obliged to consult with a range of stakeholders, including Northern Ireland political parties, and can engage with...
Answered 16 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordCybersecurity: Northern IrelandDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 10 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23241More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, which Northern Irish companies received funding from the £1.8m for regional cyber skills projects.
Answer: Cyber Local is a UK government scheme to deliver tailored support for the cyber security sector. It is part of the government’s work to make the UK more resilient against cyber threats, support economic growth and develop digital skills.£1.9 million of fu...
Answered 15 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordChildren's Wellbeing and Schools BillDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23240More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she had discussions with the Minister of Education in Northern Ireland on Clause 56 of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
Answer: Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.The department has engaged with the devolved governments during the development of the Bill.The department is committed to keeping our devolved government colleague...
Answered 17 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordWar Widow(er)s Recognition PaymentMinistry of DefenceTabled 6 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 22221More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress he has made on the War Widow(er)s Recognition Payment scheme; how many applicants have received payments; and what the (a) branch of service and (b) regiment of such recipients is.
Answer: This Government recognises the unique commitment that Service families make to our country. We remain sympathetic to those widows and widowers who forfeited pensions under historic rules because they remarried or cohabited. The War Widow(er)s Recognition ...
Answered 13 Jan 2025
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →