Rupert Lowe MP: written questions
2617 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Food: ProductionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83167More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of food consumed in the UK that is produced domestically.
Answer: The food production to supply ratio compares all domestic food production to supply, including food that the UK exports instead of consuming. In 2024, the production to supply ratio was 65%. When food exports are taken into account, Defra estimates that i...
Answered 30 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordStudents: LoansDepartment for EducationTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83166More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the value was of student loans that were written off in the last year; and what this was as a proportion of all outstanding student loans, by nationality.
Answer: The requested information can be found in the Student Loans Company’s Student loans in England publication, updated in July each year. The publication, ‘Student loans in England: 2024 to 2025’ can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/st...
Answered 31 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordJobcentres: Telephone ServicesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83165More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) average waiting time for people calling and (b) time people spent on hold to Jobcentres was in the last year.
Answer: We cannot provide the data requested for this Parliamentary Question. Jobcentres span multiple benefit streams and business functions and therefore we do not retain telephony data specifically relating to Jobcentres.
Answered 3 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRevenue and Customs: Telephone ServicesTreasuryTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83164More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) average waiting time for people calling and (b) time people spent on hold for HMRC was in the last year.
Answer: HMRC telephony performance data, including the average speed of answering a customer’s call, is published on a regular basis and can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-quarterly-performance-updates The definition of ‘average sp...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordJobcentres: Translation ServicesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83163More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was spent on translation and interpretation in Jobcentres in the last financial year.
Answer: The Department carefully monitors the provision of translation and interpretation services for customers. It has not been possible to disaggregate expenditure on services for Jobcentres alone.
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordVaccine Damage Payment SchemeDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83162More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many applications were made to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme in each of the last three years; and how many and what proportion of those applications were unsuccessful.
Answer: The NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) regularly publishes data on the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme to improve transparency. Information related to COVID-19 vaccine claim volumes and outcomes up to June 2025 is available at the following link:http...
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisoners' Release: ReoffendersMinistry of JusticeTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83161More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an estimate of reoffending rates for prisoners released under the early release scheme.
Answer: This Government inherited prisons days from collapse. We have had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe.Whilst this change provided the intended medium-term relief, it was only ever a temporary chan...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordUndocumented Migrants: Great YarmouthHome OfficeTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83160More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many irregular migrants are housed in the Great Yarmouth Borough Council area; what accommodation is used to house those migrants; and what the cost is of housing those migrants.
Answer: Data on the number of supported asylum seekers in different areas is routinely published by the Government in table ASY D_11 here:Asylum and resettlement datasets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab)The Home Office does not publish asylum support dat...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: Foreign NationalsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83159More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what amount of charges were issued by NHS trusts for treatment to non-UK residents not entitled to free secondary healthcare in each of the last three financial years; how much of that amount was s
Answer: We have taken ‘non-UK residents’ to mean chargeable overseas visitors. The Department publishes data on the income identified from chargeable overseas visitors in England as part of the Department of Health and Social Care Annual Report and Accounts. The ...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: Translation ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83158More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the (a) cost for translation of and (b) percentage of communications in each language in e-RS communication letters was so far this year.
Answer: NHS England only incurs costs for changes to templates or when new languages are added. Therefore, the primary cost is associated with template updates, not per-letter translation. No changes have been made to templates in 2025, nor have additional langua...
Answered 20 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordIncome Tax: Tax Rates and BandsTreasuryTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82838More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will publish a breakdown of her Department's August 2024 individual level analysis of Income Tax brackets by (a) ethnicity and (b) nationality.
Answer: HMRC do not publish individual level analysis of Income Tax brackets by (a) ethnicity or (b) nationality.
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Translation ServicesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82837More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the annual cost to local authorities of (a) translation and (b) interpretation services.
Answer: Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces and compliance with all relevant employment legislation. They are expected to organise their workforce so that it is best placed to meet the needs of their ...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: English LanguageMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82836More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will take steps to require local authorities to ensure staff in customer-facing roles are fluent in English.
Answer: Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces and compliance with all relevant employment legislation. They are expected to organise their workforce so that it is best placed to meet the needs of their ...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: English LanguageMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82835More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment his Department has made of the levels of English language proficiency of staff working in local authority (a) housing and (b) social services.
Answer: Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces and compliance with all relevant employment legislation. They are expected to organise their workforce so that it is best placed to meet the needs of their ...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: English LanguageDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82834More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to introduce English language learning as a condition of benefit receipt for foreign nationals.
Answer: The Department can require that claimants attend English language courses as a work preparation activity if this will make them more likely to find work, or to increase the hours they work. A sanction - which is a reduction in the amount of Universal Cred...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: Translation ServicesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82833More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of benefits claimants who require translation support during appointments; and at what cost to the public purse.
Answer: The Department does not hold data on the number of individual claimants who require interpreter support.
Answered 4 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordJobcentres: English LanguageDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82832More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department requires (a) Jobcentre staff and (b) benefits advisers to demonstrate English language proficiency as a condition of employment.
Answer: DWP complies with the requirement of the Immigration Act 2016 in requiring all of its employees in public-facing roles to speak English fluently, as outlined in the Government’s code of practice at www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-language-requi...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordClassroom Assistants and Teachers: English LanguageDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82831More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of (a) teachers and (b) classroom assistants (i) whose first language is not English and (ii) who have not undertaken a recognised English proficiency test.
Answer: The requested information on the first language of teachers and classroom assistants is not collected centrally.Information on the qualifications held by teachers is available in the 'School workforce in England' accredited official statistics publication...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSecurity Guards: English LanguageHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82830More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department will extend English language testing requirements to foreign nationals working in (a) private security or (b) enforcement roles contracted by the Department.
Answer: The Private Security Industry Act (PSIA) 2001 created the Security Industry Authority (SIA) as the regulator of the private security industry.The SIA sets minimum training standards and issues licenses to applicants who have acquired the correct licence-l...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordImmigration: English LanguageHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82829More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that immigration (a) caseworkers and (b) interpreters meet English language standards.
Answer: The Home Office recruit using standard Civil Service recruitment processes and all our immigration caseworkers must meet minimum Civil Service recruitment standards. The appropriate level of English is assured through the comprehensive recruitment and onb...
Answered 24 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPolice: English LanguageHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82828More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make English language proficiency a mandatory condition for (a) police recruits, (b) community support officers and (c) detention custody staff.
Answer: This Government is committed to ensuring consistent, high standards for entry into the police, including for police staff. As set out in Regulations, police officers must demonstrate competence in written and spoken English.We are working closely with the...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS Trusts: English LanguageDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82827More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department provides to NHS trusts on ensuring that (a) reception and (b) administrative staff are proficient in English.
Answer: National Health Service trusts are independent bodies and as such have responsibility for their own recruitment policies and for ensuring their appointment procedures are aligned with employment law and good human resources practice.Employers have respons...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: English LanguageDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82826More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to introduce annual English language reassessments for NHS staff trained overseas.
Answer: Where legally required, healthcare professionals must be registered with the appropriate United Kingdom healthcare regulator to be able to practise. Professionals who qualified outside of the UK must demonstrate that they have the necessary knowledge of E...
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: English LanguageDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82825More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) agency staff, (b) overseas recruits and (c) other NHS staff can communicate effectively in English.
Answer: Where legally required, healthcare professionals must be registered with the appropriate United Kingdom healthcare regulator to be able to practise. Professionals who qualified outside of the UK must demonstrate that they have the necessary knowledge of E...
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: English LanguageDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82824More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of NHS staff have not met minimum English language proficiency standards in the last five years.
Answer: Where legally required, healthcare professionals must be registered with the appropriate United Kingdom healthcare regulator to be able to practise. Professionals who qualified outside of the UK must demonstrate that they have the necessary knowledge of E...
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
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