Ruth Jones MP: written questions
507 published records · newest first.
Written questions
PhotonicsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78494More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of facilitating the creation of a silicon photonics pilot line.
Answer: The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy recognises the opportunity to capitalise on our strength in photonics, chip design, and advanced technologies. To deliver this, DSIT is considering infrastructure needs as recommended by the Royal Academy of Engineering...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPhotonicsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78493More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has considered creating a dedicated photonics group within her Department.
Answer: Photonics is a major UK industry, generating £18.5 billion annually and employing over 84,800 people. It underpins quantum technologies, semiconductors, and telecoms, with government support through programmes like the National Quantum Technologies Progra...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPhotonicsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78492More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support the development of a roadmap for the application of photonics to emerging technologies beyond telecommunications.
Answer: Photonics is a major UK industry, generating £18.5 billion annually and employing over 84,800 people. It underpins quantum technologies, semiconductors, and telecoms, with government support through programmes like the National Quantum Technologies Progra...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPhotonicsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78491More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help incentivise investment by venture capital into the photonics industry.
Answer: DBT's Strategic Technologies Team and OfI's Venture Capital Unit introduce UK photonics firms to major international venture capital investors at leading global photonics events every year. These demonstrations of the scale, breadth and quality of the UK ...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPhotonicsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78490More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to support the creation of new pilot lines for photonics.
Answer: The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy recognises the opportunity to capitalise on our strength in photonics, chip design, and advanced technologies. To deliver this, DSIT is considering infrastructure needs as recommended by the Royal Academy of Engineering...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSemiconductors: FinanceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78489More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has had recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding for the national semiconductor strategy.
Answer: Semiconductors have been confirmed by the UK government as one of six priority frontier technologies in the recently published Industrial Strategy Digital and Technologies sector plan. During the development of the Industrial Strategy, the Department met ...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPhotonicsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78488More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment she has made of the potential contribution of the photonics industry to economic (a) strategy and (b) growth.
Answer: Photonics is a major UK industry, generating £18.5 billion annually and employing over 84,800 people. It underpins quantum technologies, semiconductors, and telecoms, with government support through programmes like the National Quantum Technologies Progra...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSombath SomphoneForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77599More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in Laos on the disappearance of Sombath Somphone.
Answer: The UK continues to raise the case of Sombath Somphone's disappearance with the Lao authorities, both bilaterally and through multilateral fora such as the UN Human Rights Council. Most recently, on 3 September 2025, the previous Minister for the Indo-Pac...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal Welfare: ExportsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77129More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the EU-UK SPS agreement on (a) the Government's commitment to improve animal welfare and (b) the Government's forthcoming animal
Answer: The agreement will cover SPS standards and controls and also wider agrifood rules related to food labelling, organics, and key marketing standards and compositional standards. The EU has accepted there will need to be a number of areas where we need to re...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal Welfare: ExportsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77128More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will request that the UK is able to diverge from the EU in relation to animal welfare standards in the dynamic alignment requirement of the EU-UK Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agre
Answer: The agreement will cover SPS standards and controls and also wider agrifood rules related to food labelling, organics, and key marketing standards and compositional standards. The EU has accepted there will need to be a number of areas where we need to re...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal Welfare: ExportsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77127More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement with the EU on enforcement of the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024.
Answer: The agreement will cover SPS standards and controls and also wider agrifood rules related to food labelling, organics, and key marketing standards and compositional standards. The EU has accepted there will need to be a number of areas where we need to re...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordNeurology: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77126More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to develop a modern service framework for neurological conditions other than dementia; and whether he plans to consult (a) the MS Society and (b) people with
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan sets out the development of a new series of service frameworks to accelerate progress in conditions where there is potential for rapid improvements in the quality of care and productivity. The first wave of modern service framework...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordMultiple S clerosis and Neurology: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77125More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the MS Society’s report entitled A Different Path: Rethinking MS hospital care, published in September 2025, what steps he is taking to increase staffing levels in (a) neurology,
Answer: The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it. To support this, the Department and NHS England will be engaging with key stakehold...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordNicaragua: PrisonersForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74711More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent diplomatic steps his Department has taken in the context of deaths among (a) political and (b) religious prisoners in Nicaragua.
Answer: The UK remains deeply concerned about the relentless deterioration of human rights in Nicaragua, including reports of the deaths of political and religious prisoners. We continue to raise concerns over arbitrary detentions and restrictions on freedom of r...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal WelfareDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70940More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for publication of the animal welfare strategy.
Answer: This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Prime Minister announced that we will be publishing an animal welfare strategy later this year.
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordConditions of EmploymentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69392More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what matters he plans to consult on in relation to the regulations required under Clause 22A of the Employment Rights Bill.
Answer: Under Clause 22A of the Employment Rights Bill, the Secretary of State will be able to set conditions for when an NDA can still be validly entered into in the case of relevant harassment and discrimination. ('excepted NDA'). Regulations can also be made t...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordConditions of EmploymentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69391More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to include non-disparagement clauses within the definition of contractual duties of confidentiality in Clause 22A of the Employment Rights Bill.
Answer: Clause 22A of the Employment Rights Bill will void any provision in an agreement, such as a contract of employment or settlement agreement, between a worker and their employer that prevents a worker from speaking out about relevant harassment or discrimin...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordConditions of EmploymentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69390More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to require that any confidentiality clause within an (a) employment and (b) settlement agreement (i) cannot be (A) requested and (B) required by an employ
Answer: Clause 22A of the Employment Rights Bill will void any provision in an agreement, such as a contract of employment or settlement agreement, between a worker and their employer that prevents a worker from speaking out about relevant harassment or discrimin...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordSyria: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67963More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking with international partners to defend vulnerable religious groups in north-east Syria.
Answer: Alongside our international partners the UK has consistently advocated and offered support to the Syrian Government to deliver an inclusive political transition. We have underlined the importance of protecting the rights of all Syrians, including vulnerab...
Answered 6 Aug 2025
Original Parliament recordIraq: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67962More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) respond to threats to religious freedom for Christian and other minority faith communities in Iraq.
Answer: The UK is committed to championing freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all. On 8 July, the Government publicly set out its approach to FoRB, providing a framework for UK engagement, including for countries navigating the impact of conflict, both past...
Answered 8 Aug 2025
Original Parliament recordNature ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 8 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65856More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with (a) devolved administrations, (b) conservation organisations and (c) local communities to facilitate effective species reintroduction programmes.
Answer: Defra enables and facilitates effective species reintroduction programmes through its arms-length bodies. Regarding (a), Natural England, Natural Resources Wales and NatureScot meet quarterly to discuss species reintroductions. The England Species Reintro...
Answered 11 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSyria: Humanitarian AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 8 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65855More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what humanitarian assistance his Department has provided to support religious minority communities affected by conflict in Syria.
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) does not provide targeted humanitarian assistance for religious minority communities in Syria. The FCDO uses data and evidence to guide humanitarian allocations, ensuring that resources are directed ...
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordVietnam: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 8 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65854More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what initiatives his Department is funding to (a) monitor and (b) support the (i) registration and (ii) legal recognition of religious communities in Vietnam.
Answer: The UK Government is committed to promoting freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) globally, including in Vietnam. During Vietnam's 2024 Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council, the UK put forward recommendations urging Vietnam to take step...
Answered 14 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023Department for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65379More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to lay the Activity Regulations required to give effect to the Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023; and which activities he plans to prioritise.
Answer: We continue to engage with stakeholders including the tourism industry and animal welfare groups to explore both legislative and non-legislative options to take forward changes to low-welfare activities abroad.
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBangladesh: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 7 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65362More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies on freedom of religion or belief of (a) reports of the escalation of violence against Hindu
Answer: The UK has a long-standing commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights. We support the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and their report on the violations that occurred in Bangladesh in July and August 2024. In October 20...
Answered 11 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
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