Samantha Niblett MP: written questions 2025
153 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Construction: Hazardous SubstancesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76426More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department has issued to builders on building on historic dump sites for fly ash.
Answer: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has issued the following guiding principles on how planning can deal with all forms of land contamination: Land affected by contamination - GOV.UK. In addition to this, the Environment Agency publi...
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordConstruction: Hazardous SubstancesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 5 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75421More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department has issued to builders when building on historic dump sites of fly ash.
Answer: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has issued the following guiding principles on how planning can deal with all forms of land contamination: Land affected by contamination - GOV.UK. In addition to this, the Environment Agency publi...
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHazardous Substances: Waste DisposalDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75420More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of sites previously used to dump fly ash now used for house building on public health.
Answer: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has not undertaken any overarching assessment of the potential impact on public health from housebuilding on sites previously used to deposit fly ash.Assessments of potential land contamination used for housing are go...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordWaste Disposal: Hazardous SubstancesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 5 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75419More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department has issued on sites previously used for the dumping of fly ash.
Answer: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has issued the following guiding principles on how planning can deal with all forms of land contamination: Land affected by contamination - GOV.UK. In addition to this, the Environment Agency publi...
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordLitter: Fast FoodDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74996More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 September 2025 to Question 72246 on Litter: Fast Food, if his Department will ensure that packaging from fast food outlets is marked by the outlet with the
Answer: We do not intend to require fast food outlets to implement a vehicle registration number printing system for packaging. Guidance published by the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government clarifies the powers available to councils to ensure new...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCoronavirus: VaccinationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74995More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason older people under 75 are not eligible for the NHS covid-19 autumn booster in 2025.
Answer: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is an independent expert committee which reviews the latest data on COVID-19 risks, vaccine safety, and effectiveness and advises the department on the approach to vaccination and immunisation pro...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNurses: EmploymentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74993More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) ensure nursing graduates can find Band 5 roles upon graduation and (b) increase the number of roles for newly registered nurses.
Answer: On 11 August 2025, the Government announced the Graduate Guarantee for nurses and midwives. The Guarantee will ensure there are enough positions for every newly qualified nurse in England. The package of measures will unlock thousands of jobs and will ens...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordQualificationsDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72386More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to require the Joint Council for Qualifications to ensure that all exam regulatory boards action requests for a name change following marriage.
Answer: This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have asked its Chief Regulator, Sir Ian Bauckham, to write to my hon. Friend, the Member for South Derbyshire directly and a copy of his reply will be placed in the L...
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCouncil Tax: Empty PropertyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72385More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if the Class F exemption for The Council Tax Exempt Dwelling Order 1992 will be extended to include properties where the conclusion or Final Order has been made on an Inheritance
Answer: When a property has been left empty following the death of its owner or occupant, it is exempt from council tax for as long as it remains unoccupied and until probate is granted. Following a grant of probate (or the signing of letters of administration), ...
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordLitter: Fast FoodDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72246More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring all packaging from fast food outlets is marked by the outlet with the car registration of the customer
Answer: This Government has not made an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring all packaging from fast food outlets is marked by the outlet with the car registration of the customer or the use of ANPR to trace back littering to the perpetrator.
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: SalesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71818More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to support people who have purchased a new home and subsequently believe they have been mis sold.
Answer: The government expects all housebuilders to deliver good quality homes, and we know that the vast majority do so. When things do go wrong, the government expects housebuilders to make things right.To help customers resolve issues with new homes which deve...
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordFly-tipping and LitterDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71817More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to use technology to apprehend (a) fly tippers and (b) other people dropping litter across the countryside.
Answer: Local authorities are usually best placed to respond to fly-tipping and littering problems in their area, and we encourage them to make good use of the enforcement powers at their disposal. We are conducting a review of their powers to seize and crush veh...
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable Energy: BatteriesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69617More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has issued guidance to people affected by multiple planning applications for (a) battery energy storage systems and (b) solar storage near to their villages that have been approved
Answer: As Minister for Energy, I do not personally approve any individual planning applications. The Department approves energy projects classified as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, and the process is governed by the Planning Act 2008, which inc...
Answered 2 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: Digital TechnologyTreasuryTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68149More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Office for Value for Money has made of the potential impact of restrictive licensing practices on Departmental spend on digital transformation.
Answer: The Office for Value for Money (OVfM) is a time limited unit in HM Treasury that was set two roles at Autumn Budget 2024: making targeted interventions at Spending Review 2025 and developing recommendations for reforming the spending framework. The OVfM h...
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSoftware: LicensingDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68148More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of restrictive software licensing practices on (a) efficiency and (b) innovation in businesses.
Answer: There are currently no plans to make such an assessment by the Department. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is examining software licensing practices as part of its market investigation into cloud services. Its final report must be published by...
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: SoftwareDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68147More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of the £10 billion NHS technology investment will be spent on software licensing.
Answer: The information requested is not available.
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSoftware: LicensingDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68146More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Competition and Markets Authority’s 5.6% budget reduction on (a) investigating and (b) challenging restrictive software licensing
Answer: The June Spending Review set out the CMA's budget from 2026/27. The CMA has embarked on an operational transformation programme to ensure it can continue to deliver impactful outcomes, including in digital markets, while operating within its multi-year fu...
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordEmployment: ParentsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 18 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60943More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department is reviewing (a) the legal framework supporting working parents of children with additional and (b) potential reforms to that legal framework to help improve levels of (i) access
Answer: The Employment Rights Bill will make flexible working the default, including for working parents. Employers will have to accept flexible working requests unless not reasonably feasible and explain their decision if rejecting requests.The Equality Act 2010...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSoftware: LicensingDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58397More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the new powers for the Competition and Markets Authority in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 to tackle restrictive software
Answer: The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 has empowered the Competition and Markets Authority to designate firms which exert significant control in respect of digital activities with “Strategic Market Status” (SMS), following an evidence-bas...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: SoftwareDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58396More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer on 4 June 2025 to Question 55787 on Government Departments: Software, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Digital Markets, Competition and Cons
Answer: The Competition and Markets Authority has been awarded enhanced powers by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (“DMCC”) Act 2024 to protect UK consumers and businesses from unfair or harmful practices by the very largest technology firms.The DMC...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSoftware: Government DepartmentsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58395More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 55786 on Public Sector: Digital Technology, whether his Department’s digital transformation strategy will include the (a) financial imp
Answer: The State of Digital Government review, A blueprint for modern digital government and the Performance Review of Digital Spend, all published this year, have highlighted the need to reform digital purchasing.The Government has launched a Digital Commercial...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDigital Technology: Public SectorDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 9 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58394More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 55785 on Public Sector: Digital Technology, what discussions his Department has had with the Digital Commercial Centre of Excellence on
Answer: The State of Digital Government review, A blueprint for modern digital government and the Performance Review of Digital Spend, all published this year, have highlighted the need to reform digital purchasing.The Government has launched a Digital Commercial...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Prescribing: Performing ArtsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57503More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of comedy within social prescribing.
Answer: The Department recognises the value that social prescribing can play in supporting people’s health and wellbeing. This includes activities such as the creative arts, as well as cultural activities.
Answered 11 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPerforming ArtsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57502More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the UK comedy industry on (a) the economy and (b) society.
Answer: While the Department has not carried out any recent assessments of the impact of the UK comedy industry, the government recognises the sector as a vital performing art which forms part of this country's cultural landscape, enriching lives, and shaping our...
Answered 11 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordBuildings: Electric Vehicles and Solar PowerMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56569More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to make (a) solar panels, (b) electric vehicle charging points and (c) battery storage mandatory on new build (i) commercial and (ii) domestic buildi
Answer: The Government is committed to bringing forward the Future Homes and Buildings Standards later this year. These standards will ensure that new homes and buildings are future proofed with low carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency. Solar panel...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament record
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