Sammy Wilson MP: written questions
116 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Poultry: Animal WelfareDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52223More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of introducing a ban on male chick culling on the egg producing industry.
Answer: We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. In its 2024 ‘Opinion on alternatives to culling newly hatched chicks in the egg and poultry industries’, the An...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPoultry: Animal WelfareDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52222More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to introduce a ban on male chick culling.
Answer: The legislation sets out strict requirements to protect the welfare of animals at the time of killing, including male chicks from the egg production sector. Permitted killing methods for chicks, such as gas stunning and maceration, are based on scientific...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordEgypt: AhmadiyyaForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48880More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Egyptian counterpart on reports of (a) arbitrary arrests, (b) enforced disappearances and (c) threatened deportations of member
Answer: Egypt is a human rights priority country for the UK. We regularly raise concerns with the Egyptian government, including on arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and issues related to freedom of religion or belief. At the UN Human Right's Council's P...
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordTelevisionDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48385More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she is considering the future of terrestrial TV distribution in the BBC Charter review.
Answer: As the media landscape undergoes the next generational shift, the BBC too must adapt and be supported to do so.The forthcoming Charter Review is a key opportunity to set the BBC up for success long into the future. It will look at a range of issues to mak...
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordTelevisionDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48384More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of retaining the hybrid model of television distribution.
Answer: The Government’s project on the future of TV distribution is seeking to understand how people receive their television now and in the next decade. This will include assessing the advantages of hybrid television distribution models, as well as other option...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordFreeview ServiceDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48383More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an estimate of the financial support required for people to continue watching television when terrestrial television licenses expire in 2034.
Answer: The Government’s project on the future of TV distribution is seeking to understand how people receive their television now and in the next decade. This will include assessing the advantages of hybrid television distribution models, as well as other option...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordFuture of TV Distribution Stakeholder Forum: Northern IrelandDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48382More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the future of terrestrial TV distribution in Northern Ireland.
Answer: The Government’s project on the future of TV distribution is seeking to understand how people receive their television now and in the next decade. As part of this process, a wide range of views are being sought. Membership of the Stakeholder Forum include...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordFuture of TV Distribution Stakeholder Forum: Northern IrelandDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48381More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that Northern Ireland is represented in her Department's Future of TV Distribution Stakeholder Forum.
Answer: The Government’s project on the future of TV distribution is seeking to understand how people receive their television now and in the next decade. As part of this process, a wide range of views are being sought. Membership of the Stakeholder Forum include...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordTelevision: Northern IrelandDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48380More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the future of terrestrial TV distribution in Northern Ireland.
Answer: The Government’s project on the future of TV distribution is seeking to understand how people receive their television now and in the next decade. As part of this process, a wide range of views are being sought. Membership of the Stakeholder Forum include...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordGambling: Children and Young PeopleDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45564More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the need for longitudinal research into the impact of online gambling on children and young people.
Answer: The government would welcome new longitudinal research on this topic to further build our evidence base to inform our understanding of children and young people’s gambling behaviour and harm in Great Britain.The statutory levy on licensed gambling operato...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPakistan: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43031More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the adequacy of the observance of the Pakistani government to article 22 of the constitution o
Answer: Promoting freedom of religion or belief is a key part of the UK's diplomatic engagement overseas. I underlined the importance of religious tolerance and harmony when I met Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Azam Tarar, on 19 November 2024, and raised this ...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPorts and Shipping: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40169More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help the (a) ports and (b) shipping industries (a) cut emissions and (b) transition to clean fuels.
Answer: We have recently published our Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy that sets out our plans to decarbonise the domestic maritime sector. This Strategy includes a package of policy and regulatory measures across both the port and shipping industries. Reducing...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPortsDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40168More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress she has made on developing a port strategy.
Answer: The Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy sets out Government’s plans for decarbonising the domestic maritime sector, including goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and policies to support this. The Maritime Strategy will be published later this year. ...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordShipping: CrewDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40155More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of seafarers' welfare, in the context of roster patterns.
Answer: The Government is committed to strengthening workers’ rights at sea, which is why as part of the Employment Rights Bill we are introducing powers for Ministers to create a legally-binding Seafarers’ Charter. This will protect and improve seafarer working ...
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordClaims Management Services: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40154More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of extending the Financial Conduct Authority's powers to regulate claims management companies in Northern Ireland.
Answer: The Government has no plans to extend the Financial Conduct Authority’s powers to regulate claims management activity in Northern Ireland, but continues to keep the territorial scope of the Financial Conduct Authority’s powers under review.
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordMotor Insurance TaskforceDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40153More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Motor Insurance Taskforce (a) last met and (b) is next scheduled to meet.
Answer: The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce met for the first time on 16 October 2024 and the Secretary of State is keen to reconvene again soon. We will provide updates on the Taskforce in due course.
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37545More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department spent on promotion of freedom of religion or belief in the financial year 2024/25.
Answer: The UK remains strongly committed to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. It is our firm opinion that no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. We are championing the right to FoRB and promoting tolerance and...
Answered 20 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordGambling: Prison SentencesMinistry of JusticeTabled 4 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35242More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of current provisions to support people serving a custodial sentences who are experiencing gambling harms.
Answer: HM Prison and Probation Service delivers a broad range of interventions to address individuals’ criminogenic risks and needs, including accredited offending behaviour programmes.Support for prisoners who are experiencing gambling harms is provided by the ...
Answered 11 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPakistan: AhmadiyyaForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35241More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made recent representations to his Pakistani counterpart on the arrest of Ahmadi Muslims in Daska, Pakistan, for gathering in their local mosque on 28 February
Answer: Promoting the rights of religious minorities is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement in Pakistan. I raised the deteriorating situation for the Ahmadi community when I met Pakistan's Human Rights Minister on 19 November 2024, and discussed this is...
Answered 10 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: Legal CostsMinistry of JusticeTabled 24 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32963More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the cost to the public purse has been of providing legal advice to immigrants seeking asylum in each of the last five years.
Answer: Legal aid is available to fund legal advice and representation provided to individuals seeking asylum in England and Wales, subject to an assessment of merits and financial eligibility. The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) publishes information regarding legal aid ...
Answered 10 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCyprus: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 24 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32962More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has plans to meet with his counterpart from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Answer: The UK's long-standing position is not to recognise the so-called "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" as an independent state. This is in accordance with several UN Security Council Resolutions and in line with the rest of the international co...
Answered 6 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordDemocratic Republic of Congo: ChristianityForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 24 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32961More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of attacks on Christian communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and what steps he is t
Answer: Recent attacks by IS-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) are alarming and we are saddened by the loss of life. The ADF has been sanctioned by the UN since 2014. Protection of civilians, promotion of respect between different religious and non-religi...
Answered 4 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordFire and Rescue Services: FinanceHome OfficeTabled 24 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32960More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding her Department has provided to fire and rescue services in each of the last five years.
Answer: Government funding for fire and rescue services in England is provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) through the Local Government Finance Settlement in the form of revenue support grant (RSG) and retained business ra...
Answered 4 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCrime: VictimsMinistry of JusticeTabled 24 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32959More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make it her policy to publish a victim’s charter.
Answer: In England and Wales, we have the Victims’ Code rather than a Victim Charter. The Victims’ Code sets out the services and minimum standard for these services that must be provided to victims of crime by service providers. It first came into force in 2005 ...
Answered 3 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordUnited Nations: Older PeopleForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 13 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31429More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to the United Nations on the creation of a United Nations Convention on the Rights of Older Persons.
Answer: The UK Government is committed to equality and opportunity for all, with a particular focus on those most likely to be marginalised and discriminated against, including on the grounds of their age. We are open in principle to the idea of a multilateral in...
Answered 26 Feb 2025
Original Parliament record
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