Saqib Bhatti MP: written questions
327 published records · newest first.
Written questions
International BaccalaureateDepartment for EducationTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81371More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her Department's policy is on the continued provision of the International Baccalaureate Diploma in state schools.
Answer: The department has made very significant investments into 16-19 education funding. The base rate of funding per student has increased to £5,105 in the 2025/26 academic year, up over 5% on last year. We must make this funding work hard, tilting it towards ...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordInternational Baccalaureate: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81370More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to reduce funding for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
Answer: The department has made very significant investments into 16-19 education funding. The base rate of funding per student has increased to £5,105 in the 2025/26 academic year, up over 5% on last year. We must make this funding work hard, tilting it towards ...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPrison Officers: Political ImpartialityMinistry of JusticeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77654More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will set out whether all grades of prison officers are required to be politically neutral.
Answer: All employees are bound by the Civil Service Code and must serve the Government impartially. The HMPPS Outside Activities Policy requires all employees, including all grades of Prison Officer, to remain politically neutral at all times and they must seek ...
Answered 14 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPrison Officers: Codes of PracticeMinistry of JusticeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77653More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance his Department issues to ensure prison officers follow the civil service code.
Answer: The requirement to adhere to the Civil Service Code is set out in all HMPPS employee's employment contracts. In HMPPS, these standards are reinforced through the Outside Activities and the Conduct and Discipline policies, which set behavioural expectation...
Answered 14 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPrison Officers: Political ImpartialityMinistry of JusticeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77652More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has issued guidance to prison officers on ensuring political neutrality.
Answer: All civil servants are contractually bound by the Civil Service Code to serve the Government of the day. In HMPPS, this is reinforced through the Outside Activities Policy and the Conduct and Discipline Policy. These require employees to remain politicall...
Answered 14 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: Private EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 8 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75689More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of children with SEND moving from the independent to state school sector; and what proportion this represents of the overall amount of people moving from the
Answer: The latest school census data from January 2025 shows private school pupil numbers remain firmly within historical patterns seen for over 20 years. The data is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupi...
Answered 2 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic ExpenditureTreasuryTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74955More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of UK borrowing costs on government spending.
Answer: The Government has published Spending Review 2025, which set departmental spending allocations consistent with the fiscal strategy set out at Autumn Budget 2024 and Spring Statement 2025. The Chancellor will provide further updates at Autumn Budget 2025.
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMortgagesTreasuryTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74760More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of borrowing costs on mortgages.
Answer: The Government does not comment on specific financial market movements. Government borrowing costs are determined by a wide range of international and domestic factors, and it is normal for the price and yields of gilts to vary, especially in the context ...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Sector DebtTreasuryTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74759More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the trends in the cost of debt on Departmental Budgets.
Answer: The Government has published Spending Review 2025, which set departmental spending allocations consistent with the fiscal strategy set out at Autumn Budget 2024 and Spring Statement 2025. The Chancellor will provide further updates at Autumn Budget 2025.
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Securities: CostsTreasuryTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 74758More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with the International Monetary Fund on the impact of the rising cost of bond yields.
Answer: The government does not comment on specific market moves. As the Governor of the Bank of England recently noted, the underlying driver of recent moves in yield curves is global. This means it is more important than ever to have fiscal rules that provide s...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordTransgender People: Conversion TherapyWomen and EqualitiesTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69415More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she plans to establish a joint committee of both Houses to scrutinise the draft Bill on conversion practices.
Answer: This Government’s position is that conversion practices are abuse. We remain committed to bringing forward legislation that protects LGBT+ individuals from these harmful practices, starting with publishing our draft Bill later this session for pre-legisla...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMembers: CorrespondenceDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68945More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her Department plans to respond to correspondence of 1 July 2025 from the hon. Member for Meriden and Solihull East on the Midlands Rail Hub, reference MC2025-14224.
Answer: The Rail Minister is replying to the hon. member's letter and if he has not received a response already, he will do so in coming days.
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCyprus: Military BasesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66300More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the Sovereign Base Areas in Akrotiri and Dhekalia.
Answer: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Ministers have not discussed the status of the Sovereign Base Areas with counterparts from the Republic of Cyprus, which was secured by the 1960 Treaty of Establishment.Ministers and officials however re...
Answered 16 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCyprus: Military BasesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66299More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) Akrotiri and (b) Dhekelia Sovereign Base Areas on regional stability in the Middle East.
Answer: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Ministers have not discussed the status of the Sovereign Base Areas with counterparts from the Republic of Cyprus, which was secured by the 1960 Treaty of Establishment.Ministers and officials however re...
Answered 16 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCyprus: Military BasesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66298More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Cypriot counterparts on the status of the Sovereign Base Areas in (a) Akrotiri and (b) Dhekelia.
Answer: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Ministers have not discussed the status of the Sovereign Base Areas with counterparts from the Republic of Cyprus, which was secured by the 1960 Treaty of Establishment.Ministers and officials however re...
Answered 16 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordAlcoholic Drinks: AdvertisingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64060More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to ban alcohol advertising.
Answer: On 3 July 2025, the Department published Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England, which outlines plans to introduce mandatory alcohol labelling, to increase awareness of harms and enable people to make healthier choices. It also commits to exp...
Answered 28 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: ValuationTreasuryTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63677More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consultation (a) her Department and (b) the Valuation Office Agency undertook with the (i) flexible workspace sector and (ii) representatives of small businesses prior to concluding that most serviced offices s
Answer: Following developments in case law and legal advice, the VOA has reviewed its approach and concluded that most serviced offices will need to be assessed as a single property. The VOA has engaged with the sector and rating agents to discuss the approach to...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: ValuationTreasuryTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63676More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment (a) her Department and (b) the Valuation Office Agency has made of the potential impact of changing the business rates valuation methodology for serviced offices from multiple hereditaments to a sing
Answer: Following developments in case law and legal advice, the VOA has reviewed its approach and concluded that most serviced offices will need to be assessed as a single property. The VOA has engaged with the sector and rating agents to discuss the approach to...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordGender DysphoriaDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62266More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has undertaken a (a) call for evidence and (b) consultation to support the review of NHS adult gender dysphoria clinics in England.
Answer: The Review of Adult Gender Services is aiming to publish its report later this summer. NHS England and the Government will need time to consider the findings, advice, and recommendations before issuing their response.The review has examined records, inclu...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordGender DysphoriaDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62265More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timetable is for the publication of the final report of the Review of the NHS adult gender dysphoria clinics in England; and if he will make an oral statement upon receipt.
Answer: The Review of Adult Gender Services is aiming to publish its report later this summer. NHS England and the Government will need time to consider the findings, advice, and recommendations before issuing their response.The review has examined records, inclu...
Answered 10 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: MidlandsDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59467More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding her Department plans to allocate to the Midlands Rail Hub, in the context of the Spending Review 2025.
Answer: The Chancellor’s commitment to progress Midlands Rail Hub West in the 2025 Spending Review follows the release of £123 million last year to design the first phase, which could be delivered by the early 2030s.
Answered 19 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordBusiness RatesTreasuryTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57406More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the maximum additional business rate revenue that could be raised by the proposed new higher rate multiplier.
Answer: To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable vales below £500,000 from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that RHL businesses benefit from...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: Tax AllowancesTreasuryTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57405More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of removing the £110,000 business rates cap for (a) retail, (b) hospitality and (c) leisure businesses with a rateable value below £500,000 after April 2026
Answer: To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable vales below £500,000 from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that RHL businesses benefit from...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordOffices: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 2 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56364More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of business rates relief on supply of serviced office buildings.
Answer: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is responsible for valuing non-domestic property for business rates purposes. At present many serviced offices are valued as separate units. This means that businesses occupying serviced office units are liable for busine...
Answered 10 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordOffices: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 55339More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the the potential impact of changes in business rates on serviced office buildings.
Answer: It is the Valuation Office Agency’s (VOA) statutory duty to maintain up-to-date Rating Lists and they are required by law to review and correct assessments if supported by evidence. Following developments in case law, the VOA have been reviewing their app...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament record
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