Sarah Edwards MP: written questions 2025
60 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Defence: IndustryNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 18 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 907076More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Defence Industrial Strategy 2025 on Northern Ireland.
Answer: The defence of the United Kingdom is always the first duty of any Government.As part of our defence industrial strategy, we will invest £250m across five regions for Defence Growth Deals - including one in Northern Ireland which already boasts a booming d...
Answered 7 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMBR Acres: Animal ExperimentsHome OfficeTabled 11 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89680More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether reviews have been conducted by (a) the Animals in Science Regulation Unit and (b) other relevant bodies to ensure that the facilities at MBR Acres in Wyton, Huntingdon, provide appropriate saf
Answer: The Animals in Science Regulation Unit conducts both announced and unannounced audits to ensure establishments’ compliance with the terms of their licences, the Code of Practice and with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). ASPA provides p...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPetsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87471More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing an independent regulator or ombudsman to support pet-owning households not currently covered by an existing regulat
Answer: Defra has not completed an assessment of the potential merits of establishing an independent regulator or ombudsman to support pet owners. The Competition and Markets Authority is conducting a market investigation into the provision of veterinary services...
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86365More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing (a) time limits and (b) penalties for local planning authorities that do not determine small applic
Answer: My Department recognises the importance of timely decision-making in the planning system, particularly for small applications which are often vital to local communities and small businesses. Local planning authorities are already subject to statutory time...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRoads: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for TransportTabled 29 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86364More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the time taken for Section 278 approvals on SME development timelines.
Answer: The Government recognises that the road adoption process under the Highways Act 1980, including Section 278 agreements where developers modify existing public highways, has become increasingly fragmented and prolonged across England. This has contributed ...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordAffordable Housing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86363More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to introduce a cascade mechanism for Section 106 affordable housing agreements.
Answer: Section 106 agreements are, and will remain, an essential mechanism for delivering social and affordable housing.The government continues to progress work on a holistic policy package that will deal with the legacy problem of existing uncontracted S106 un...
Answered 4 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86362More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with HM Treasury about potential measures to support demand for SME-led housing.
Answer: My Department has no current plans to make such an assessment. The Help to Build: Equity Loan scheme, targeted at those wanting to custom build, self build or shell build a home, opened in June 2022 and closed to new applications in March 2025. There are ...
Answered 4 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86361More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of a (a) targeted help to build and (b) mortgage guarantee scheme for first-time buyers purchasing SME-built homes.
Answer: My Department has no current plans to make such an assessment. The Help to Build: Equity Loan scheme, targeted at those wanting to custom build, self build or shell build a home, opened in June 2022 and closed to new applications in March 2025. There are ...
Answered 4 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86360More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government will consider the potential merits of (a) exemptions and (b) reduced thresholds for small and medium sized housebuilders under biodiversity net gain regulations.
Answer: The Government has recently consulted on how to improve biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development. This included options on exemptions and potential reduced thresholds for minor development. The Government is considering responses...
Answered 3 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86359More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of biodiversity net gain requirements on the viability of small and medium-sized housing schemes.
Answer: The Government has recently consulted on how to improve biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development. This included options on exemptions and potential reduced thresholds for minor development. The Government is considering responses...
Answered 3 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPool Re: CybercrimeTreasuryTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78850More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of including Cyber Attacks within the Pool Reinsurance Company Limited Fund.
Answer: Pool Reinsurance, or Pool Re, was created to ensure the effective functioning of the UK’s terrorism insurance market. The government do not have any plans to extend Pool Re’s remit to include further cyber-related risks.
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: DogsMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76356More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of support available to retired canine military working dogs.
Answer: At the end of their service, Military Working Dogs (MWDs) are individually assessed and every effort is made to rehome them with a suitable owner. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) proactively undertakes diagnostic work, surgery, or other treatment, to prepar...
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPolice: DogsHome OfficeTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76355More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of support available to retired canine officers.
Answer: Police support animals play an important role in crime detection, prevention, and public safety. The government values the bravery and skill of police dogs and their handlers, recognising the strong bond formed through their work.Decisions on support for ...
Answered 17 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordDogs: SmugglingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76354More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of puppy smuggling.
Answer: Due to the illegal nature of this activity, we cannot know the true extent of puppy and kitten smuggling operations. The Animal and Plant Health Agency plays a critical role in monitoring and intercepting animals that do not meet legal importation standar...
Answered 8 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordDogs: SmugglingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76353More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the animal welfare strategy will include a commitment to help end the illegal puppy smuggling trade.
Answer: As outlined in our manifesto, the Government is committed to ending puppy smuggling. That is why we are supporting the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill. This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans t...
Answered 23 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal WelfareDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71528More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will publish the animal welfare strategy before 6 November 2025.
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 recordConstruction: LicensingDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71527More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to introduce a statutory compulsory licensing scheme for builders.
Answer: The Government is fully committed to implementing the Grenfell Inquiry recommendation that principal contractors working on higher-risk buildings should be licenced through a scheme managed by the Building Safety Regulator. We have accepted this recommend...
Answered 17 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordProperty Development: BiodiversityMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71526More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of biodiversity net gain requirements on the delivery of small-scale (a) industrial and (b) commercial projects.
Answer: On 28 May 2025, the government published a consultation on improving the implementation of biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development. It can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation closed on 24 July 2025 and the Department for E...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71525More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the potential merits of exempting small urban (a) sites and (b) schemes under
Answer: On 28 May 2025, the government published a consultation on improving the implementation of biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development. It can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation closed on 24 July 2025 and the Department for E...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71524More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of biodiversity net gain related delays on SME development finance costs.
Answer: On 28 May 2025, the government published a consultation on improving the implementation of biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development. It can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation closed on 24 July 2025 and the Department for E...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71523More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of biodiversity net gain on the proportion of homes delivered by SME developers in urban areas; and what steps she is
Answer: On 28 May 2025, the government published a consultation on improving the implementation of biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development. It can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation closed on 24 July 2025 and the Department for E...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71522More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will review the potential impact of variation in (a) local authority biodiversity administration and (b) ecological requirements on the ability of SME housebuilders to (i) foreca
Answer: The recent consultation looked at a range of options to make it quicker, cheaper and easier for these businesses to deliver their BNG obligations, including small urban sites. The recent consultation also looked at options for increasing flexibility for s...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71521More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will review the proportionality of biodiversity net gain survey requirements for small urban sites, in cases where (a) survey and (b) finance costs exceeded £30,000 for a complia
Answer: The recent consultation looked at a range of options to make it quicker, cheaper and easier for these businesses to deliver their BNG obligations, including small urban sites. The recent consultation also looked at options for increasing flexibility for s...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71520More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the availability of suitable off-site land for delivering biodiversity net gain in the vicinity of small urban sites.
Answer: The recent consultation looked at a range of options to make it quicker, cheaper and easier for these businesses to deliver their BNG obligations, including small urban sites. The recent consultation also looked at options for increasing flexibility for s...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 71519More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of biodiversity net gain requirements on the viability of small urban housing sites developed by SME housebuilders; and if he
Answer: The recent consultation looked at a range of options to make it quicker, cheaper and easier for these businesses to deliver their BNG obligations, including small urban sites. The recent consultation also looked at options for increasing flexibility for s...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
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