Sarah Olney MP: written questions 2025
142 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Development AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57313More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of reductions to the Official Development Aid on (a) the VSO and (b) other British companies with a significant pres
Answer: Decisions on how the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget will be used are being worked through as part of the ongoing allocations process following the Spending Review. This will be based on various factors, including impact assessments.We are wo...
Answered 18 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordImmigrationHome OfficeTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57312More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with regards to her Department's White Paper on Restoring control over the immigration system, published 12 May, if she will publish further information on how changes to the (a) standard qualifying p
Answer: We will reform our settlement and citizenship rules by expanding the Points-Based System and increasing the standard qualifying period for settlement to ten years.Individuals will have the opportunity to reduce the qualifying period to settlement and citi...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: British National (Overseas)Home OfficeTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57311More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her Department's White paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system, published on 12 May 2025, on British National (0verseas) Vi
Answer: The British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) route was launched on 31 January 2021 in response to China’s passing of the National Security Law. The route reflects the UK’s historic and moral commitment to those people of Hong Kong who chose to retain their tie...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordTaxis: Greater LondonDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56865More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help tackle the delay in TfL issuing Public Carriage Office licences to people (a) with health conditions who are ineligible for the temporary license and (b) who have faced personal
Answer: The Department for Transport is responsible for setting the regulatory structure within which local licensing authorities in England license the taxi and private hire vehicle trades but ultimately the licensing process is left at the discretion of local a...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordChildren: ProtectionDepartment for EducationTabled 3 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56864More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's statutory guidance entitled Working Together to Safeguard Children, updated 8 May 2025, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of including adoptive parent
Answer: The ‘Working together to safeguard children’ statutory guidance is multi-agency guidance that sets out the help, support and protection available to all children and their families. Where the guidance refers to parents, this includes adoptive parents. The...
Answered 11 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordElectoral Register: InternetMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56301More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of (a) the duplication of scanned signatures and (b) technical problems with the Electoral Registration Officer Portal since its introduction in 2023
Answer: On 13 May 2025, MHCLG identified a software bug with the batch application upload functionality on the Electoral Registration Officer Portal (ERO Portal), which had existed since 21 March 2024. The bug could lead to misallocated signature images for cer...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDomestic Abuse: ChildrenHome OfficeTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 55171More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help ensure that (a) police and (b) independent schools can share data in relation to (i) Operation Encompass and (ii) the implementation of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2
Answer: The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 introduced a duty on all 43 police forces to make Operation Encompass notifications to schools after attending a domestic abuse incident in a child’s home before the start of the next school day.The Home Office is curren...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHammersmith BridgeDepartment for TransportTabled 20 May 2025AnsweredUIN 53600More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Transport will meet the hon. Member for Richmond Park to discuss the future of Hammersmith Bridge.
Answer: My officials are working with the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and Transport for London to progress viable options for the future of Hammersmith Bridge. I would be pleased to discuss these with the hon. Member for Richmond Park in due course.
Answered 29 May 2025
Original Parliament recordInfected Blood Compensation SchemeCabinet OfficeTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52633More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he expects all payments by the Infected Blood Compensation Authority to eligible people to be made.
Answer: The recently published Framework Document sets out the timelines agreed between IBCA and Cabinet Office; namely for the bulk of infected people to be paid no later than the end of 2027 and the bulk of affected people to be paid no later than the end of 20...
Answered 27 May 2025
Original Parliament recordInfected Blood Compensation SchemeCabinet OfficeTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52632More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of eligible people have received compensation from the Infected Blood Compensation Authority.
Answer: Due to the nature of the Infected Blood scandal there is uncertainty over the number of people, especially those affected, who might be eligible for compensation. The final number of eligible people will ultimately depend on the number of victims who come...
Answered 23 May 2025
Original Parliament recordInfected Blood Compensation SchemeCabinet OfficeTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52631More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people (a) infected and (b) impacted by the infected blood scandal have (i) been invited to make a claim, (ii) been offered compensation and (iii) received compensation.
Answer: As of 6 May 2025, 677 infected people have been contacted to begin the claims process, with 432 of those starting their claim. 160 offers of compensation have been made, totalling over £150m, and 106 payments have been made, totalling £96,608,906.
Answered 23 May 2025
Original Parliament recordHeathrow Airport: NoiseDepartment for TransportTabled 14 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52293More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to include an updated assessment of the potential impact of noise from a third runway at Heathrow on public health in a future version of the guidance entitled Transport analysis gu
Answer: The government supports airport expansion and has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow. It expects any proposals to be brought forward by the summer and is clear that any scheme must be delivered in line with the UK’s legal, climate and envir...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordDisability Living AllowanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50198More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of claims for Disability Living Allowance were processed within the 50 working day target between April 2024 and April 2025.
Answer: The most recent information on processing times for Disability Living Allowance for children was published in the DWP annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK (ARA) on 22nd July 2024. This shows that in 2023/24 DWP cleared 3.5% of Disability Livin...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSexual Offences: Law ReportingMinistry of JusticeTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49016More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of expanding the pilot programme to provide to victims of rape and sexual offences on request a free copy of judges’ sentencing remarks to all victims of crime
Answer: In May 2024, the Ministry of Justice launched a pilot to enable victims of rape and sexual offences, whose cases are heard at the Crown Court, to request a copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks for free. Between May 2024 and 25 April 2025, HM Courts &...
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSexual Offences: Law ReportingMinistry of JusticeTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49015More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department plans make the Rape and Sexual Offences Free Sentencing Remarks pilot scheme permanent.
Answer: In May 2024, the Ministry of Justice launched a pilot to enable victims of rape and sexual offences, whose cases are heard at the Crown Court, to request a copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks for free. Between May 2024 and 25 April 2025, HM Courts &...
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSexual Offences: Law ReportingMinistry of JusticeTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49014More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have signed up to her Department's pilot programme to provide free sentencing remarks to victims of rape and sexual offences.
Answer: In May 2024, the Ministry of Justice launched a pilot to enable victims of rape and sexual offences, whose cases are heard at the Crown Court, to request a copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks for free. Between May 2024 and 25 April 2025, HM Courts &...
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordElectionsCabinet OfficeTabled 24 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47764More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether benefits advisors are classified as civil servants for the purposes of the regulated period ahead of an election.
Answer: Section 4.4 of the Civil Service Management Code sets out restrictions on civil servants with regard to political activity, including examples of roles that fall into the politically restricted category. This category includes members of the Senior Civil ...
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordElectionsCabinet OfficeTabled 24 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47763More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which job roles are restricted on involvement in political campaigning during the short campaign of an election.
Answer: Section 4.4 of the Civil Service Management Code sets out restrictions on civil servants with regard to political activity, including examples of roles that fall into the politically restricted category. This category includes members of the Senior Civil ...
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordElectionsCabinet OfficeTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47297More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which roles the Government classifies as civil servants for the purposes of short campaign election regulation.
Answer: Section 4.4 of the Civil Service Management Code sets out restrictions on civil servants with regard to political activity, including examples of roles that fall into the politically restricted category. This category includes members of the Senior Civil ...
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordTrade Agreements: AlbaniaDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46803More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to improve trading relations with Albania.
Answer: Total trade in goods and services between the UK and Albania was worth £358 million in 2024, an increase of 11% or £35 million in current prices from 2023.DBT actively works to resolve barriers to trade affecting companies exporting to Albania, and our tr...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSports: SafetyDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46802More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with relevant stakeholders on the safety of rehydration clauses in combat sports.
Answer: I have not had any recent discussions with stakeholders about the safety of rehydration clauses in combat sports. It is the responsibility of individual sports and event organisers to determine the appropriate measures to ensure the safety of participants...
Answered 25 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMultiple Occupation: LicensingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46801More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the licensing criteria for Houses in Multiple Occupation.
Answer: It is important that private rented properties are safe, well-maintained, and properly managed. Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing schemes play a crucial role in achieving this. The Renters’ Rights Bill introduces reforms to drive-up standards ...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordVenture Capital: EqualityDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45742More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make his policy to require venture capital firms to (a) record and (b) publish the diversity of founders receiving investment.
Answer: The Department is working to improve access to finance for diverse founders. An example of one initiative is the Investing in Women Code.It was established in 2019 as a recommendation of the Alison Rose Review to increase transparency and data reporting o...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordInvestment: Ethnic Groups and WomenDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45741More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on support to improve the investment readiness of (a) women and (b) BAME entrepreneurs.
Answer: The government backed Invest in Women Taskforce aims to make the UK the best place in the world to be a female entrepreneur. To improve investment readiness, it seeks to break down barriers such as lack of mentorship, resource and networks for aspiring wo...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordVenture Capital: Ethnic Groups and WomenDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45740More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help increase representation of (a) women and (b) minority ethnic founders in venture capital funding.
Answer: The Department leads on the Invest in Women Taskforce (IWT) and the Investing in Women Code (IWC). In November, the IWT launched a £255 million fund for female entrepreneurs, which will be invested through female investors in the UK, including backing fem...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament record
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