Sarah Pochin MP: written questions 2025
209 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Bridges: TollsDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101262More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of Penalty Charge Notice enforcement practices associated with toll bridges on low income motorists.
Answer: The operation of each toll bridge is the responsibility of the body that owns it, in this case Halton Borough Council. Furthermore, most toll bridges collect payments at toll-booths which minimises the risk of non-payment. Where free-flow charging is used...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMersey Gateway Bridge: FinesDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101256More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with local authorities regarding on the accumulation of Penalty Charge Notice related personal debts arising from the Mersey Gateway Bridge.
Answer: The operation of the Mersey Gateway crossings is the responsibility of Halton Borough Council. Over 97% of drivers using the two bridges pay the charge on time, and fewer than 0.5% neither pay on time nor the penalty charge within 42 days. It is a matter ...
Answered 9 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHyNet: Runcorn and HelsbyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101247More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to compensate local communities in Runcorn and Helsby constituency for potential impacts arising from the HyNet Scheme.
Answer: The government is working with a range of departments, regulators, and other public bodies to ensure the UK’s regulatory environment is well placed to support the deployment of CCUS and is committed to ensuring that the HyNet Cluster delivers tangible ben...
Answered 9 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordOffences against Children: InquiriesHome OfficeTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101160More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that victims and survivors have confidence in the leadership and conduct of the national inquiry into grooming gangs.
Answer: The Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs is a statutory inquiry, under the Inquiries Act 2005, with full powers to compel evidence. Its purpose is to uncover systemic failings and ensure accountability at every level. The timetable of the Inquiry is to...
Answered 9 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordOffences against Children: InquiriesHome OfficeTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101157More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department considered Baroness Longfield’s previous public statements and policy positions when appointing her as chair of the national inquiry into grooming gangs.
Answer: The Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs is a statutory inquiry, under the Inquiries Act 2005, with full powers to compel evidence. Its purpose is to uncover systemic failings and ensure accountability at every level. The timetable of the Inquiry is to...
Answered 9 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordOffences against Children: InquiriesHome OfficeTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101155More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what selection criteria her Department applied for the appointment of Baroness Longfield as Chair of the national inquiry into grooming gangs.
Answer: The Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs is a statutory inquiry, under the Inquiries Act 2005, with full powers to compel evidence. Its purpose is to uncover systemic failings and ensure accountability at every level. The timetable of the Inquiry is to...
Answered 9 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordOffences against Children: InquiriesHome OfficeTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101152More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her planned timetable is for the publication of interim and final findings of the national inquiry into grooming gangs; and whether those findings will be presented to Parliament.
Answer: The Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs is a statutory inquiry, under the Inquiries Act 2005, with full powers to compel evidence. Its purpose is to uncover systemic failings and ensure accountability at every level. The timetable of the Inquiry is to...
Answered 9 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordOffences against Children: InquiriesHome OfficeTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101151More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she plans to take to ensure ministerial and departmental accountability for any systemic failures by public bodies identified by the national inquiry into grooming gangs.
Answer: The Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs is a statutory inquiry, under the Inquiries Act 2005, with full powers to compel evidence. Its purpose is to uncover systemic failings and ensure accountability at every level. The timetable of the Inquiry is to...
Answered 9 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordOffences against Children: InquiriesHome OfficeTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101150More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to enable victims and survivors of grooming gangs to provide evidence to the national inquiry without (a) fear of intimidation and (b) adverse consequences.
Answer: The Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs is a statutory inquiry, under the Inquiries Act 2005, with full powers to compel evidence. Its purpose is to uncover systemic failings and ensure accountability at every level. The timetable of the Inquiry is to...
Answered 9 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordOffences against Children: Criminal InvestigationHome OfficeTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101148More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many allegations of group-based child sexual exploitation were (a) not pursued or (b) discontinued by (i) police or (ii) prosecutors over the last ten years.
Answer: The Government does not currently hold information on the number of allegations of group-based child sexual exploitation that were not pursued or were discontinued by police or prosecutors in the last decade. We are taking action to review relevant closed...
Answered 9 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordOffences against ChildrenHome OfficeTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101147More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will collect and publish city-specific data on the number of grooming gangs identified by police forces.
Answer: Baroness Casey’s rapid national audit into group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse set out stark findings on the scale and nature of offending by grooming gangs. This government is committed to exposing the failures that have happened across the c...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBBC: AdvertisingDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101146More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the BBC on the BBC's use of advertising.
Answer: The Secretary of State is in regular discussion with the BBC about Charter Review and other BBC matters, including on the options for funding the BBC set out in the Charter Review Green Paper. DCMS officials also hold regular meetings with the BBC and Ofc...
Answered 7 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBBC: FinanceDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101145More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has received representations from the BBC related to changes to the BBC's (a) funding model and (b) licence fee.
Answer: The Secretary of State is in regular discussion with the BBC about Charter Review and other BBC matters, including on the options for funding the BBC set out in the Charter Review Green Paper. DCMS officials also hold regular meetings with the BBC and Ofc...
Answered 7 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBBC: AdvertisingDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101144More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with Ofcom about the potential impact of BBC services displaying advertisements on the BBC's obligations regarding (a) impartiality and (b) public service broadcastin
Answer: The Secretary of State is in regular discussion with the BBC about Charter Review and other BBC matters, including on the options for funding the BBC set out in the Charter Review Green Paper. DCMS officials also hold regular meetings with the BBC and Ofc...
Answered 7 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBBC: AdvertisingDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101143More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of BBC advertising on commercial broadcasters and local media organisations.
Answer: The Government’s aim is to support a sustainable and fair funding model for the BBC, and we are considering a broad range of options to deliver this at Charter Review. A thriving media sector is vital for the UK. We acknowledge that the BBC carrying adver...
Answered 7 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBBC: AdvertisingDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101142More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what modelling her Department has undertaken on projected advertising revenues on BBC services.
Answer: The Government’s aim is to support a sustainable and fair funding model for the BBC, and we are considering a broad range of options to deliver this at Charter Review. A thriving media sector is vital for the UK. We acknowledge that the BBC carrying adver...
Answered 7 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBBC: AdvertisingDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101141More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of allowing advertising on BBC platforms on the licence fee settlement.
Answer: The Government’s aim is to support a sustainable and fair funding model for the BBC, and we are considering a broad range of options to deliver this at Charter Review. A thriving media sector is vital for the UK. We acknowledge that the BBC carrying adver...
Answered 7 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBBC: AdvertisingDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101140More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has held with the BBC on the potential introduction of advertising on BBC services.
Answer: The Secretary of State is in regular discussion with the BBC about Charter Review and other BBC matters, including on the options for funding the BBC set out in the Charter Review Green Paper. DCMS officials also hold regular meetings with the BBC and Ofc...
Answered 7 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordArctic: RussiaMinistry of DefenceTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100814More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Government is taking to monitor and respond to changes in the military balance in the Arctic region, including Russia’s nuclear capabilities and posture, and what discussions he has held with NATO
Answer: The Ministry of Defence keeps Russian military capabilities and investment under continuous review. We work closely with our NATO Allies to understand the implications of Russian military capability development for Alliance security. NATO is strengthening...
Answered 24 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordArctic: RussiaMinistry of DefenceTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100813More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of recent trends in levels of Russian nuclear submarine and naval activity within the Arctic Circle and the implications for the security of the United Kingdom and NATO all
Answer: The Ministry of Defence keeps Russian military capabilities and investment under continuous review. We work closely with our NATO Allies to understand the implications of Russian military capability development for Alliance security. NATO is strengthening...
Answered 24 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDefenceMinistry of DefenceTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100809More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to tackle UK defence capability gaps.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence employs a rigorous approach to identify and mitigate risks arising from gaps in defence capability, ensuring the delivery of defence's strategic and operational objectives. The Strategic Defence Review sets out recommendations to e...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: IndustryMinistry of DefenceTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100808More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the UK’s defence industrial base to support rapid mobilisation and sustained conflict.
Answer: The Department regularly assesses the Defence enterprise’s ability to respond swiftly to sustained conflict. Additional measures to support rapid mobilisation and sustained readiness were outlined in the Defence Industrial Strategy and the Strategic Defen...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed ForcesMinistry of DefenceTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100807More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the UK’s ability to defend against a large scale conventional military attack.
Answer: The National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence Review acknowledge that the UK and European allies face a new era of threat. Defence plays a key role in the Cabinet Office-led Home Defence Programme, a whole of Government endeavour, to enhance ou...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed ForcesMinistry of DefenceTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100806More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of whether current force levels across the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force are sufficient to meet assessed threats.
Answer: Our Armed Forces are ready to deter, fight and win - today, tomorrow and together with our allies. Since elected, this Government has been committed to strengthening our Armed Forces. Through the Strategic Defence Review, we have outlined plans to increas...
Answered 24 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCrime: Gender and SexHome OfficeTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100802More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of training provided to police officers on identifying and recording incidents involving gender identity and sex characteristics.
Answer: Hate crime has no place in our society, and the Government is committed to ensuring it is recorded accurately and addressed effectively. The accuracy and consistency of crime recording, including hate crime, is the responsibility of individual police forc...
Answered 23 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
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