Scott Arthur MP: written questions 2025
334 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Cycling: WomenDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30365More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to tackle (a) harassment and (b) intimidation of women while cycling.
Answer: Everyone should feel safe cycling and harassment and intimidation of women cycling is totally unacceptable. Public sexual harassment is a crime that often leaves victims, who are disproportionately likely to be women, feeling very unsafe. That is why tack...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordActive TravelDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30364More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential impact of increased investment in active travel infrastructure on public health outcomes.
Answer: Investment in active travel schemes makes it easier for people to walk, wheel or cycle, and thereby plays a significant role in improving people’s physical and mental health. Ministers from this Department have met regularly with their counterparts in the...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordActive TravelDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30363More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential economic merits of investment in active travel infrastructure.
Answer: The Government recognises that investment in high quality active travel infrastructure supports its economic growth, health and net zero missions by helping to revitalise high streets; enabling people to live longer, healthier lives; and helping to reduce...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordRented Housing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30359More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to support the Build to Rent sector.
Answer: The government is committed to supporting the Build to Rent sector. We are unlocking nearly £2 billion in additional lending through the Private Rented Sector Guarantee Scheme and have announced a £700 million extension to the Home Building Fund to help d...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordStamp Duty Land TaxTreasuryTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30358More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of scrapping Multiple Dwellings Relief on housing supply.
Answer: The previous Government announced the abolition of Multiple Dwellings Relief following an external evaluation which found no strong evidence the relief was meeting its original objectives of supporting investment in the private rented sector. In addition,...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordStamp Duty Land TaxTreasuryTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30357More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of reintroducing Multiple Dwellings Relief.
Answer: The previous Government announced the abolition of Multiple Dwellings Relief following an external evaluation which found no strong evidence the relief was meeting its original objectives of supporting investment in the private rented sector. In addition,...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordStamp Duty Land TaxTreasuryTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30356More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the impact of scrapping Multiple Dwellings Relief in March 2024 on the economy.
Answer: The previous Government announced the abolition of Multiple Dwellings Relief following an external evaluation which found no strong evidence the relief was meeting its original objectives of supporting investment in the private rented sector. In addition,...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordHigher Education: DisadvantagedDepartment for EducationTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29385More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to widen access to higher education by underrepresented groups.
Answer: Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.Access to higher education (HE) should be based on ability, not someone’s background. Opportunity should be available to all, and it is the department’s aspiration ...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordTaxis: Electric VehiclesDepartment for TransportTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29327More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the plug-in taxi grant on levels of uptake of purpose-built ultra-low emission taxis.
Answer: The Plug-In Taxi Grant (PITG) was introduced in 2017 to support the early market growth of zero emission capable (ZEC) taxis and has supported the purchase of over 10,000 vehicles of this type. The grant is funded until at least the end of the current fin...
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Defence: Edinburgh South WestMinistry of DefenceTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29323More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many homes his Department owns in Edinburgh South West constituency; and how many of those (a) have Ministry of Defence tenants, (b) have private tenants and (c) are vacant.
Answer: As of 5 January 2025, there are 418 Service Family Accommodation (SFA) properties owned by the Ministry of Defence in the Edinburgh South West Constituency.254 SFA properties are occupied by Serving Personnel (SP) and their families. 72 SFA properties are...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordWinter Fuel Payment: Edinburgh South WestDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29321More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in Edinburgh South West constituency claimed the Winter Fuel Payment in (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25; and how many of those were new claimants in each of those years.
Answer: The vast majority of Winter Fuel Payments are made automatically without the need to claim. Linking Winter Fuel eligibility to Pension Credit and other means tested benefits for pensioners ensures the least well-off pensioners still receive the help they ...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: Edinburgh South WestDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29317More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the cost of increasing the State Pension for people in Edinburgh South West constituency in 2025.
Answer: No such estimate has been made for Edinburgh South West. In April 2025, the basic and new State Pension will increase by 4.1% as confirmed in the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2025. In 25/26, it is estimated the total State Pension expenditure,...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: Edinburgh South WestDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29316More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) male and (b) female pensioners in Edinburgh South West will receive the 2025 increase in the state pension.
Answer: All State Pension recipients in Edinburgh South West will receive an increase in their State Pension from April 2025. At the quarter ending May 2024, the latest published State Pension caseload data, there were (a) 7,040 Male and (b) 8,501 Female State Pe...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAircraft: Electric Vehicles and HydrogenDepartment for TransportTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29315More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to support the development of Electric/hydrogen Regional Air Mobility.
Answer: The Government is supporting and accelerating the introduction and use of new aviation technologies, including electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) and other zero-emission regional air mobility aircraft. My Department is working closely with ind...
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAircraft: Electric VehiclesDepartment for TransportTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29314More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to support the development of Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing vehicles.
Answer: The Government is supporting and accelerating the introduction and use of new aviation technologies, including electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) and other zero-emission regional air mobility aircraft. My Department is working closely with ind...
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordUnmanned Air Systems: FreightDepartment for TransportTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29312More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps to support the use of non-passenger-carrying drones to convey freight.
Answer: This Government is supporting and accelerating the use of drone technologies for freight logistics in both the commercial and public sectors, such as for the transport of vital medical supplies within the NHS. I am committed to enabling Beyond Visual Line...
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordUnmanned Air SystemsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29311More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to support the development of non-passenger carrying drones.
Answer: My department supports the safe deployment of drones for commercial and public benefit, through R&D support and innovative regulation. Wider drone policy is led by the Department for Transport.Since 2019, the Future Flight Challenge, administered by I...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordTaxis: Electric VehiclesDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28740More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to extend the Plug-in Taxi Grant scheme beyond April 2025.
Answer: The Plug in Taxi Grant (PITG) is funded until at least the end of the current financial year. All grants remain under review to ensure best value for the money for the taxpayer. The Department will provide an update on the future of the PITG before the en...
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordDefibrillators: DisadvantagedDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28711More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits developing a national strategy to place defibrillators in socio-economically deprived communities.
Answer: The Government is committed to improving access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in public spaces and reducing inequalities in access to these life saving devices. Following the depletion of the existing AED fund, launched in September 2023, th...
Answered 17 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Charging PointsDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28710More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increase in (a) standing and (b) capacity charges on the commercial viability of EV charging infrastructure deployment.
Answer: Standing and capacity charges vary by site and location and are a matter for Ofgem as the independent regulator. Due to the commercial sensitivities of private companies, it is not possible for us to make a definitive assessment. However, we are aware of ...
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordFinancial Services: EdinburghScotland OfficeTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28271More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps he is taking to encourage the Scottish Government to support Edinburgh's financial sector.
Answer: Promoting economic growth is one of the Scotland Office’s priorities and I am proud of the contribution of the financial services industry to the Scottish economy, with recent figures showing it is now worth £14.8 billion in GVA while directly supporting ...
Answered 7 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordInfected Blood Compensation Authority: ScotlandCabinet OfficeTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28266More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of the performance of the Infected Blood Compensation Authority in dealing with cases which involve the Scottish legal system.
Answer: I understand that the first group of claims included victims from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Claimants who live in Scotland can receive legal support from firms with particular expertise in Scots law, if they wish, and I have been assu...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordInfected Blood Compensation Authority: Correspondence and Telephone ServicesCabinet OfficeTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28265More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the performance of the Infected Blood Compensation Authority in dealing with (a) calls and (b) correspondence from potential claimants.
Answer: I am informed that in January, the Infected Blood Compensation Authority handled 709 calls and responded to 832 emails. The Authority is taking the approach of having single points of contact for claimants, and I was pleased to learn how this has fostered...
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordInvestment Trusts: TakeoversTreasuryTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27945More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department is taking steps to help protect the interests of shareholders in investment trusts that are subject to hostile takeovers by overseas entities.
Answer: Listed companies such as listed investment trusts are subject to substantial corporate governance and shareholder protection requirements.This includes fair treatment and orderly takeover requirements under the Takeover Code, which the independent Takeove...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordKnives: SalesHome OfficeTabled 27 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26700More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to limit the sale of kitchen knives to those with round tips.
Answer: Nothing is off the table when it comes to tackling the scourge of serious violence and saving young lives, and we always keep the law and practice in this area under close review.We are taking action to tackle the illegal sale of knives online which is wh...
Answered 4 Feb 2025
Original Parliament record
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