Scott Arthur MP: written questions
346 published records · newest first.
Written questions
ICT: Labour TurnoverDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 5 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7325More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the cost of technical debt to UK productivity; and what steps her Department is taking to address skills shortages linked to the retirement of personnel
Answer: At least 28% of central government systems are classified as legacy. These outdated systems cost around 40% more to maintain than modern alternatives, slow down public services, are harder to join up and increase the risk of disruption, reducing efficienc...
Answered 12 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: Alternative FuelsDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7033More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the likely pass-through of increased SAF compliance costs to consumers and the potential impact on (a) average UK air fares and (b) holiday package prices.
Answer: We recognise the need to protect consumers from excessive costs and have factored this into the design of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate. We continually monitor the market, and, alongside the option of buy-out, the Mandate has a built-in review pro...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: Alternative FuelsDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7031More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the current and projected capacity of domestic Sustainable Aviation Fuel production facilities in the United Kingdom; and what steps she is taking to help prevent shortf
Answer: We recognise the need to protect consumers from excessive costs and have factored this into the design of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate. We continually monitor the market, and, alongside the option of buy-out, the Mandate has a built-in review pro...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRailways: Capital InvestmentDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7008More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure the maintenance of capital investment in rail infrastructure during the transition period to Great British Railways; and what assessment she has made of the risk of operationa
Answer: This government remains committed to the existing settlement for the day-to-day running of the railway during the current funding period (2024 to 2029), including capital spend, and including through the transition from Network Rail to Great British Railw...
Answered 12 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordTransgender People: EqualityWomen and EqualitiesTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6148More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will set out how organisations will be held to account for demonstrating that any exclusion of trans people from single-sex services is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim in line with t
Answer: The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) regulates equality law across England, Wales and Scotland. The EHRC is independent of the government and makes its own enforcement and regulation decisions.
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordGender: EqualityWomen and EqualitiesTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6147More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what assessment she has made of the feasibility for service providers with limited physical space to maintain single-sex services while also providing separate third-space arrangements for transgender individu
Answer: The EHRC has assessed the costs for service providers and others. The draft Code of practice for services, public functions and associations acknowledges service providers might comply with the law in different ways due to different factors such as physic...
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordTuberculosis: Disease ControlDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 1 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5736More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to renew the National TB Action Plan to help ensure the UK meets its commitment to the World Health Elimination (WHO) targets by 2035.
Answer: The UK Health Security Agency and NHS England’s current joint Tuberculosis (TB) Action Plan for England 2021 to 2026 outlines outcomes and indicators to achieve a 90% reduction in people with TB by 2035, aligned with the World Health Organisation eliminat...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for TransportTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4645More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans her Department has to help support the development of standardised high voltage battery diagnostics for electric vehicles to enable repair and reuse.
Answer: The Government is aware of calls from industry to develop standardised high voltage battery diagnostics for electric vehicles (EVs), to support repairability as well as the safe working operations of EV technicians. While the Government currently has no p...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordTransport: UK Relations with EUDepartment for TransportTabled 21 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3886More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to increase the level of collaboration with the EU on transport policy.
Answer: This Government has reset its relationship with European partners to strengthen economic and security cooperation following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. The Secretary of State, Department for Transport Ministers, and officials engage closely with EU i...
Answered 5 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: CrewDepartment for TransportTabled 21 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3885More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with her European counterparts on mutual recognition of UK pilot licences for flying EU registered aircraft.
Answer: The Government has been clear that it will work to reset the relationship with Europe, strengthen ties, and tackle barriers to trade. As part of this, the Government is continuing to seek expansions to the Aviation Safety Chapter of the Trade and Cooperat...
Answered 5 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordEconomic GrowthTreasuryTabled 21 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3866More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered the potential implications for her policies of research by (a) York University entitled Global Footprint Network: Explore Data, (b) Bioregional entitled The social shortfall and ecological
Answer: The Government agrees with the central conclusion of the Dasgupta Review that nature, and the biodiversity that underpins it, sustains our economies, livelihoods and wellbeing. It is therefore committed to integrating nature into economic and financial de...
Answered 5 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordTomography: Waiting ListsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3450More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the waiting times for (a) MRI and (b) CT scan appointments.
Answer: The Department recognises that too many patients are waiting too long for diagnostic services, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans, and we are determined to change this. We have demonstrated our commitment to tran...
Answered 1 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordTomography: Waiting ListsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3449More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of waiting times for(a) MRI and (b) CT scans across NHS England.
Answer: The Department recognises that too many patients are waiting too long for diagnostic services, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans, and we are determined to change this. We have demonstrated our commitment to tran...
Answered 1 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordVeterans: Edinburgh CastleMinistry of DefenceTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3440More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will hold discussions with Historic Environment Scotland on improving access for Royal Regiment of Scotland veterans to their regimental museum within Edinburgh Castle.
Answer: Edinburgh Castle remains an active military garrison and houses the headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. As such, free access is available for serving members of the Armed Forces holding a valid MOD90 card. Veterans of the Royal Regiment of Sco...
Answered 1 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordImmigration: Overseas StudentsHome OfficeTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2641More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce data gaps and time-lags in information sharing between universities and UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI); and what assessment she has made of the impact of those dela
Answer: The Home Office works closely with higher education institutions to support compliance with the Basic Compliance Assessment (BCA), which is an annual assessment of sponsor performance. Sponsors have been responsible for monitoring their own in-year perfor...
Answered 21 May 2026
Original Parliament recordTaxis: Driverless VehiclesDepartment for TransportTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2633More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support the taxi and private hire sectors during the introduction of automated passenger services; and what (a) fiscal and (b) training support will be made available to d
Answer: The Government has established a commercial piloting route for Automated Passenger Services. This will enable government, deployers and local authorities to learn from initial deployments, including considering potential impacts on jobs. The initial roll-...
Answered 22 May 2026
Original Parliament recordOvarian Cancer: Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2631More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how the forthcoming cancer manuals will address existing variation in access to ovarian cancer treatment for patients across England.
Answer: Reducing inequity and variation in cancer care, including for ovarian cancer, is a priority for the Government. The National Cancer Plan, published in February 2026, sets out how we will reduce unwarranted variation in access to cancer treatments to drive...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordCancerDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2628More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the impact that greater histopathology capacity would have on delivering the Government’s ambition to provide comprehensive molecular profiling to every eligible canc
Answer: The Department recognises the vital role that histopathology services play in supporting timely diagnosis and access to advanced pathology testing, including molecular profiling where clinically appropriate. These services underpin cancer pathways and ena...
Answered 2 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHomelessness: Young PeopleMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2620More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure local authorities in England fulfil statutory duties to assess young people at risk of homelessness; and what assessment he has made
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 128549 on 23 April 2026.
Answered 26 May 2026
Original Parliament recordVeterans: Edinburgh CastleMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2555More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will hold discussions with Historic Environment Scotland on access to Edinburgh Castle for Royal Regiment of Scotland veterans.
Answer: Edinburgh Castle remains an active military garrison and houses the headquarters of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. As such, free access is available for serving members of the Armed Forces holding a valid MOD90 card. Veterans of the Royal Regiment of Sco...
Answered 26 May 2026
Original Parliament recordVisas: CharitiesHome OfficeTabled 14 May 2026AnsweredUIN 1602More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Temporary Work - Charity Worker visa route in supporting the UK’s voluntary sector.
Answer: The Government recognises that the Charity Worker route supports the UK’s voluntary sector by enabling individuals to come to the UK to do voluntary, unpaid work for up to a maximum of 12 months. The work must not be filling a permanent position, includin...
Answered 21 May 2026
Original Parliament recordEducation: Armed ForcesDepartment for EducationTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 788More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with her counterparts in the devolved Administrations about harmonising support for mobile children in Armed Forces families.
Answer: I recognise that there are particular challenges which children and young people from Armed Forces families can encounter in moving between different education systems, and I am engaging with military families and organisations who support them to help en...
Answered 2 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordEquality and Human Rights Commission: Codes of PracticeWomen and EqualitiesTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 787More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how she plans to support women's groups who wish to remain trans inclusive in the context of the updated EHRC Code of Practice.
Answer: We received an updated draft Code of Practice from the EHRC on 13 April. We cannot comment on the contents of the draft Code, however, we intend to lay it in May. We have always been clear that associations should set their policies in line with the law.I...
Answered 21 May 2026
Original Parliament recordEquality and Human Rights Commission: Codes of PracticeWomen and EqualitiesTabled 24 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129746More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how she plans to support women’s groups who wish to remain trans inclusive in the context of the updated EHRC Code of Practice.
Answer: It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Answered 29 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDriver Information SystemsDepartment for TransportTabled 24 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129742More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has assessed the potential impact of (a) defective and (b) poorly maintained Advanced Driver Assistance Systems on road (i) fatalities and (ii) serious injuries over the last decade.
Answer: As set out in the Road Safety Strategy, the Government is committed to taking advantage of vehicle technologies to make our roads safer. The Strategy adopts the internationally recognised Safe System approach, acknowledging that vehicle technologies can s...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
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