Shivani Raja MP: written questions 2024
55 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Social Security Benefits: LeicesterDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21071More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to disability benefits on vulnerable individuals in Leicester; and what steps she will be taking to ensure those most
Answer: We want to change the system of health and disability benefits across Great Britain to enable people better to enter and remain in work, and to respond to the complex and fluctuating nature of the health conditions many people live with today. We will bri...
Answered 6 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordLow IncomesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 13 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20061More
Question: To ask the Secretary of Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support low-income families by (a) improving access to opportunities for children to play and learn, and (b) enhancing financial independence and living standards.
Answer: Through our Opportunity Mission, this Government will break the link between a child’s background and their future success. We will deliver across four areas including helping every child to achieve and thrive through excellent teaching and high standards...
Answered 23 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordPrisons: LeicesterMinistry of JusticeTabled 13 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20060More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to (a) ensure that current prison expansion plans are sufficient to meet projected demand and (b) prevent potential overcrowding in prisons serving Leicester and the surroundin
Answer: Our 10-year Prison Capacity strategy published on 11 December sets out plans to deliver 14,000 prison places the previous Government promised but failed to deliver. It also sets out our plans to maintain the places in our estate to ensure we have sufficie...
Answered 23 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSolar PowerDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 13 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20059More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to (a) prioritise a roofs first approach to solar panel installation to ensure efficient use of urban spaces and (b) incentivize homeowners and businesses
Answer: Changes have been introduced to permitted development rights, enabling more solar installations to benefit from the flexibilities and planning freedoms permitted development rights offer. This includes a new permitted development right that allows for the...
Answered 23 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: LeicesterDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 13 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20058More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of compensating women impacted by changes to women's State Pension age in Leicester; and what steps she is taking to support the wo
Answer: In their investigation into communication of changes to State Pension age, the Ombudsman did not examine changes to the State Pension age itself, they examined how the policy was communicated. So, we have done no such assessment. We are committed to suppo...
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordPoverty: LeicesterDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 13 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20057More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to reduce levels of child poverty in Leicester.
Answer: Tackling child poverty is at the heart of this Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity, and the Child Poverty Taskforce is working to publish the Child Poverty Strategy in Spring 2025. We published our framework ‘Tackling Child Poverty:...
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordChinmoy Krishna DasForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19107More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Bangladeshi counterpart on the recent arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das.
Answer: The UK is committed to promoting and protecting human rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). We monitor human rights in Bangladesh closely, including following student-led protests in Bangladesh. I understand the concerns about the arrest...
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordFurs: Imports and SalesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18716More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of banning the import and sale of fur products on (a) businesses and (b) consumers in Leicester.
Answer: Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector in Great Britain. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) to produce a report on what constitutes responsible sourcing of fur. The AWC report will add to our un...
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: AccountabilityDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18715More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to hold water companies accountable for financial mismanagement.
Answer: Ofwat monitors the financial position of all water companies, taking action when needed to strengthen company’s long-term financial resilience and producing an annual ‘Monitoring Financial Resilience Report’ to provide a publicly available assessment of t...
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordPlanning: ReformMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18714More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that planning reforms balance new housing development with the protection of (a) green spaces and (b) local heritage in (i) Leiceste
Answer: The government published the revised National Planning Policy Framework on 12 December. The Framework reflects our ongoing commitment to ensuring the historic environment, both at a local and national level, and local green space are appropriately protect...
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordFlood Control: LeicesterDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18713More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) provide funding for flood defence infrastructure, (b) help tackle the impact of climate change and (c) otherwise mitigate flood risks in Leic
Answer: This Government is investing £2.4 billion over this year and next year to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. Climate change projections are built into the design of new flood defences to make sure they are fit ...
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: ChildrenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18712More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to review the two child benefit cap.
Answer: The Child Poverty Taskforce is exploring how we can harness all available levers to reduce child poverty before publishing a strategy in Spring 2025.
Answered 16 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordBus Services: Special Educational NeedsDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17922More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of SEND pupils in (a) Leicester East constituency and (b) England impacted by changes to the bus fare cap.
Answer: The Department for Education is the lead government department with responsibility for policy on home to school transport, including provision for pupils with special educational needs. With regard to the national bus fare cap, this will be designed to be...
Answered 9 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: UnemploymentDepartment for EducationTabled 4 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17921More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support young SEND people not in education, employment or training.
Answer: This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and develop the skills they need as they move into adult life.The department is...
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordBangladesh: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17920More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent diplomatic steps he has taken to help ensure the protection of (a) Hindu communities and (b) other religious minorities in Bangladesh.
Answer: The UK has a long-standing commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). Following the student-led protests in July and August, we have been closely monitoring the situation for minorities in B...
Answered 10 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: VeteransDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 27 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16657More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of exempting Armed Forces personnel in receipt of Government compensation from means-tested benefits.
Answer: The receipt of War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) awards is already fully ignored when calculating eligibility for Universal Credit. The first £10 per week of a War Pension or AFCS award is disregarded in: income-related Employment a...
Answered 5 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 27 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16656More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that all SEND pupils are able to access (a) education and (b) training opportunities; and if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her polic
Answer: For too long the education and care system has not met the needs of all children and young people, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), with parents struggling to get their children the support they need and deserve. ...
Answered 5 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordCharities: Employers' ContributionsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 25 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15857More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to employer National Insurance contributions on not-for-profit organisations.
Answer: At the recent Budget, the government took a number of difficult but necessary decisions on tax, welfare, and spending to fix the foundations of the public finances, fund public services, and restore economic stability.DCMS Ministers have met with represen...
Answered 3 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordRailways: MidlandsDepartment for TransportTabled 25 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15856More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the number of rail journeys made between Coventry and Leicester in each of the last five years.
Answer: The Department holds information on the estimates of the number of journeys between all pairs of mainline stations in Great Britain by financial year in the Origin and destination matrix (ODM), published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). The total num...
Answered 2 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordRailways: MidlandsDepartment for TransportTabled 25 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15855More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential economic impact of the Midlands Rail Hub on people in Leicestershire.
Answer: We are working closely with Network Rail and Midlands Connect to maximise the benefits of Midlands Rail Hub throughout the region, including in Leicestershire. Midlands Connect are leading on the development of the rationale for the scheme including the d...
Answered 2 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordRailways: MidlandsDepartment for TransportTabled 25 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15854More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a new direct rail link between Leicester and Coventry for Leicester's economy.
Answer: The Department is conducting a thorough review of the previous Government's transport plans to ensure that our transport infrastructure portfolio drives economic growth and delivers value for money for taxpayers. Decisions about individual projects will b...
Answered 2 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordTaxis: Conditions of Employment and PayDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15040More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure that private hire drivers (a) are not exploited and (b) receive (i) appropriate pay and (ii) equal employment rights.
Answer: All employers must comply with their legal obligations to ensure those they engage receive the rights and protections to which they are entitled. Entitlement to employment rights is determined by an individual’s employment status. Private hire drivers can...
Answered 25 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordCricket and Football: SportsgroundsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15032More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on the number of (a) football and (b) cricket pitches there are in England.
Answer: According to Sport England’s Active Places database, there are 53,665 grass football pitches in England. This encompasses adult football, junior football 11 a-side, junior football 9 a-side, mini soccer 7 a-side and mini soccer 5 a-side pitches. Furthermo...
Answered 27 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordZero Hours Contracts: RegulationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15031More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes in the regulation of zero hours contracts on average (a) staffing and (b) other costs for SMEs.
Answer: The potential impact of the proposed changes through the right to guaranteed hours, the right to advance notice of shifts and the right to payment for short notice shift cancellation, curtailment or movement are set out in the Government’s Impact Assessme...
Answered 25 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordSham Marriage: DeportationHome OfficeTabled 15 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14530More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that those who exploit immigration marriage fraud to gain entry to the UK are (a) identified and (b) removed from the country.
Answer: The Government takes abuse of the spouse and partner immigration routes very seriously and is clear that family migration must be based on a genuine and subsisting marriage or relationship.The marriage referral and investigation scheme, introduced across ...
Answered 20 Nov 2024
Original Parliament record
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