Simon Opher MP: written questions
226 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Infrastructure and Property Development: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40696More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Part III of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on the delivery timescales for large (a) infrastructure and (b
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 38624 on 25 March 2025.
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordBusiness and Investment: Carbon Emissions and Sustainable DevelopmentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40295More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help encourage (a) large companies and (b) investment funds to adopt sustainable net zero practices.
Answer: Under current rules, certain large companies and investment funds are required to disclose information about the ways they are responding to the risks posed by climate change and seizing the economic opportunities that it presents. Going forward, the Gove...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordFood: MicroplasticsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40294More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of microplastics on food production.
Answer: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) continues to monitor and assess emerging data regarding microplastics in food. The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products, and the Environment (COT), an independent scientific committee that provides ...
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordFly-tippingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40293More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with local authorities on steps to help tackle fly-tipping.
Answer: I have not had any recent discussions with local authorities on steps to help tackle fly-tipping but my officials work with local authorities through the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group to promote and disseminate good practice with regards to preven...
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordDemonstrationsHome OfficeTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40292More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Public Order Act 2023 on the right to peaceful protest and assembly.
Answer: The right to peacefully protest is a fundamental part of our democratic society.We have committed to carry out post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 beginning in May 2025. This process will review how the legislation has operated since it...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPackaging: Tax AllowancesTreasuryTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40291More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing (a) tax incentives to help reduce packaging waste.
Answer: There are a several tax incentives already in place to reduce plastic waste. These include the Plastic Packaging Tax, which encourages use of more recycled plastic in packaging and Landfill Tax, which encourages waste to be diverted from landfill to more ...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable Energy: Low IncomesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40290More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to help low income households access renewable energy solutions.
Answer: We are decarbonising the energy system with utility-scale solar, rooftop solar, and offshore wind allowing households to benefit from reduced electricity bills and cleaner energy.For homes, we have kickstarted delivery of the Government’s ambitious Warm H...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign Investment: Dispute ResolutionDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40289More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for the Government's environmental policies of Investor-State Dispute Settlement mechanisms.
Answer: The UK is party to 80 Bilateral Investment Treaties and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership that contain Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS). ISDS provides an independent means to resolve disputes with states whe...
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordRiver Severn: SewageDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40288More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce sewage discharges into the river Severn.
Answer: For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. That is why we are placing water companies under special measures through the Water (Special Measures) Act. The Act will drive meaningful improvem...
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordDevelopment AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40287More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed reductions in Official development assistance on low-lying countries such as (a) the Maldives and (b) Banglade
Answer: The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending R...
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAntidepressants: PrescriptionsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40286More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to stop the overprescription of antidepressants.
Answer: Antidepressants can be an effective treatment option for depression when prescribed safely and in alignment with patient preferences. They are also used in anxiety and chronic pain.It is for the responsible clinician to work with their patient to decide o...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial PrescribingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40285More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support social prescribing.
Answer: As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future, the Government has underlined its commitment to taking a preventive approach to addressing health inequalities.We are determined to improve people’s physical and mental ...
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 21 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40284More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to decarbonise the power system.
Answer: The Government published the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan ‘a new era of clean electricity’ on 13 December 2024 detailing our plan to achieve deliver clean power by 2030. More recently, we have introduced the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, reinforcing o...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordFireworks: RegulationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 20 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39983More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to review firework legislation.
Answer: The Government's intention is to minimise the negative impact of fireworks and to support their considerate use, reducing the risks and disturbances to individuals, animals, and property. To inform any future decisions I have and will continue to engage w...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordRivers: Environment ProtectionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 20 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39982More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to implement the chalk stream recovery pack.
Answer: Cleaning up our waters, including iconic sites such as chalk streams is a top government priority. That is why on 23 October 2024, the Secretary of State announced the launch of an independent commission to fundamentally transform how our water system wor...
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordEnvironment ProtectionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 20 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39981More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to integrate his planned updates to the (a) Environmental Improvement Plan and (b) Carbon Budget Delivery Plan.
Answer: Nature and climate action must be taken together and will underpin the delivery of this Government’s missions, from clean energy to economic growth. Our revised Environmental Improvement Plan will set out the vital role of nature in mitigating and adaptin...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordDoctors: TrainingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39605More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to complete the review of postgraduate medical training.
Answer: The postgraduate medical training review announced by the Chief Medical Officer for England and National Medical Director of NHS England is underway and on track. NHS England launched an extensive engagement and listening exercise to consider the future o...
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAccident and Emergency Departments: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39604More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to publish guidance on the use of temporary care environments before the publication of the urgent and emergency care plan.
Answer: The Government recognises that long waits in accident and emergency departments are unacceptable and lead to worse patient outcomes. Patients should expect and receive the highest standard of service, and we are determined to tackle the issue of corridor ...
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAccident and Emergency Departments: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39603More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help reduce the use of temporary care environments in patient care.
Answer: The Government recognises that long waits in accident and emergency departments are unacceptable and lead to worse patient outcomes. Patients should expect and receive the highest standard of service, and we are determined to tackle the issue of corridor ...
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAccident and Emergency Departments: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39602More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of publishing year-round data on the number of patients being treated in temporary care environments.
Answer: We continue to keep the data available and published to support improvements to urgent and emergency care services under review.NHS England has been working with trusts since last year to put in place new reporting arrangements related to the use of tempo...
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCommunity Development and Housing: GloucestershireMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38400More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 36815 on Community Development and Housing: Gloucestershire, if he will list the amount of funding allocated for each project.
Answer: A total of £22.8 million was allocated through the Levelling Up Home Building Fund/The Home Builders Fund. As this involves development finance provided to private companies, details cannot be disclosed due to commercial sensitivity. A total of £32.7 mill...
Answered 20 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPerforming Arts: Government AssistanceDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38399More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will hold discussions with stakeholders from the comedy industry on Government support for that industry.
Answer: Following on from my meeting with my Hon Friend and Louisa Jackson on 13 March 2025 to discuss support for the comedy industry, I am pleased to see one of my officials attended the Comedy-on-Prescription roundtable organised by Ms Jackson at Westminster H...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordSustainable Farming Incentive: Educational VisitsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 36816More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to include (a) educational access payments within the Sustainable Farming Incentive and (b) extend those payments to (i) social prescribing programmes and (ii) other a
Answer: We are developing educational access as a new 3-year capital item, which we expect to be available later in 2025. This will be a stand-alone capital item, though applicants must have an agri-environment or woodland agreement with management actions. Whils...
Answered 17 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCommunity Development and Housing: GloucestershireMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 36815More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which housing and community development projects have received Government funding in Gloucestershire in financial year 2024-25.
Answer: These projects received funding from HMG through 2024/25 to develop housing and communities in Gloucestershire: Three sites across Forest of Dean, Cotswolds and Stroud have received funding through the Levelling Up Home Building Fund.Three projects across...
Answered 13 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPrisoners' Release: CurfewsMinistry of JusticeTabled 6 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 36156More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what her planned timeline is for the proposed extension of the maximum period that an eligible prisoner may spend on Home Detention Curfew.
Answer: The maximum period that an eligible prisoner may spend on Home Detention Curfew will be extended from 180 days to 365 days from 03 June 2025.
Answered 11 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →