Sorcha Eastwood MP: written questions
136 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Child BenefitTreasuryTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92163More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to review Child Benefit eligibility rules linked to school attendance in relation to absence caused by severe mental ill-health or trauma.
Answer: Child Benefit remains in payment until 31 August following a child’s 16th birthday. This applies without any conditions on education, so there is no impact on children of this age if they are unable to attend school for any reason.For young people who are...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordMotor Insurance TaskforceDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92161More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Motor Insurance Taskforce report will be published.
Answer: The motor insurance taskforce report will be published shortly.
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPay Settlements: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86885More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if HMRC will consider allowing pay award uplifts in Northern Ireland to be reallocated to the tax years to which they relate.
Answer: In general, employment income is taxable in the year of receipt, which is not always the year that the work was carried out. This is an important principle of the tax system ensuring clarity and consistency in the treatment of employment income as set out...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: Northern IrelandDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86884More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how income earned by Northern Ireland residents in the Republic of Ireland is treated for (a) Universal Credit and (b) contributory pension entitlements.
Answer: Universal Credit in Northern Ireland is administered by the Department for Communities (DfC). DfC is responsible for how income earned by Northern Ireland residents in the Republic of Ireland is treated for the purposes of Universal Credit and contributor...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordIncome Tax: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86883More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance HMRC provides to Northern Ireland residents with UK National Insurance numbers and Irish Personal Public Service numbers on reporting income earned in the Republic of Ireland; and whether she plans to
Answer: The UK has one of the largest networks of Double Taxation Conventions (DTCs) in the world, covering more than 130 jurisdictions. The UK also seeks to encourage and maintain an international consensus on cross-border economic activity and to promote intern...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordDouble Taxation: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86882More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has discussed with her Irish counterpart the potential merits of (a) amending and (b) clarifying the UK–Ireland Double Taxation Convention to ensure equal treatment for cross-border workers on the island
Answer: The UK has one of the largest networks of Double Taxation Conventions (DTCs) in the world, covering more than 130 jurisdictions. The UK also seeks to encourage and maintain an international consensus on cross-border economic activity and to promote intern...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordDouble Taxation: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86881More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending cross-border workers’ relief to residents of Northern Ireland who work in the Republic of Ireland.
Answer: The UK has one of the largest networks of Double Taxation Conventions (DTCs) in the world, covering more than 130 jurisdictions. The UK also seeks to encourage and maintain an international consensus on cross-border economic activity and to promote intern...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: Workplace PensionsTreasuryTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86880More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a multi-year averaging mechanism for pension growth calculations in the Health and Social Care Pension Scheme in Northern Ireland to mit
Answer: Policy in respect of Public Service Pension Schemes in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordDentistry and Doctors: Workplace PensionsTreasuryTabled 30 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 86879More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of delayed implementation in Northern Ireland of pay awards recommended by the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration on consultants'
Answer: Decisions regarding the implementation of pay awards for doctors and dentists in Northern Ireland are a devolved matter and are the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive.
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordProof of Identity: Digital TechnologyCabinet OfficeTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84795More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed mandatory enrolment in a digital ID system on the rights of (a) individuals and (b) business under the Good Friday Agreement in Nor
Answer: The Government will launch a public consultation on the design of the new digital ID which will inform ongoing policy development and assessments of impacts.We have been in touch with the Devolved Government in Northern Ireland and the Irish Government an...
Answered 7 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordProof of Identity: Digital TechnologyCabinet OfficeTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84794More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential impact the digital ID system on (a) business operations, (b) online security and (c) personal privacy in Northern Ireland.
Answer: The government will launch a public consultation on the design of the new digital ID, and have already started to engage with a range of expert organisations. Stakeholder and public views, including those in feedback to future consultation, will inform on...
Answered 4 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordProof of Identity: Digital TechnologyCabinet OfficeTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84792More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether (a) exemptions of (b) alternative arrangements for the digital ID system will be offered to people resident in Northern Ireland.
Answer: We will design this system to ensure everyone who has a right to live and work in any part of the UK can do so easily and securely. We have already prioritised meetings with senior figures in Northern Ireland and the Irish Government to ensure any new sys...
Answered 4 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordProof of Identity: Digital TechnologyCabinet OfficeTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84791More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether there will be an option for company directors to (a) defer or (b) opt out of enrolment of the digital ID system.
Answer: There will be no requirement to enrol in Digital ID. Employers will be required to conduct digital right to work checks by the end of this Parliament. There is a requirement upon directors and individuals with significant control over companies to prove t...
Answered 4 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordProof of Identity: Digital TechnologyCabinet OfficeTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84790More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department will engage in public consultation prior to the rollout of the digital ID system.
Answer: We have committed to a public consultation, and work is already underway to engage with key stakeholder groups. We will work closely with employers, trade unions, civil society groups and other stakeholders, to make the programme as effective and inclusiv...
Answered 3 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordProstate Cancer: Northern IrelandDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82822More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Northern Ireland executive on the potential introduction of a national screening programme for prostate cancer.
Answer: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises ministers and the National Health Service in the four nations of the United Kingdom about all aspects of screening. The implementation of any UK NSC screening recommendation is a devolved matter.
Answered 24 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordChildcare and Pre-school Education: Skilled WorkersHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82821More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to review the adequacy of the (a) salary and (b) eligibility requirements for (i) childcare and (ii) early years workers under the Skilled Worker visa route.
Answer: On 12 May, the Government published our Immigration White Paper, outlining our future approach to legal migration routes. On 22 July the first phase of changes took effect, including raising the threshold for Skilled Worker visas to graduate level occupat...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordChildcare and Pre-school Education: Skilled WorkersHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82820More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the implementation of Skilled Worker visa eligibility criteria for (a) childcare and (b) early years workers.
Answer: On 12 May, the Government published our Immigration White Paper, outlining our future approach to legal migration routes. On 22 July the first phase of changes took effect, including raising the threshold for Skilled Worker visas to graduate level occupat...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordChildcare and Pre-school Education: Skilled WorkersHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82819More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Skilled Worker visas have been granted for (a) childcare and (b) early years posts since their inclusion on the eligible occupations list.
Answer: The Home Office publishes data on sponsored work visas by visa type and occupation in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on grants of visas are published in table ‘Occ_D02’ of the sponsored work visas by occupation and industry da...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: Skilled WorkersHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82818More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the proposed extension of the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain under the Skilled Worker route will apply to people already residing in the UK under that route.
Answer: We will be consulting on the new settlement rules later this year. Details of how this initiative will work will be provided around that consultation.
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: Skilled WorkersHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82817More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to provide clarity to Skilled Worker visa holders in the UK impacted by proposed changes to the Indefinite Leave to Remain qualifying period.
Answer: We will be consulting on the new settlement rules later this year. Details of how this initiative will work will be provided around that consultation.
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services and Social Services: Skilled WorkersHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82816More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of extending the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain under the Skilled Worker visa route on the health and social care workforce.
Answer: We will be consulting on the new settlement rules later this year. Details of how this initiative will work will be provided around that consultation.
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordMigrant Workers: Northern IrelandHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82815More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of extending the Indefinite Leave to Remain qualifying period on the recruitment and retention of overseas workers in Northern Ireland’s health and
Answer: We will be consulting on the new settlement rules later this year. Details of how this initiative will work will be provided around that consultation.
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces CovenantCabinet OfficeTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82472More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of extending the Armed Forces Covenant Duty on the work of his Department.
Answer: The extension of the Armed Forces Covenant Legal Duty will require the Cabinet Office to have due regard to the principles of the Covenant across a wide range of new policy areas. A full assessment of the impact of the extension on the Cabinet Office will...
Answered 24 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordDigital Technology: ChildrenDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77809More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will meet the Chief Medical Officer to discuss the potential merits of raising the digital age of consent.
Answer: In December 2024 DSIT commissioned a feasibility study into research to understand the impact of smartphones and social media on children. The report will be published in due course.The government keeps all legislation under review and engages regularly w...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordData Protection: Age of ConsentDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77808More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the digital age of consent.
Answer: In December 2024 DSIT commissioned a feasibility study into research to understand the impact of smartphones and social media on children. The report will be published in due course.The government keeps all legislation under review and engages regularly w...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament record
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