Sorcha Eastwood MP: written questions 2025
154 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Internet: SafetyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 55590More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will introduce legislation to improve online safety laws.
Answer: The government is committed to working with Ofcom to ensure the Online Safety Act is implemented quickly and effectively.This year we expect users, in particular children, to see notable change in their online experience as the duties come into force. Ofc...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordLong Covid: ResearchDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54469More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with the Northern Ireland Department of Health on working together on (a) research and (b) treatment for people with long covid.
Answer: The Department has not had any specific discussions in relation to working together on research and treatment for long COVID with Northern Ireland’s Department of Health.The Department of Health and Social Care funds research through the National Institut...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordTrade Agreements: USADepartment for Business and TradeTabled 16 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52930More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether trade negotiations with the US on (a) digital trade provisions and (b) non-tariff barriers will include online safety regulation.
Answer: On 8 May the UK government announced a landmark economic deal with the United States, making the UK the first country to reach an agreement with President Trump. We are continuing talks on a wider UK-US Economic Deal which will look at increasing digital ...
Answered 22 May 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: IsraelForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 14 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52417More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many requests his Department has made of the Mass Atrocity Prevention Hub to make an assessment of the risk of genocide being committed in Gaza.
Answer: It is the UK Government's long-standing position that any formal determination as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent court, and not for governments or non-judicial bodies. The International Court of Justice case on genocide is on...
Answered 3 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: Genocide ConventionForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 14 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52416More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the extent to which the ICJ's Preliminary Measures to prevent genocide in Gaza have been implemented.
Answer: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently considering a case brought under the genocide convention in relation to Gaza. Pending its final decision on the merits of the case, the ICJ has issued provisional measures. The UK has been clear that I...
Answered 2 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRefugees: UkraineHome OfficeTabled 13 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52070More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the barriers to employment faced by people with temporary immigration status under the Ukraine schemes.
Answer: I refer the Honourable Member to my answer given on 8 May 2025 to PQ UIN 49746.
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Care Services: VATTreasuryTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51606More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing VAT on beauty and hair salons.
Answer: VAT is the UK’s third largest tax. It is forecast to raise £180 billion in 2024/25, which funds public services. VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Exceptions to the standard rate...
Answered 20 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Care Services: VATTreasuryTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51605More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing the rate of VAT applicable to beauty and hair salons.
Answer: VAT is the UK’s third largest tax. It is forecast to raise £180 billion in 2024/25, which funds public services. VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Exceptions to the standard rate...
Answered 20 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: ReformDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51604More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department has taken with (a) disabled people and (b) disabled people’s organisations to develop the Health and Disability Green Paper; and what plans she has to work with disabled people
Answer: Our Green Paper, “Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working” is an important staging post on a journey of reform, building on the vision and approach set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper in November 2024. It sets ou...
Answered 20 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security BenefitsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51603More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason her Department's consultation on the Health and Disability Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, does not include proposals to (a) abolish the Work Capability Assessment, (b) freeze t
Answer: The Pathways to Work Green Paper set out our plans and proposals for reform to health and disability benefits and employment support. This includes urgently needed reforms to PIP eligibility and Universal Credit rates that are not subject to consultation ...
Answered 20 May 2025
Original Parliament recordUniversal CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51602More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the potential impact of her Department's proposals to freeze the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity element of Universal Credit until 2029-30 on disabl
Answer: Some information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published in the evidence pack, impacts analysis and equalities analysis at:[https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pathways-to-work-reforming-benefits-and-support-to-get-br...
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence PaymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51601More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the number of people who are currently in receipt of PIP who are likely to lose their entitlement under the proposals in the Health and Disability Green Paper, broken d
Answer: No such assessment will be made. PIP is not based on primary medical condition diagnosis but on functional disability as the result of one or more conditions, and is awarded as a contribution to the additional costs which result.Information on the impacts...
Answered 20 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSecurity: Private SectorHome OfficeTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51600More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) mandatory and (b) voluntary registration processes are in place for businesses seeking to operate within the private security sector.
Answer: The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is a Home Office arm’s length body established by the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (PSIA) as the regulator of the private security industry. The SIA sets standards and licenses individuals seeking to perform cer...
Answered 20 May 2025
Original Parliament recordConversion TherapyWomen and EqualitiesTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51599More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what progress she has made on the publication of the Government’s conversion practices legislation.
Answer: Conversion practices are abuse. Such practices have no place in society and must be stopped.As outlined in the King’s Speech, this Government is committed to bringing forward a full, trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices.We continue to work cross go...
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: Humanitarian AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51598More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of whether the delivery of aid to Gaza compiles with the UNHCR's Humanitarian principles, as endorsed UN General Assembly resolutions 46/18
Answer: As I told the House on 14 May, Israel's denial of aid is appalling. Israel must lift the block on aid entering Gaza now and enable the UN and all humanitarians to save lives. In our statement to the UN Security Council on 13 May, we made clear that the UK...
Answered 15 May 2025
Original Parliament recordUK Internal Trade: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 9 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51186More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she is taking steps to improve processing time for applications to join the UK Internal Market Scheme.
Answer: The UK Internal Market Scheme (UKIMS) was launched in June 2023, allowing businesses across the United Kingdom to apply, and HMRC has successfully encouraged over 10,000 traders to get authorised. HMRC is required to take a decision regarding the outcome ...
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordUK Internal Trade: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 9 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51185More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the time taken to process business applications to join the UK Internal Market Scheme.
Answer: The UK Internal Market Scheme (UKIMS) was launched in June 2023, allowing businesses across the United Kingdom to apply, and HMRC has successfully encouraged over 10,000 traders to get authorised. HMRC is required to take a decision regarding the outcome ...
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordUK Internal Trade: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 9 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51184More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support is available for businesses awaiting admission to the UK Internal Market Scheme.
Answer: The UK Internal Market Scheme (UKIMS) was launched in June 2023, allowing businesses across the United Kingdom to apply, and HMRC has successfully encouraged over 10,000 traders to get authorised. HMRC is required to take a decision regarding the outcome ...
Answered 19 May 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: International Humanitarian LawForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50665More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled Summary of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) process, decision and the factors taken into account, published o
Answer: Our International Humanitarian Law (IHL) assessments continue to assess Israel's compliance and commitment to IHL. Since the 2 September 2024 announcement, subsequent assessments continue to find possible breaches of IHL in the areas of humanitarian acces...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSodium Valproate and Surgical Mesh Implants: CompensationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45253More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what consultation process has been followed with devolved nations in preparation for the Government's response to the Hughes Report, published on 7 February 2024.
Answer: The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving s...
Answered 23 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSodium Valproate and Surgical Mesh Implants: CompensationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45252More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress his Department has made in preparing Government's response to the Hughes Report, published on 7 February 2024.
Answer: The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving s...
Answered 23 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSodium Valproate and Surgical Mesh Implants: CompensationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45251More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timeline is for the Government's response to the Hughes Report, published on 7 February 2024.
Answer: The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving s...
Answered 23 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPost Offices: PaymentsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45250More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Post Office Transformation Plan published on 13 November 2024; whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of the recommendation to provide additional payments to po
Answer: On 13 November, the Post Office Chair Nigel Railton announced a Transformation Plan, which aims to create a long-term sustainable future for Post Offices in communities all across the UK. Through the Transformation Plan, Post Office aims to deliver a &quo...
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordData Protection: Age of ConsentDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 1 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43251More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of raising the digital age of consent.
Answer: When Information Society Services, such as social media or live streaming sites, rely on consent to process children’s data, consent is only lawful in respect of children under the age of 13 when parental authority has been granted. The current age of con...
Answered 9 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCancer: Young PeopleDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42107More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to meet young people with cancer to discuss their experiences during Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Awareness Month in April 2025.
Answer: NHS England and other National Health Service organisations, nationally and locally, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including those that are most common in teenagers and young adults. Further information o...
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →