Sorcha Eastwood MP: written questions 2025
154 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Online Safety Act 2023Department for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98640More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of Ofcom's performance in enforcing the Online Safety Act 2023.
Answer: Ofcom is the independent regulator for online safety under the Online Safety Act 2023. Ofcom is responsible for scrutinising platforms’ risk assessments, requiring appropriate safety mitigations, and enforcing safety duties where necessary.Suicide devasta...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Media: Children and Young PeopleDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98639More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions she has had with Ofcom on protecting children and young people online.
Answer: Ofcom is the independent regulator for online safety under the Online Safety Act 2023. Ofcom is responsible for scrutinising platforms’ risk assessments, requiring appropriate safety mitigations, and enforcing safety duties where necessary.Suicide devasta...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Media: RegulationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98638More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of Ofcom’s effectiveness in responding to harmful suicide, self-harm and depression-related content online.
Answer: Ofcom is the independent regulator for online safety under the Online Safety Act 2023. Ofcom is responsible for scrutinising platforms’ risk assessments, requiring appropriate safety mitigations, and enforcing safety duties where necessary.Suicide devasta...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Media: RegulationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98637More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of self-assessments provided by social media companies on risks of hosting suicide, self-harm and depression-related content in the co
Answer: Ofcom is the independent regulator for online safety under the Online Safety Act 2023. Ofcom is responsible for scrutinising platforms’ risk assessments, requiring appropriate safety mitigations, and enforcing safety duties where necessary.Suicide devasta...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMobile Phones and Social Media: ChildrenDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98091More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Answer of 17 October 2025 to Question 77809, whether her Department's report into the impact of smartphones and social media on children will be published before t
Answer: The department is developing the evidence base around children’s online safety, to ensure our policy response is informed by the best research.As part of this, DSIT commissioned a feasibility study into research on the impact of smartphones and social med...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97425More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential long-term economic impact of the proposed Agricultural Property Relief reforms on the viability of farm businesses where land has to be sold to meet inheritance tax liab
Answer: The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, fixing the public finances, and funding public services. The reforms reduce t...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97424More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed Agricultural Property Relief reforms on the level of productive farmland and food security; and whether she has consulted the Secretary of State for E
Answer: The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, fixing the public finances, and funding public services. The reforms reduce t...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97423More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed Agricultural Property Relief reforms on farms in Northern Ireland.
Answer: The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, fixing the public finances, and funding public services. The reforms reduce t...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97422More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief on family farms which are passed to multiple children, including where land has t
Answer: The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, fixing the public finances, and funding public services. The reforms reduce t...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97421More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will define active farming for the purposes of proposed changes to Agricultural Property Relief, including whether this includes farmers who work in partnership with successors, or who have partially stepped
Answer: The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, fixing the public finances, and funding public services. The reforms reduce t...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97420More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed changes to Agricultural Property Relief on the economic viability of small and medium-sized farm, including farms of around 110 acres in size in N
Answer: The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, fixing the public finances, and funding public services. The reforms reduce t...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordTrade: Northern IrelandCabinet OfficeTabled 28 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 95494More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans the Government has to update digital systems and guidance to reflect Northern Ireland’s trading position under the Windsor Framework.
Answer: The Government has announced £16.6 million to strengthen the UK internal market and help Northern Ireland boost trade with Great Britain. A comprehensive ‘one stop shop’ regulatory support service will help businesses trade across the UK and EU markets an...
Answered 8 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordImmigration: Republic of IrelandHome OfficeTabled 28 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 95493More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her earned settlement proposals would apply to the family members of Irish citizens.
Answer: The earned settlement model is currently subject to a public consultation. Full details on earned settlement will be finalised following the conclusion of that public consultation.
Answered 8 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordTrade: Northern IrelandCabinet OfficeTabled 28 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 95492More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans the Government has to update (a) digital systems and (b) guidance to reflect Northern Ireland’s trading position under the Windsor Framework.
Answer: The Government has announced £16.6 million to strengthen the UK internal market and help Northern Ireland boost trade with Great Britain. A comprehensive ‘one stop shop’ regulatory support service will help businesses trade across the UK and EU markets an...
Answered 8 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordVAT: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 28 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 95491More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to help improve awareness and acceptance of XI VAT numbers among businesses outside Northern Ireland.
Answer: I refer the member to the answer given to UIN 95354 on 04 December 2025
Answered 4 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordVAT: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 27 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 95354More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to improve awareness and acceptance of XI VAT numbers among businesses outside Northern Ireland.
Answer: HMRC has published guidance on GOV.UK setting out the requirements for any business trading in goods between the EU and Northern Ireland and the need for an XI VAT number.
Answered 4 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPostal Services: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 27 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 95353More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for his policies of parcels from Northern Ireland being incorrectly flagged for EU customs checks due to UK-wide system defaults.
Answer: The Government introduced important new arrangements for the movement of parcels moving to and from Northern Ireland, ensuring that goods can continue to move smoothly between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.HMRC does not carry out routine customs chec...
Answered 5 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRoyal Mail: Northern IrelandDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 27 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 95352More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has discussed with Royal Mail updating international addressing systems so that Northern Ireland can be selected as a distinct region.
Answer: International addressing systems are operational tools, owned and maintained by Royal Mail, with their primary purpose being to ensure the accurate sorting, routing and delivery of customers’ mail. Royal Mail keeps this under review for its purposes. Roya...
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPostal Services: Northern IrelandDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 27 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 95351More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has discussed with Royal Mail updating the international addressing systems so that Northern Ireland can be selected as a distinct region.
Answer: International addressing systems are operational tools, owned and maintained by Royal Mail, with their primary purpose being to ensure the accurate sorting, routing and delivery of customers’ mail. Royal Mail keeps this under review for its purposes. Roya...
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordInternet: Northern IrelandDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 27 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 95350More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to ensure .eu and .ie domain registration systems recognise Northern Ireland as an eligible territory.
Answer: The eligibility criteria are not the responsibility of the UK Government, and we have made no such steps.
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordImmigration: Hong KongHome OfficeTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94322More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether B1 English-language qualifications will remain valid for current BNO visa holders approaching eligibility for Indefinite Leave to Remain; and what assessment she has made of the potential impa
Answer: The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 ...
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordImmigration: Hong KongHome OfficeTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94321More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether individuals from Hong Kong who have been granted asylum or refugee status will be required to meet a 20-year settlement requirement.
Answer: The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK. We fully recognise the significant contribution that Hong Kongers have already made to the UK, and the role they will continue to play in the years ahead. Th...
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordImmigration: Hong KongHome OfficeTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94320More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the proposed Migration Quantitative Indicators and changes to existing exemptions, including the English-language waiver for applicants aged 65 and over, will apply to current BNO visa holders
Answer: The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 ...
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: British National (Overseas)Home OfficeTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94319More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether young adults currently in full-time education, who were under 18 at the time of their initial BNO visa application, will be exempt from the proposed sustained economic contribution requirement
Answer: The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 ...
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: British National (Overseas)Home OfficeTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94318More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she has made an assessment of the potential merits of retrospective protections for BNO dependants unable to meet the sustained economic contribution requirement.
Answer: The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 ...
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →