Steff Aquarone MP: written questions 2026
72 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Small Businesses: UK Trade with EUDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 5 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118348More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help reduce bureaucracy and improve export processes for SMEs trading with the EU.
Answer: We are improving our relationship with the EU and will align with the EU where it is in our national interest. This will help reduce barriers to trade, and the bureaucracy and onerous paperwork for UK businesses, particularly SMEs. Alongside this, DBT pub...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: AustraliaDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 5 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118347More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the termination of the UK–Australia social security agreement in 2001 on UK citizens who return from Australia after long periods of work there; an
Answer: The Government currently has no plans to reinstate or negotiate a new reciprocal social security agreement with Australia. Support for pensioners who, for whatever reason, find themselves on a low income is provided through Pension Credit. It guarantees a...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordEconomic Growth: NorfolkTreasuryTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 908199More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to help increase economic growth in Norfolk.
Answer: The government is restoring stability, increasing investment, and reforming the economy to drive growth across every region of the UK.Norfolk will receive £32.5 million in Local Transport Grant funding enabling local authorities to deliver transport impro...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordBreakfast ClubsDepartment for EducationTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117993More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether Specialist Resource Bases and Alternative Provisions are eligible for funding from the free breakfast clubs scheme.
Answer: All state-funded schools with primary aged pupils, including those with specialist units, special schools and alternative provision schools, are in scope for the free breakfast clubs programme.Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, all state-f...
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordSixth Form Colleges: ClosuresDepartment for EducationTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117527More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how her Department defines a partial closure of a Sixth Form College; and whether removal of A-Level provision constitutes a partial closure.
Answer: The arrangements for closing a standalone sixth form college are set out in the Dissolution of Further Education Corporations and Sixth Form College Corporations (Prescribed Bodies) Regulations 2012, and do not include partial closure.It is for the colleg...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDomestic Waste: Waste DisposalDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117526More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 5 February 2026 to Question 108923, whether she plans to provide transitional arrangements to councils going through Local Government Reorganisation.
Answer: Local authorities with a transitional arrangement are listed in the commencement regulations with the date by which they must introduce food waste collections from households. These were applied where long-term waste disposal (mechanical biological treatm...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordResearch: Tax AllowancesTreasuryTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116644More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of HMRC’s operational capacity and performance standards for processing R&D tax credit repayments.
Answer: The Government recognises the important role that research anddevelopment (R&D) plays in driving innovation and economic growth as well as the benefits it can bring for society. HMRC actively balances its compliance efforts with the need to ensure tho...
Answered 4 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordCancer: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111962More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Action 15 of the National Cancer Plan, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that patients in remote and rural areas with poor access to public transport are not disa
Answer: The National Cancer Plan sets out how we will tackle unwarranted geographical variation head on and ensure that everyone has access to the best diagnostic and treatment services, no matter their postcode.We recognise that rural and coastal areas have been...
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordEnergy Company ObligationDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110570More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, by what route installers can access funding under the extended ECO4 scheme.
Answer: Installers participate in the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) and access funding only by delivering measures on behalf of obligated energy suppliers. ECO4 is not government‑funded, rather suppliers pay for installations and recover costs through their cu...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordFood: WasteDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110569More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to encourage food surplus redistribution in the baking industry.
Answer: We recognise the environmental, economic and social benefits of preventing food waste and redistributing surplus food to organisations who can use it. Redistribution is second only to prevention in Defra’s Food and Drink Waste Hierarchy, which includes th...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCarbon Emissions: Bank ServicesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110568More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support his Department provides to the baking industry to decarbonise.
Answer: Businesses in the baking industry can benefit from the Climate Change Agreements scheme, which provides Climate Change Levy discounts of up to 92% in return for improved energy efficiency and reduced emissions. More broadly, our Clean Power by 2030 missio...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 27 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108924More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer to Question 107848 on 27 January 2026, if he will publish (a) the list of attendees and (b) the minutes of his meeting with Norfolk County Council on 16 De
Answer: The meeting was attended by representatives from Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils: Cllr Matthew Hicks, Nicola Beach, Andrew Cook, Cllr Kay Mason Billig and Tom McCabe. My Department has no plans to publish the minutes of the meeting.
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDomestic Waste: Waste DisposalDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108923More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with local authorities going through Local Government Reorganisation to ensure that food waste collections align with new boundaries.
Answer: Amended section 45A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires local authorities in England to arrange for the separate collection of food waste from all households, at least once a week. All local authorities should provide a food waste service fo...
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Security and Child Support Tribunal: Disclosure of InformationDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 27 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108922More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what safeguards are in place to ensure that parties appearing before the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal are informed of any material change in the nature of allegations made against them dur
Answer: The Social Security and Child Support (SSCS) Tribunal’s job is to establish if DWP’s decision was correct when it was originally made. As such, allegations are not part of the proceedings. DWP lapsing a decision, which is where the department finds in a c...
Answered 6 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 22 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107849More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will publish documents relating to his decision to postpone Norfolk county council elections.
Answer: I met all leaders of Devolution Priority Programme Areas on 11 December, where many areas raised concerns about their capacity to deliver local government reorganisation alongside local elections. I also met Norfolk County Council on 16 December where the...
Answered 27 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 22 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107848More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, on what dates his Department had discussions with Norfolk County Council on the cancellation of 2026 elections; and and if he will publish the minutes from those meetings.
Answer: I met all leaders of Devolution Priority Programme Areas on 11 December, where many areas raised concerns about their capacity to deliver local government reorganisation alongside local elections. I also met Norfolk County Council on 16 December where the...
Answered 27 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordDomestic Waste: Waste DisposalDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 19 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106730More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of capital funding provided to local authorities for the implementation of domestic food waste collections to meet the costs of depot expan
Answer: We have run an appeals process for the funding for weekly food waste collections, which has allowed local authorities to seek financial support in circumstances where their depot space needs to be modified. These are currently being considered, and the ou...
Answered 22 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordDomestic Waste: Waste DisposalDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 19 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106729More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of inflation and supply chain pressures on capital costs for local authorities delivering domestic food waste collection
Answer: The cost modelling for the new burdens funding formula, which took place in 2023, took inflation into account by conducting market research on the most recent industry prices on all aspects being funded. WRAP (the Waste and Resources Action Programme) pro...
Answered 22 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordParental Leave and Parental Pay: ReviewsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104019More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to introduce interim mitigations for families potentially affected by the outcome of the Parental Leave and Pay Review.
Answer: The Parental Leave and Pay Review is designed to build on our evidence base, assess how well the current system is working and identify where there may be opportunities for improvement. The Review will conclude in early 2027 and the Government will outlin...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMaternity Allowance: Coastal Areas and Rural AreasDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104018More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of his Departments policies relating to Maternity Allowance on women in rural and coastal labour markets in the context of the prevalence of sea
Answer: The Government provides a range of state-funded support for new parents depending on individual circumstances. Maternity Allowance is a benefit for women who are working, or have worked recently, but who do not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay. To ensu...
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMaternity Allowance: Universal CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104017More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of treating Maternity Allowance as unearned income for the purposes of Universal Credit on working mothers who are not eligible for Statut
Answer: The Government has committed to review the parental leave and pay system.
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordFinancial Services: FraudTreasuryTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103574More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the recent BankConfidential report entitled "Hidden Credit Lines – The Largest Fraud Anywhere Ever", and what steps she plans to take as a result.
Answer: The Treasury is aware of the Bank Confidential report about former misconduct in SME banking. The Government also recognises the serious impact that issues of misconduct have had on small businesses in the UK. I would refer the Honourable Member to an ans...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
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