Victoria Collins MP: written questions 2024
62 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction AgreementForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 19 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21529More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress his Department has made on the ratification of the Global Oceans Treaty.
Answer: The Government is completely committed to ratification of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement,...
Answered 13 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordOrthopaedicsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21524More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the availability of activity blades for amputees over 18.
Answer: Prosthetics services are overseen by NHS England. They do not commission activity blades for amputees over 18 years old, and have no current plans change this.Currently, NHS England provides adult amputees primary prostheses, activity limbs, and adaptatio...
Answered 8 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordAirports: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for TransportTabled 19 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21516More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2024 to Question 900487 on Airports: Carbon Emissions, what strict environmental standards she will use to assess airport expansions.
Answer: The assessment of applications for airport expansion will take account of all relevant law, policy and other material considerations. This includes environmental assessments undertaken as part of the planning application process.The UK’s obligations on gr...
Answered 13 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMayors: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21435More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what voting system her Department plans to use for the 2026 mayoral elections.
Answer: I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 20691 on 19 December 2024.
Answered 10 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDriving TestsDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20845More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of enlisting approved driving instructors to carry out practical driving tests on a temporary basis; and if she will make an assessment of t
Answer: It is not possible to allow approved driving instructors (ADI’s) to temporarily work as driving examiners. The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) 1999 regulations require driving test examiners to meet certain criteria and pass an initial qualification and...
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: Harpenden and BerkhamstedDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20836More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to increase the availability of practical driving tests in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.
Answer: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times right across the country. I announced to Parliament via a Written Ministerial Statemen...
Answered 20 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordPoverty: Older PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 13 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20093More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to help tackle poverty experienced by older people, in the context of changes to the eligibility criteria for the winter fuel payment.
Answer: The Government is honouring our commitment to the Triple Lock with a 4.1% increase to the basic State Pension and the new State Pension; and we are also increasing the standard minimum guarantee in Pension Credit by 4.1%. As such, according to the latest ...
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordHomelessnessMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17683More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to (a) end homelessness and (b) involve people who have lived experience of homelessness in that process.
Answer: Homelessness levels are far too high. This Government recognises the devastating impact this can have on those affected. We are already taking the first steps to get back on track to ending homelessness. As announced at the Budget, funding for homelessnes...
Answered 6 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordHousing: HertfordshireMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17390More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if her Department will take steps to ensure that communities receive required infrastructure upgrades before new houses are occupied in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency
Answer: The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner.Local development plans sh...
Answered 16 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordGreen Belt: HertfordshireMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17389More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to protect the green belt in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency, (b) Tring and (c) Dacorum, in the context of the consultation entitle
Answer: The government is committed to preserving Green Belts which have served England's towns and cities well over many decades, not least in terms of checking the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas and preventing neighbouring towns merging into one an...
Answered 16 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordNon-surgical Cosmetic Procedures: SafetyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17388More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to introduce measures to improve patient safety in non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
Answer: The Government is committed to taking action to address concerns about the safety of the non-surgical cosmetics sector, and will set out the details of its approach at the earliest opportunity.
Answered 9 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordRailways: WiFiDepartment for TransportTabled 27 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16620More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data her Department holds on the proportion of train journeys that had Wi-Fi available on board in (a) 2023 and (b) 2024 to date.
Answer: The department does not hold this data as it is currently a matter for individual train operators. Under Great British Railways, a wider programme to deliver improved passenger Wi-Fi connectivity will be considered.
Answered 3 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordProject GigabitDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 27 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16619More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress his Department has made on Project Gigabit since April 2024.
Answer: Since April 2024, three new Project Gigabit contracts covering Lincolnshire and East Riding, Cheshire, and North Yorkshire have been signed.A cross regional framework agreement with Openreach, has also been signed. The first two call-off contracts under t...
Answered 3 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordPaternity PayDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 27 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16618More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many people claimed statutory paternity pay in each of the last five years.
Answer: Information provided by employers to HMRC show the number of individuals in receipt of Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP). This data provides a broad indication of Paternity Leave take-up but does not include those that take unpaid paternity leave. The Parenta...
Answered 3 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordUniversal Credit: Young PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 25 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16011More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of Universal Credit rules for young people living in supported housing on their ability to find work.
Answer: People on a low income living in supported housing, can claim Universal Credit for help with their daily living costs and Housing Benefit for help with their housing costs. Customers living in supported housing are also able to access more housing support...
Answered 3 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordAudiobooks: VATTreasuryTabled 25 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16010More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to remove VAT on audiobooks.
Answer: There are no current plans to remove VAT on audiobooks. VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is the UK’s second largest tax, forecast to raise £171 billion in 2024/25. Tax break...
Answered 3 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordAnimal Experiments: DogsHome OfficeTabled 25 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16009More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to end the breeding of beagles used for laboratory experiments.
Answer: The Government is committed to supporting the uptake and development of alternative methods to the use of animals in science.The Labour Manifesto for government includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towa...
Answered 3 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordVorasidenibDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16008More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to carry out Vorasidenib trials on patients that have undergone (a) radiotherapy and (b) chemotherapy.
Answer: Research is crucial in tackling brain cancer, which is why the Department spends £1.5 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with cancer as one of the largest areas of i...
Answered 3 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordHunting: National ParksDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 25 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16007More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2024 to Question 5849 on Hunting: National Parks, what was the outcome of the initial discussions held with officials from other Departments on tra
Answer: This is a devolved matter with regard to Scotland and Northern Ireland; hunting with dogs is a reserved matter with respect to Wales and therefore, the information provided relates to England and Wales only. These discussions brought together officials wi...
Answered 2 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordDogs: Import ControlsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 25 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16006More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for banning the import of dogs with cropped ears.
Answer: The Government recently announced its support for the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, a Private Members’ Bill sponsored by Dr Danny Chambers MP. The Bill will give the Government powers to prevent the supply of low-welfare pets to ...
Answered 2 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordBrain: TumoursDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11185More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to include brain tumours in personalised mRNA-based cancer immunotherapies research.
Answer: Between 2018 and 2023, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has directly invested £11.3 million in research projects and programmes focused on brain tumours. This has enabled 227 brain cancer research studies to take place. Brain can...
Answered 31 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordWritten question 900971TreasuryTabled 24 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 900971More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on reforms to business rates.
Answer: The government will create a fairer business rates system that protects the high-street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century. Autumn Budget 2024 announced the first steps including an intention to introduce permanently lower multipliers f...
Answered 31 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordUniversal Credit: ChildrenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10821More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions her Department has had with stakeholders on the future of the two child limit.
Answer: Ministers meet regularly with stakeholders to discuss a broad range of topics relating to Universal Credit. Delivering our manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty is an urgent priority for this Government, and the Ministerial Taskforce is working to ...
Answered 28 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordTrappingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 23 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10820More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for banning the use of snare traps.
Answer: This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only. The Government will introduce the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation. As outlined in our manifesto, we will bring an end to the use of snar...
Answered 28 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHeat PumpsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9548More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of listing air-to-air heat pumps as a cost-effective way to improve a property’s energy performance certificate rating.
Answer: Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are a critical tool in informing consumers about the running costs of their homes, helping them reduce both energy bills and carbon emissions. The EPC model already recognises the performance of air-to-air heat pumps...
Answered 23 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →