Victoria Collins MP: written questions 2025
508 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Childcare: Fees and ChargesDepartment for EducationTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46368More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of uprating the income threshold for the free childcare entitlement in line with inflation.
Answer: It is the government’s ambition that all families have access to high-quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change.This working parent entitlement aims to suppor...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: Tax AllowancesTreasuryTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46367More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of changes to the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief Scheme on businesses.
Answer: The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century. At Autumn Budget 2024, we took the first step with the announcement of permanently lower tax rates for the Re...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSewers and Water: Planning PermissionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46366More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) Thames Water and (b) other water companies provide (i) accurate and (ii) locally verified assessments of (A) wastewater and (B) draina
Answer: As set out in Paragraph 7 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of homes, commercial development and supporting infrastr...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Media: FraudDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46365More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure social media companies (a) remove and (b) report (i) illegal counterfeit currency and (ii) fraudulent foreign exchange trading.
Answer: The illegal content duties under the Online Safety Act came into force on 17 March 2025. Social media services must now have systems and processes in place to proactively protect users from illegal fraudulent content. Ofcom’s illegal content Codes of Prac...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPalliative Care: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46364More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department will take steps to prioritise the reform of funding for (a) palliative and (b) end-of-life care in the NHS 10-year plan.
Answer: We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life. The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and families receiv...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordLondon Northwestern Railway and Thameslink line: ConcessionsDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46363More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps to enable railcard holders to use their discounts with contactless payments on (a) London Northwestern Railway and (b) Govia Thameslink Railway services.
Answer: Whilst currently you are not able to link railcards to contactless bankcards, we are working with Transport for London on the functionality to use Railcard discounts with Pay As You Go (PAYG) with contactless, and this will follow in due course. Passenge...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordBlue Badge Scheme: ApplicationsDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46362More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps to (a) review and (b) amend the Blue Badge eligibility criteria to accommodate individuals with temporary disabilities.
Answer: The Blue Badge scheme is primarily about helping people with a long-term disability, that affects their capacity to access the goods and services they need to use. The Department for Transport currently has no plans to amend the eligibility criteria. The ...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: Skilled WorkersHome OfficeTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46361More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many visas were issued under the digital technology stream of the Global Talent visa in each calendar year since 2020.
Answer: The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas, including Global Talent and Scale-Up Worker visas, in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on outcomes of visas (issued, refused, withdrawn, lapsed) are published in table ‘Vi...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: Skilled WorkersHome OfficeTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46360More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications were (a) approved and (b) denied under the scale-up worker visa route in each calendar year since 2022; and what the average waiting time was for a decision.
Answer: The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas, including Global Talent and Scale-Up Worker visas, in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on outcomes of visas (issued, refused, withdrawn, lapsed) are published in table ‘Vi...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: Skilled WorkersHome OfficeTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46359More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of applications for Global talent visas were rejected in each year since 2020.
Answer: The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas, including Global Talent and Scale-Up Worker visas, in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on outcomes of visas (issued, refused, withdrawn, lapsed) are published in table ‘Vi...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: Harpenden and BerkhamstedDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46358More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help support (a) small and (b) medium-sized businesses on the high street in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.
Answer: Small businesses across the UK including in Harpenden and Berkhamsted are the beating heart of our high streets and communities. This Government is committed to supporting them through a fairer business rate system. From 2026-27, we’ll introduce lower tax...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPoverty: Chronic IllnessesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46357More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to help protect people with (a) multiple mental and physical health disabilities and (b) chronic health conditions from financial hardship.
Answer: The social security system will always be there for those who can’t work. As part of making changes to the rates in Universal Credit, we will ensure that the incomes of those with the most severe, lifelong conditions who will never be able to work have th...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSewers and Water: Planning PermissionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46356More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure wastewater capacity assessments by (a) Thames water and (b) other water companies account for local environmental pressures.
Answer: As set out in Paragraph 7 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of homes, commercial development and supporting infrastr...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal PlansMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46355More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will direct the Planning Inspector to give greater consideration to draft local plans that have met early submission deadlines during the examination stage.
Answer: The National Planning Policy Framework sets out expectations in relation to the examination of local plans. I also refer the hon. Member to my July 2024 letter to the Planning Inspectorate about the examination of local plans, which remains in force and c...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordImport Duties: USADepartment for Business and TradeTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45310More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support small and medium-sized businesses in Harpenden and Berkhamsted, in the context of US tariffs.
Answer: We will always act in the best interests of UK businesses. That’s why the government has been focused on negotiating an economic deal with the US. We will continue to engage with businesses to assess and understand the impact of these tariffs. On 3 April ...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordProperty Development: InfrastructureMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45309More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure local planning authorities can independently verify network capacity claims where there is evidence of (a) repeated sewage discharge
Answer: As set out in Paragraph 7 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of homes, commercial development and supporting infrastr...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSewers and Water: Property DevelopmentMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45308More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department is providing to local planning authorities for major development applications in areas where water and sewage infrastructure is operating at or beyon
Answer: As set out in Paragraph 7 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of homes, commercial development and supporting infrastr...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHospices: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45307More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of (a) commissioning funding of integrated care boards and (b) other funding provided to hospice services.
Answer: Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. ICBs are responsible for commissioning palliative and end of life care services to meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in ...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: WomenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45306More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to review the Women’s Health Strategy.
Answer: The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build a National Health Service fit for the future.Our focus is on turning the commitments in the Women's Health Strategy into tangible actions, for instance by providing emergency hormonal ...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence Payment: CarersDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45305More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to help support (a) unpaid and (b) disabled carers in the context of her proposed changes to Personal Independence Payments.
Answer: Our recent Pathways to Work Green Paper announced a broad package of reforms which included changes to Personal Independence Payment. We will focus PIP more on those with the greatest needs, ensuring that those who are unable to complete activities at all...
Answered 23 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordTax CollectionTreasuryTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45304More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Official Statistics by HMRC entitled Measuring tax gaps 2024 edition: tax gap estimates for 2022 to 2023, updated on 20 June 2024, updated on 21 March 2025, what steps she is taking to collect
Answer: A key part of restoring economic stability and fiscal responsibility is closing the tax gap. Unpaid tax deprives UK public services of vital funding and puts businesses who pay the right tax at a competitive disadvantage. At the Budget last autumn, the go...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCarersDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45303More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that unpaid carers are adequately supported during the transition to the new disability benefits system.
Answer: Our recent Pathways to Work Green Paper announced a broad package of reforms which included changes to Personal Independence Payment. We will focus PIP more on those with the greatest needs, ensuring that those who are unable to complete activities at all...
Answered 23 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordInternet: ChildrenDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45302More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to take steps to regulate unrealistic beauty standards in online content aimed at younger children.
Answer: Under the Online Safety Act, platforms and search services that are likely to be accessed by children must prevent children of all ages from encountering content that promotes, encourages or provides instructions for eating disorders.Providers must also c...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Media: DisinformationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45301More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what measures his Department has discussed with social media companies to help tackle the spread of misinformation online.
Answer: The Online Safety Act focuses on the worst kinds of mis- and disinformation - that which is illegal content or content harmful to children. For example, its Foreign Interference Offence forces platforms to take proactive action against state-linked online...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMuscular DystrophyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45300More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to provide additional support for families affected by members with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Answer: The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Under the England Rare Diseases Action Plan 2025, we remain focused on delivering against the four key priorities set out in the UK...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament record
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