Victoria Collins MP: written questions
786 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Artificial Intelligence: Child Sexual Abuse MaterialDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108075More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of making the testing of AI models a legal requirement to help prevent AI systems from being used to create child sexual
Answer: The government is committed to tackling the creation of this atrocious material. Creating, possessing, or distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including AI Generated CSAM, is illegal. The Online Safety Act requires services to proactively iden...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordArtificial Intelligence: Child Sexual Abuse MaterialDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108074More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of making the testing of AI models a legal requirement on the use of AI systems to create child sexual abuse material.
Answer: The government is committed to tackling the creation of this atrocious material. Creating, possessing, or distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including AI Generated CSAM, is illegal. The Online Safety Act requires services to proactively iden...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordChild Sexual Abuse Material: Artificial IntelligenceHome OfficeTabled 22 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107872More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what timeline her Department has for introducing regulations that ensure generative AI cannot be misused to create extreme sexual abuse material involving children.
Answer: The Government recognises the serious and evolving threat posed by AI being misused to create child sexual abuse material. We know offenders will seek to exploit emerging technologies for their own sexual gratification.AI-generated child sexual abuse is n...
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordArtificial IntelligenceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 22 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107871More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure AI companies embed safety-by-design principles in generative AI products.
Answer: The Online Safety Act places duties on many AI services to make them more responsible for their users’ safety. The Secretary of State tasked officials to review how the Act covers chatbots and has said government will act to fill any gaps in the Act.The A...
Answered 10 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordUnmanned Air SystemsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 22 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107870More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what support her Department is providing to the Regulatory Innovation Office to help ensure greater commercial and non-military drone adoption.
Answer: The RIO is a key Government lever for achieving its transformative ambitions in regulatory innovation. It has been established as an in-house function within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).The RIO has been working in partners...
Answered 30 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordWater ChargesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106388More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce annual increases in household water bills in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.
Answer: It is important that customers get value for money from their water bills and that support is available for those who need it. I meet water companies frequently to discuss a range of issues, including customer bills. As the independent economic regulator,...
Answered 22 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Charges: Harpenden and BerkhamstedDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106387More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce water bills for households in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.
Answer: It is important that customers get value for money from their water bills and that support is available for those who need it. I meet water companies frequently to discuss a range of issues, including customer bills. As the independent economic regulator,...
Answered 22 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordTools: RegistrationHome OfficeTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106386More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to establish a national registration scheme for tradespeople’s power tools; and whether she has had discussions with manufacturers, retailers, insurers and the police on this matter.
Answer: We recognise the negative impact theft has on victims who rely on the tools of their trade to earn a living.We are partnering with tradespeople’s representatives, policing and other partners, including retailers and manufacturers, to co-design actions Gov...
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBanking HubsTreasuryTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106385More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to update the Cash Access Policy Statement issued on 18 August 2023, in the context of the role of Banking Hubs and the provision of in-person services linked to current accounts.
Answer: Banking is changing, with many customers benefitting from the convenience and flexibility of managing their finances remotely. However, Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and is committed to supporting sufficient ...
Answered 22 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBanking Hubs: StandardsTreasuryTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106384More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of services provided within Banking Hubs; and what steps she is taking to develop minimum standards for those Hubs.
Answer: Banking is changing, with many customers benefitting from the convenience and flexibility of managing their finances remotely. However, Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and is committed to supporting sufficient ...
Answered 22 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBanking HubsTreasuryTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106383More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the criteria applied by LINK when recommending Banking Hub locations on towns where a single provider remains; and whether she has made an assessment of the ad
Answer: Banking is changing, with many customers benefitting from the convenience and flexibility of managing their finances remotely. However, Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and is committed to supporting sufficient ...
Answered 22 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordEnergy: CarersDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106382More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to introduce targeted energy-bill support for households with high energy consumption due to caring responsibilities.
Answer: The affordability crisis is the biggest issue facing this country, that is why the Autumn Budget acted to take an average £150 of costs off people’s energy bills. This support comes on top of the £150 off energy bills provided for around 6 million familie...
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordFuel Poverty: CarersDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106381More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the number of unpaid carers living in fuel poverty.
Answer: The Government has made no such estimate. The information requested is not held. The Government is committed to tackling fuel poverty and recently published a new fuel poverty strategy for England outlining our plan to lift up to one million households ou...
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordEnergy: UK Relations with EUDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106380More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of joining Euroclusters.
Answer: The Euroclusters initiative is an online hub funded by the EU and targeted at industry stakeholders across Europe and globally. There are currently 145 UK organisations in the Euroclusters directory. UK companies and cluster organisations are free to make...
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordDigital TechnologyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106378More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of joining Digital Europe on the UK’s digital economy.
Answer: DSIT assesses any participation in Digital Europe against delivery of UK objectives and value for money for citizens and UK businesses. We are keeping decisions around participation in Digital Europe under review.
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSewersDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106377More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria her Department plans to use to decide whether to commence Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010; and when she expects to make that decision.
Answer: The Government is strongly committed to improving the implementation of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). In December 2024, we made changes to the National Planning Policy Framework to support increased delivery of Sustainable Drainage Systems. The dep...
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSewersMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106376More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the implementation of (a) the national standards for sustainable drainage systems and (b) updated planning policy, including what d
Answer: The government is committed to securing the delivery of high-quality sustainable drainage systems to help manage flood risk and adapt to the effects of climate change. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that developments of all size...
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordAccess to Work Programme: FinanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106375More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding for the Access to Work scheme; and whether he plans to increase that funding.
Answer: In the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we consulted on the future of Access to Work and how to improve the scheme so that it helps more disabled people in work. We are considering all aspects of the scheme as we develop plans for reform following the conclu...
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordCommunity Care: Mileage AllowancesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106374More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Agenda for Change mileage reimbursement rates, including the change to the rate for travelling over 3,500 miles annually, on the (
Answer: This specific assessment has not been made. As set out in the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook, which is maintained by the NHS Staff Council, mileage reimbursement rates are reviewed twice a year in April and November.The outcome of the Novemb...
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordProperty Development: Rural AreasMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106373More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the National Planning Policy Framework's Grey Belt Policy on the development of village infrastructure includin
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Question UIN 90834 on the 21 November 2025, Question UIN 67812 on the 21 July 2025, and Question UIN 26106 on the 5 February 2025. The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Fra...
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: Business Rates and Employers' ContributionsTreasuryTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106372More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions her Department has had with small and medium-sized enterprises on (a) the employer National Insurance Contributions increase and (b) business rates since the Autumn Budget 2026.
Answer: The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Junior Ministers and HM Treasury officials regularly meet with a wide range of businesses and business representation organisations, including with small and medium-sized enterprises. These meetings include discussions on ...
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordX Corp: Child Sexual Abuse Material and Intimate Image AbuseDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104028More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of Ofcom’s capacity to effectively implement the Online Safety Act 2023 in the context of the recent creation and publication of illegal explicit images and
Answer: The government is clear that no one should have to go through the ordeal of these horrendous images online. There are no excuses not to act, and services must deal with this.Ofcom is the independent regulator for online safety and is responsible for scrut...
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordGreen BeltMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103589More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has recently assessed the impact of Grey Belt policy criteria that focus on towns and large built-up areas on village-edge Green Belt land, and his Departm
Answer: In assessing whether Green Belt land is grey belt, local planning authorities should consider the contribution the land in question makes to the Green Belt purposes of restricting the sprawl of large built up areas, preventing the merging of neighbouring ...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordNational Grid: Data CentresDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103588More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to accelerate grid upgrades to support the connection of AI and data centre infrastructure.
Answer: The Government is implementing a comprehensive package to accelerate grid upgrades, addressing decades of underinvestment to deliver clean and affordable electricity and support timely grid connections. As announced in November, the Government will use po...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordRenewable Energy: Data CentresDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103587More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to facilitate data centre and digital infrastructure access to renewable energy sources.
Answer: Data centres can be located where there is surplus renewable power, so they can use that generation, helping to balance supply and demand and reducing network constraints. As part of the AI Growth Zone package, the proposed AI Growth Zone Energy Support S...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
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