Zöe Franklin MP: written questions
98 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Sodium Nitrate: RegulationHome OfficeTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46559More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to introduce additional (a) regulation and (b) monitoring of sodium nitrate further to the provisions within the Poisons Act 1972.
Answer: The Poisons Act 1972 sets out the legal obligations in relation to the sale, purchase, and use of explosives precursors and poisons for suppliers, professional users, and members of the public.The Poisons Act was amended in October 2023 to strengthen cont...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSodium Nitrate: SalesHome OfficeTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46558More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will take steps to restrict purchases of sodium nitrate in quantities that (a) pose a significant risk to life and (b) could be used in acts of terrorism.
Answer: The Poisons Act 1972 sets out the legal obligations in relation to the sale, purchase, and use of explosives precursors and poisons for suppliers, professional users, and members of the public.The Poisons Act was amended in October 2023 to strengthen cont...
Answered 30 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSodium Nitrate: PoisoningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46557More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what priority is being given to cases of suicide by sodium nitrate poisoning within the Government’s ongoing implementation of the suicide prevention strategy.
Answer: Every suicide is a tragedy that has a devastating and enduring impact on families, friends and communities. The suicide prevention strategy for England sets out priority areas and key actions to address the risk factors contributing to suicide. Tackling m...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordDental Services: Fees and ChargesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46556More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to (a) simplify the exemption process for dental charges for people on Universal Credit and (b) introduce a real-time exemption checker for use in dental practices simi
Answer: Free National Health Service dental care is available to people who meet the following criteria:- under 18 years old, or under 19 years old and in full-time education;- pregnant, or have had a baby in the previous 12 months;- being treated in an NHS hospi...
Answered 24 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46555More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities to bring forward brownfield land for housing development in areas where flooding presents a significant barrier t
Answer: The National Planning Policy Framework expects proposals for homes and other identified needs to be approved where they would use suitable brownfield land, unless substantial harm would be caused. At the same time, the Framework recognises the importance ...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPoverty: ChildrenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45391More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to reduce child poverty in Guildford, following the Spring Statement 2025.
Answer: Delivering our manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty is an urgent priority for this Government. The Ministerial Taskforce is working to publish a Child Poverty Strategy looking at levers across four key themes of increasing incomes, reducing essent...
Answered 28 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordBuildings: Fire PreventionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43775More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of barring non-compliant developers from being awarded public sector contracts until cladding issues from pa
Answer: Major developers have already signed a Developer Remediation Contract with government, under which they are obligated to fix or pay to fix the buildings for which they are responsible. Developers who fail to comply with their contractual obligations face ...
Answered 10 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Charging PointsDepartment for TransportTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42894More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with (a) local authorities and (b) private companies that own electrical infrastructure that delivers public services on using existing (i) electric infrastructure and (ii) lamp
Answer: The Government is committed to expanding the electricity network to enable decarbonisation and is working closely with Ofgem and industry to mobilise the required investment. In the current distribution price control, Ofgem has allowed £22.2bn for upfront...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordListed Places of Worship Grant SchemeDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42136More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on (a) businesses and (b) suppliers in the (i) building and (ii) crafts sector.
Answer: DCMS Ministers received advice on changes to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, including careful consideration of the potential impacts of various options to scale the scheme.We believe that the changes announced were necessary and adequate given...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordListed Places of Worship Grant SchemeDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42134More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing to a one-off relief package within the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme to support (a) churches and (b) cathedrals in a
Answer: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport funds listed places of worship through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. This is as generous as we are able to be within existing resources. We have no plans to set up a new grant scheme or package of s...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordBus Services: ConcessionsDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41673More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to extend free bus passes for over 60s across England.
Answer: The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statuto...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Workers: RegistrationDepartment for EducationTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41636More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has plans to increase registration fees for social workers.
Answer: As set out in the Children and Social Work Act 2017, Social Work England (SWE) is responsible for setting the level of the registration fee for social workers. Before determining the level of any fee, including any change, SWE must both consult publicly a...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordWorkplace Pensions: InflationDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 25 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41309More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to require profitable companies to increase pre-1997 occupational pensions in line with inflation.
Answer: Members of defined benefit pension schemes with non-indexed pre-1997 pension accrued, are now understandably concerned at seeing inflation erode the value of their retirement income. The Government’s recently announced reforms on the use of surpluses in d...
Answered 2 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordOff-payroll Working: Small BusinessesTreasuryTabled 25 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41303More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to ensure off-payroll working rules support (a) entrepreneurs and (b) small business growth.
Answer: The off-payroll working rules, also known as IR35, are designed to ensure that individuals working like employees, but through their own company, pay broadly the same income tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs) as those who are directly employe...
Answered 2 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPrimary Care: Transgender PeopleDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40124More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of treatment of trans patients in primary care; and whether those patients receive adequate treatment for biological health needs.
Answer: It is important that all patients, including transgender patients, feel comfortable and confident in accessing primary care services.The Government is committed to ensuring that transgender patients receive the care and support they need when accessing Na...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: Council TaxMinistry of DefenceTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39758More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure serving personnel who are posted away on operational duties and have a property in the UK are able to receive council tax discounts; and how his Department ensures pe
Answer: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) pays a tax-free allowance called Council Tax Relief for certain Service personnel on specified operations or assignments. In 2011, the MOD doubled the rate from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, under the auspices of the Armed Forc...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAutism: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39744More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that adults with autism are not placed in accommodation that disrupts access to established support networks.
Answer: Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care markets to meet the diverse needs of all local people. This includes encouraging a wide range of service provision to ensure that people have a choice of appropriate s...
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordRentsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39723More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that rental prices remain affordable; and whether she has considered mechanisms to stabilise rents.
Answer: Boosting the supply of homes of all tenures must be at the heart of any strategy to improve housing affordability which is why the government’s Plan for Change includes a hugely ambitious milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England ...
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordBand Keratopathy: Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39377More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the level of availability of non-surgical treatments for Band Keratopathy on the NHS; and if he will consider expanding access to laser treatment as an alternative to
Answer: No specific assessment has yet been made by the Department on the level of availability of non-surgical treatments for band keratopathy and access to laser treatment. However, the Government is committed to innovation in elective care, so that patients ha...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCriminal ProceedingsHome OfficeTabled 17 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38808More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with police forces on supporting families in relation to criminal cases that have been open for over a decade.
Answer: Under the Victims' Code all victims, including a close relative of a person whose death was directly caused by a criminal offence, are entitled to be referred to support services when they report a crime.The Ministry of Justice provides Police and Crime C...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordEpilepsy: DrugsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38333More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) help tackle shortages of epilepsy medication and (b) ensure patients have consistent access to their prescribed treatment.
Answer: The Department is working hard with industry to help resolve intermittent supply issues with some epilepsy medications. As a result of ongoing activity and intensive work, including directing suppliers to expedite deliveries, most issues, including with c...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAssessments: TheftDepartment for EducationTabled 13 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38308More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of introducing a specific offence for the sale of stolen exam board papers.
Answer: Ofqual, the independent regulator for qualifications, exams and assessments in England, are clear in their guidance issued to schools, colleges and students about the importance of exam security and the repercussions of committing any form of malpractice....
Answered 21 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordChildcareDepartment for EducationTabled 13 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38303More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason eligibility dates for free childcare provision are set from 1 April rather than aligning with the tax year ending on 5 April; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the el
Answer: The entitlements work on a termly basis, so children become eligible from the term after they reach the relevant age and/or after they or their parents meet the eligibility criteria. Terms begin on 1 September, 1 January or 1 April. Therefore, depending o...
Answered 29 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordSouth Western Railway: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 13 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38302More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department plans to take to improve (a) service quality and (b) fares for passengers once South Western Railway is under public control.
Answer: As operators transition to public ownership, improving rail service quality will remain a crucial priority for this government. The Department holds train operators to account for their performance by regularly measuring and monitoring core quality standa...
Answered 21 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordEmployment: DisabilityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 13 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38300More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support more people with disabilities to (a) enter and (b) remain in the workplace; and what plans she has to improve access to (i) employment opportunities and (ii) workplac
Answer: Appropriate work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and...
Answered 21 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
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