Zöe Franklin MP: written questions 2025
155 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Immigration: Hong KongHome OfficeTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 904437More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the White Paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system on British National (Overseas) visa holders.
Answer: The British National Overseas route reflects the UK’s historic and moral commitment to the people of Hong Kong who chose to retain their ties to the UK by taking up British National Overseas status.We continue to uphold these commitments by supporting Bri...
Answered 2 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPre-school Education: Voluntary ContributionsDepartment for EducationTabled 19 May 2025AnsweredUIN 53404More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of enabling early years settings to accept voluntary financial contributions from parents to (a) support and (b) enrich learning.
Answer: It is the department’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.As the early years entitlements are expanded, ...
Answered 2 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPre-school Education: Special Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 19 May 2025AnsweredUIN 53403More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the level of specialist nursery and early years places for children with special educational needs and disabilities; and whether she plans to in
Answer: The department aims to set every child up to have the best start in life, and this includes delivering access to high quality early education and childcare for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Local authorities have a duty ...
Answered 2 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 19 May 2025AnsweredUIN 53402More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the accuracy of financial viability assessments used in the planning process.
Answer: The government is committed to strengthening the system of developer contributions to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure. As part of this commitment, we are reviewing Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) on viability...
Answered 2 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAgricultureDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 19 May 2025AnsweredUIN 53401More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the report by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee entitled The Government’s vision for far
Answer: The Secretary of State and Minister Zeichner met the Committee recently and had the chance to discuss this Government’s approach to farming policy at that time. The Secretary of State’s oral evidence sessions sets out the Ministerial his assessment.
Answered 2 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordICT: Mental HealthDepartment for EducationTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52793More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to implement (a) recommendations on guidance for parents on the effects of screen time on infants and (b) other recommendations in the former Education Committee’s Fourth Report of
Answer: The department recognises the Education Committee’s concerns about the impacts of screen time and we are committed across government to protecting children online. We have responded to the Committee’s report.The department and cross-government partners in...
Answered 22 May 2025
Original Parliament recordYoung PeopleDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 14 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52521More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her Department's planned timeline is for (a) consulting on and (b) producing a youth strategy; and what engagement her Department has had with (i) faiths and (ii) faith-linked organisations
Answer: Since announcing plans for a National Youth Strategy in November 2024, DCMS has undertaken a range of engagement activities to hear directly from young people, including ministerial and MP roundtables, focus groups, workshops with young people, an online ...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: ConcessionsDepartment for TransportTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49666More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the railcard scheme to all working-age people.
Answer: There are no current plans to extend the railcard scheme to all working-age people, but following the establishment of Great British Railways, it will have the opportunity to review the justification of the eligibility and restrictions of some railcards. ...
Answered 15 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChildren: SwimmingDepartment for EducationTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49665More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure that primary schools provide adequate (a) swimming and (b) water safety lessons.
Answer: Swimming and water safety is a compulsory element of the primary physical education (PE) national curriculum. The department works closely with sector organisations like Swim England and the Royal Life Saving Society, supporting schools to provide swimmin...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPupils: Transgender PeopleDepartment for EducationTabled 30 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49664More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that (a) schools and (b) educational systems provide inclusive (i) physical environments and (ii) social education for trans students.
Answer: Schools make decisions relating to the management and operation of their buildings. This includes ensuring that they comply with the School Premises (England) Regulations 2012 or the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, for local aut...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPlants: Disease ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49250More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the 1991 Act of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants Convention (UPOV 91) on small farmin
Answer: The UK is a contracting party of the 1991 convention of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants, known as UPOV. Under UPOV 1991, the UK has an effective plant variety protection system in place providing intellectual property...
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordAgricultural Products: Overseas TradeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49249More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help support farmers to trade with other countries.
Answer: The Government is focused on supporting trade opportunities for the UK’s world class agri-food sector. We are working hard to secure new agreements, including an SPS agreement with the EU, and to resolve export barriers. Our network of 16 agri-food attach...
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPoisons: SalesHome OfficeTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48303More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to introduce legal obligations on retailers based outside Great Britain to report transactions with people in the UK involving substances regulated under the Poisons Act 1972 th
Answer: The reporting function under the Poisons Act 1972 applies to retailers in Great Britain only.Upon importation Border Force does, however, have the powers to seize or detain if regulated explosive precursors or poisons that do not have the requisite licenc...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSodium Nitrate: SalesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48302More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to introduce restrictions on purchasing sodium nitrate in quantities that pose a significant risk to (a) self harm and (b) life.
Answer: We are committed to implementing our suicide prevention strategy for England, which sets out priority areas and key actions to address the risk factors contributing to suicide and self-harm. Tackling methods of suicide and self-harm is one of these priori...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSodium Nitrate: RegulationHome OfficeTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46561More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she will consider mandating the use of declaration of use forms for suppliers of sodium nitrate.
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: RegulationHome OfficeTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46560More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to take steps to (a) reduce public access to sodium nitrate and (b) raise awareness among suppliers of the potential dangers associated with its misuse.
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: 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 record
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