Zöe Franklin MP: written questions 2026
158 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Legal Aid SchemeMinistry of JusticeTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110623More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to address the funding anomaly whereby Legal Aid funding may be granted to alleged or confirmed perpetrators rather than judicially recognised victims.
Answer: Anyone can receive civil legal aid, provided that their case is in scope of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) and they pass the applicable means and merits tests, along with any necessary evidence requirements.Criminal...
Answered 11 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLegal Aid SchemeMinistry of JusticeTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110622More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what safeguards are in place to ensure that Legal Aid awarded under the LASPO Schedule 1 pathway is provided solely to individuals who have been judicially recognised as victims.
Answer: Anyone can receive civil legal aid, provided that their case is in scope of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) and they pass the applicable means and merits tests, along with any necessary evidence requirements.Criminal...
Answered 11 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCare Workers: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110272More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of care provided by care agencies to vulnerable people.
Answer: We have understood that the term care agencies refers to employment agencies. Care providers are required to be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) where they carry out a regulated activity, as described in the Health and Social Care Act 200...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCare Workers: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110271More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve oversight of care agencies and to enhance enforcement powers against providers who fail to meet required care standards.
Answer: We have understood that the term care agencies refers to employment agencies. Care providers are required to be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) where they carry out a regulated activity, as described in the Health and Social Care Act 200...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCare Workers: TrainingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110270More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will take steps to ensure that agency care workers receive appropriate and accredited training to meet the needs of vulnerable service users.
Answer: We have understood that the term care agencies refers to employment agencies. Care providers are required to be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) where they carry out a regulated activity, as described in the Health and Social Care Act 200...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCare Workers: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110269More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to prevent care agencies from supplying staff who deliver unsupervised personal care without the required registration with the Care Quality Commission.
Answer: We have understood that the term care agencies refers to employment agencies. Care providers are required to be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) where they carry out a regulated activity, as described in the Health and Social Care Act 200...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordParkinson’s Disease: Health ProfessionsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108499More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the number of healthcare professionals with specialist training in Parkinson’s disease; and whether he considers current data collection sufficient to support work
Answer: The Department does not collect centralised data on the number of clinicians with specific expertise in Parkinson’s disease. This is because decisions about the staffing, skill mix, and service models required to meet local population needs are made by in...
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordCustodyMinistry of JusticeTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108498More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of safeguarding practices on requiring parents to seek retrospective court remedies.
Answer: This Government is committed to protecting children from harm. The Children Act 1989 sets out specific duties for local authorities to provide services to children in their area if they are in need and to undertake enquiries if they believe a child has su...
Answered 3 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCustodyMinistry of JusticeTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108497More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has considered introducing a requirement for automatic judicial oversight within a fixed timeframe where state bodies facilitate a significant change in a child’s living arrangements as part of safegua
Answer: This Government is committed to protecting children from harm. The Children Act 1989 sets out specific duties for local authorities to provide services to children in their area if they are in need and to undertake enquiries if they believe a child has su...
Answered 3 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCustodyMinistry of JusticeTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108496More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether national guidance permits (a) police forces and (b) local authority Children’s Services to facilitate a material change in a child’s place of residence without prior court authorisation where one parent w
Answer: This Government is committed to protecting children from harm. The Children Act 1989 sets out specific duties for local authorities to provide services to children in their area if they are in need and to undertake enquiries if they believe a child has su...
Answered 3 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordGreat Western Railway: OvercrowdingDepartment for TransportTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108116More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on safety from overcrowding on Great Western Railway services, including where planned rolling stock capacity is reduced due to engineering works
Answer: Great Western Railway (GWR) is responsible for the safe operation of its train services at all times, including during times of disruption or following engineering overrun. GWR is also responsible for ensuring deployment of its train fleet to best match d...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordMarriage: ReformMinistry of JusticeTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108115More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress has been made in considering the Law Commission’s 2022 recommendation to regulate officiants rather than venues, and how independent celebrants are being considered within that approach.
Answer: The Government recognises the contribution that independent celebrants make to the wedding industry and will be seeking their views amongst a range of others to inform the consultation paper.As part of the consultation, we will invite views on the introdu...
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMarriage: ReformMinistry of JusticeTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108114More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Department plans to consult directly with independent celebrants as part of the development of marriage law reform.
Answer: The Government recognises the contribution that independent celebrants make to the wedding industry and will be seeking their views amongst a range of others to inform the consultation paper.As part of the consultation, we will invite views on the introdu...
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMarriage: ReformMinistry of JusticeTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108113More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether independent celebrants will be explicitly included within the scope of the forthcoming marriage law reform proposals.
Answer: The Government recognises the contribution that independent celebrants make to the wedding industry and will be seeking their views amongst a range of others to inform the consultation paper.As part of the consultation, we will invite views on the introdu...
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPeriod PovertyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108112More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to address period poverty and ensure affordable access to menstrual products.
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of women and girls being able to access the care they need for their reproductive health, including period products.We know that poverty doesn’t recognise gender, and that women and girls may suffer given the cost ...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordBiodiversity: Property DevelopmentDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108111More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing the biodiversity net gain de minimis threshold from 0.1 hectares to 0.5 hectares on nature recovery.
Answer: The Government recently consulted on options to improve the way Biodiversity Net Gain works for small, medium and brownfield development. This included potential changes to the de minimis exemption threshold, which currently sits at 25 square metres. Sinc...
Answered 30 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordCommunity RelationsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 22 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107919More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he will publish the Community Cohesion Strategy.
Answer: The Department published its Pride in Place Strategy in September 2025, setting out this government‘s plan to create safer, healthier neighbourhoods where communities can thrive. It sets out how we will deliver a step change in how we support communities ...
Answered 3 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordChildren: MaintenanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 19 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106812More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what circumstances the Child Maintenance Service ceases to pursue historic child maintenance arrears.
Answer: The Child Maintenance’s priority is to collect money owed to children who will benefit today, thereby preventing the build-up of arrears on the CMS. The Child Maintenance Service has powers to write off historic Child Support Agency (CSA) and Child Mainte...
Answered 27 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordChildren: MaintenanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 19 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106811More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of enforcement correspondence issued by the Child Maintenance Service in cases involving very small arrears, including where that correspondence refers to bai
Answer: The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) missed payment and arrears notifications do reference potential enforcement action that can be considered, should a paying parent continue to miss or avoid making child maintenance payments. This is to ensure the paying...
Answered 28 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordChildren: MaintenanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 19 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106810More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that Child Maintenance Service enforcement action is proportionate in cases involving (a) small and (b) short-term arrears.
Answer: In cases where arrears are outstanding, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) proactively seek to negotiate with the paying parent a feasible and affordable repayment plan, taking into account the individual circumstances of each case. For small arrears pay...
Answered 22 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordChildren: MaintenanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 19 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106809More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to prevent enforcement correspondence being issued by the Child Maintenance Service where maintenance has been paid early but outside the Service’s payment window.
Answer: Correspondence issued by the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) referencing enforcement action as being considered should only be issued if a customer has missed payments due and has fallen into arrears. CMS is currently reviewing its processes to ensure tha...
Answered 3 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordPharmacy: Business RatesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106808More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will extend Business Rates reimbursements to Community Pharmacies.
Answer: In the 2025 Autumn Budget, the Government took the hard choices to protect the National Health Service in England and continue prioritising reducing waiting times. We have also stepped in to cap bills and help businesses, as part of a £4.3 billion support...
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordCivil ProceedingsMinistry of JusticeTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105594More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the Civil Procedure Rules.
Answer: The Civil Procedure Rules provide a framework for a fair, transparent, efficient and proportionate civil justice system. The Rules are regularly updated to support court services, to reflect wider changes in legislation and societal need, and in response ...
Answered 23 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Nature Recovery SchemeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105504More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of (a) funding and (b) capacity for local authorities to implement Local Nature Recovery Strategies.
Answer: Funding for Local Nature Recovery Strategy responsible authorities to support the delivery of the strategies will be confirmed as part of departmental business planning for financial years 2026/27 to 2028/29. This will be informed by discussions with resp...
Answered 16 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordEnvironment Protection: FinanceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105466More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding levels to meet the Government’s environmental targets.
Answer: The Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 sets out how we will deliver against our Environment Act targets. This is backed by a settlement that maintains the Government’s steadfast commitment to farming, food security, and nature’s recovery.
Answered 16 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
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