Zöe Franklin MP: written questions
98 published records · newest first.
Written questions
PensionsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63720More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to give pension scheme trustees the authority to award discretionary increases to those already claiming a pension.
Answer: Discretionary indexation is over and above the statutory requirements. This discretion is usually exercised by the trustees with the agreement of the sponsoring employer. Some schemes have previously paid discretionary increases on a regular basis. Howeve...
Answered 3 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordWorkplace PensionsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63479More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to safeguard members' benefits when a sponsoring employer seeks to extract pension scheme surpluses.
Answer: Currently, some Defined Benefit schemes can already consider releasing their surplus under existing rules. The Pension Schemes Bill will provide more flexibility for trustees of these and other well-funded schemes to safely share some surplus with employe...
Answered 3 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSouth Western RailwayDepartment for TransportTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63381More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to (a) increase capacity and (b) ensure more passengers are able to be seated on services into London on South Western Railway.
Answer: The Department is working closely with South Western Railway on the introduction of the Arterio fleet which will add the much needed additional capacity and seats on services into London. In the meantime, South Western Railway is managing the rest of its ...
Answered 3 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: EmploymentHome OfficeTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62876More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of allowing asylum seekers to work unrestricted by the Immigration Salary List after six months awaiting an asylum decision on (a) the economy an
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to my answer of 4 June to Question 55328.
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRefugees: ResettlementHome OfficeTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62875More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to support the Community Sponsorship scheme for refugees.
Answer: The Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced a review of our existing refugee sponsorship and resettlement schemes to develop a more cost-effective and sustainable framework which will deliver better outcomes for refugees and the commu...
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: English LanguageHome OfficeTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62874More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she plans to take with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that there is adequate (a) capacity and (b) resources for anticipated levels of demand for English-language classes, in the context
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to Paragraphs 244-258 of the Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, which addresses these issues in detail. Further updates will be provided in due course.
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: Employers' ContributionsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62862More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to the employers' National Insurance Contributions on providers of adult social care.
Answer: The Department routinely conducts assessments of cost pressures for local authority funded adult social care, which include the costs associated with changes to employers’ National Insurance contributions.To enable local authorities to deliver key service...
Answered 3 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62861More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to include (a) national commissioning standards for adult social care, (b) assurance and (c) oversight of adult social care commissioning in the National Care Service.
Answer: We have launched an independent commission into adult social care, chaired by Baroness Louise Casey. The commission will build a national consensus to create a National Care Service that is productive, preventative, and that gives people who draw on care,...
Answered 14 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: PayDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62859More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to begin consulting with adult social care providers on proposals for a Fair Pay Agreement.
Answer: In England, we are committed to consulting on the design of the Fair Pay Agreement process, and we aim to begin a public consultation after the Employment Rights Bill receives Royal Assent later this year. We expect the consultation to run for 12 weeks, a...
Answered 7 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChild Maintenance Service: Fees and ChargesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62004More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Child Maintenance Service late payment fees being deducted from maintenance payments on receiving parents and children.
Answer: The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) does not charge late payment fees. It does charge fees to paying parents and receiving parents who are on the Collect and Pay service: twenty per cent on top of the maintenance liability for the paying parent and four p...
Answered 1 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChild Maintenance Service: StandardsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62003More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Child Maintenance Service is required to justify delays in its decision-making processes.
Answer: Child Maintenance customers can use the online service to track the progress of reported changes and view expected completion dates at any time without the need to call. They can also upload evidence and view any letters which have been sent to them. All ...
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordChild Maintenance Service: StandardsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62002More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Child Maintenance Service takes to provide clear explanations and evidence when rejecting claims submitted by paying parents.
Answer: The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) trains caseworkers in making effective decisions, which includes explaining decisions effectively to customers and issuing letters containing information about the different factors considered and rules applied when mak...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordChildren: MaintenanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62001More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the (a) accuracy and (b) transparency of Special Expenses calculations by the Child Maintenance Service for (i) flights, (ii) fuel and (iii) ot
Answer: The Department for Work and Pensions and Child Maintenance Service rigorously monitors accuracy as part of our service ambition to further reduce error and increase our accuracy levels. The National Audit Office set a target of monetary value errors under...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordChild Maintenance Service: StandardsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62000More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that timeframes imposed by the Child Maintenance Service are (a) proportionate and (b) matched by equivalent service standards within the Department.
Answer: We have interpreted your question to refer to the timescales the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) uses in progressing cases. The CMS inform customers of expected timeframes for actions to be completed when changes are reported or require progressing. Cust...
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordChild Maintenance Service: StandardsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61999More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to improve the (a) responsiveness and (b) accountability of the Child Maintenance Service when people request clarification of figures used in their assessments.
Answer: The Child Maintenance Service are wholly committed to delivering the best possible service to all customers within our growing caseload. To ensure calculations are accurate the department continues to build on its already proportionate and cost-effective ...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordVisual Arts: FinanceDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 20 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61702More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to Contemporary Visual Arts Network England’s report entitled, Framing the Future: The Political Case for Strengthening the Visual Arts Ecosystem, published on 7 May 2025, what ass
Answer: The visual arts sector provides a tremendous boost to our economy, and helps solidify the UK’s reputation as a world leader in the arts. While DCMS economic estimates do not estimate the growth of the visual arts separately from the wider arts sub-sector,...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRecyclingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61444More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Circular Economy Taskforce on the development of the repair and reuse economy.
Answer: This Government is committed to transitioning towards a circular economy. We have convened the Circular Economy Taskforce to help develop the first ever Circular Economy Strategy for England, which we plan to publish for consultation in the coming autumn....
Answered 27 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: ChildrenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61440More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the (a) two-child limit and (b) benefit cap on levels of child poverty among (i) children who are not eligible for (A) breakfast clubs
Answer: Tackling child poverty is at the heart of the Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and improve the life chances of every child. The Child Poverty Taskforce is exploring all available levers, including considering social security refo...
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: ChildrenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61439More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that babies and young children are included in the 10-Year Health Plan.
Answer: The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever.The 10-Year Health Plan to reform the National Health Service will make it fit for the future. This includes policies that will impact on babies, and young children. The pla...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: InterviewsHome OfficeTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61438More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that questions asked during asylum interviews are (a) appropriate, (b) relevant and (c) not misapplied from other (i) religious and (ii) cultural contexts.
Answer: All asylum claims made in the UK are carefully considered on their individual merits, and the guidance provided to decision makers when undertaking interviews is published online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/conducting-the-asylum-intervi...
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: Mental HealthHome OfficeTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61437More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the No Recourse to Public Funds policy on the mental health of asylum seekers.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 29 May to Question 53554.
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: Community DevelopmentHome OfficeTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61436More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has considered developing a national integration strategy for asylum seekers and refugees similar to those established in Scotland and Wales.
Answer: The Immigration White Paper, published on Monday 12 May, announced proposals by a wide range of reforms, including on the issue of integration and community cohesion, further details of which will be published in due course.
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordDental Services: AutismDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61435More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of specialist dental provision for patients with autism.
Answer: Community Dental Services (CDS) provide specialised dental services to people with additional needs, such as people with autism, and are available in a variety of places to ensure everyone can access National Health Service dental care. These include hosp...
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordNeurodiversity: ChildrenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61434More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure there is a clear referral pathway for (a) autism and (b) ADHD assessments for children around the age of five.
Answer: It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment services and ref...
Answered 26 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSlavery: Social ServicesHome OfficeTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60371More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle the reported increase in modern slavery cases within the care sector since that sector’s inclusion on the Shortage Occupation List.
Answer: The Government is continually looking to improve the quality and provision of modern slavery statistics.We have recently improved and simplified the First Responders form used to refer people to the NRM, following extensive feedback from over 450 stakehol...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament record
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