Afzal Khan MP: written questions
430 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Air Pollution: Greater ManchesterDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78465More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of progress towards meeting 2026 air quality compliance limits in Greater Manchester.
Answer: Defra’s ‘Air Pollution in the UK report 2024’ which includes the annual assessment of compliance with the Air Quality Standards Regulations, was published on 30 September 2025. This contains information specific to the Greater Manchester Urban Area. We ag...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: Manchester RusholmeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78464More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to improve air quality monitoring in Manchester Rusholme constituency.
Answer: Local authorities are responsible for monitoring and assessing local air quality in their areas. At a national level, air quality monitoring is undertaken across Greater Manchester at multiple locations, including Salford Eccles, Manchester Picadilly, Tam...
Answered 16 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAir PollutionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78463More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department plans to publish the Air Pollution in the UK 2024 Compliance Assessment Summary report.
Answer: Defra’s ‘Air Pollution in the UK report 2024’ which includes the annual assessment of compliance with the Air Quality Standards Regulations, was published on 30 September 2025. The report can be accessed on gov.uk: Air pollution in the UK 2024 - GOV.UK
Answered 16 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: Greater ManchesterDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78462More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate his Department has made of the health costs associated with air pollution in Greater Manchester.
Answer: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published a tool to allow local authorities to estimate the health benefits and cost effectiveness of improved air quality, at a local authority level.The information is not held in the format requested. However, ...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAir Pollution: Health HazardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78461More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of (a) the potential merits of a national public awareness campaign on the health impacts of air pollution and (b) the capacity of his Department to implemen
Answer: Earlier this year, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), supported by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), published a report and recommendations following a comprehensive Air Quality Information System review to explore ways o...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordMethane: LandfillDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76309More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to take steps to encourage methane gas electricity generators to capture landfill gas when the renewables obligation certificates scheme are phased out in 2027.
Answer: The Government is aware that the operations of landfill gas generators may be affected by the phasing out of support under the Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme. Environmental permits mean that landfill operators will be required to manage methane emissio...
Answered 19 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOffshore Industry: MethaneDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76308More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is considering to implement robust leak detection and repair requirements to reduce wasted gas and methane emissions coming from North Sea oil and gas operators.
Answer: The UK environmental regulators have established a Methane Technical Working Group to share knowledge and identify best practices for leak detection and emissions monitoring across oil and gas regulators both onshore and offshore. My Department’s Offshore...
Answered 19 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOffshore Industry: MethaneDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76307More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of ending routine flaring and venting of methane by oil and gas operators.
Answer: I refer the Honourable Member to the answers I gave on 22 July 2025 to Question 67438 and on 16 October 2024 to Question 7834.
Answered 19 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNitrogen Dioxide: Pollution ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 8 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75677More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2025 to Question 63553 on Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control, what nitrogen dioxide concentrations were monitored in the Greater Manchester reporting
Answer: Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Plan modelling predicted localised nitrogen dioxide (NO2) hotspots in 2026 at A34 Bridge St, A34 Quay St, A664 Shudehill and Lever St in Manchester, and at A49 Chapel Lane and King St West in Wigan. The monitored annual mean...
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMobile Phones: ResearchDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70925More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will commission research involving (a) young people, (b) parents and (c) carers on mobile phone use outside school hours.
Answer: The department is developing the evidence base around children’s online safety, including smartphone use, to continually inform our policy response. As part of this, DSIT commissioned a feasibility study into research on the impact of smartphones and soci...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordInternet: Young PeopleDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70924More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle young people's (a) mobile phone use and (b) online safety beyond the school environment.
Answer: Under the Online Safety Act, platforms must protect all users, including children, from illegal content and criminal behaviour online.The child safety duties, which have been in force since July, require platforms to prevent children from encountering the...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPre-school Education: School MealsDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70923More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to introduce (a) free and (b) subsidised meal provision in (i) private, (ii) voluntary and (iii) independent early years settings for children from low-income households.
Answer: This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty. We have introduced the Best Start in Life strategy, and the Child Poverty strategy was published on 5 December 2025. The department is extending free school ...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPre-school Education: FoodDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70922More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of children bringing packed lunches into early years settings on (a) health and (b) safety.
Answer: Within the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework, there is a requirement that where children are provided with meals, snacks and drinks, they must be healthy, balanced and nutritious. The EYFS framework can be found here: https://www.gov...
Answered 3 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordNurseries: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70921More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of business rates on (a) private, (b) voluntary and (c) independent nurseries.
Answer: In April 2025, the Government removed eligibility of private schools in England for business rates charitable rate relief. Schools that satisfy the definition of a private school have lost entitlement to charitable rate relief entirely. This definition ma...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPre-school EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70920More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a national public awareness campaign on (a) the role of early years education in child development and (b) its wider economic impact.
Answer: Ensuring every child has the best start in life is at the heart of this government’s Plan for Change. This is why we are expanding childcare and providing parents with support and information to help their child’s development.Children attending high quali...
Answered 23 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPre-school Education: School MealsDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70919More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support is available to (a) private, (b) voluntary and (c) independent early years settings in areas of high deprivation to offer (i) healthy and (ii) nutritious meals to children regardless of parental in
Answer: Within the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework, there is a requirement that where children are provided with meals, snacks and drinks, they must be healthy, balanced and nutritious. The EYFS framework can be found here: https://www.gov...
Answered 3 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPre-school Education: School MealsDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70918More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of healthy food provision in early years settings on (a) child health and (b) educational outcomes (i) in general and (ii) for disadvantaged child
Answer: Within the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework, there is a requirement that where children are provided with meals, snacks and drinks, they must be healthy, balanced and nutritious. The EYFS framework can be found here: https://www.gov...
Answered 3 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordNurseries: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70917More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of business rates on (a) private, (b) voluntary and (c) independent nurseries.
Answer: In April 2025, the Government removed eligibility of private schools in England for business rates charitable rate relief. Schools that satisfy the definition of a private school have lost entitlement to charitable rate relief entirely. This definition ma...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPre-school EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70916More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a national public awareness campaign on (a) the role of early years education in child development and (b) its wider economic impact.
Answer: Ensuring every child has the best start in life is at the heart of this government’s Plan for Change. This is why we are expanding childcare and providing parents with support and information to help their child’s development.Children attending high quali...
Answered 23 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70915More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help support local authorities to (a) simplify and (b) standardise the process for accessing (i) SEND funding and (ii) Education, Health, and Care Plans in early years set
Answer: As part of our strategy to give every child the best start in life, the department is committed to make it easier for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to access early education and childcare by investing in the support avail...
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: TrainingDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70914More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the delivery of comprehensive SEND training in early years qualification routes.
Answer: Through our Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life strategy, the department will make inclusive practice standard practice in the early years by embedding an inclusive approach in our workforce education, training and leadership opportunities.In 2023 t...
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: Overseas StudentsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70913More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the visa applications of students in Gaza accepted to British universities.
Answer: We are working urgently to support Chevening Scholars and fully funded scholarship holders in Gaza who have offers from British universities to leave and take up their places in the UK. The Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary and I are in regular contact on...
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordObesity: ChildrenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70912More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Nutrition North’s report entitled Food, Health and Nutrition in the North of England: Inequalities and opportunities published on 22 July 2025, what steps the Department is taking
Answer: The Government is committed to supporting people to stay healthier for longer. This includes tackling the determinants that underpin stark health inequalities to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions.Tackling chi...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHealthy Start SchemeDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70911More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will commit to increasing the value of the Healthy Start scheme to match the cost of (a) fresh fruit, (b) fresh vegetables, (c) infant formula and (d) other essential items.
Answer: Healthy Start is a demand-led, statutory scheme which aims to support those in greatest need. We recently announced in Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan that we will uplift the value of weekly payments by 10%, boosting the ability to buy healthy foo...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordFood PovertyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70910More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has plans to increase access to (a) affordable and (b) nutritious food in deprived communities through (i) subsidies, (ii) planning measures and (iii) local food programmes.
Answer: Towards a Good Food Cycle, the UK Government food strategy for England, published on 15 July, sets out the Government's plans to transform the food system. A UK government food strategy for England - GOV.UK. The outcomes set out in the strategy include an...
Answered 23 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
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