Alex Sobel MP: written questions
280 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Ukraine: Armed ConflictForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51422More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) technical and (b) financial support he is providing to Ukraine to help (i) identify and (ii) document casualties of the war in that country.
Answer: We condemn Russia's barbaric assault against Ukraine's civilian population. From 24 February 2022 to 30 April 2025, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights recorded 45,001 civilian casualties in Ukraine: 13,134 killed and 31,867 injured. A...
Answered 20 May 2025
Original Parliament recordStudents: Personal Independence PaymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 12 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51421More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, on students
Answer: No assessment has been made. The Department does not hold data about the student status of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants. Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming B...
Answered 20 May 2025
Original Parliament recordWestern Sahara: Politics and GovernmentForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51142More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with the Moroccan Ambassador on the recent occupation of further territory in Western Sahara.
Answer: Officials regularly meet and discuss with our Moroccan partners, in addition to regional and international partners, on the issue of Western Sahara. The UK continues to support the work of Staffan de Mistura, Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for...
Answered 15 May 2025
Original Parliament recordWestern Sahara: Self-determination of StatesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51141More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2025 to Question 27839 on Western Sahara: Politics and Government, whether he supports a referendum on self-determination for the people
Answer: The UK supports UN-led efforts to reach a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution, based on compromise, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. The UK also supports the work of Staffan de Mistura, P...
Answered 15 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: Sanitary ProductsDepartment for EducationTabled 1 May 2025AnsweredUIN 49781More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the period product scheme will continue within schools in the year 2025-26.
Answer: I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Leeds and Central Headingley to the answer of 4 March 2025 to Question 30133.
Answered 9 May 2025
Original Parliament recordCrossbowsHome OfficeTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48509More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to Answer of 2 April 2025 to Question 41188 on Crossbows, what her Department's planned timetable is for publishing the (a) Government's response to that consultation and (b) steps the Govern
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 April, Official Report Volume 766, column 26 and 27. The Government will shortly publish our response to that call for evidence and this will set out the next steps we intend to take.
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordFertility: Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45812More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking with NHS England to support ICBs to improve the availability of treatments for fertility patients.
Answer: In the light of broader pressures on the National Health Service and on-going changes within NHS England, we have been looking again at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.The National Institu...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordFertility: Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45811More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking with NHS England to support ICBs to review fertility guidelines.
Answer: In the light of broader pressures on the National Health Service and on-going changes within NHS England, we have been looking again at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.The National Institu...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Work and Pensions: CorrespondenceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43938More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will provide guidance to customer service teams to ensure that written responses are available upon request.
Answer: Customers can contact DWP by telephone or post, face to face and via digital channels. DWP continues to develop services that are easy to find and navigate, ensuring that the people feel confident and protected when they are relying on us. The department ...
Answered 11 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPathways to WorkDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42846More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 40633 on Social Security Benefits: Reform, when her Department plans to publish the full suite of accessible versions of the Green Paper.
Answer: The remaining accessible formats of the Green Paper have now been published and can be accessed here: Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper - GOV.UK. A full suite of accessible versions is available including ...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy: MetersDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41508More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure energy suppliers are resolving noncommunicating smart meters.
Answer: Over 90% of smart meters are sending automatic readings to energy suppliers. To drive this percentage up further we are working at pace alongside industry partners to share best practice and improve smart meter connectivity across Great Britain. Ofgem is ...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordBipolar Disorder: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41487More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to establish specialist care pathways for people with bipolar to (a) improve treatment and (b) reduce misdiagnosis.
Answer: It is unacceptable that too many people are not receiving the mental health care they need and we know that waits for mental health services are far too long, including for people with bipolar disorder. We are determined to change that. As part of our mis...
Answered 13 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBipolar Disorder: Waiting ListsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41486More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) reduce the delay for a bipolar diagnosis and (b) bring it in line with early intervention targets for other conditions.
Answer: It is unacceptable that too many people are not receiving the mental health care they need, and we know that waits for mental health services are far too long, including for people with bipolar disorder. We are determined to change that.As part of our mis...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: ReformDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40633More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what accessibility adjustments are in place for the consultation on the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper; and whether her Department consulted with dis
Answer: We are committed to putting the views and voices of disabled people and people with health conditions at the heart of everything we do. Throughout the consultation period we will listen, learn and take feedback through an online form, email, post and thro...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordBosnia and Herzegovina: Politics and GovernmentForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38663More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his counterparts in (a) Germany, (b) France, (c) Italy and (d) the US on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Answer: Since Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik's sentence, the UK Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and other officials have repeatedly engaged with our Quint partners (Germany, France, Italy and US, plus EU and NATO), to discuss the situation an...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordBosnia and Herzegovina: Politics and GovernmentForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38662More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken as a member of the Peace Implementation Council for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Answer: In response to recent secessionist moves by the Republika Srpska leadership, we have worked with our Peace Implementation Council (PIC) partners and the High Representative to support local actors in their robust response, and to protect Bosnia and Herzeg...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordFluoride: Drinking WaterDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37692More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department provides on safe levels of fluoride in drinking water.
Answer: Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in water and some foods. The amount of naturally occurring fluoride in water varies across the United Kingdom due to geological differences. Drinking water regulations contain a standard for fluoride which i...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordHM Land RegistryMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37267More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for (a) restructuring HM Land Registry fees, (b) tabling secondary legislation to restructure fees, prioritising free access to data and (c) ensurin
Answer: HM Land Registry (HMLR) is reviewing how fees can be made simpler, fairer and enable better access to data. HMLR intends to launch a public consultation on the design of a new fees and charging structure and to bring forward the necessary secondary legisl...
Answered 18 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordHeat Pumps: Permitted Development RightsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 6 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 36120More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her Department's timetable is for the implementation of changes to permitted development rights for air source heat pumps.
Answer: Further announcements on permitted development rights for air source heat pumps and electric vehicle charging points will be made in the coming months.
Answered 14 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordHomes for Ukraine Scheme: ChildrenMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 6 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 36119More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what safeguards her Department has put in place to help protect unaccompanied children from Ukraine through the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.
Answer: The Homes for Ukraine scheme supports eligible unaccompanied minors to safely arrive, and to live and thrive in the UK without their parent or legal guardian, supported by a sponsor that they know and trust. Eligible Minors are protected by robust safegua...
Answered 14 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordHong Kong: SecurityDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 5 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35755More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to (a) advise and (b) safeguard British-based (i) businesses and (ii) people operating in Hong Kong.
Answer: The Department provides a range of services and advice to assist companies doing business in Hong Kong, through our extensive network, both in the UK and at our Consulate. Additionally, the Overseas Business Risk (OBR) service provides information on the ...
Answered 13 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: Skilled WorkersHome OfficeTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 32189More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of waiving the written aspect of the English Language Test requirement for the Skilled Worker Visa where the role is manual.
Answer: The English language requirements for the Skilled Worker visa route are not only concerned with the level of English needed to do the job; they are fundamental to successful integration into British society, helping migrants to participate in community, l...
Answered 3 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordBiofuels: Electricity GenerationDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30150More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to appoint the Independent Sustainability Advisor on large scale biomass.
Answer: The Government is working closely with the Low Carbon Contracts Company and Ofgem to finalise the remit for the independent advisor on biomass sustainability and will set out a timescale for the appointment in due course.
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPupils: Period PovertyDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30133More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the period product scheme will continue within schools in the year 2025-26.
Answer: The period products scheme is confirmed for the 2024/25 academic year. The department will make further announcements on the scheme soon.
Answered 4 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAdoption and Special Guardianship Support FundDepartment for EducationTabled 7 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29921More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will renew the Adoption and special guardianship support fund for 2025.
Answer: The department will shortly be finalising business planning decisions on how we will allocate the department’s budget for the next financial year. All decisions regarding the adoption and special guardianship support fund are being made as part of these d...
Answered 17 Feb 2025
Original Parliament record
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