Alicia Kearns MP: written questions
507 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Children's Play: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27605More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has plans to consult the indoor play sector before future business rates reform.
Answer: HM Treasury releases a quarterly record of Minister’s meetings with external individuals and organisations. This can be found online: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travelAt the Autumn Budge...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordChildren's Play: VATTreasuryTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27604More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of giving a VAT exemption on admissions fees for children under 12 for the indoor play sector.
Answer: VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer. One of the key considerat...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAarhus Convention: Local GovernmentDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27603More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on the Aarhus Convention.
Answer: The Aarhus Convention concerns access by the public to environmental information, to participation in environmental decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters. Defra does not issue specific guidance to local authorities on the Conventi...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAsthma: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27445More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to provide additional (a) interventions and (b) support to areas with higher rates of asthma.
Answer: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the British Thoracic Society, and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network published a new collaborative guideline for asthma in November 2024.The guideline covers diagnosing, monitoring, and ma...
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordChinese Embassy: Planning PermissionForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27379More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for what reason the letter from him and the Secretary of State for the Home Department to the Planning Inspector in relation to the planning and listed building consent appli
Answer: It was human error that caused the joint Foreign Secretary/Home Secretary letter to the Planning Inspector to be dated 14 January 2024. The letter was sent to the inquiry on 14 January 2025.
Answered 4 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordChinese Embassy: Planning PermissionHome OfficeTabled 29 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27359More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish any correspondence between her Department and the (a) Planning Inspectorate and (b) Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in relation to the application to build a
Answer: The planning application has been called in by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and she will make this quasi-judicial decision independent from the rest of Government.The Foreign Secretary and Home Secre...
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordChinese Embassy: Planning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27351More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has had discussions with (a) Ministers and (b) hon. Members on the application for a proposed Chinese Embassy.
Answer: As has been the case under successive administrations, government does not normally disclose details of internal discussions or discussions with Members of Parliament.
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordChinese Embassy: Planning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27350More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the letter from the Secretary of State for the Home Department and Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the planning and list
Answer: The conduct of the public inquiry is a matter for the Planning Inspectorate.
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 28 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26937More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether social care providers will be allocated additional funding for measures announced in the Autumn Budget 2024.
Answer: To enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, the Government is making available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26. Overall, core local government spending power is increasing ...
Answered 4 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Services: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 28 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26936More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support social care providers with changes announced in the Autumn Budget 2024.
Answer: To enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, the Government is making available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26. Overall, core local government spending power is increasing ...
Answered 4 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence PaymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 28 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26933More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's Get Britain Working White Paper, published on 26 November 2024, whether she has plans to review the eligibility of Personal Independence Payments claimants.
Answer: In the Get Britain Working White Paper we announced our intention to reform the system of health and disability benefits. We are working to develop proposals for reform and will set them out in a Green Paper in spring. We are committed to reforming the sy...
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ReorganisationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26085More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, whether the Government has plans to allow referendums to authorise local authority merges.
Answer: It will be essential for councils to work with local partners, including MPs, to develop plans for sustainable unitary structures capable of delivering the high-quality public services that residents need and deserve. It is for councils to decide how best...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordChina DailyHouse of Commons CommissionTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26084More
Question: To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will ban the China Daily publication from delivery to the offices of hon. Members.
Answer: China Daily has been delivered to our mail screening centre in bulk, addressed to all Members since 2016. There is an unsubscribing email address that is passed to Members who no longer wish to receive it.The bulk delivery has never been requested by the ...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ReorganisationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26083More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, what plans her Department has to consult with the public on proposals for local government re
Answer: For local government reorganisation, it will be essential for councils to work with local partners, stakeholders, and MPs, to develop plans for sustainable unitary structures capable of delivering the high-quality public services that residents need and d...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordConfucius Institutes: Higher EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25751More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 on Confucius Institutes.
Answer: This government is committed to ensuring our world leading universities remain free from foreign interference.Any international arrangements English higher education (HE) providers who are registered with the Office for Students (OfS) make, including Conf...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordConfucius Institutes: Academic FreedomDepartment for EducationTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25750More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the work of Confucius Institutes on freedom of speech in the higher education sector.
Answer: This government is committed to ensuring our world leading universities remain free from foreign interference.Any international arrangements English higher education (HE) providers who are registered with the Office for Students (OfS) make, including Conf...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordConfucius Institutes: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25749More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has given any funding to Confucius institutes since July 2024.
Answer: The department has not provided any funding to Confucius Institutes under this government.
Answered 31 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: British National (Overseas)Home OfficeTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25335More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has rejected any applications for UK visas by British National (Overseas) Hong Kong citizens due to confessions given in criminal trials in Hong Kong.
Answer: The Home Office considers all applications for UK visas on their individual merits. Suitability requirements apply to all routes and must be met in addition to validity and eligibility requirements. The Immigration Rules part 9: grounds for refusal (Immig...
Answered 24 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordCommunity Development: Hong KongMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25334More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what checks her Department undertakes before providing funding to community organisations for Hong Kongers in the UK.
Answer: The Government takes the protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms, and safety in the UK very seriously and my department works closely with the Home Office and the FCDO, as well as other government departments, to ensure that the UK is a safe and welco...
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: ChinaMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25333More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has allocated funding to organisations controlled by (a) the Hong Kong Trade Office, (b) the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China and (c) Confucius In
Answer: Checks are conducted on all organisations that receive money from the Department to be satisfied insofar as is possible with the information available, that the organisation is suitable to receive Government funding.
Answered 24 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: Hong KongHome OfficeTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25332More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether criminal convictions given to Hong Kongers in Hong Kong courts under the National Security Act can be used to deny UK visas.
Answer: The Home Office considers all applications for UK visas on their individual merits. Suitability requirements apply to all routes and must be met in addition to validity and eligibility requirements. The Immigration Rules part 9: grounds for refusal (Immig...
Answered 24 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordRyan CorneliusForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25331More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publicly call for the release of Ryan Cornelius.
Answer: I appreciate and acknowledge the significant distress caused to Mr Cornelius and his family by his continued detention. This Government remains committed to supporting Mr Cornelius' clemency application on compassionate grounds. We will ensure Mr Corneliu...
Answered 27 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordRyan CorneliusForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 21 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25330More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Opinions adopted by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention at its 93rd session, 30 March-8 April 2022 : Opinion No. 19/2022 concerning Ryan Cornelius
Answer: The FCDO is not an investigatory body and does not have the specific expertise or the jurisdiction to conduct local investigations into any allegations of human rights violations. However, the FCDO takes the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention's opini...
Answered 27 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: MembersMinistry of DefenceTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24944More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department issues guidance to the armed forces on the use of barracks to host MP constituency surgeries for serving personnel.
Answer: Guidance on the use of Ministry of Defence sites to host MP constituency surgeries is set out in Joint Service Publication 850, entitled Infrastructure and Estate Policy, Standards and Guidance.
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordSolar Power: Forced LabourDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24943More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Solar Stewardship Initiative Traceability Standard on helping to tackle forced labour in solar supply chains.
Answer: The Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI), developed by Solar Energy UK in partnership with Solar Power Europe, works across the global value chain to ensure responsible production and sourcing of materials. Members of the SSI have committed to applying its ...
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament record
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