Andrew Cooper MP: written questions
219 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Urban Areas: Government AssistanceDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 11 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19530More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support high streets in (a) Mid Cheshire constituency, (b) Cheshire and (c) England.
Answer: Revitalising our high streets is a priority for this government. We are taking active steps towards creating better conditions for high street businesses to thrive, including addressing anti-social behaviour and crime, reforming business returns, working ...
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordYoung People: UnemploymentDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19143More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of young people out of work, education and training in (a) Mid Cheshire constituency, (b) Cheshire and (c) England.
Answer: The department publishes statistics on those not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England from the labour force survey (LFS) for young people aged 16 to 24. This can be accessed at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-s...
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSocial Rented HousingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19142More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to increase the supply of social housing in (a) Mid Cheshire constituency, (b) Cheshire and (c) England.
Answer: I refer my Hon Friend to my answer to Question UIN 11383 on 31 October 2024.
Answered 16 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSchool Libraries: DisadvantagedDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19141More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of primary school libraries on social disadvantage.
Answer: Reading for pleasure is hugely important and is associated with a range of academic, social and emotional benefits. The 2021 Progress in International Reading and Literacy Study data for England showed that the pupils who said they liked reading the most ...
Answered 16 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSchool LibrariesDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19140More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of school libraries on pupils' (a) attainment and (b) wellbeing.
Answer: Reading for pleasure is hugely important and is associated with a range of academic, social and emotional benefits. The 2021 Progress in International Reading and Literacy Study data for England showed that the pupils who said they liked reading the most ...
Answered 16 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordChildren: ReadingDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19139More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for its policies of the National Literacy Trust's report entitled Children and Young People's Reading in 2024, published in November 2
Answer: High and rising school standards, with excellent foundations in reading, writing and mathematics, are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.We know that reading for pl...
Answered 16 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordMid-cheshire Line: Northwich and ManchesterDepartment for TransportTabled 6 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18459More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the barriers are to delivering a half hourly service on the Mid Cheshire line between Northwich and Manchester.
Answer: I am aware of the aspiration for increased services on the Mid-Cheshire Line, and we will continue to discuss how additional services might be provided, with stakeholders including Transport for Greater Manchester and local MPs. Any increase in services w...
Answered 16 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordActive TravelDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18275More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) adequacy of the condition of the canal towpath network and (b) potential merits of enabling higher levels of use of the canal towpath network for
Answer: Use of towpaths by walkers and cyclists is an operational matter for individual navigation authorities, and Government does not have a role in that. However, Defra provides an annual grant of £52.6 million to the Canal and River Trust, which is the larges...
Answered 6 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPupils: Per Capita CostsDepartment for EducationTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17385More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average per-pupil funding was that her Department allocated to (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in (i) Mid Cheshire constituency, (ii) Cheshire and (iii) England in each year since 2010.
Answer: The department cannot provide comparable funding back to 2010 due to the changes in the funding system since that time. The scope of the per pupil funding before and after the 2018/19 financial year are not directly comparable. In particular, funding for ...
Answered 5 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSchools: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17384More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding her Department allocated to (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in (i) Mid Cheshire constituency, (ii) Cheshire and (iii) England in each of the last 10 years.
Answer: The department cannot provide comparable funding back to 2010 due to the changes in the funding system since that time. The scope of the per pupil funding before and after the 2018/19 financial year are not directly comparable. In particular, funding for ...
Answered 5 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordClass SizesDepartment for EducationTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17383More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average (a) primary and (b) secondary school class size was in (i) Mid Cheshire constituency, (ii) Cheshire and (iii) England in each of the last five years.
Answer: The department publishes annual statistics on class sizes in state-funded schools in England here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics. The England averages for the most recent five y...
Answered 5 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSchool LibrariesDepartment for EducationTabled 29 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 17038More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of including information about school libraries in the school census return.
Answer: The department has no current plans to collect any specific data about school libraries in the school census.The school census is the department’s primary source of administrative data about pupils attending schools in England. We keep the content of all ...
Answered 4 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordPlanning Authorities: StaffMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 20 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15383More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring students studying for a royal town planning institute course to complete a 12-month placement within a local p
Answer: The government recognise the importance of town planning students getting the broadest range of knowledge and experience as they study, including an understanding of the vital work undertaken by local planning authorities. That is why the department funds...
Answered 29 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordMortgages: Energy Performance CertificatesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 20 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15382More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring mortgage providers to reflect the EPC rating of properties in their mortgage rate offers to consumers.
Answer: The pricing of mortgages is a commercial decision for lenders. Currently the market provides a range of products such as green mortgages that can offer reduced rates or cashback for borrowers where certain conditions are met. Any borrower seeking one of t...
Answered 29 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordSchools: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 20 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15381More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the guidance issued to local education authorities on funding schools for in-year (a) transfers of pupils and (b) growth in pupils on roll.
Answer: The department has allocated £242 million in Growth and Falling Rolls funding to local authorities in 2024/25 through the dedicated schools grant, which local authorities can use to support schools managing significant growth in pupil numbers. We allocate...
Answered 29 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordRural Areas: CrimeHome OfficeTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15143More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with agricultural machinery manufacturers on the potential impact of enhanced security measures on agricultural vehicles on the level of rural crime.
Answer: Rural crime can have devastating consequences for countryside communities. That is why this Government is committed to tackling crime in rural areas.We are committed to implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023 and support its intentions to f...
Answered 25 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordBank ServicesTreasuryTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15091More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent steps she has taken to help ensure people in (a) Mid Cheshire constituency, (b) Cheshire and (c) England have access to banking services.
Answer: The Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities in Cheshire and across the country and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority. This is why the Government is working closely with industry to rol...
Answered 26 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15081More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the average age at which a child was referred for an Education, Health and Care Plan in (a) Mid Cheshire constituency, (b) Cheshire and (c) England in each of the last five years.
Answer: Information on education, health and care (EHC) plans is published in the statistical release ‘Education, health and care plans’. This includes information on the total numbers of requests for an EHC plan received by each local authority. The publication ...
Answered 27 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPlastics: RecyclingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15077More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to incentivise councils to increase the range of plastic packaging that can be recycled at the kerbside through the Extended Producer Responsibility.
Answer: Simpler Recycling is a reform to the recycling system which means that people across England will be able to recycle the same materials, whether at home, work or school, putting an end to the confusion over what can and cannot be recycled in different par...
Answered 27 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordBank Services: ClosuresTreasuryTabled 15 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14514More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the number of closures of (a) bank branches and (b) free-to-use ATMs in (i) Mid Cheshire constituency, (ii) Cheshire, (iii) and England in each of the last five years.
Answer: The Government does not hold bank branch closure data for each of the last 5 years. However, according to consumer website Which?, Mid Cheshire constituency lost 35.7% of its branch network between January 2015 and September 2024, and has nine branches re...
Answered 20 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPyramid SellingDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 12 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13974More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure participants in multi-level marketing schemes are protected from misleading claims about the financial benefits of said schemes.
Answer: Although multi-level schemes are not illegal, it is a criminal offence to persuade someone to make a payment to a scheme by promising benefits from getting other people to join the same scheme (Fair Trading Act 1973 section 120(3)). Also, the Consumer Pro...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPyramid Selling: RegulationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 12 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13973More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, which regulations govern multi-level marketing schemes; and if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the regulatory framework of such schemes.
Answer: Although multi-level schemes are not illegal, it is a criminal offence to persuade someone to make a payment to a scheme by promising benefits from getting other people to join the same scheme (Fair Trading Act 1973 section 120(3)). Also, the Consumer Pro...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordTax AvoidanceTreasuryTabled 4 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12606More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when her Department plans to set out details of the independent Loan Charge Review.
Answer: The Government will commission a new independent review of the Loan Charge to help bring the matter to a close for those affected whilst ensuring fairness for all taxpayers. Further details about the review will be set out in due course.
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordSchools: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 4 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12581More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what capital funding her Department has allocated to schools in (a) Mid Cheshire constituency, (b) Cheshire and (c) England in each of the last 10 years.
Answer: The department provides annual capital funding to support the education sector, which includes funding to maintain and improve the condition of the school estate and to create school places. The department’s capital budget also supports providers other th...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordBeavers: Nature ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11950More
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 reintroduction of beavers to the wild on meeting targets on halting the decline in species abundance by 2030 as set under t
Answer: This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only. No direct assessment of beavers’ impact on the species abundance target has been conducted but we continue to improve our evidence base underpinning the targets more...
Answered 8 Nov 2024
Original Parliament record
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