Ben Maguire MP: written questions
588 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Public Houses: Change of UseMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 29 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27501More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to prevent the permanent conversion of public houses to other uses through the High Street Rental Auctions scheme in (a) Cornwall and (b) England.
Answer: The government champions the community value of pubs and has included a number of protections in the high street rental auction legislation. The local authority may restrict the use of the property within the lease terms. Should a change of use be approve...
Answered 7 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPer- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl SubstancesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27487More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 24102 on Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances, whether his Department has conducted work into assessing the suitability of pe
Answer: Beyond the preliminary analysis of PFAS alternatives included in the Regulatory Management Options Analysis published in April 2023, more detailed analysis is conducted as part of the preparation of a restriction dossier proposal by the Health and Safety ...
Answered 5 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordBiodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction AgreementForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24113More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislation to ratify the UN Global Ocean Treaty.
Answer: The Government is completely committed to ratification of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement,...
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMarine Environment: InvestmentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24112More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of investing in the marine economy.
Answer: The Department for Business and Trade recognises the critical importance of the marine economy to the UK, facilitating around 95% of the country’s trade in goods, directly employing 227,000 people and generating over £55bn in business turnover in 2019. Th...
Answered 21 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMarine EnvironmentDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24111More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate he has made of the value of UK’s marine natural capital to coastal communities.
Answer: Coastal communities derive social and economic benefits from marine natural assets, including through recreation, heritage, jobs, and tourism. The Office for National Statistics estimated the value of UK marine natural capital assets at £211 billion for 2...
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMarine EnvironmentDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24110More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the UK’s marine natural capital.
Answer: Defra’s £38 million marine Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment programme has investigated the state of our marine natural capital assets and the environmental, societal, and economic value they hold. This is informing decisions on managing and enhanc...
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable Energy: Seas and OceansDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24109More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make it his policy that no offshore energy development projects will take place in the most sensitive marine habitats.
Answer: The UK Government is committed to accelerating to net zero, delivering clean power by 2030, and to restoring nature. New energy infrastructure must be built in a way that protects the natural environment and supports nature recovery, by following a “mitig...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordFisheriesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24108More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the needs of sea users, in the context of food security.
Answer: The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, and Cabinet discussions are considered confidential. Food security is national security, and working closely with our fishing and seafood sectors to ensure they a...
Answered 21 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable Energy: Seas and OceansDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24107More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to consult with sea users on the development of offshore energy projects.
Answer: The UK Government is committed to accelerating to net zero, delivering clean power by 2030, and to restoring nature. Through the cross-government Marine Spatial Prioritisation Programme (MSPri) we are engaging across government and with marine users to im...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable Energy: Seas and OceansDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24106More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to balance the needs of different sea users, in the context of offshore energy.
Answer: The UK Government is committed to accelerating to net zero, delivering clean power by 2030, and to restoring nature. Through the cross-government Marine Spatial Prioritisation Programme (MSPri), the Department is engaging across government and with marine...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable Energy: Seas and OceansDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24105More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) The Crown Estate to help ensure that the deployment of offshore energy does not negatively impact the marine environment.
Answer: The UK Government is committed to accelerating to net zero, delivering clean power by 2030, and to restoring nature. New energy infrastructure must be built in a way that protects the natural environment and supports nature recovery, by following a “mitig...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable Energy: Seas and OceansDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24104More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he plans to take to ensure that the the creation of offshore energy does not harm marine habitats and ecosystems.
Answer: The UK Government is committed to accelerating to net zero, delivering clean power by 2030, and to restoring nature. New energy infrastructure must be built in a way that protects the natural environment and supports nature recovery, by following a “mitig...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPer- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl SubstancesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24103More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to further restrict the use of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances where there are alternatives.
Answer: A Regulatory Management Options Analysis (RMOA), published in April 2023, made a detailed assessment of the range of hazards and risks from Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) identified in Great Britain, as well as a preliminary analysis of the av...
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPer- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl SubstancesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24102More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of banning perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances where there are alternatives.
Answer: A Regulatory Management Options Analysis (RMOA), published in April 2023, made a detailed assessment of the range of hazards and risks from Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) identified in Great Britain, as well as a preliminary analysis of the av...
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMarine Environment: Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl SubstancesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24101More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to introduce new measures to tackle perfluoroalkyl substances in the marine environment.
Answer: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were added to the OSPAR List of Chemicals for Priority Action in 2023. This list identifies substances considered to be a threat to the marine environment and the actions that OSPAR Contracting Parties (including...
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMarine Environment: Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl SubstancesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24100More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to tackle perfluoroalkyl substances in the marine environment.
Answer: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were added to the OSPAR List of Chemicals for Priority Action in 2023. This list identifies substances considered to be a threat to the marine environment and the actions that OSPAR Contracting Parties (including...
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordAir Routes: Public Service ObligationsDepartment for TransportTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24099More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Cornwall Newquay Airport to London Southend Airport route operated by Eastern Airways is part of a Public Service Obligation deal.
Answer: The Cornwall Newquay Airport to London Southend Airport route planned by Eastern Airways is a commercial service that is not part of the Public Service Obligation (PSO) contract. The Department for Transport along with Cornwall Council continues to fund t...
Answered 21 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordRoyal Household: FinanceTreasuryTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24098More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will have discussions with the Royal Household on (a) transparency and (b) accountability of money provided from the public purse.
Answer: Since 2012, the Monarch has received the Sovereign Grant to fund their official duties as Head of State and maintain the Occupied Royal Palaces. No member of the Royal family receives a private income from the Sovereign Grant or any other public funds. Th...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: InfrastructureDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 13 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23698More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the UK’s electric vehicle infrastructure keeps pace with the increasing number of electric vehicles on the road.
Answer: The Government continues to provide funding to local authorities, small businesses, schools and residential properties to support the installations of tens of thousands of public and domestic electric vehicle chargepoints. The Government is also making it...
Answered 21 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Charging PointsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 13 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23697More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to address regional disparities in access to public electric vehicle charging points to ensure equitable access across the UK.
Answer: The £381 million Local EV Infrastructure Fund supports local authorities to work with industry and transform the availability of EV charging for drivers without off-street parking. The funding, backed by substantial private investment, will support the in...
Answered 21 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordHeat PumpsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 13 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23696More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that heat pumps are a viable option for homes and businesses currently off the gas grid.
Answer: We expect most off-grid properties will ultimately transition to heat pumps as these are a proven technology. We are supporting deployment through a range of other policies including supporting growth in the supply chain through the reformed Clean Heat Ma...
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPrescriptions: Fees and ChargesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23106More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will undertake a review of the prescription charge exemption list to include more (a) chronic and (b) lifelong conditions.
Answer: There are no current plans to review the list of prescription charge exemptions, or the list of medical conditions that entitle someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate.There are extensive arrangements in place in England to ensure that prescr...
Answered 15 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPensioners: Tax AllowancesTreasuryTabled 9 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23105More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the tax allowance for pensioners to £15,000.
Answer: The Government is committed to keeping taxes as low as possible for pensioners while ensuring fiscal responsibility, which is why it is not extending the freeze on personal tax thresholds that was implemented by the previous government, and is instead all...
Answered 17 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordUK Relations with EU: Trade BarriersCabinet OfficeTabled 7 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 22539More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential (a) merits and (b) impact on trade barriers of re-joining the EU (i) single market and (ii) customs union.
Answer: The Government is resetting the relationship with our European friends to strengthen ties and tackle barriers to trade. We have been clear that there will be no return to the customs union or the single market.
Answered 14 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordConsumer Goods: SafetyDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 7 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 22538More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the EU General Product Safety Regulation on UK small businesses exporting to the EU.
Answer: I appreciate that for some businesses, the updated EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) will require changes, and we take these concerns very seriously. Government is supporting small businesses to understand GPSR and is engaging directly with busi...
Answered 15 Jan 2025
Original Parliament record
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