Catherine Fookes MP: written questions
39 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Driving Tests: South WalesDepartment for TransportTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12307More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps her Department has taken to reduce car driving test wait times at (a) Monmouth test centre, (b) Abergavenny test centre and (c) test centres in South Wales.
Answer: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has been strengthening the booking system further through major booking reforms (from March–June 2026) to protect access for genuine learners and reduce abuse. It is still too early to draw definitive conclus...
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Licences: HealthDepartment for TransportTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12306More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps her Department has taken to reduce wait times for medical driving licences.
Answer: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has seen sustained growth in the volume and complexity of driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued. The length of time taken to deal with an a...
Answered 25 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDomestic Abuse: Bank ServicesHome OfficeTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 900280More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help tackle financial abuse.
Answer: The VAWG strategy and the Financial Inclusion Strategy set out ambitious commitments to tackle this issue of financial abuse.We are working with the financial sector to make sure that coerced debt, credit ratings, Child Maintenance Service payments, and j...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordControl of Lead at Work RegulationsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2582More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impacts of proposed changes to the Control of Lead at Work Regulations on women working in heritage and conservation.
Answer: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is currently consulting on proposed changes to the Control of Lead at Work Regulations (CLAW) 2002 to enable the potential impact, including any specific impacts the proposals may have on women, to be fully assessed. ...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordControl of Lead at Work RegulationsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2581More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what actions it is taking to promote engagement between the HSE and the heritage sector in relation to the proposed changes to the Control of Lead at Work Regulations.
Answer: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is currently consulting on proposed changes to the Control of Lead at Work Regulations (CLAW) 2002 to enable the potential impact to be fully assessed. HSE have been engaging with the heritage sector about possible ch...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordMilk: Supply ChainsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2580More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to increase price transparency in the milk supply chain.
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of greater transparency in the milk supply chain to support a fair and sustainable dairy sector. The Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations, which fully came into force in July 2025, requires that all dairy co...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordAgricultural Supply Chain AdjudicatorDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2579More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to maximise the effectiveness of the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator.
Answer: The Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator (ASCA) has been appointed to oversee and enforce the Fair Dealing Regulations for the Milk and Pig Sectors, providing a route for raising issues and complaints where parties believe the rules have not been followe...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordRelationships and Sex EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2390More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to tackle the normalisation of violence as part of sex among young people.
Answer: Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.We have published updated guidance for relationships, sex and health education for teaching from September 2026, which includes a focus on developing skills for hea...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordConstruction: FraudDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2389More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help people who have been victims of a) scams by rogue builders and b) poor workmanship by rogue builders.
Answer: This Government is working to ensure we have a high-quality and professional construction industry, with consumer protection at the heart of this. TrustMark, sponsored by the Department and licenced by the Government, is the Government Endorsed Quality Sc...
Answered 27 May 2026
Original Parliament recordHeating: Liquefied Petroleum GasDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 14 May 2026AnsweredUIN 1561More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to help protect consumers who require LPG for home heating from global price instability.
Answer: Households that rely on LPG may be eligible for support through the Crisis and Resilience Fund. Guidance issued to local authorities makes clear that crisis payments may be used to assist with energy costs associated with any fuel used for domestic heatin...
Answered 22 May 2026
Original Parliament recordVoice over Internet Protocol: Broadband and Mobile PhonesDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 15 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127698More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to ensure households without access to reliable broadband or mobile signal will be able to make calls following the digital switchover.
Answer: The Government is committed to ensuring that any risks from the industry-led migration of the copper based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are mitigated for everyone across the UK In November 2024, the Gover...
Answered 24 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordEnergy: MetersDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 15 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127697More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure rural households have access to adequate smart meter network coverage.
Answer: The Data Communications Company (DCC) is the organisation responsible for the smart metering network in Great Britain, and is obligated to provide smart meter network connectivity to at least 99.25% of premises across GB. The Government is working closely...
Answered 24 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordBiodiversityDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127696More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to prevent biodiversity loss associated with deforestation globally.
Answer: We remain steadfast in working with partners to deliver our shared commitment to halt and reverse deforestation and forest degradation by 2030 while supporting sustainable development. We recognise the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumptio...
Answered 24 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Licences: HealthDepartment for TransportTabled 15 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127695More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce waiting times for the issuing of medical driving licences.
Answer: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. In the interests of road safety, the DVLA must be satisfied that the required medical standards are met before a licence is issued. Some medical cases ...
Answered 24 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordConstruction: FraudDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 15 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127694More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure consumers are adequately protected from rogue builders.
Answer: This Government is working to ensure we have a high-quality and professional construction industry, with consumer protection at the heart of this. TrustMark, sponsored by the Department and licenced by the Government, is the Government Endorsed Quality Sc...
Answered 24 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordMoney Laundering: BusinessHome OfficeTabled 12 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120549More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department has taken to help tackle the use of cash intensive businesses for money laundering.
Answer: The Government is committed to tackling the use of cash intensive businesses for money laundering.As part of the Economic Crime Plan 2 commitment, the Government has worked with the National Crime Agency, The Financial Conduct Authority and UK Finance to ...
Answered 19 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: South WalesDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120548More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce car driving test wait times at (a) Monmouth test centre, (b) Abergavenny test centre and (c) test centres in South Wales.
Answer: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times. The agency is intensifying its efforts to reduce waiting times, including in Wales, a...
Answered 20 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordChildren: MaintenanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 908165More
Question: What steps he is taking to improve the effectiveness of the Child Maintenance Service.
Answer: Child Maintenance payments keep around 120,000 children out of poverty each year.The Government intends to replace Direct Pay with a more effective Collect and Pay model, as soon as parliamentary time allows, tackling non‑compliance and ensuring maintenan...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordArtificial Intelligence: CopyrightDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 24 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115689More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help support right holders’ control over whether their works are used to train AI models.
Answer: Our copyright regime must deliver for British people and businesses. This means helping creative industries to thrive while unlocking the extraordinary potential of AI.We have consulted on a set of options and continue to seek views on how best to meet ou...
Answered 12 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordParamedical Staff: RecruitmentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115688More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure newly qualified paramedics can access appropriate NHS job opportunities.
Answer: Decisions on the employment of newly qualified paramedics are a matter for individual National Health Service trusts which manage their recruitment at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliv...
Answered 3 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordMaternity ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115687More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of appointing a UK Maternity Commissioner.
Answer: There are no current plans to appoint a Maternity Commissioner. The Government has commissioned an independent National Investigation into maternity and neonatal care, chaired by Baroness Amos, which is expected to make recommendations this spring. My Rt ...
Answered 3 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordSTEM Subjects: EmploymentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109721More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help protect STEM jobs in Wales.
Answer: The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy is protecting and expanding STEM jobs in Wales by backing future industries and Wales’s strengths in advanced manufacturing, digital technologies and life sciences. North Wales will pioneer the UK’s first Small Modular ...
Answered 6 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: Workplace PensionsCabinet OfficeTabled 29 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 109720More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions he has had with Capita on ensuring newly retired civil servants receive pensions on time.
Answer: The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The Civil Service Pension Scheme transferred to Capita on 1 December 2025 and is experiencing significant perf...
Answered 6 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordFlood Control: WalesWales OfficeTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 906626More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support recovery from flooding caused by Storm Claudia in Wales.
Answer: I saw first-hand the devastating impact of Storm Claudia in Monmouthshire when I visited on 20 November with my hon. Friend. My thoughts, and I’m sure those of the whole house, remain with affected residents. I went to Monmouth to thank emergency responde...
Answered 3 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: WalesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80682More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure patients living near the England-Wales border receive timely care after a cross-border referral.
Answer: It is unacceptable that patients across the United Kingdom continue to wait lengthy periods for treatment and it is imperative that the elective waiting list is a top priority.We have committed to closer working with the Welsh Government as a step towards...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament record
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