Colum Eastwood MP: written questions
34 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Coroners: Northern IrelandMinistry of DefenceTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 904911More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on the resumption of inquests into deaths at Loughgall in 1987.
Answer: As the Secretary of State has already said today in this House, he is working closely with the Northern Ireland Secretary on policy proposals in relation to the Legacy Act, including to ensure that we discharge our duty to Veterans. We must find a way for...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRefugees: PalestiniansHome OfficeTabled 15 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52828More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing a resettlement scheme for Palestinian refugees seeking to join family members resident in the UK.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 13 March to Question 35970.
Answered 20 May 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: SyriaHome OfficeTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50229More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to develop new country information for Syria; and when she plans to resume processing asylum claims.
Answer: As we explained at the time of announcing a pause on decision making, we have kept that pause under constant review. Without stable, objective information on which to base an accurate assessment of a claimant’s risk on return to Syria, we are unable to ma...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChemicals: Labelling and PackagingNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41972More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the Written Statement of 21 January 2025 on Stormont Brake: Response to the notification made under Schedule 6B Northern Ireland Act 1998, HCWS374, what recent steps he has taken to pro
Answer: Further to the answer provided by Noble Friend in UIN HL4285, on 20 January the Government set out its commitment to take any future steps necessary to avoid new barriers that would affect supplies of such products into Northern Ireland, and to consult on...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCarer’s Allowance: OverpaymentsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 20 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39974More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has considered pausing the creation of new Carer’s Allowance overpayment debts until after the independent review into Carer’s Allowance overpayments?has published its recommendations.
Answer: We recognise that overpayments have caused anxiety for some people. This is why it is important to take the time to independently review these circumstances, so we can find out exactly what went wrong and make things right. The review is not a substitute ...
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: PalestiniansForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26092More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on the (a) conditions and (b) treatment of Palestinian (i) prisoners, (ii) abductees and (iii) detainees.
Answer: Since taking office, the Foreign Secretary has visited Israel and the OPTs three times and continues to speak regularly with his Israeli counterpart. During these interactions, the Foreign Secretary has raised the UK's deep concerns about reports of the m...
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordPalestinians: DetaineesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26091More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories will meet with (a) Addameer, (b) Defence for Children International Palestine and (c) o
Answer: The Foreign Secretary's Representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (FSRHA) regularly meets with NGOs, to discuss topics including prisoners and detainees. This has mostly been organised via the Palestine Platform and t...
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordWest Bank: ViolenceForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25753More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on the escalation of violence in the West Bank.
Answer: The risk of rising instability in the West Bank is serious, and the need for de-escalation urgent. The UK has been clear that it is in no-one's interest for further conflict and instability to spread in the West Bank. We continue to call on Israeli author...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: Humanitarian AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23183More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on attacks on (a) international aid agencies and (b) their (i) facilities and (ii) staff in northern Gaza.
Answer: We welcome the agreement to end the fighting in Gaza. It is the first step in ensuring long-term peace and security for Israelis, Palestinians and the wider region, bringing much-needed stability. The Foreign Secretary met Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar i...
Answered 16 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: WomenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 19 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21541More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her statement of 17 December 2024 on Women’s State Pension Age Communication: PHSO Report, Official Report columns 167 to 169, whether her Department has made an estimate of the annual
Answer: The State Pension is a transferred matter in Northern Ireland. These matters are the responsibility of the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland.
Answered 13 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMedia: VacanciesDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 19 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21539More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the reasons for a decrease in the number of jobs filled in the (a) film, (b) television, (c) video, (d) radio and (e) music digital subsector in 2022-23.
Answer: There are a multitude of factors affecting the number of filled jobs across the creative industries in any given year. Recently this has included the recession in the TV advertising market; streaming services reducing content budgets as they prioritise pr...
Answered 7 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordComputers and Electronic Equipment: VacanciesDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 19 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21538More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has made an assessment of the reasons for a decrease in the number of jobs filled in (a) electronic manufacturing and (b) the computer digital sector in 2022-2023.
Answer: The digital sector is of vital importance to the UK economy, and overall employment in the sector has increased between 2022-2023. DSIT continues to analyse trends in employment in the sector. The government is committed to growing the pipeline of skilled...
Answered 13 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordArtificial Intelligence: EmploymentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 19 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21537More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has held discussions with trade unions on the potential impact of (a) artificial intelligence and (b) automation on workers.
Answer: New technologies such as artificial intelligence and automation have the potential to transform businesses of all sizes, supporting productivity and growth.The government's approach is to protect good jobs, enable good future jobs, ensure rights and prote...
Answered 7 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordArtificial Intelligence and Automation: EmploymentDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 19 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21536More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential net impact of (a) Artificial Intelligence and (b) automation on employment numbers.
Answer: AI has the potential to increase productivity and create high value jobs in the UK economy. This government is committed to making sure AI opportunities are available across the UK and today we have launched the AI Opportunities Action Plan to reach this ...
Answered 13 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Society: Employers' ContributionsTreasuryTabled 16 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20305More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with the Minister for Finance in Northern Ireland on the potential impact of increases in employers' National Insurance contributions on community and voluntary sector organisations i
Answer: In order to repair the public finances and help raise the revenue required to increase funding for public services, the UK Government has taken the difficult decision to increase employer National Insurance contributions (NICs).The UK Government recognise...
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordColombia: Peace NegotiationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18675More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the UN Secretary General’s response to the Colombian government’s rapid response plan aimed at o
Answer: We welcomed the Colombian government's announcement of a new rapid response plan for implementation of the 2016 Agreement at the UN Security Council (UNSC) Session in July. In particular, we welcomed its focus on territorial transformation and the appoint...
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSpiking: Northern IrelandMinistry of JusticeTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17266More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has had discussions with the Minister for Justice in Northern Ireland on creating a criminal offence of drink spiking.
Answer: Spiking is already an offence in England and Wales and Northern Ireland. We are, however, currently working across Government on a proposed new offence covering spiking, which has included discussions, at official level, with the Department of Justice (No...
Answered 5 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordTerrorism (Protection of Premises) BillHome OfficeTabled 26 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16283More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing funding schemes to support small voluntary groups with the costs of compliance with the measures in the Terrorism (Protection of P
Answer: The Government has made important changes to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill since it was published in draft, particularly to the standard tier, to ensure that the requirements strike a better balance between protecting the public and avoiding...
Answered 4 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordTerrorism (Protection of Premises) BillHome OfficeTabled 26 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16282More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill on (a) small voluntary groups and (b) small venues.
Answer: The Government is extremely mindful of the many community and voluntary-run premises across the UK. It has been conscious of the need to ensure the Terrorism (Protection of Premises Bill) strikes the right balance between public protection and avoiding un...
Answered 4 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordConstruction: MaterialsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 26 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16247More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the Office for Product Safety and Standards has made an estimate of the number of constructions using (a) Mica, (b) Pyrite and (c) other defective building materials in Northern Ireland.
Answer: The Office for Product Safety and Standards was appointed by MHCLG in April 2021 as the national regulator of construction products, overseeing conformity of construction products with designated standards under the Construction Products Regulations 2013....
Answered 29 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordBuildings: Fire PreventionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15534More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which agencies are responsible for redress as a result of damage caused to buildings by defective building materials in Northern Ireland.
Answer: As building safety is a devolved matter, it is for the Northern Irish Government to decide appropriate methods of redress as a result of damage caused to buildings by defective building materials in Northern Ireland.
Answered 27 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPregabalin: MisuseHome OfficeTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15532More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to (a) review and (b) raise the classification of pregabalin under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Answer: Pregabalin is currently controlled under Class C of the Misuse of Dugs Act 1971. The Government takes expert advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), which is the independent advisory body on drugs, on the classification of substanc...
Answered 29 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 19 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15098More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the number and proportion of farms that will be affected by changes to agricultural property relief in Northern Ireland.
Answer: I refer the Honourable Member to the PQ referenced 12861 published on 15th November 2024 at https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-11-05/12861. The Chancellor also recently wrote to the Chair of the Treasury Select Commit...
Answered 25 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordEmployers' Contributions: Public SectorTreasuryTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14154More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2024 to Question 12760 on Employers' Contributions: General Practitioners, whether support arrangements for additional employer National Insurance contribution costs will be pro
Answer: As has been confirmed, the UK Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional employer National Insurance contributions costs. The detail of this policy change is being worked through thoroughly. My departm...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordCulture and Languages: Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 11 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13578More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the time taken to appoint commissioners under the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act 2022.
Answer: The Northern Ireland Executive is responsible for implementing the provisions of the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act 2022, including those provisions which allow for the establishment of an Irish Language Commissioner and a Commissioner for t...
Answered 14 Nov 2024
Original Parliament record
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