Ellie Chowns MP: written questions
460 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Social Rented HousingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77851More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of setting a target for social housing.
Answer: The government has not yet set a national target for social and affordable housing although we keep the position under review. Accurately forecasting long-term delivery is inherently challenging even in respect of grant-funded social and affordable housin...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCiderDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76897More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of raising the minimum juice content for cider to 50%.
Answer: The Government has not assessed an increase to the minimum juice content for cider. Engagement with the sector has suggested that an increase to 50% is not supported by the industry and is not what consumers in the UK would expect from their cider product...
Answered 8 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordConveyancingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76745More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing the Scottish system of house purchase whereby there is a binding contract between buyer and seller after exchan
Answer: The government recognises that the current home buying and selling process in England and Wales is slow, costly and stressful for both consumers and professionals. On 9 February 2025, the government announced action to improve the availability of property...
Answered 19 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign Investment in UK: Dispute ResolutionDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75275More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his Department's policies on Investor-State Dispute Settlement mechanisms of the request for the institution of arbitration proceedings b
Answer: Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provides an independent means for companies to resolve disputes with states where investors believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation. The UK ...
Answered 12 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHorticulture: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 1 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 73903More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to include traditional orchards in the list of irreplaceable habitats for biodiversity net gain.
Answer: The Government has stated its intention to review the definition of irreplaceable habitats in due course, to ensure it remains robust and supports decision making.
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence PaymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 73400More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what percentage of (a) personal independence payment awards are open-ended, (b) open-ended PIP awards are for recipients over pension age and (c) open-ended PIP awards are awarded to people
Answer: For information on the percentage of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) awards which are ongoing please see Section 4 ‘Clearance outcomes – Awards’ of the Personal Independence Payment Publication here. Information on the volume of total ongoing awards a...
Answered 2 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordFossil Fuels: New ZealandDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72950More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the New Zealand Government’s new subsidies for oil and gas development on the UK-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.
Answer: Although there are no such significant direct impacts, the UK raised the issue of oil and gas developments with New Zealand on several occasions, including following New Zealand's Budget 2025 announcements after the Environment and Climate Change Sub-Com...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordChemicalsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72471More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the consultation entitled: HSE Chemicals Legislative Reform Proposals, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of divergence from European standards on chemicals with comp
Answer: The reforms set out in the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) consultation on Chemicals Legislative Reform proposals aim to give HSE greater flexibility and scope to make necessary or appropriate regulatory decisions in Great Britain (GB) at pace with in...
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCancer: GenomicsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72394More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether whole genome sequencing will be available on the NHS for all sarcoma patients under the 10 Year Health Plan for England.
Answer: Genomic testing, including both whole genome sequencing (WGS) and non-WGS testing, in the National Health Service in England is provided through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service. Testing is directed by the National Genomic Test Directory (NGTD), which set...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCancer: DiagnosisDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72393More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to reduce waiting times for sarcoma diagnosis.
Answer: NHS England has published a national service specification, covering both bone and soft tissue sarcomas. The specification requires close working between sarcoma services and other National Health Service partners, co-ordinated by Sarcoma Advisory Groups,...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCancer: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72392More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the (a) adequacy of sarcoma (i) care and (ii) treatment and (b) health outcomes of people diagnosed with sarcoma; and if he will conduct an urgent review of sarcoma (
Answer: NHS England has published a national service specification, covering both bone and soft tissue sarcomas. The specification requires close working between sarcoma services and other National Health Service partners, co-ordinated by Sarcoma Advisory Groups,...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimals: ExportsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72391More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will include the live exports ban, as set out in the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024, in the list of exceptions to dynamic alignment that the Government will seek dur
Answer: This Government has been clear about the importance of being able to set high animal welfare standards. While I am unable to comment in detail on negotiations regarding the Agreement, we expect them to start in the Autumn.
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: Humanitarian AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 70007More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help ensure that Israel facilitates the safe delivery of humanitarian aid at the scale needed to alleviate starvation in Gaza.
Answer: The famine in Gaza City and the surrounding neighbourhood, as confirmed by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), is utterly horrifying and is wholly preventable. On 12 August, the UK led 32 international partners in drawing attention to...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 70006More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the policy paper entitled 2030 roadmap for UK-Israel bilateral relations, published on 21 March 2023, what the (a) timeline and (b) terms of reference is fo
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the previous Foreign Secretary on 20 May 2025.
Answered 17 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: Humanitarian AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 70005More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Israeli counterpart on a timeframe for improvement on the facilitation of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Answer: The previous Foreign Secretary spoke to Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar on 23 August and he urged the Government of Israel to remove all restrictions on aid entering Gaza and agree to a ceasefire. The UN and humanitarian partners must be allowed to operate...
Answered 17 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: Humanitarian AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 70004More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to hold Israel accountable for the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the previous Foreign Secretary on 20 May 2025.
Answered 17 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: IsraelForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 70003More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will set red lines in relation to the Israeli government’s (a) actions in and (b) policies on Gaza.
Answer: Since day one, this Government has been clear that we need to see an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, better protection of civilians, significantly more aid consistently entering Gaza, and a path to long term peace and stability. We have ...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordSpeed Limits: Rural AreasDepartment for TransportTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69605More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will review the default 60mph speed limit for rural roads.
Answer: The Government treats road safety seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. The Department for Transport is developing its Road Safety Strategy and measures to address speeding will be considered for incl...
Answered 2 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordFlood Control: FinanceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69462More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses to benefit from largest flood defence investment programme in history, updated o
Answer: Delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change, we’re investing a record £2.65 billion over two years (2024/25 and 2025/26) to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. We’re committing a further £4.2 billion over thr...
Answered 1 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordFoster Care: Council TaxDepartment for EducationTabled 17 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68866More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to implement a national exemption from council tax for foster carers; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of such a policy on the recruitment and retention of foster car
Answer: Councils already have the power to offer council tax discounts and exemptions in their area where appropriate. Some councils use these powers to provide council tax reductions and exemptions for foster carers.All fostering providers should have a clear po...
Answered 28 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Lottery Heritage FundDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67707More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of National Lottery Heritage Fund funding has been allocated to support (a) areas, buildings and monuments, (b) cultures and memories, (c) industrial, maritime and transport, (d)
Answer: In the 2020/2021 financial year, £62,088,694 was allocated to support areas, buildings and monuments, £22,044,536 to cultures and memories, £34,917,985 to industrial, maritime and transport, £41,776,356 to landscapes, nature and parks, and £31,483,385 to ...
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Lottery Heritage Fund: Environment ProtectionDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67706More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department plans to take to support (a) landscapes, (b) nature and (c) parks to contribute to the achievement of Environmental Improvement Plan targets through the National Lottery
Answer: Saving natural heritage and protecting the environment are key elements of two of the Heritage Fund's four investment principles included in their current ten-year strategy.Since 1994, The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded over £2.2billion of Nat...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBoston Consulting Group: Civil ServantsCabinet OfficeTabled 10 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66784More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to review (a) government contracts with and (b) the Business Appointments Rules for Former Crown Servants in relation to the Boston Consulting Group.
Answer: Government contracts are awarded in line with procurement regulations as set out in the Procurement Act 2023. Each contracting authority is responsible for monitoring supplier performance in accordance with the contract. Contracting authorities may exclud...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordEqual Pay: WomenWomen and EqualitiesTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66415More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to tackle the gender pay gap for young women.
Answer: The landmark Employment Rights Bill is set to have a transformative impact, ensuring workplace rights are fit for a modern economy and empowering working people, including young women. As part of the Bill we are increasing the time limit within which empl...
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordConditions of Employment: WomenWomen and EqualitiesTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66414More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to ensure the effective enforcement of young women’s rights at work.
Answer: The landmark Employment Rights Bill is set to have a transformative impact, ensuring workplace rights are fit for a modern economy and empowering working people, including young women. As part of the Bill we are increasing the time limit within which empl...
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
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