Jack Rankin MP: written questions
169 published records · newest first.
Written questions
BridgesDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11934More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how frequently is the long term condition of bridges monitored and how is this information recorded.
Answer: Responsibility for monitoring and inspecting the condition of local highway bridges sits with local highway authorities. Guidance recommends that they determine how often they inspect their local highways bridges by considering appropriate criteria, for e...
Answered 25 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordConcreteDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11925More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many critical concrete structures are considered to be at risk of significant deterioration within the next decade.
Answer: It is the responsibility of infrastructure operators, including local highway authorities and arm’s length bodies, such as National Highways, to maintain their networks and any associated concrete structures. To help support this, the Government is invest...
Answered 30 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordInfrastructureDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11924More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made of the potential merits of using specialist technologies for improving the life of ageing infrastructure.
Answer: The Department works with infrastructure operators on innovations for better managing transport infrastructure. For example, the Department encourages councils to embrace innovative practices to deliver better road maintenance programmes and supports rese...
Answered 25 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordBridges: SafetyDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11923More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many bridges in the United Kingdom are subject to weight restrictions.
Answer: The Department does not hold data on the number of bridges subject to weight restrictions. The Government last year announced a £1 billion package of investment for key local highway enhancement projects and the new Structures Fund for repairing run-down ...
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordElectronic CigarettesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 22 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11828More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will undertake a review of the effectiveness of the ban on single-use vapes.
Answer: Defra has commissioned an analysis of the single-use vapes ban via Ipsos, which will review the effectiveness of the ban. The report is due to be published soon. We will continue to monitor the impact of the ban to ensure that it is reducing problematic w...
Answered 25 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordElectronic CigarettesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 11 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 9286More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the ban on the sale and supply of single-use vapes since its introduction.
Answer: On 1 June 2025 the ban on the supply of single-use vapes came into force in the UK. From this date onwards, all vapes sold in the UK must be rechargeable and refillable. The ban is enforced by Local Authority Trading Standards, and the Office for Product ...
Answered 25 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordElectronic Cigarettes: Litter and Waste DisposalDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 11 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 9285More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of the ban on single-use vapes on levels of vape-related litter and waste.
Answer: On 1 June 2025 the ban on the supply of single-use vapes came into force in the UK. From this date onwards, all vapes sold in the UK must be rechargeable and refillable. The ban is enforced by Local Authority Trading Standards, and the Office for Product ...
Answered 25 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordElectronic Cigarettes: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 11 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 9284More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the prevalence of products designed to circumvent the definition of single-use vapes under current regulations.
Answer: On 1 June 2025 the ban on the supply of single-use vapes came into force in the UK. From this date onwards, all vapes sold in the UK must be rechargeable and refillable. The ban is enforced by Local Authority Trading Standards, and the Office for Product ...
Answered 25 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordElectronic Cigarettes and Tobacco: LicensingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 9283More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timetable is for publishing the consultation on the proposed retail licensing scheme for tobacco, vape, and nicotine products under the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026.
Answer: The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 provides powers for ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to introduce, within their respective nations, a licensing scheme for the retail sale of tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products. A future scheme will stre...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Education: AlphabetDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8950More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether any Ministers in her Department have used informal communication channels, including WhatsApp and private email, to conduct official business with representatives of Alphabet since 4 July 2024.
Answer: Cabinet Office published guidance under the previous government in 2023 on the use of non-corporate communication channels, available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-corporate-communication-channels-for-government-business.In line with t...
Answered 19 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Culture, Media and Sport: AlphabetDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8949More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many meetings special advisers in her Department have held with representatives of (a) Alphabet and (b) its subsidiaries since 4 July 2024.
Answer: The details of meetings held between Ministers and Special Advisers with external stakeholders are published in quarterly transparency returns.
Answered 19 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Culture, Media and Sport: AlphabetDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8948More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many meetings Ministers in her Department have held with representatives of (a) Alphabet and (b) its subsidiaries since 4 July 2024.
Answer: The details of meetings held between Ministers and Special Advisers with external stakeholders are published in quarterly transparency returns.
Answered 19 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology: AlphabetDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8947More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many meetings special advisers in her Department have held with representatives of (a) Alphabet and (b) its subsidiaries since 4 July 2024.
Answer: Details of ministers’ meetings with external organisations and individuals are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK as part of the Department’s transparency returns. The following meetings have taken place after the most recent publication.Special adv...
Answered 26 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology: AlphabetDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8946More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many meetings Ministers in her Department have held with representatives of (a) Alphabet and (b) its subsidiaries since 4 July 2024.
Answer: Details of ministers’ meetings with external organisations and individuals are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK as part of the Department’s transparency returns. The following meetings have taken place after the most recent publication.Special adv...
Answered 26 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMotor Vehicles: Excise DutiesTreasuryTabled 1 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5614More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative assessment she has made of (a) differences in vehicle excise duty between electric and petrol vehicles and (b) the impact of those vehicles on road conditions and associated maintenance costs.
Answer: Vehicles used or kept on public roads pay Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). Cars registered on or after 1 April 2017 pay a variable first year VED rate according to the emissions of the vehicle, before moving to a standard annual rate after the first year. From ...
Answered 4 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRoads: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 1 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5611More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what comparative assessment she has made of the impact of (a) electric and (b) petrol cars on road surfaces.
Answer: Research suggests that the overall road wear effects caused by electric cars are relatively small. This is because wear and tear on roads is dominated by heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and buses, with a much smaller impact from cars of any type. In addition,...
Answered 4 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordChildcareDepartment for EducationTabled 21 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3999More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many providers registered have no children signed up but have live childcare grant claims.
Answer: This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Martyn Oliver. I have asked him to write to the Rt Hon. Member for Windsor, and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Answered 1 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordChildcare: RegistrationDepartment for EducationTabled 21 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3998More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many childcare providers registered have no children signed up.
Answer: This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Martyn Oliver. I have asked him to write to the Rt Hon. Member for Windsor, and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Answered 1 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordStudents: FraudDepartment for EducationTabled 21 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3997More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to identify the proportion of the student loan book used for fraudulent activity by students, franchised and non-franchised HE providers and intermediaries.
Answer: The government is resolute in its commitment to protecting public money, including all types of student funding. We are working closely with the Student Loans Company (SLC) and other bodies across government to tackle fraudulent behaviour as swiftly as po...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordStudents: LoansDepartment for EducationTabled 21 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3996More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to connect information on (a) childcare grant and (b) student loan claims with regulatory information about childcare providers.
Answer: The government is resolute in its commitment to protecting public money, including all types of student funding. We are working closely with the Student Loans Company (SLC) and other bodies across government to tackle fraudulent behaviour as swiftly as po...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordStudents: FraudDepartment for EducationTabled 21 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3995More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to identify the nationalities and ethnicities most associated with (a) childcare grant fraud and (b) student loan fraud.
Answer: The government is resolute in its commitment to protecting public money, including all types of student funding. We are working closely with the Student Loans Company (SLC) and other bodies across government to tackle fraudulent behaviour as swiftly as po...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordStudents: FraudDepartment for EducationTabled 21 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3994More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of childcare grant fraud linked to student loans.
Answer: The government is resolute in its commitment to protecting public money, including all types of student funding. We are working closely with the Student Loans Company (SLC) and other bodies across government to tackle fraudulent behaviour as swiftly as po...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordConditions of EmploymentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3460More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has sought advice from the Prime Minister’s new advisor, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, on the impact the Employment Rights Act 2025 upon (a) businesses and (b) the economy.
Answer: No.
Answered 11 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: Trade UnionsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3459More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will commit to completing an affordability impact assessment of trade union access to SMEs.
Answer: The government considers the impact of its policies on businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises, as part of the standard impact assessment process.The Employment Rights Act 2025 created a new legal framework for unions and employers to neg...
Answered 5 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordConditions of EmploymentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3458More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, for what reason the tripartite approach of discussions involving trade unions and business groups was not followed for the consultation period of the Employment Rights Act, with specific reference to t
Answer: The Department for Business and Trade engaged with business groups and trade unions in developing the statutory framework for trade union right of access to workplaces, including through a public consultation on the operational details of the framework an...
Answered 5 Jun 2026
Original Parliament record
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