Joe Robertson MP: written questions
485 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Home Office: EqualityHome OfficeTabled 12 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31252More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of officials in her Department can allocate a proportion of their contracted working hours to diversity network activities; what the names of each of those networks are; a
Answer: I refer the Hon Gentlemen to the answer provided by Lord Hanson to question HL1115 on 30 September 2024.
Answered 27 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordWolves: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31228More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the re-introduction of wolves to the wild on biodiversity.
Answer: This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only. No, the Government does not have any plans to make an assessment of the potential impact of the reintroductions of wolves to the wild on biodiversity. Defra has not...
Answered 27 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment of Health and Social Care: Public RelationsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30918More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2025 to Question 27757 on Department of Health and Social Care: Public Relations, what the purpose of the contract with Mullen Lowe was; which programmes were
Answer: Mullen Lowe holds a contract with the Department for a range of marketing services to support the delivery of campaigns. This includes advertising, creative and production, digital partnerships, and public relations services, among others. In the current ...
Answered 25 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordDevelopment AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 11 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30844More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the suspension of USAID on the UK's contribution to aid programmes.
Answer: We are currently working to assess the implications of the US funding pause across development sectors, geographic regions and multilateral organisations. We are gathering information and working with other donor partners to share analysis of the pause be...
Answered 26 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: ExportsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 11 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30824More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2024 to Question 12624 on Agriculture: Exports, what (a) trade shows, (b) missions and (c) events ministers have attended.
Answer: The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) offer a compelling programme of trade shows and events to support agriculture exporters to access new markets, build buyer connections and increase their marketing in target countries, all underpinned by our GRE...
Answered 19 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordNational ParksDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 11 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30823More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to create any new national parks.
Answer: Following the previous Government’s announcement on 29 November 2023, Natural England have undertaken early exploratory work to consider possible approaches to the designation of a new National Park in England. It is important to note that there is no for...
Answered 4 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordViral DiseasesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30326More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 7 February 2025 to Question 25535 on Viral Diseases, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of means-testing the winter fuel payment on the number of cases
Answer: The Department has no current plans to undertake an assessment of the potential impact of means-testing the winter fuel payment on the number of flu, COVID-19, norovirus and respiratory syncytial virus cases.The relationship between cold weather and respi...
Answered 24 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 7 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30019More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has had discussions with local authorities on the potential implications for their policies of the inheritance tax changes to agricultural land and propert
Answer: Ministers and officials in the department engage regularly with counterparts in local government on a range of issues. Details of ministerial meeting with external organisations are published on gov.uk.
Answered 24 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal RisingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30018More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether (a) he, (b) his officials and (c) his special advisors have had meetings with the animal rights group Animal Rising.
Answer: No, neither the Secretary of State, his officials, nor Special Advisors have met with this organisation. Details of Ministers’ and Special Advisor meetings with external organisations and individuals are publicly and freely available on GOV.UK. This has b...
Answered 20 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 7 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30017More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with the Office for Budget Responsibility on the inheritance tax changes to agricultural land and property made at the Autumn Budget 2024.
Answer: The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) published information on the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief in the Economic and Fiscal Outlook on 30 October 2024. This is available at https://obr.uk/economic-an...
Answered 17 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture and Food: Trade AgreementsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29977More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on future trade deals relevant to the (a) food and (b) agriculture sectors.
Answer: The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, and Cabinet discussions are considered confidential. As the Secretary of State has said will uphold and protect our high environmental and animal welfare standard...
Answered 21 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: GrantsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29975More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to reintroduce capital grant schemes for farmers.
Answer: In November 2024, we closed parts of the Capital Grants scheme to new applications following unprecedented demand. We are reviewing the Capital Grants offer to ensure funding goes further to improve outcomes for food security and nature conservation. We w...
Answered 17 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29974More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with supermarkets on the inheritance tax changes to agricultural land and property.
Answer: Defra regularly engages with supermarkets and producers on a range of issues pertinent to the food supply chain including food supply, environmental policies and food security. However, IHT policy is primarily under the jurisdiction of HMT as it is a tax ...
Answered 24 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29973More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with local authorities on the inheritance tax changes to agricultural land and property.
Answer: As is standard practise, the Department has not held discussions with local authorities on this issue.
Answered 12 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordUSA: World Health OrganizationForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29313More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2025 to Question 26628 on USA: World Health Organisation, whether he plans to increase the monetary value of the UK contribution to the W
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to my answer of 5 February 2025 to Question 26628, which can be found on the Q&A web pages: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-01-27/26628. Further information on the UK's support to the Wo...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAccident and Emergency Departments: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28859More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of publishing year-round data on the number of patients being treated in temporary care environments.
Answer: The Government is clear that patients should expect and receive the highest standard of service, and is determined to tackle the issue of corridor care.On 30 January, we published Road to recovery: the government's 2025 mandate to NHS England, which set o...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCare Workers: Conditions of EmploymentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28798More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of exploitative employment practices by social care employers.
Answer: We have seen unacceptable increases in unethical practices and exploitation in the adult social care sector. The Department works closely with regulators, local authorities, other departments, and enforcement bodies to share concerns and intelligence abou...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCare Workers: Conditions of EmploymentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28797More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to end exploitative employment practices by social care employers.
Answer: We have seen unacceptable increases in unethical practices and exploitation in the adult social care sector. The Department works closely with regulators, local authorities, other departments, and enforcement bodies to share concerns and intelligence abou...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAccident and Emergency Departments: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28796More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to end the use of corridor care in the NHS.
Answer: The Government is clear that patients should expect and receive the highest standard of service, and is determined to tackle the issue of corridor care.On 30 January, we published Road to recovery: the government's 2025 mandate to NHS England, which set o...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Work and Pensions: Muslim Council of BritainDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28705More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Minister for Social Security and Disability travelled to the Muslim Council of Britain's leadership dinner on 25 January 2025 by Ministerial car; whether the invitation was (a) received and
Answer: I travelled by public transport to and from the Muslim Council of Britain leadership dinner on the evening of 20 January 2025. My ministerial office was not involved in the invitation arrangements. I was at the event for approximately an hour, and consume...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: Waiting ListsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28412More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the backlog of people waiting for elective mental health care.
Answer: Patients have been let down for too long whilst they wait for the care they need. Currently, the elective waiting list stands at 7.48 million patient pathways, with over six million people waiting. We are committed to putting patients first, making sure t...
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordShipping: TrainingDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28396More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to support skills (a) development and (b) training in the maritime sector.
Answer: DfT remains committed to delivering a maritime workforce, with the skills and people it needs, both now and for the future.The Maritime Skills Commission, which DfT is part of, assesses the sector’s current and future skills needs. DfT and the Maritime an...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordShipping: Supply ChainsDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28394More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the resilience of maritime supply chains.
Answer: While the sector is fully privatised, my Department engages closely with industry to understand maritime operational issues that may affect wider supply chains. Assessment of those wider supply chain impacts sits with other government departments, dependi...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordShipping: PayDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28393More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with her international counterparts to help improve (a) pay and (b) conditions for seafarers operating in UK waters.
Answer: Improving the pay and working conditions of seafarers is a priority for this government. We are committed to working with our international partners to improve standards. We have worked closely with the French government to create a minimum wage corridor ...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: Digital TechnologyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28301More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve digital (a) literacy and (b) confidence in NHS clinical staff.
Answer: We are striving for digital services to improve access, experiences, and outcomes for the widest range of people, based on their preferences, as any digital healthcare benefits will be limited if people remain digitally excluded.Mitigating against the ris...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament record
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