Joe Robertson MP: written questions
506 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Babies: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101595More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of equity of access to to Start for Life services, including infant feeding, perinatal mental health and parent-infant relationship support across England.
Answer: Delivering integrated, joined-up health, education, and family support is at the heart of our ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever.Healthy Babies, formerly Start for Life, funding is helping families during the critical 1,001 days,...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBabies: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101594More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government intends to provide Start for Life funding to new local authority areas.
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan sets out an ambitious agenda to how we will improve the nation’s health by creating a new model of care that is fit for the future.We recognise that local authorities are ambitious, seeking to deliver universal support to families ...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMusic Venues: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 18 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101593More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to help mitigate the impact of higher business rates bills on grassroots music venues arising from changes to business rates multipliers.
Answer: There are no current plans to extend the 40% film studio relief to grassroots music venues. At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increas...
Answered 8 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMusic Venues: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 18 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101592More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the number of grassroots music venues affected by the withdrawal of the 40% business rates relief.
Answer: There are no current plans to extend the 40% film studio relief to grassroots music venues. At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increas...
Answered 8 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMusic Venues: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 18 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101591More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of extending the 40% rate tax relief for film studios to grassroots music venues.
Answer: There are no current plans to extend the 40% film studio relief to grassroots music venues. At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increas...
Answered 8 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHospices: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101590More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of hospice funding for dementia end-of-life care is provided by central government and local authorities; and whether he plans to increase statutory funding for hospices.
Answer: The Department has not had any recent discussions with local authorities about the funding of hospice services.Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS ...
Answered 28 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHospices: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101589More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with local authorities about the funding of hospice services, including those providing end-of-life care for dementia patients.
Answer: The Department has not had any recent discussions with local authorities about the funding of hospice services.Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS ...
Answered 28 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHospices: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101588More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Department plans to review the level of statutory funding provided to hospices that currently rely heavily on charitable donations to deliver core services.
Answer: Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing National Health Services. The amount of funding each charitable hospice receives varies both within and between integrated care board (ICB) areas. T...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordUnpaid TaxesTreasuryTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101229More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what measures HMRC has in place to prevent deliberate non-payment of tax by those who are liable but expect not to be pursued.
Answer: HMRC is committed to closing the tax gap further and tackling non-compliant behaviours such as tax evasion, tax avoidance, criminal attacks, error, failure to take reasonable care, hidden economy activity, legal interpretation issues, and non-payment. In ...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordUnpaid TaxesTreasuryTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101224More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of unpaid tax liabilities is written off each year; and according to what criteria HMRC determines when a tax debt will no longer be pursued.
Answer: HMRC is committed to closing the tax gap further and tackling non-compliant behaviours such as tax evasion, tax avoidance, criminal attacks, error, failure to take reasonable care, hidden economy activity, legal interpretation issues, and non-payment. In ...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordUnpaid TaxesTreasuryTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101222More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much tax revenue is currently outstanding from taxpayers known to be liable but not under active enforcement action by HMRC.
Answer: HMRC is committed to closing the tax gap further and tackling non-compliant behaviours such as tax evasion, tax avoidance, criminal attacks, error, failure to take reasonable care, hidden economy activity, legal interpretation issues, and non-payment. In ...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordUnpaid TaxesTreasuryTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101219More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment HMRC has made of the number of individuals and companies that are liable for tax but are not currently being actively pursued for payment.
Answer: HMRC is committed to closing the tax gap further and tackling non-compliant behaviours such as tax evasion, tax avoidance, criminal attacks, error, failure to take reasonable care, hidden economy activity, legal interpretation issues, and non-payment. In ...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordUK Emissions Trading Scheme: ShippingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101216More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on co-ordination of the UK emissions trading scheme maritime expansion with the delivery of grid infrastructure needed fo
Answer: The UK ETS Authority is made up of the UK Government and the devolved governments. Within the UK Government, my department, the Department for Transport and HM Treasury all work jointly to develop and implement the inclusion of maritime emissions in the U...
Answered 7 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordFerries: Electric VehiclesDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101213More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and Ofgem on improving grid capacity at ports to enable ferry electrification.
Answer: Reforming the connections process and investing in the grid is a key Government priority. This includes reforms that are expected to deprioritise over half of the existing queue based on readiness and strategic alignment with our strategy as set out in Cl...
Answered 7 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordFerries: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101212More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that regional domestic ferry operators are supported to meet the goals of the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy.
Answer: The Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy sets out a pathway to zero emissions by 2050, and interim goals in 2030 and 2040. To support the sector transition to zero, and near-zero, emission fuels, the Strategy sets out a number of key policies including; expa...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordImmigration ControlsHome OfficeTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100729More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Border Force queue samples exceeded published service standards in each month since July 2024, broken down by EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA passengers.
Answer: The number of sampled queues cleared within the respective EEA and non-EEA service standards are provided within the published transparency data:Migration transparency data - GOV.UKSpecific figures on how many queue samples fell outside of service standar...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Licences: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100728More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average processing time was for driving licence applications in December 2025.
Answer: The tables below show the average number of working days taken to process driving licence applications made both online and not online for December 2025 up to 16 December for both group 1 (cars and motorcycle) and group 2 (lorry and bus) licences. Group 1...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Motor VehiclesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100727More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the total capital and operational cost of transitioning its vehicle fleet to 100% Zero Tailpipe Emissions by 31 December 2027; and what assessm
Answer: The estimated cost to transition 309 vans from diesel to electric to achieve 100% Zero Tailpipe Emissions (under 3.5 tonnes) by 31 December 2027 is £10.1 million compared with a diesel equivalent of £12.2 million. These costs are based on “whole life cost...
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97414More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of higher rateable values and reduced business rates relief on the number of hospitality closures and empty units on high streets over the next three years.
Answer: The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRetail Trade: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97413More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of rateable value increases and changes to business rates relief announced at Budget 2025 on a) vacancy rates on high streets, b) employment levels, c)
Answer: The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry and Leisure: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97412More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her department has made of how many a) pubs b) hotels c) restaurants d) indoor leisure and e) night clubs are expected to see their business rates bill i) go up ii) stay the same or iii) decrease from
Answer: The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRetail Trade: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97411More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the removal of business rates relief and the business rates revaluation on high street businesses.
Answer: The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordGreat British RailwaysDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97336More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether Great British Railways has published (a) service performance standards, (b) routes for consolidation, and (c) a transition timetable in November 2025.
Answer: Great British Railways does not yet exist.
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Charging PointsDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97334More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of public electric vehicle charge points were out of service in (a) November 2025 and (b) each month since July 2024.
Answer: The Department does not hold this information.The Government is committed to ensuring public charging is reliable, and it is vital that consumers can charge hassle-free. From November 2024, the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 have required operators ...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMotor Vehicles: TestingDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97333More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average waiting time was for MOT appointments in (a) November 2025 and (b) each month since July 2024.
Answer: Neither the Department for Transport nor the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), which administers the MOT scheme, collects or holds data on waiting times for MOT appointments. The MOT test is delivered by a network of around 23,000 privately oper...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
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