Julian Smith MP: written questions
332 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Lead: ContaminationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99778More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2024 to Question 13210, what update she can provide on the progress of the Environment Agency's State of Contaminated Land Report, specifically wi
Answer: The Environment Agency sent the State of Contaminated Land survey to all local authorities with Part 2A duties in England on 14th November 2025. The survey includes specific questions relating to a number of sites prioritised for inspection or determined ...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordEurostar: Immigration ControlsDepartment for TransportTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99777More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May to Question 50489, what recent discussions she has had with Eurostar and SNCF1 Gare Connexions on a) the expansion of the number of border control points and e-gates, and b) lon
Answer: Departmental officials engage regularly with French counterparts and industry partners to discuss plans to support the growth of international rail services and to enable competition in the coming years. Officials from my Department, Home Office and Borde...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordEurostar: Immigration ControlsHome OfficeTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99776More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April to Question 46921, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of changes to e-gates on improving the speed of passenger flow.
Answer: eGates provide a safe, secure and efficient method of crossing the UK border for millions of passengers each year. All technology deployed at the border is rigorously tested to ensure it is resilient and effective.We are moving into the next phase of our ...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordEurostar: Immigration ControlsHome OfficeTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99775More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with (a) UK Border Force, and (b) her counterparts in the French Government on reducing the waiting times for UK-bound passengers at passport control at Paris Gare du N
Answer: Border Force work closely with partners to minimise passenger wait times and deploy officers flexibly and when required to meet demand and support passengers.We have introduced ePassport Gates to Paris Gare Du Nord station in two waves, the last being tim...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordChild Sexual Abuse Independent Panel InquiryHome OfficeTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99774More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her planned timetable is for the implementation of the recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
Answer: In April, the Government published the Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Progress Update setting out the action we are taking on the IICSA recommendations, and we are delivering on those commitments.For example, we have this month published a consultation on pr...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordChild Sexual Abuse Independent Panel InquiryHome OfficeTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99773More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of implementing the 20 recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
Answer: In April, the Government published the Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Progress Update setting out the action we are taking on the IICSA recommendations, and we are delivering on those commitments.For example, we have this month published a consultation on pr...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSexual Offences: Victim Support SchemesMinistry of JusticeTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99772More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing long-term funding for specialist sexual violence and abuse services.
Answer: My Department is committed to the Government’s pledge to halve Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in a decade. We have committed £550 million to victim support services over the next three years – the biggest investment in victim support services to ...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordEmployers' contributions: North YorkshireTreasuryTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99771More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions on the viability of businesses in North Yorkshire.
Answer: A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer National Insurance contributions announced at Autumn Budget 2024. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) set out in their ...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordEmployers' contributions: North YorkshireTreasuryTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99770More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions on the number of people employed by SMEs in North Yorkshire.
Answer: A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer National Insurance contributions announced at Autumn Budget 2024. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) set out in their ...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy: BusinessDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99769More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of an increase in energy costs on businesses in North Yorkshire.
Answer: The Government has not made such an assessment specific to North Yorkshire. While the Government is tackling energy costs at every avenue, to drive growth, we also understand that some UK industries are struggling with the cost of energy. The Government h...
Answered 23 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry and Retail Trade: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99768More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of business rates revaluation on (a) hospitality and (b) retail businesses in North Yorkshire.
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 recordCivil Proceedings: Legal CostsMinistry of JusticeTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99767More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Civil Justice Council report entitled Review of Litigation Funding - Final Report.
Answer: The Government recognises the critical role third-party litigation funding plays in access to justice and is committed to ensuring it works fairly for all. That is why we intend to introduce legislation to enact the two primary recommendations of the Civi...
Answered 22 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Bicycles: PedestriansDepartment for TransportTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99766More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the number of injuries to pedestrians caused by rented electric bikes in each of the last five years.
Answer: The Department does not currently collect specific data on incidents involving rental e-bikes. The Standing Committee on Road Injury Collision Statistics, which oversees the collection of road collision and casualty statistics known as STATS19, is current...
Answered 23 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Bicycles: Hire ServicesDepartment for TransportTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99765More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of mandating that electric bike rental firms ensure that all riders of rented electric bikes wear helmets.
Answer: The Government agrees that cyclists should wear helmets whenever possible to help reduce the risk of sustaining a head injury. We are implementing licensing for shared cycle schemes and will consult in depth on this. Consultation will include consideratio...
Answered 19 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDairy Farming: Supply ChainsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82315More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reductions in the prices paid to British dairy farmers by suppliers; and whether she plans to review the
Answer: Prices in the dairy sector are influenced by a wide range of factors, including global market trends, input costs and consumer demand. The Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024, which came fully into force earlier this year, are designed to bri...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: Dispute ResolutionDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78153More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of investing in early dispute resolution and mediation for the purposes of resolving disputes in the SEND system.
Answer: The department believes that more special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) disputes should be resolved earlier, with families, settings and local authorities working together to develop solutions to disagreements.We are aware that not all familie...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSmoking: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78152More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the policy paper entitled Fit for the future: 10 Year Health Plan for England, published on 30 July 2025, whether the proposal to provide opt-out smoking cessation interventions i
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan committed to ensuring that all hospitals integrate ‘opt-out’ smoking cessation interventions into routine care. Within their 2025/26 allocations, integrated care boards have access to funding to support the rollout of tobacco depen...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordSmoking: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78151More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2025 to Question 64433 on Smoking: Health Services, if he will take steps to use (a) A&E, (b) lung screening and (c) other new NHS services to automatically enrol
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan committed to ensuring that all hospitals integrate ‘opt-out’ smoking cessation interventions into routine care. Within their 2025/26 allocations, integrated care boards have access to funding to support the rollout of tobacco depen...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: FinanceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78150More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the time taken for (a) Sustainable Farming Incentive and (b) productivity grant payments on (i) rural supply ch
Answer: Defra and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) understand the importance of cashflow for farmers and rural businesses in their investment decisions and any impacts on the wider supply chain. The RPA has in recent years made more payments for the schemes they a...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: FinanceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78149More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help expedite grant clearance under the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund.
Answer: The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) understands the importance of cashflow for farmers and rural businesses. The Agency used an Online Application system to streamline data collection and is using automation to simplify due diligence checks. Agreement Holders...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Proceedings: Legal CostsMinistry of JusticeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78148More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his Department has to publish a response to the Civil Justice Council's report entitled Review of Litigation Funding, published on 2 June 2025.
Answer: The Government recognises the critical role third-party litigation funding plays in access to justice. That is why we are committed to ensuring it works fairly for all.The Civil Justice Council’s review will help inform the Government’s approach to any po...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordFarmers: CostsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77503More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to support tenant stock-rearing farmers with the costs of (a) rising feed, (b) energy and (c) national insurance costs.
Answer: The Government’s New Deal for Farmers includes a raft of new policies and major investment to boost profits for farmers. We have allocated a record £11.8 billion to sustainable farming and food production over this parliament. With regard to these specif...
Answered 16 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: FinanceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77502More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of (a) the effectiveness of agricultural funding schemes and (b) how they can support food production.
Answer: Food security is national security. We need a resilient and healthy food system, that works with nature and supports British farmers, fishers and food producers. As part of the Government’s Plan for Change we are delivering on the Government’s New Deal fo...
Answered 16 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordBBC World Service: National SecurityForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70440More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of funding reductions to the BBC World Service on the UK's ability to counter foreign threats.
Answer: Through high quality and investigative journalism, the BBC exposes and debunks the misinformation, disinformation and harmful narratives that malign actors, hostile states and others produce internationally. The World Service remains the world's most trus...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordBBC World Service: Soft PowerForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70439More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the BBC World Service on the UK's soft power.
Answer: The Government highly values the BBC World Service, which makes a significant contribution to UK soft power. According to a 2025 survey conducted for the BBC by the independent polling company, Tapestry, the BBC is a leader in driving favourable impressio...
Answered 10 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
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