Mark Sewards MP: written questions
215 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Pets: Animal WelfareDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 23 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10934More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle the abandonment of domestic animals.
Answer: Defra regularly meets animal welfare stakeholders to understand issues and trends that are affecting the sector, including the impact of the rise in the cost of living on pet keepers and welfare organisations. Defra welcomes the support that the animal se...
Answered 31 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Excise DutiesTreasuryTabled 22 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10628More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to make electric vehicle owners eligible to pay car tax.
Answer: Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), also sometimes referred to as car tax, is a tax on car ownership from which electric vehicles are currently exempt. As announced by the previous Government at Autumn Statement 2022, from April 2025, electric and hybrid cars, van...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordVisas: UkraineHome OfficeTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10396More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to extend the Ukraine Extension Scheme.
Answer: To provide future certainty, Ukrainians who have been provided with sanctuary in the UK under the Ukraine schemes will be able to apply for further permission to remain in the UK through a bespoke Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme due to open in e...
Answered 23 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPrimary CareDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10002More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of (a) GP appointments and (b) other primary care services.
Answer: We know that patients are finding it harder than ever to see a general practitioner (GP) and access other primary care services, and we are committed to fixing the crisis in GPs.Our plan to increase the number of GP appointments delivered will require bot...
Answered 24 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordArriva UK Bus: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9891More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will commission a review into the adequacy of the bus services provided by Arriva.
Answer: At present, decisions such as where to run bus services in England outside London are predominantly a matter for the relevant bus operator. In response to this, the government has set out a plan to improve bus services based on giving local leaders the to...
Answered 24 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordBus Services: FranchisesDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9890More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress her Department has made on the roll out of bus franchising.
Answer: On 9 September 2024, the government laid a Statutory Instrument to open up bus franchising to all local transport authorities (LTAs) in England. It also published a consultation on proposed updates to bus franchising guidance, which closed on 7 October 20...
Answered 24 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordBus Services: WakefieldDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9889More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with Wakefield Council to improve bus services in Wakefield, in the context of the recent closure of the Wakefield bus depot.
Answer: At present, decisions such as where to run bus services in England outside London are predominantly a matter for the relevant bus operator. In response to this, the government has set out a plan to improve bus services based on giving local leaders the to...
Answered 24 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordDental ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8562More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure NHS dental practices have the capacity to treat more patients.
Answer: The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and to recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild ...
Answered 15 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordRobots: InvestmentDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 10 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8561More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an (a) estimate of the potential private sector investment in (i) autonomous delivery robots and (ii) other autonomous technologies by 2030 and (b) asses
Answer: A 2021 BEIS report estimated the total economic impact of robotics and autonomous systems uptake across a range of selected sectors (logistics, agriculture, food & drink, construction, energy, infrastructure and health; and excluding manufacturing) to...
Answered 18 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordBus Services: Rural AreasDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8560More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve the reliability of bus services in rural communities.
Answer: Good local bus services are an essential part of prosperous and sustainable communities. As announced in the King’s Speech, the government will introduce a Buses Bill later this parliamentary session, which will put decision-making into the hands of local...
Answered 17 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordTransport: InnovationDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8559More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with relevant stakeholders on (a) autonomous delivery robots and (b) other emerging technologies in transport systems.
Answer: I have attended the Cenex Expo, focused on Net Zero and Connected Automated Mobility. At Cenex I attended a roundtable to discuss next steps for the CAM sector and how to ensure public understanding. I also participated in a demonstration of an Ohmio vehi...
Answered 18 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: RecruitmentDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8558More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help recruit more driving examiners to tackle the backlog of outstanding practical tests.
Answer: In response to increased demand for car practical driving tests, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has reviewed its recruitment process and increased its recruitment effort to bring in 450 new driving examiners over the next 12 months. As pa...
Answered 18 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHealthcare Assistants: RecruitmentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8557More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking recruit more full-time healthcare support workers.
Answer: The National Health Service has been facing chronic workforce shortages for years and we have to be honest that bringing in the staff the NHS needs will take time. The Government will make sure the NHS has the staff it needs to be there for all of us when...
Answered 18 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordEducational Psychology and Special Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8556More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to (a) improve SEND provision and (b) recruit more educational psychologists.
Answer: The department recognises that the current special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system is not working and that, for far too long, too many children and families have been failed by it. This government is determined to address the problems and...
Answered 18 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordEmployment SchemesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 900512More
Question: What recent discussions she has had with (a) mayors and (b) local councils on supporting people back into work.
Answer: I’ve been pleased to meet many of our local leaders to discuss how we meet the shared challenge of our 80% employment rate, recognising that local people know best what their communities need.
Answered 7 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
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