Melanie Ward MP: written questions
81 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Syria: Diplomatic ServiceForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 16 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 19656More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what consideration she has given to appointing a new British ambassador to Syria.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided on this issue by the previous Foreign Secretary and the Permanent Under Secretary during their hearing before the Foreign Affairs Committee on 14 July.
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordBreast Cancer: ResearchDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 19233More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support research into treatment for lobular breast cancer.
Answer: Responsibility for delivering Government funded cancer research is shared between the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation, which includes the Medical Research Council.As well as funding research itself, th...
Answered 7 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordInternational Criminal CourtForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 14 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 18888More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the UK is taking to support the International Criminal Court.
Answer: The UK continues to support the work of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and its independence, and we welcome their ongoing investigations in Sudan, Libya and Ukraine. This is reflected in our practical support for their activities, including witne...
Answered 17 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: Manufacturing IndustriesMinistry of DefenceTabled 7 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 16740More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what consideration he has given to the development of skills required by the defence industry in Fife.
Answer: The UK Government recognises how important the defence industry in Fife is for the UK’s national security, which is illustrated by the Type 31 frigate programme. That is why, alongside the launch of the Scotland Defence Growth Deal on 12 March, we announc...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordEnergy: PricesTreasuryTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3437More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans she has to increase support for families in the context of trends in the cost of energy caused by the conflict in Iran.
Answer: The Government recognises the impact of the Iran conflict on households across the UK, not least as a result of pushing up on global energy prices.. A rapid de-escalation of the conflict remains the best way to protect people from rising bills. To protect...
Answered 4 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: ExpenditureWales OfficeTabled 14 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 908712More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in defence spending on Wales.
Answer: This UK Labour Government promised a Defence Growth Deal for Wales and we have delivered on that commitment.Wales is central to the security of the United Kingdom and I’m proud that our Defence Growth Deal, backed by £50 million of UK Government investmen...
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving TestsDepartment for TransportTabled 20 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 114610More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she will consider extending the validity of driving theory tests from two years to three years.
Answer: The maximum duration of two years between passing the theory test and a subsequent practical test is in place to ensure a customer’s road safety knowledge and ability to identify developing hazards is current. This validity period is set in legislation, a...
Answered 26 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordGaza: DoctorsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 12 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 113347More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Israeli counterpart on access to Gaza for a) Palestinian doctors and b) international doctors.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the statement to the House I made on 5 January, and to the joint statement issued by the Foreign Secretary and several of her counterparts on 30 December, available on GOV.UK here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jointstatemen...
Answered 24 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordGaza: Humanitarian AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 12 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 113346More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Israeli counterpart on the opening of a humanitarian corridor between Gaza and the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the statement to the House I made on 5 January, and to the joint statement issued by the Foreign Secretary and several of her counterparts on 30 December, available on GOV.UK here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jointstatemen...
Answered 24 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordPigs and Poultry: Animal HousingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111978More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's proposed timeline is for banning cages in relation to hens and pigs.
Answer: The recently published Animal Welfare Strategy sets out that ending the use of cages and crates is a key priority for this Government.We are currently consulting on a proposed timeline to ban the instalment of new enriched ‘colony’ cages for the keeping o...
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: CrewDepartment for TransportTabled 20 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107274More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason the CAA cannot release occurrence information on pilot fatigue events.
Answer: Mandatory Occurrence Reporting (“MOR”) Regulations mean that the Civil Aviation Authority can only use information from MORs for the purpose for which they have been collected. The CAA does not make any information from MORs available. The CAA only uses i...
Answered 30 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: CrewDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104571More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many occasions in the last year the Health and Safety Executive has discussed the issue of pilot fatigue with the Civil Aviation Authority.
Answer: Where a fatigue issue may have led to a safety incident, the UK CAA's Mandatory Occurrence Reporting (MOR) scheme requires that operators send a report to the UK CAA. However, these reports can only be used to improve aviation safety, and the CAA cannot r...
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: CrewDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104570More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many incidents of pilot fatigue have been reported to the Civil Aviation Authority in each of the past 10 years.
Answer: Where a fatigue issue may have led to a safety incident, the UK CAA's Mandatory Occurrence Reporting (MOR) scheme requires that operators send a report to the UK CAA. However, these reports can only be used to improve aviation safety, and the CAA cannot r...
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordArmy: TrainingMinistry of DefenceTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101304More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if she will outline the steps and decision-making criteria for awarding the Army Collective Training Service contract.
Answer: The Collective Training Transformation Programme (CTTP) will deliver the new Army Collective Training Service (ACTS) through a competitive process under Defence and Security Public Contract Regulations (DSPCR) 2011. Prospective suppliers first completed a...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordFootball: ScotlandDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89099More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she is planning a further allocation of funding to support grassroots football in Scotland.
Answer: The Government is committed to ensuring that communities across the UK benefit from high-quality sport facilities to help enable people to get active. The Government has committed at least £400 million to be invested in new and upgraded grassroots sport f...
Answered 14 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordDarfur: Armed ConflictForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87561More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of her Department's Mass Atrocity Prevention Hub for supporting the UK’s response to the situation in El Fasher, Darfur.
Answer: The Mass Atrocity Hub is now part of The Conflict and Atrocity Prevention Department, which has been working closely with the Africa Directorate and British Office Sudan since April 2023. Support has included assessing the risk of atrocities in Sudan, pro...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordDriving Licences: EpilepsyDepartment for TransportTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 73525More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to allow people with epilepsy who have been seizure-free for more than ten years while taking medication to apply for a driver's licence.
Answer: People with epilepsy can be issued with a licence to drive Group 1 vehicles (cars and motorcycles) after being seizure free for 12 months (whether or not they are taking medication to treat epilepsy) and as long as they are following their medical profess...
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordJuries: Zero Hours ContractsMinistry of JusticeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 72328More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of jury service on people employed on zero hour contracts.
Answer: Jury service is an important civic duty, and we want to help jurors feel supported as they undertake this important role. The Government has not made any specific assessment of the impact of jury service on people employed on zero-hour contracts. However,...
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordCharities: Overseas InvestmentDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 18 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69187More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance her Department has issued to (a) UK charities and (b) the Charity Commission to ensure that charities do not invest in illegal settlements in occupied territory which are a violatio
Answer: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not issued such guidance to charities or to the Charity Commission for England and Wales. The Government and Charity Commission for England and Wales expect charities to act lawfully, in line with the charit...
Answered 24 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBurntisland Station: AccessDepartment for TransportTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67703More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she expects Network Rail to have completed a feasibility study on making Burntisland railway station accessible.
Answer: This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.In May 2024, the previous government selected 50 stations for initial feasibility work for potential upgr...
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: FifeDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67236More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress her Department has made on increasing driving examiner recruitment in Fife.
Answer: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times. The driving test centres that serve candidates in Fife are Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy....
Answered 18 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordLiving Wage and Minimum Wage: WalesWales OfficeTabled 8 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 905162More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage on people in Wales.
Answer: Up to 160,000 workers across Wales received a record pay rise through increases to the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage.Full-time workers on the National Living Wage will see a real-terms pay increase of £1,400 per year, whilst 18-to-20-year...
Answered 16 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordMigraines: DrugsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57889More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of a supply shortage of Aimovig on people who experience migraines.
Answer: The Department is aware of a recent short term supply issue with one strength of Aimovig. We worked with NHS England, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and the devolved administrations to expedite resupply and have confirmed that st...
Answered 12 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFinancial Services: DiscriminationTreasuryTabled 2 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56680More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle ageism in the provision of financial services.
Answer: The Government works closely with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the independent regulator of the UK’s financial services sector, to ensure that all customers get the right support with their financial products and services. The FCA requires firms...
Answered 10 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable Energy: StandardsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 55999More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to review the current accreditation process for the Microgeneration Certification Scheme.
Answer: While the Government works closely with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), the Secretary of State does not formally review its accreditation process, given MCS’ independent status. MCS is introducing a wide-ranging reforms programme, and the ...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament record
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