Paul Foster MP: written questions
35 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Breakfast ClubsDepartment for EducationTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 22735More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her department has considered providing an exemption to the new regulations for the Free Breakfast Clubs Programme for primary schools if provision is already in place.
Answer: The government is committed to delivering a free breakfast club in every state-funded school with primary-aged pupils in England. Following the passage of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, all such schools will be under a duty to offer a free...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordChorley and South Ribble Hospital: Accident and Emergency DepartmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 901014More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help support the 24-hour opening of the accident and emergency department at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital.
Answer: I know how important access to emergency services is to local people in Chorley and South Ribble. Decisions on local emergency department configuration are for the NHS locally, and I welcome the fact that Lancashire Teaching Hospitals and the ICB are deve...
Answered 15 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordNature Conservation: South RibbleDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7697More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to (i) create more space for nature and (ii) protect natural wildlife in South Ribble constituency.
Answer: Nationally, we are investing in habitat creation, restoration and management through agri-environment schemes. Additionally, funding under the Catchment Sensitive Farming scheme has helped reduce pollution and improve air and water quality. We also commit...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: Young PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7696More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many 16–24-year-olds in South Ribble are claiming unemployment benefits.
Answer: The information requested on claimants of unemployment benefits by age is published and available at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp and the guidance for users can be found at:https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp. The claimant count can be ...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: Workplace PensionsMinistry of DefenceTabled 14 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105959More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking in response to the Government Internal Audit Agency’s finding of Limited Assurance for the Armed Forces Pension Scheme in FY 2024–25, particularly in relation to (a) internal c
Answer: We are committed to improving the performance of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) and a dedicated Pension Programme Manager has been appointed to oversee work to rectify the issues identified. 44 Agreed Management Actions with the GIAA have been com...
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordIsrael: Arms TradeForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100150More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many arms export licences in respect to Israel have been reviewed over the past 12 months, and of those reviewed, how many have been revoked or suspended/part suspended.
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 18 September to question 72500.
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDomestic and Economic Affairs (Union) Committee: MeetingsCabinet OfficeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 70093More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Ministers attended the meeting of the Domestic and Economic Affairs Committee on 25 March 2024.
Answer: It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its committees, including their attendance, is not normally shared publicly. The standing membership of the Domestic and Economic Affairs commit...
Answered 2 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordDomestic and Economic Affairs (Union) Committee: MeetingsCabinet OfficeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 70092More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish a ministerial attendance list for the meeting of the Domestic and Economic Affairs Committee of the Cabinet on 22 January 2024.
Answer: It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its committees, including their attendance, is not normally shared publicly. The standing membership of the Domestic and Economic Affairs commit...
Answered 2 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordDomestic and Economic Affairs (Union) Committee: MeetingsCabinet OfficeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 70091More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish a ministerial attendance list for the meeting of the Domestic and Economic Affairs Committee of the Cabinet on 19 December 2023.
Answer: It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its committees, including their attendance, is not normally shared publicly. The standing membership of the Domestic and Economic Affairs commit...
Answered 2 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordDomestic and Economic Affairs (Union) Committee: MeetingsCabinet OfficeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 70090More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish a ministerial attendance list for the meeting of the Domestic and Economic Affairs Committee of the Cabinet on 16 November 2023.
Answer: It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its committees, including their attendance, is not normally shared publicly. The standing membership of the Domestic and Economic Affairs commit...
Answered 2 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordDomestic and Economic Affairs (Union) Committee: HackingCabinet OfficeTabled 22 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 70085More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether a meeting of the Domestic and Economic Affairs Committee of the Cabinet relating to a data breach took place in October 2023,.
Answer: It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its committees, including how often they have met, is not normally shared publicly.
Answered 2 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: LancashireDepartment for EducationTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62709More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many Education, Health and Care (a) requests and (b) needs assessments have been (i) completed and (ii) issued within the statutory 20-week timeframe by Lancashire County Council in the last 12 months.
Answer: Information on the number of requests for an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment, the number of assessments carried out and the number of new plans issued within the statutory 20-week time, including at a local authority level, are published...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: South RibbleDepartment for EducationTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62707More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve SEND provision in South Ribble constituency.
Answer: The government’s ambition for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is that they will achieve and thrive, and lead happy, healthy and productive lives. The department is working closely with experts on SEND r...
Answered 16 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62706More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department monitors the compliance of individual local authorities with statutory duties under the Children and Families Act 2014 in relation to the delivery of EHCP provision.
Answer: Local authorities identified as having issues with education, health and care (EHC) plan timeliness are subject to additional monitoring by the department, who work with the specific local authority. Where there are concerns about the local authority’s ca...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordIndependent Commission for Reconciliation and Information RecoveryNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 22 May 2025AnsweredUIN 54452More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many cases the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information is investigating that relate to deaths of (a) armed forces personnel and (b) police officers.
Answer: The website of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery sets out details of current cases, including those relating to the killings of armed forces personnel and police officers. It is noted that those details do not reflect ...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordProject Gigabit: South RibbleDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 13 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52020More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to take steps to enable (a) constituents and (b) businesses in South Ribble constituency to become eligible Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme.
Answer: As part of Project Gigabit, Building Digital UK (BDUK) identifies the most appropriate intervention to deliver gigabit-capable broadband in areas that are unlikely to be reached by suppliers’ commercial rollout. For most homes and businesses in the South ...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordProject GigabitDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 13 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52019More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has alternative plans for reaching (a) premises and (b) communities that are deemed too expensive to reach through Project Gigabit.
Answer: The vast majority of premises will be covered by commercial activity or Project Gigabit, but it will remain too expensive to build a gigabit capable connection to a very small proportion of premises on either a commercial or subsidised basis. The governme...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordRoad Traffic Offences: Speed LimitsMinistry of JusticeTabled 13 May 2025AnsweredUIN 52018More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance her Department has issued on whether Magistrates Courts in England and Wales can revert back to a conditional offer of £100 Fine and 3 Penalty Points rather than using the Sentencing Guidelines (Spe
Answer: In the case of a driver who breaks the speed limit, they may be given a fixed penalty notice with a £100 fine and three penalty points on their licence, or they may be summoned to Court.If the person wants to plead not guilty, they will have to go to cour...
Answered 21 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence Payment: South RibbleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 23 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47387More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in South Ribble constituency are in receipt of Personal Independence Payment (PIP); how those payments are broken down between the (a) daily living and (b) mobility component; and how ma
Answer: As of January 2025, there are 5,340 people currently in receipt of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in the South Ribble Parliamentary Constituency. Of these claimants, 2,530 scored fewer than 4 points in the 10 Daily Living activities. The breakdown of...
Answered 9 May 2025
Original Parliament recordChorley Station: AccessDepartment for TransportTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41974More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on when accessibility improvement works will commence at Chorley railway station.
Answer: Northern Trains Ltd and Network Rail took the decision to remove the previous contractor due to serious on-site safety concerns and remedial works have taken place. Urgent work is underway to consider how best to deliver accessibility improvements at Chor...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordM6: AccidentsDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37362More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an estimate of the number of road traffic accidents leading to a fatality on the M6 motorway within Lancashire since 2022.
Answer: The number of fatal road collisions reported to police which occurred on the M6 within Lancashire was 2 in 2022 with none in 2023. 2023 is the latest year for which figures are available.
Answered 17 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: South RibbleHome OfficeTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30235More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many outstanding asylum applications there are for people living in South Ribble constituency.
Answer: The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on asylum seekers awaiting an initial decision is published in table Asy_D03 of the ‘Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement detailed d...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: WomenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 10 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 30233More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the number of women impacted by the maladministration of pension communications as highlighted by the WASPI campaign in South Ribble constituency.
Answer: ONS population estimates suggest that in 2021 there were 6,495 females born in the 1950s resident in the South Ribble constituency, who are impacted by the equalisation of the State Pension age. We do not know how many of these women were impacted by mala...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAvanti West Coast: CompensationDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24723More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much compensation was paid under the delay repay scheme for journeys on Avanti West Coast in 2024; and how much and what proportion of this compensation was paid from the public purse.
Answer: Annual Delay Repay compensation figures are published by Financial Year for train operating companies on the Government website at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/train-operating-companies-passengers-charter-compensation/trai...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDrugs: HospicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23189More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring the NHS to pay for all medications supplied to hospices.
Answer: Palliative and end of life care is commissioned at a local level by integrated care boards (ICBs). Consequently, neither the Department nor NHS England hold data centrally on which hospices have all medication supplied for free or at a discounted rate by ...
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament record
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