Rupert Lowe MP: written questions
2617 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Asylum: ContractsHome OfficeTabled 8 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104356More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish a list of all companies that are contracted by the Department to provide asylum related services.
Answer: The Home Office holds one contract with Migrant Help for the provision of asylum services. The overall value for the 10-year contract (2019-2029) is £235,000,000. Information on this contract is publicly available: AIRE - Advice Issue Reporting and Elligi...
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordAsylum: Translation ServicesHome OfficeTabled 8 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104355More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the total annual cost of interpretation and translation services for asylum seekers in each of the last three years.
Answer: The information requested is not centrally held and could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordImmigration: InterpretersHome OfficeTabled 8 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104354More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what contracts her Department currently holds with (i) ClearVoice and (ii) other interpretation providers for asylum and migration services.
Answer: The Home Office does not hold any contract with ClearVoice.The Home Office has a contract above threshold with ‘thebigword’ Group Limited.
Answered 20 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrant HelpHome OfficeTabled 8 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104353More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any contracts her Department holds with Migrant Help include 24-hour service provisions.
Answer: The Home Office holds one contract with Migrant Help for the provision of asylum services. The overall value for the 10-year contract (2019-2029) is £235,000,000. Information on this contract is publicly available: AIRE - Advice Issue Reporting and Elligi...
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrant HelpHome OfficeTabled 8 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104351More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the total value of contracts her Department holds with Migrant Help, broken down by financial year since 2020.
Answer: The Home Office holds one contract with Migrant Help for the provision of asylum services. The overall value for the 10-year contract (2019-2029) is £235,000,000. Information on this contract is publicly available: AIRE - Advice Issue Reporting and Elligi...
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMigrant HelpHome OfficeTabled 8 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104350More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what contracts her Department has with Migrant Help for the provision of services to asylum seekers.
Answer: The Home Office holds one contract with Migrant Help for the provision of asylum services. The overall value for the 10-year contract (2019-2029) is £235,000,000. Information on this contract is publicly available: AIRE - Advice Issue Reporting and Elligi...
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Houses: Licensing LawsHome OfficeTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104015More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of licensing laws for supporting rural and community pubs.
Answer: Hospitality businesses are vital to our communities, both in town centres and in rural areas. As well as providing local jobs and supporting local supply chains, they help create places where people want to live, work, visit and invest.No assessment has b...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Houses: FoodDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104014More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to help support pubs in sourcing and promoting British-produced food and drink.
Answer: The food strategy recognises the key role that regional and local food systems can play in supporting delivery of the growth, health, sustainability, and food security/ resilience outcomes. Defra wants to create an environment that champions UK food cultu...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordEnergy: Hospitality IndustryDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104013More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of energy costs on the profitability of pubs and hospitality venues.
Answer: Tackling affordability is the Government’s number one priority and we recognise the challenges businesses, such as pubs and hospitality venues, face in securing appropriate, fair and competitively priced energy contracts. The Government believes that our ...
Answered 16 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: Employers' ContributionsTreasuryTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104012More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered raising the employer National Insurance threshold for hospitality businesses.
Answer: At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government increased the Employment Allowance for National Insurance contributions (NICs) from £5,000 to £10,500. Furthermore, businesses can claim employer NICs reliefs for employees under-21s and under-25 apprentices on earnin...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: Employers' ContributionsTreasuryTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104011More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions on labour-intensive hospitality businesses.
Answer: A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on indi...
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: ApprenticesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104010More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of hospitality apprenticeship schemes in tackling labour shortages in the pub sector.
Answer: Apprenticeships are one of the ways in which employers in the hospitality sector can fill skills gaps and address labour shortages. Employers in the sector have developed a number of apprenticeships including the Level 2 Food and Beverage Team Member, Lev...
Answered 20 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordAlcoholic Drinks: Excise DutiesTreasuryTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104009More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered freezing or reforming alcohol duty on draught products sold in pubs.
Answer: At Budget 2025 the Chancellor announced that alcohol duty would be kept constant in real terms by uprating it in line with by Retail Price Index (RPI) on 1 February 2026. This decision balances the important contribution of alcohol producers and the hospi...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordAlcoholic Drinks: Excise DutiesTreasuryTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104008More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of alcohol duty levels on the financial sustainability of community pubs.
Answer: At Budget 2025 the Chancellor announced that alcohol duty would be kept constant in real terms by uprating it in line with by Retail Price Index (RPI) on 1 February 2026. This decision balances the important contribution of alcohol producers and the hospi...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: VATTreasuryTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104007More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered introducing a reduced or tiered VAT rate for pubs and restaurants.
Answer: The Government recognises the significant contribution made by hospitality businesses to economic growth and social life in the UK. VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Introducing ...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: VATTreasuryTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104006More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative assessment she has made of the potential impact of the level of VAT on the hospitality sector in (a) the UK and (b) comparable European countries.
Answer: The Government recognises the significant contribution made by hospitality businesses to economic growth and social life in the UK. VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Introducing ...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Houses: ClosuresMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104005More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of pub closures on community cohesion.
Answer: We recognise that pubs are an important part of the social fabric of the UK, places that are focal points of many communities, where people from different backgrounds can mix and generate a sense of belonging. That is why we are introducing Community Righ...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: ClosuresDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104004More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps are being taken to help reduce levels of closures of community pubs and high-street hospitality venues.
Answer: The Government recognises the vital role community pubs and high-street hospitality venues play in local economies and social life; we also recognise the pressures they face.The Government has permanently lowered business rates multipliers for eligible Re...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Houses: Rural AreasDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104003More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment has been made of the role of pubs in supporting local economies and employment, particularly in rural areas.
Answer: We recognise the significant contribution hospitality businesses, including pubs, make in driving economic growth and providing jobs, especially in rural and coastal communities. No formal assessment has been made of the role pubs play in supporting local...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: TaxationTreasuryTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104002More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential cumulative impact of business rates, VAT, alcohol duty and employer National Insurance contributions on levels of profitability in the hospitality sector.
Answer: The Government has assessed the cumulative impacts of measures announced over recent Budgets on businesses and households. Taken together, these measures raise revenue to support the public finances in a fair way, whilst providing targeted support. The Go...
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Houses: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104001More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has produced on modelling on the potential effect of the April 2026 business rates revaluation on small, independent pubs.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to UIN 101363.
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104000More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered reinstating higher levels of business rates relief for pubs and hospitality venues.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to UIN 101363.
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Houses: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 7 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103999More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of business rates liabilities on trends in levels of pub closures since 2010.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to UIN 101363.
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordTax Yields: HemsbyTreasuryTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103560More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 5 January to question 101570 Tax Yields: Hemsby, if she will make an estimate of the total annual tax receipts generated by economic activity in Hemsby, Norfolk, including (a) income tax, (
Answer: HM Revenue and Customs cannot make an estimate of the total annual tax receipts generated by economic activity in Hemsby, Norfolk, including (a) income tax, (b) National Insurance contributions, (c) VAT as this would exceed the cost limits, and (d) busine...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordRetail Trade: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 5 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103001More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what analysis has been conducted on the potential impact of business rates levels on commercial vacancy rates.
Answer: Empty Property Relief (EPR) operates by providing owners of empty non-domestic properties with 100% relief for the first 3 months (or 6 months for industrial properties) after a property becomes empty. If the property remains empty once the relief period ...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
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