Ruth Jones MP: written questions
507 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Semiconductors: Manufacturing IndustriesMinistry of DefenceTabled 3 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6486More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the significance of sovereign semiconductor manufacturing capacity to (a) UK defence manufacturing and (b) UK national security and resilience.
Answer: The Defence Industrial Strategy sets out our approach to investing in and onshoring the necessary industrial capabilities for sovereign national security and to boost UK economic growth. It recognises semiconductors as a priority sub-sector critical to mo...
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSemiconductors: Supply ChainsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 3 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6485More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on ensuring that supply chains critical to the UK semiconductor industry are resilient to (a) global economic shocks and (b)
Answer: The Government works closely across departments to strengthen the resilience of critical supply chains, including those underpinning the UK's semiconductor industry. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology works in coordination with the Depa...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSemiconductors: Manufacturing IndustriesMinistry of DefenceTabled 3 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6484More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he is taking steps to increase expertise on domestic semiconductor production in his Department.
Answer: The Defence Industrial Strategy sets out our approach to investing in and onshoring the necessary industrial capabilities for sovereign national security and to boost UK economic growth. It recognises semiconductors as a priority sub-sector critical to mo...
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordM4: NewportDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5999More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on congestion (a) around the Brynglas tunnel and (b) other parts of the M4 around Newport.
Answer: Responsibility for the M4 around Newport, including the Brynglas Tunnels, is devolved to the Welsh Government.
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordM4: NewportDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5998More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the new stations on the South Wales Mainline on congestion on the M4 in South Wales around the Brynglas tunnels.
Answer: The Welsh Government’s South-East Wales Transport Commission (SEWTC) report, published in November 2020, recommended a network of public transport alternatives to tackle congestion on the M4 in south-east Wales. The UK Government’s Union Connectivity Revi...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordEmployment: Young PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5997More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has had discussions with the Welsh Government on the (a) the interim findings of the Milburn Review and (b) the barriers facing young people in (i) entering into and (ii) remaining in employm
Answer: The department continues to work closely with the Devolved Governments in the ongoing development and delivery of the Youth Guarantee across Great Britain. I welcome the insights shared by colleagues in the Welsh Government on the barriers facing young pe...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordResearch: WalesDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5996More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has had discussions with the Welsh Government on the devolution of decision making for Government funded R&D grants.
Answer: We are fully committed to regular and constructive dialogue with the Devolved Governments on our shared priorities, including the distribution of R&D funding across the UK. Key to this is making sure the benefits of science and innovation are felt acr...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordResearch: GrantsWales OfficeTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5995More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussion she had with the Welsh Government on the potential devolution of decision making on UK Government funded R&D grants in Wales.
Answer: I am committed to working closely with the Welsh Government on innovation and economic growth. On 20 May, I held my first call with the new First Minister of Wales Rhun ap Iorwerth. I made clear the benefit of both the UK and Welsh Governments working tog...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordResearch: GrantsWales OfficeTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5994More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions she has had with Ministers in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on the devolution of decision making on UK Government funded R&D grants in Wales.
Answer: My department works closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and UKRI on our shared priorities, including the distribution of R&D funding to Wales where we have seen an increase of £31 million in UKRI investment between 2021/...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordResearch: FinanceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5993More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when she will make a statement in the House on how decisions over R&D funding allocated by the UK Government may be devolved in a) Scotland, b) Wales and c) Northern Ireland.
Answer: We are fully committed to regular and constructive dialogue with the Devolved Governments on our shared priorities, including the distribution of R&D funding across the UK. Key to this is making sure the benefits of science and innovation are felt acr...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordPigs: SlaughterhousesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5992More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she intends to consult on a draft ban on the use of carbon dioxide to stun pigs.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell, Helen Maguire, on 20 May 2026 to PQ UIN 613.
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAnimals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023Department for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 1 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5390More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made towards bringing forward regulations to give effect to the Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023; and when she intends to lay such regu
Answer: As set out in the animal welfare strategy published in December 2025, Defra is continuing to explore both legislative and non-legislative options to stop the advertising of low-welfare animal activities abroad and will set out next steps in due course.
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordIndia: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 1 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5389More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her Indian counterpart on freedom of religion or belief relating to the proposed implementation of the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Relig
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 4 June in response to Question 3945.
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMexico: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 1 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5388More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Government of Mexico on the protection of freedom of religion or belief for indigenous and rural communities affected by organise
Answer: The UK is committed to promoting freedom of religion or belief and to the freedom of expression globally. We are concerned by reports of violence against indigenous and rural communities in Mexico. Any violence against indigenous communities must be fully...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordPoultry: Animal HousingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4592More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she will bring forward legislation to ban the use of enriched cages for laying hens.
Answer: A UK-wide consultation on laying hen cage reform was launched on 12 January 2026 and closed on 9 March 2026. The Government is carefully analysing the consultation responses, and the next steps will be announced when the analysis is completed.
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordUnemployment: Young PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4530More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people aged 16 - 24 years were not in education, employment or training in Newport West and Islwyn constituency in each of the last six years.
Answer: With over one million young people not in education, employment and training across the UK, this Government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. The Government is investing an additional £2.5 billion over the next three years into t...
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordUnemployment: Young PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4529More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on reducing the number of young people not in employment, education or training in a) Newport West and Islwyn constituency and b) South Wales.
Answer: The Government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. The Government is investing an additional £2.5 billion over the next three years into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy. This investment will support almost one mi...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHuman TissueDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4507More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to ensure tissue stabilisers do not reduce the need for equitable access to tissue freezing across the NHS.
Answer: NHS England has produced national sample handling guidance, including for whole genome sequencing (WGS) of solid tumours, to standardise the collection, processing, and transport of tumour samples, helping to maintain DNA quality and support access to pre...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHuman TissueDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4505More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of whether reliance on tissue stabilisers could limit patients’ future access to a) precision diagnostics, b) whole genome sequencing, c) clinical trials or d) research
Answer: NHS England has produced national sample handling guidance, including for whole genome sequencing (WGS) of solid tumours, to standardise the collection, processing, and transport of tumour samples, helping to maintain DNA quality and support access to pre...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAnimal Experiments: ShellfishHome OfficeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4425More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps is she taking to (a) reduce the numbers of decapod crustaceans used in scientific procedures and (b) strengthen expertise of these creatures within the Animals in Science Regulation Unit.
Answer: The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022 recognises decapod crustaceans as sentient beings. The Government is committed to an evidence-based and proportionate approach to their welfare, including where they are used in scientific research.The Home Office h...
Answered 4 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAnimal ExperimentsHome OfficeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4423More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the use of informal hierarchies of animal sentience by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit in discharging its duties under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 19
Answer: The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) does not operate through informal hierarchies of sentience. Instead, it statutorily requires that, wherever possible, animals with the lowest capacity to experience pain, suffering, distress and lasting ...
Answered 4 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordCoal: Soil HeapsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4412More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) extracting and b) burning of coal extracted from coal tips on the level of carbon emissions.
Answer: Local authorities are the primary authority for coal recovery schemes from tips through planning permission and enforcement which includes consideration of environmental impacts.
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordCoal: Soil HeapsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4411More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what consideration he has given to banning the extraction of coal from coal tips.
Answer: The recovery of coal from former coal tips does not require licenses from the Mining Remediation Authority, formerly the Coal Authority. The majority of coal tips are in local authority or private ownership which includes legal responsibilities for their ...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordEmployment: PetsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4410More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 13 April 2026 to Question 122869 on Employment: Pets, what consideration he has given to measuring (a) companion animal ownership and (b) its impact on the UK labour mark
Answer: DWP has made no plans to measure companion animal ownership or its impact on the UK Labour Market. The main household surveys DWP uses, such as the Labour Force Survey, are conducted by the Independent Office for National Statistics.
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAnimal Welfare: UK Relations with EUDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 May 2026AnsweredUIN 2324More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking, in the context of the UK–EU SPS negotiations, to pursue animal welfare measures, including a ban on foie gras imports, in the context of representa
Answer: This Government shares the British public's high regard for animal welfare and is committed to delivering the most ambitious animal welfare programme in a generation as set out in the Animal Welfare Strategy. It has made clear that the production of foie ...
Answered 1 Jun 2026
Original Parliament record
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