Scott Arthur MP: written questions
578 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Occupied Territories: Health ProfessionsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83566More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to the Government of Israel on the release of medical personnel detained in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answer: The Foreign Secretary and I have continued to raise concerns with the Israeli Government about the detention of Kamal Adwan Hospital Director Mr Hussam Abu Safiya and Dr Marwan al-Hamas. Last week, officials at our Embassy in Tel Aviv lodged a request for...
Answered 29 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordMotabilityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83180More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish a written response the Reverse Gear report published by the Adam Smith Institute on 11 September 2025.
Answer: The Government has no plans to publish a response to the Reverse Gear report.
Answered 24 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordBus Services: ConcessionsDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82852More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to concessionary bus travel for disabled people.
Answer: Concessionary travel is a devolved policy area so the administrative arrangements in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland differ from those in England. The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligib...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCybersecurity: ResearchHome OfficeTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82851More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with her international counterparts on legal frameworks to support legitimate cybersecurity research.
Answer: The Government is conducting an ongoing review of the Computer Misuse Act. As part of the review, we are scoping several proposals to update the act, including how we can better support legitimate cybersecurity researchers so they can operate within a cle...
Answered 30 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82524More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on re-establishing a central capacity for co-ordinating preventative mental health work.
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitious plans to transform mental health services to improve access and treatment, and to promote good mental health and wellbeing for the nation. This includes improving assertive outreach, investment into mental health...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordParental Leave: Terminal IllnessesDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81632More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing the time to consult on Hugh’s Law to ensure earlier legislative consideration.
Answer: Government recognises the significant challenges and distress that serious childhood illness can cause. The department will consult on Hugh’s Law in 2026. In line with the Consultation Principles, we will ensure that the consultation lasts a proportionate...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordMotor Vehicles: EdinburghDepartment for TransportTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81631More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many vintage cars were registered in Edinburgh in each year since 2010.
Answer: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not capture information on whether a vehicle is classed as “vintage”. However, vehicles that were first registered or constructed more than 40 years ago may be able to be licensed in the “Historic Vehicl...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordStem Cells: DonorsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81630More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the availability of donors for stem cell transplants.
Answer: The United Kingdom aligned stem cell registry (a national register managed collaboratively by Anthony Nolan, DKMS UK, NHS Blood and Transplant and the Welsh Bone Marrow Donor Registry) has over 2.3 million potential stem cell donors registered.The Departm...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAlcoholic Drinks: Excise DutiesTreasuryTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81629More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered increasing alcohol duty; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on (a) the hospitality sector and (b) levels of excessive drinking.
Answer: On the Government’s consideration of alcohol duty rates, I refer the hon member to the answer that I gave to PQ UIN 78321. Following the Budget decision, the Government will publish a tax information and impact note (TIIN) to give account of the policy’s ...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordBone Marrow: DonorsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025WithdrawnUIN 80387More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the availability of donors for bone marrow transplants.
Answer: No published answer in this record yet.
Original Parliament recordPalestine: Overseas StudentsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80386More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will consider allowing Palestinian students starting studies at UK universities in 2025 to apply to bring dependent children to the UK.
Answer: On 27 October, the Government updated our guidance on scholarships for students from Gaza to confirm that it was now also seeking to support the departure of the dependents of those students who are eligible under immigration rules. Full details can be fo...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordCancer: ResearchDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80385More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the (a) findings of and (b) recommendation on alcohol and breast cancer in the World Cancer Research Fund's 2025 report entitled
Answer: The Government and the National Health Service recognise that a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the biggest risk factors of certain cancers. The Government welcomes the recent publication of the World Cancer Research Fund's 2025 report. The UK Chief Med...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBreast Cancer: Alcoholic DrinksDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80384More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the annual cost to the NHS of treating breast cancer cases in the UK that are attributable to alcohol consumption.
Answer: The Government and the National Health Service recognise that a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the biggest risk factors of certain cancers. The Government welcomes the recent publication of the World Cancer Research Fund's 2025 report. The UK Chief Med...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBreast Cancer: Alcoholic DrinksDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80383More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many breast cancer cases in the UK are estimated to be caused by alcohol consumption each year; and what percentage of total breast cancer cases this represents.
Answer: The Government and the National Health Service recognise that a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the biggest risk factors of certain cancers. The Government welcomes the recent publication of the World Cancer Research Fund's 2025 report. The UK Chief Med...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBreast Cancer: Alcoholic DrinksDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80382More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase levels of public awareness on the potential impact of alcohol consumption on levels of breast cancer risk.
Answer: The Government and the National Health Service recognise that a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the biggest risk factors of certain cancers. The Government welcomes the recent publication of the World Cancer Research Fund's 2025 report. The UK Chief Med...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordAlcoholic Drinks: LabellingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80381More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to publish a timeline for strengthening voluntary guidelines for alcohol labelling.
Answer: In Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England, the Government committed to strengthening and expanding existing voluntary guidelines for alcohol labelling by introducing a mandatory requirement for alcoholic drinks to display consistent nutrition...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAlcoholic Drinks: AdvertisingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80380More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the role of industry advertising in reducing the rate of alcohol harms.
Answer: As highlighted in the Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England, the Government recognises that alcohol harms are increasing in the United Kingdom, and that to help tackle these harms a multi-faceted approach that includes prevention, harm reduc...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAlcoholic Drinks: Excise DutiesTreasuryTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80379More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to link alcohol duty increases to inflation.
Answer: The baseline assumption, shared by the Government and the Office for Budget Responsibility, is that alcohol duty will be increased annually in line with the Retail Price Index, so that it does not fall in real terms. As with all taxes, the Government welc...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPostural Tachycardia Syndrome: DiagnosisDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80378More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure the (a) timely and (b) consistent diagnosis and (c) treatment for people living with postural tachycardia syndrome.
Answer: We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down, including for those with postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS). The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productiv...
Answered 29 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: HealthMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80377More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the armed forces serving in Scotland who are considered not medically deployable are awaiting treatment; and how many have been waiting longer than six months.
Answer: As of 11 October 2025, there were 221 UK Armed Forces personnel graded as Medically Not Deployable awaiting an NHS or private healthcare appointment following a referral from a Medical Centre in Scotland. Of these, 95 have been waiting longer than six mon...
Answered 19 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCoral ReefsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80376More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the article by the University of Edinburgh entitled Rescuing the cities of the deep: Corals from oil platforms find new homes off Shetland, published on 16 September
Answer: The UK is home to cold-water corals off our coast and tropical coral reefs within our Overseas Territories. With 4,700 square kilometres of corals across our UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, the UK is responsible for the twelfth largest are...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy: WasteDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80375More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department plans to take to help prevent waste leakage offshore following the inclusion of Energy from Waste in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme; and whether his Department plan
Answer: The UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) Authority consulted on expanding the UK ETS to the waste sector in 2024, including asking for views on managing the risk of increased diversion of waste to export abroad. The interim Authority Response published in Ju...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCarbon Capture and Storage: FinanceDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80374More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when his Department plans to (a) publish a revised timeline for the track-2 cluster sequencing process and (b) provide funding for non-pipeline carbon capture projects.
Answer: The Government announced its support for the Acorn and Viking clusters in the Spending Review and is providing the development funding to advance their delivery. We've been working with clusters to understand what they need to keep them progressing to a f...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Charging PointsDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80373More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with motorway service station operators on the rollout of rapid electric vehicle charging stations across the strategic road network in England.
Answer: A reliable, accessible public charging network to support EV drivers on long journeys is essential to support the EV transition. The market has changed significantly since the Rapid Charging Fund was announced, with now over 6,000 open-access, rapid and u...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Charging PointsDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80372More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance her Department provides to local authorities on integrating electric vehicle charging infrastructure in (a) new housing developments and (b) public spaces.
Answer: In April 2023, the Department for Transport published guidance to support the installation of chargepoints in new housing developments, which includes answers to frequently asked questions. The Department also worked with the Institution for Engineering a...
Answered 16 Oct 2025
Original Parliament record
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