Sharon Hodgson MP: written questions
61 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Social Media: Young PeopleDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 20 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 113481More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the whether social media age restrictions on platforms headquartered overseas would be enforceable.
Answer: The Online Safety Act has extraterritorial effect, meaning any regulated service with a significant number of UK users is required to meet duties wherever they are based.Where an organisation breaches its duties, Ofcom can require it to take steps to retu...
Answered 25 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordArtificial Intelligence and Internet: SafetyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 20 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 113480More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that young people from all regions, including the North East, are represented in consultations on online safety and Al regulation.
Answer: We will ensure that young people from across the country, including the North East are represented in consultations.We are shortly launching a consultation exploring children’s use of technology to understand how they can be protected and how their wellbe...
Answered 25 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Media: Young PeopleDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 20 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 113479More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of social media age restrictions on young people accessing illegal platforms.
Answer: The government keeps this issue under close consideration . The Online Safety Act places robust duties on in-scope services to prevent children from encountering illegal content and activity.We are shortly launching a consultation exploring children’s use...
Answered 25 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCancer: GenomicsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 113478More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how his Department plans to ensure that the NHS Genomic Medicine Service’s pipeline of whole genome sequencing for cancer patients is unconstrained by local tissue storage practices; and whether th
Answer: As part of the evolving NHS Genomic Medicine Service infrastructure, a new delivery model will be in place from April 2026 to deliver the genomics commitments in the 10-Year Health Plan, the National Cancer Plan, and other national strategies.Currently, t...
Answered 3 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordTumours: Human TissueDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 Feb 2026WithdrawnUIN 113477More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) publish data on variation between NHS trusts and health boards in availability and use of frozen tumour tissue for sequencing and research
Answer: No published answer in this record yet.
Original Parliament recordStudents: GrantsDepartment for EducationTabled 5 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111096More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether regional cost-of-living variations will be factored into proposed maintenance grant calculations.
Answer: This government recognises the impact that cost-of-living pressures are having on students. This is why we are reintroducing means-tested maintenance grants from the 2028/29 academic year, providing students with up to £1,000 extra support each year, rega...
Answered 16 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordFree School Meals: EligibilityDepartment for EducationTabled 27 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108605More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of reviewing the No Recourse to Public Funds income thresholds to ensure equity of eligibility for all children when expanding access to the free school meal
Answer: The department has permanently extended free school meal eligibility to children in all households with no recourse to public funds, provided they meet income thresholds set out in public guidance.This ensures that children can access support regardless o...
Answered 4 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordHearing Impairment: ChildrenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108181More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on developing national guidance for Auditory Verbal therapy for deaf children since March 2025; and whether he plans to establish a timeline for publishing tha
Answer: Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of services to meet the needs of their local populations, including services for non-hearing children. NHS England supports ICBs to make informed decisions about the provisi...
Answered 13 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: Washington and Gateshead SouthDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106309More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners in Washington and Gateshead South constituency are covered by the pension triple lock.
Answer: Caseload statistics for State Pensions are available via Stat-Xplore - Log in. The latest published data currently relate to the quarter ending May 2025. The State Pensions Triple Lock applies to recipients of the core element of State Pension. Based on l...
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPoverty: Washington and Gateshead SouthDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106308More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of measures to reduce child poverty on children in Washington and Gateshead South constituency.
Answer: Estimates of the total impact on low income poverty levels, and the number of children gaining, from the main changes included in the strategy for the United Kingdom as a whole are available here: Child Poverty Strategy: Impact on low income poverty level...
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPolice: Washington and Gateshead SouthHome OfficeTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106301More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure adequate policing in Washington and Gateshead South constituency.
Answer: The Government’s Safer Streets Mission sets a clear expectation for policing to deliver safer communities and improved public confidence. An effective, well-supported police service is central to achieving this.For 2025-26, a total of up to £422.2 million...
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Sector: Washington and Gateshead SouthTreasuryTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106300More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many public sector workers have received an above-inflation pay rise in Washington and Gateshead South constituency since 5 July 2024.
Answer: We value all our public sector workers, and pay awards reflect the important work that our nurses, teachers, doctors, prison officers and soldiers do to keep the country running.The overwhelming majority of awards announced in 2025/26, including for all o...
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: Washington and Gateshead SouthDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 106299More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress he has made in meeting the 18-week referral-to-treatment standard in Washington and Gateshead South constituency.
Answer: The Washington and Gateshead South constituency is served by the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB). Performance against the 18-week Referral to Treatment standard for this ICB has improved from 68.9% to 70.5% since the Government ca...
Answered 22 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSchool Meals: StandardsDepartment for EducationTabled 14 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105648More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to launch the consultation on updating school food standards.
Answer: The department aims to revise the school food standards and is engaging with stakeholders to ensure they support our work to create the healthiest generation of children in history. We intend to consult on these revisions and further details on timings wi...
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordFireworks: RegulationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105173More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to adopt a UK-wide model similar to the Fireworks and Pyrotechnics Act (Scotland) 2022.
Answer: There are currently no plans to adopt a model similar to the Fireworks and Pyrotechnics Act (Scotland) 2022 on a UK-wide basis.I recently met with Siobhian Brown MSP, Minister for Victims and Community Safety in the Scottish Government to understand the i...
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordFireworks: SmugglingDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105172More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment of the fireworks black market his Department has made to determine whether further restrictions on sales and use of fireworks would fuel illegal trade.
Answer: No recent formal assessment of the fireworks legislation has been made including whether further restrictions on sales and use would fuel illegal trade or whether the 120 dB noise limit for consumer firework is sufficient.I launched a public campaign on f...
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordFireworksDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105171More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made to determine whether the 120 dB noise limit for consumer fireworks is sufficient to protect animals and vulnerable people from harm.
Answer: No recent formal assessment of the fireworks legislation has been made including whether further restrictions on sales and use would fuel illegal trade or whether the 120 dB noise limit for consumer firework is sufficient.I launched a public campaign on f...
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordFireworksDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105170More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will conduct a review into fireworks legislation.
Answer: No recent formal assessment of the fireworks legislation has been made including whether further restrictions on sales and use would fuel illegal trade or whether the 120 dB noise limit for consumer firework is sufficient.I launched a public campaign on f...
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordFireworksDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 105169More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will meet with fireworks industry stakeholders, such as Fireworks Impact Coalition, to discuss calls for a comprehensive review of fireworks legislation.
Answer: I will continue to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on fireworks-related issues. I also recently met with the Scottish Government, and a number of MPs to discuss fireworks policy and hope to meet with the Fireworks ...
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSchool Meals: StandardsDepartment for EducationTabled 12 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104662More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has plans to introduce monitoring arrangements to assess compliance with the updated school food standards once they are in force.
Answer: The department aims to revise the School Food Standards and is engaging with stakeholders to ensure they support our work to create the healthiest generation of children in history. School governors and trustees have a statutory duty to ensure compliance,...
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHeat Batteries: VATTreasuryTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 101728More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered adding heat batteries to the list of Energy Saving Materials.
Answer: Installations of qualifying energy-saving materials (ESMs) in residential accommodation and buildings used solely for a charitable purpose benefit from a temporary VAT zero rate until March 2027, after which they will revert to the reduced rate of VAT at ...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHeat Batteries: VATTreasuryTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 101727More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she had made of the potential implications for her policies that heat batteries do not qualify for VAT relief through the Energy Saving Materials framework, while being MCS-certified and eligible for
Answer: Installations of qualifying energy-saving materials (ESMs) in residential accommodation and buildings used solely for a charitable purpose benefit from a temporary VAT zero rate until March 2027, after which they will revert to the reduced rate of VAT at ...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordEnergy: Small BusinessesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100838More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what measures are being introduced to protect and support small and medium-sized enterprises in the retrofit supply chain under the Energy Company Obligation and related schemes.
Answer: ECO4 has played a part in delivering clean heat technologies; however, issues identified by the NAO and PAC support a shift to a more direct, publicly-funded approach focused on technologies that cut bills and accelerate the transition to clean heat such ...
Answered 9 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordWarm Homes PlanDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100837More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the proposed timeline is for the implementation of the Warm Homes Plan, and what steps are being taken to ensure collaboration with local authorities, industry stakeholders, and consumer
Answer: The government remains committed to delivering the Warm Homes Plan which will be published soon. At the Autumn Budget 2024 the Chancellor announced an additional £1.5 billion of funding for the Warm Homes Plan, bringing total capital investment to almost ...
Answered 9 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordEnergy Company ObligationDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100836More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will set out the detailed allocation plan for the additional £1.5 billion funding for the Energy Company Obligation, including the timeline for disbursement and the criteria for priorit
Answer: ECO4 has played a part in delivering clean heat technologies; however, issues identified by the NAO and PAC support a shift to a more direct, publicly-funded approach focused on technologies that cut bills and accelerate the transition to clean heat such ...
Answered 9 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
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