Uma Kumaran MP: written questions
84 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Equal PayWomen and EqualitiesTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29284More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) resources and (b) legal powers available to the Equality and Human Rights Commission in the context of the introduction of mandatory ethnicity and
Answer: As set out in the King’s Speech in July, the government is committed to introducing mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for large employers. These measures will be part of the upcoming Equality (Race and Disability) Bill.We will shortly b...
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: MediaCabinet OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29166More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 23666 on Cabinet Office: Media, which Ministers received that training.
Answer: Information about attendees of the training sessions is not being disclosed to protect individual confidentiality.
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordStalkingHome OfficeTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28398More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to set national standards on stalking perpetrator programmes.
Answer: Stalking is an insidious crime that can leave victims living in fear just going about their daily lives. That is why on 3 December the Government announced six new measures to tackle it and put victims first, making sure they can be protected at the earli...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordRights of Way: RiversDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28247More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including shared (a) walking and (b) cycling paths in the National River Walks.
Answer: We are committed to making the nine new river walks accessible to a wide range of users where it is feasible to do so, so that where possible they can benefit walkers, cyclists and horse riders.
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: Written QuestionsCabinet OfficeTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27818More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to respond to Question 23666 on Cabinet Office: Media, tabled on 13 January 2025.
Answer: I apologise to the Honourable Member for the delay in responding to her Parliamentary Question of 13 January. An answer has now been issued, as of 3 February.
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: TrainingCabinet OfficeTabled 30 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27817More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many (a) away days and (b) leadership conferences for senior civil servants his Department organised between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024; and what the cost of these were.
Answer: Between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024, the Cabinet Office has not organised any away days for Senior Civil Servants. During the same period, there were a total of seven leadership conferences for Senior Civil Servants. 27 October 2022£13,17019 January 2023£...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordSudan: Armed ConflictForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 28 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27014More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on alleged reports of (a) gender-based and (b) conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan.
Answer: The UK remains committed to tackling gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in Sudan. From 23-25 January, the Foreign Secretary visited Chad and travelled to the Sudan-Chad border. He spoke directly to Sudanese refugees, ...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordEqual Pay: Ethnic GroupsWomen and EqualitiesTabled 13 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23669More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to help tackle the ethnicity pay gap.
Answer: As set out in the King’s Speech in July, the government is committed to introducing mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for large employers. These measures will be part of the upcoming Equality (Race and Disability) Bill. We will shortly ...
Answered 21 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordHome Office: MediaHome OfficeTabled 13 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23668More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much their Department spent on (a) media and (b) voice training for Ministers between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024.
Answer: Between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024, the Department has spent £23668 on media and voice training for Ministers. This spend only came to light after the original answer was published.The training took place in 2023.
Answered 16 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Business and Trade: MediaDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23667More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much their Department spent on (a) media and (b) voice training for Ministers between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024.
Answer: The Department for Business and Trade has not spent anything on media and voice training for Ministers between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024.
Answered 20 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: MediaCabinet OfficeTabled 13 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23666More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much their Department spent on (a) media and (b) voice training for Ministers between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024.
Answer: The Cabinet Office routinely provides or procures media or voice training for Ministers and Senior Officials who carry out frequent or high-profile media appearances in the course of their official duties. The Cabinet Office spent c.£75,800 on this type o...
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPupils: AbsenteeismDepartment for EducationTabled 8 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 22833More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what (a) training and (b) support local authorities will receive to ensure the Children Not In School register does not inadvertently disadvantage parents of children with special educational needs.
Answer: The measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill for statutory Children Not in School registers in every local authority in England, and the accompanying duties on parents and out-of-school education providers to provide information for these reg...
Answered 16 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordMobile Phones: TheftHome OfficeTabled 16 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 20352More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with representatives of the mobile phone industry on (a) using technology to prevent stolen phones from being re-used and (b) the adequacy of security on banking phone
Answer: A series of meetings have already been held, and we will be holding a Home Office Mobile Phone Theft Summit, drawing together representatives from the mobile phone industry, including tech companies, and law enforcement to see what more can collectively b...
Answered 24 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordRented Housing: StudentsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19188More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of (a) regulations and (b) enforcement mechanisms to hold landlords accountable for non-compliance with housing standards in the stud
Answer: The government is committed to improving housing quality for students and will apply a Decent Homes Standard (DHS) to the private rented sector (PRS) for the first time to ensure homes are safe, secure and hazard free. This will include homes let to stude...
Answered 18 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordGreenhouse Gas EmissionsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19187More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to his Written Statement of 12 November 2024 on the UK’s 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution emissions reduction target under the Paris Agreement, HCWS206, what steps his D
Answer: The UK’s 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions by at least 81% on 1990 levels is an economy-wide target, covering all greenhouse gases, sectors and categories and aligned with limiting global warming to 1.5c...
Answered 18 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordClimate Change ConventionDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19186More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for (a) his policies and (b) the IPCC’s seventh assessment cycle of negotiations on the Global Stocktake at COP29 in Baku.
Answer: The UK is fully committed to taking forward the outcomes of the Global Stocktake, including through our recently announced 1.5 aligned Nationally Determined Contribution of at least 81% reduction in emissions by 2035 based on 1990 levels. We are disappoin...
Answered 18 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSyria: Politics and GovernmentForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19185More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts about (a) the role the UK will play in restarting Syria’s political process and (b) a timeline for poli
Answer: The UK is speaking regularly to regional and other partners about the situation in Syria. The Foreign Secretary has spoken to the UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria and a number of regional counterparts. I have also discussed developments...
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordAffordable Housing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17420More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to incentivise private developers to build more (a) social and (b) affordable homes.
Answer: The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December includes a number of changes to planning policy designed to support social and affordable housing delivery.The government is also committed to strengthening the existing system of dev...
Answered 16 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordAffordable Housing: Greater LondonMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17419More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of new social homes built across London; and what assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding for affordable hou
Answer: I refer my Hon Friend to my answer to Question UIN 11383 on 31 October 2024.
Answered 16 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordFamilies: Advisory ServicesDepartment for EducationTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17418More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to extend funding for independent, non-profit, specialist advice for families involved with the (a) child welfare and (b) family justice systems beyond March 2025.
Answer: The department is currently undertaking business planning to consider spending plans for the 2025/26 fiscal year following the Budget on 30 October. National Helpline services will form part of those considerations.
Answered 10 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordChildren: PovertyDepartment for EducationTabled 25 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16004More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will ensure that the requirements of children in migrant households are included in the child poverty strategy.
Answer: In developing a child poverty strategy, the child poverty taskforce is considering all children across the United Kingdom. The taskforce recognises the distinct challenges faced by migrant children. The causes of child poverty are deep-rooted, with soluti...
Answered 3 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordHomelessnessMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16003More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle hidden homelessness.
Answer: The Government recognises that homelessness levels are far too high, and this can have a devastating impact on those affected. We will look at these issues carefully, including issues around hidden homelessness, to make sure we put in place services that ...
Answered 3 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordStudents: DisadvantagedDepartment for EducationTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15561More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to (a) reintroduce maintenance grants and (b) another scheme to support students from low income families with the cost of living.
Answer: The government recognises the impact that the cost of living crisis has had on students. That is why we are increasing maximum loans for living costs for the 2025/26 academic year by 3.1%, in line with the forecast rate of inflation based on the RPI All I...
Answered 29 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordStudents: DisadvantagedDepartment for EducationTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15560More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of support available for students from low-income families.
Answer: The government recognises the impact that the cost of living crisis has had on students. That is why we are increasing maximum loans for living costs for the 2025/26 academic year by 3.1%, in line with the forecast rate of inflation based on the RPI All I...
Answered 29 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordStudents: LoansDepartment for EducationTabled 21 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15559More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a stepped repayment structure for student loan repayment plans.
Answer: The department is determined that the higher education (HE) funding system should deliver for our economy, for universities and for students. The government is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to ...
Answered 29 Nov 2024
Original Parliament record
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