Will Forster MP: written questions
417 published records · newest first.
Written questions
PharmacyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50791More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will have discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on ensuring the provision of community pharmacies in new housing developments.
Answer: Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served by local pharmacies. Legislation requires PNAs to include consideration of the future need for ph...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPackaging: RecyclingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50456More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging on local authorities in the (a) 2025-26, (b) 2026-27 and (c) 2027-28 fin
Answer: In October 2024, this Government published an updated impact assessment for the introduction of Extended Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR), which includes an assessment of the impact of introducing the pEPR scheme on Local Authorities at an aggregate le...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPensions Ombudsman: StandardsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50405More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of waiting times for cases to be allocated to a Resolution Specialist at The Pensions Ombudsman.
Answer: The Pension Ombudsman (TPO) has experienced a significant increase in complaints over the past several years, and this trend is continuing. This has impacted on waiting times for cases to be allocated to a resolution specialist. In response to this pressu...
Answered 14 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPharmacyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50404More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to support community pharmacies.
Answer: For 2025/26, funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework has been increased to £3.073 billion. This represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service, at over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26.There is also...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPharmacyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 6 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50403More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what comparative assessment his Department has made of pharmacy provision in (a) England and (b) Scotland.
Answer: As is custom and practice when considering policy development for England, we regularly examine and consider the services that are commissioned from pharmacies in a range of other jurisdictions. This includes regular liaison with Wales, Scotland, and Nort...
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordUkraine: RefugeesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 47132More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to seize Russian oligarchs’ UK homes to house Ukrainian refugees.
Answer: Since the launch of the UK's Ukraine schemes, 219,400 Ukrainians have arrived in the UK as of December 2024, in part thanks to the immense generosity of the British public.Designated individuals and entities do not forfeit ownership of assets frozen in th...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordTax Evasion: ProsecutionsTreasuryTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46574More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the effective prosecution of tax evasion.
Answer: HMRC is not a prosecuting authority, however they have a strong and effective working relationship with their prosecuting partners – the Crown Prosecution Service, Public Prosecution Service, and Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. HMRC works clos...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPupils: HomelessnessDepartment for EducationTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46573More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking with local authorities to ensure that homeless children receive additional (a) educational and (b) pastoral support in schools.
Answer: Too often, opportunity for children and young people is defined by their background. Children whose families are experiencing homelessness face barriers to education and this is not acceptable. The Opportunity Mission will break the link between young peo...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy Performance Certificates: IndustryDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46572More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of EPC rating requirements for industrial buildings; and what steps he is taking to support small manufacturers in meeting
Answer: Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) regulations consider the energy efficiency of buildings to ensure they are futureproofed for any usage, irrespective of the occupant. MHCLG also recently published a consultation on EPC reform to ensure they are a...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordApprenticeship LevyDepartment for EducationTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46571More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to extend the eligibility of the Apprenticeship Levy to include (a) pre-employment and (b) employability schemes.
Answer: The government’s new levy-funded growth and skills offer will introduce greater flexibility to employers and learners in England, creating routes into good, skilled jobs in growing industries, aligned with the government’s industrial strategy. This will i...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordWarm Homes Plan: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46570More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to take steps to support the scale-up of low-carbon heat networks in the Warm Homes Plan; and what recent discussions he has had with Ofgem on the effectiveness o
Answer: The forthcoming Warm Homes Plan will set out the Government’s vision for upgrading and decarbonising buildings so that they are fit for the future, including through heat networks. In January 2026, Ofgem will assume its role as heat network market regulat...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordStudents: Fees and ChargesDepartment for EducationTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46569More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department monitors the fee levels charged by higher education providers to (a) Ukrainian students and (b) other students.
Answer: The government sets the maximum fees that higher education (HE) providers can charge home fee students on undergraduate courses. HE providers are autonomous and responsible for setting their own fees up to the maximum caps provided for in legislation. The...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordOverseas Students: UkraineDepartment for EducationTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46568More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 27 March 2025 to Question 42205 on Overseas Students: Ukraine, what is meant by the term generally in relation to Ukrainian refugees qualifying for (a) home fee status and (b) student
Answer: The government sets the maximum fees that higher education (HE) providers can charge home fee students on undergraduate courses. HE providers are autonomous and responsible for setting their own fees up to the maximum caps provided for in legislation. The...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPackaging: RecyclingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46567More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme on meeting the Government’s circular economy goals.
Answer: Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) is the first step in realising the Government’s circular economy manifesto commitment. This forms part of a set of interconnected reforms, including Simpler Recycling in England, the Plastic Packaging ...
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordConstruction: TrainingDepartment for EducationTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45398More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to amend the Construction Industry Training Board’s legislative scope order to include (a) plumbing and (b) electrical work.
Answer: Plumbing and electrical works are excluded from the Industrial Training Board’s (ITBs) current legislative scope order.The 2023 independent review of the two remaining ITBs, Construction and Engineering Construction, recommended that there should be consu...
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordBeer: InvestmentDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45397More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme on brewers’ ability to invest in the UK; and what discussions he has had with the Secretary of
Answer: In October 2024, the Government published an updated assessment of the impact of introducing the pEPR scheme on packaging producers as a whole. This impact assessment did not split the assessment by sector.
Answered 29 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCommunity CareDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45396More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support and expand Urgent Community Response teams.
Answer: Increasing access to urgent community response (UCR) services is a requirement within the 2025/26 NHS Operational Planning guidance, with integrated care board plans showing increases in capacity across the country. UCR also features as a key service with...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCommunity CareDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 45395More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of enabling urgent community response teams to administer urgent care at home.
Answer: Increasing access to urgent community response (UCR) services is a requirement within the 2025/26 NHS Operational Planning guidance, with integrated care board plans showing increases in capacity across the country. UCR also features as a key service with...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: Aid WorkersForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43754More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many British aid workers are in Gaza.
Answer: We do not have exact figures for the number of British aid workers in Gaza. Humanitarian partners in Gaza are not required to provide staffing numbers to the UK government.
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: Occupied TerritoriesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43749More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to formally respond to the International Court of Justice judgment on Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian Territories.
Answer: The UK is fully committed to international law and respects the independence of the International Court of Justice. We continue to consider the Court's Advisory Opinion carefully, with the seriousness and rigour it deserves.
Answered 23 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordM25: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43669More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to provide additional funding to highway authorities affected by the M25/A3 roadworks to cover the increased wear and tear and maintenance costs on diversion routes.
Answer: The strategic and local road networks are frequently used to support diversions for one another, typically without the need for compensation from either party. From the early stages of the project, extensive engagement was undertaken with Surrey County Co...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordOverseas Students: UkraineDepartment for EducationTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42205More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the fee status is of Ukrainian refugees when applying for university; which fee level they fall under; and what financial support they are provided with.
Answer: Those who have been granted leave under one of the Ukraine schemes generally qualify for home fee status and higher education student support in England, without being required to meet the normal 3 year ordinary residence test.Higher education providers s...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGCSE: Sign LanguageDepartment for EducationTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42158More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a British Sign Language GCSE.
Answer: The department is in the process of developing a British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE. This landmark GCSE is an important step towards greater recognition of BSL as a language and will foster better communication between Deaf and hearing communities.The depar...
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGCSE: Ukrainian LanguageDepartment for EducationTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42156More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a GCSE in Ukrainian.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member for Woking to the answer of 2 April 2025 to Question HL5393.
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEstonia: Armed Forces and Armoured Fighting VehiclesMinistry of DefenceTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42155More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) troops, (b) tanks and (c) other military vehicles the United Kingdom had in Estonia on 27 March (i) 2025 and (ii) 2021.
Answer: Since 2017, the UK has been the Framework Nation to Estonia as part of the NATO construct, enhanced Force Presence (eFP). This construct provides members of the Alliance positioned along the Eastern Flank of NATO (Host Nations) with bilateral guarantees f...
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament record
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