Every parliamentary written question tabled by Alex Easton this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 21–40 of 236 · this parliament
Whether the Prime Minister had discussions with the Irish Government on the potential transfer of ownership or control of public assets in Northern Ireland to the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund.
The Prime Minister met the Taoiseach on March 13. A readout of discussions between the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach are made available on gov.uk.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of Vehicle Excise Duty changes on motorists in areas experiencing significant road maintenance issues, including potholes.
The Consolidated Fund receives the proceeds of VED along with most other tax revenues to support public services and investment in infrastructure, including vehicle infrastructure and road maintenance.To support motorists, by 2029/30, the government has committed over £2 billion annually for local authorities to repair, renew and fix potholes on their roads – doubling funding since coming into office.
Whether HM Treasury is considering proposals to transfer Northern Ireland public assets to any entity based in the Republic of Ireland.
HM Treasury has not participated in any recent discussions regarding the future ownership, management, or financing of Northern Ireland’s public services, including infrastructure, by the Irish Government or any of its agencies.
Whether his Department has been involved in discussions regarding the future ownership, management or financing of Northern Ireland public services or infrastructure by the Irish Government or its agencies.
The Northern Ireland Office has not participated in any discussions regarding the future ownership, management, or financing of Northern Ireland’s public services, including infrastructure by the Irish Government or any of its agencies.
Whether the Government is taking steps to support voluntary search and rescue organisations in Northern Ireland, including K9 Search and Rescue (NI); and whether he has had discussions with relevant departments on the provision of funding to assist such organisations in carrying out their work.
Co-ordination of land and inland water rescue is devolved, with search and rescue policy the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Department of Justice and co-ordination of land and inland water search and rescue operations falling to the Police Service of Northern Ireland. I have had no discussions on the provision of funding to assist such organisations but understand that the Northern Ireland Department of Justice provides approximately £100,000 of grant funding each year, which is shared across the current nine voluntary search and rescue organisations to help to sustain their capability.
If he will hold discussions with the devolved administrations to assess the potential merits of introducing a UK-wide screening programme for prostate cancer.
The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises ministers and the National Health Service in the four countries of the United Kingdom about all aspects of screening. The implementation of any UK NSC screening recommendation is a devolved matter.Officials from the devolved governments are observers at all UK NSC meetings, and the Department’s screening policy officials hold monthly catch-up meetings with their counterparts in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Sharing planning and development work across the four countries enables working in parallel where there is a shared desire to do so.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of recent instability and conflict in the Middle East on (a) wholesale oil prices and (b) domestic heating oil prices in Northern Ireland.
The Government is closely monitoring heating oil supply and price in light of instability in the Middle East. We recognise that wholesale oil price volatility is placing pressure on domestic heating oil costs, and we are engaging with industry to ensure supply and pricing remains resilient. The supply of heating oil is subject to competition and consumer protection laws overseen by the Competition and Markets Authority, who monitor for any irregularities. The Warm Homes Discount Scheme continues to be available for low income off-grid households reliant on heating oil, while we work to support a transition away from fossil fuels to strengthen long-term resilience. The government has and will continue to engage with the Northern Ireland Executive and continues to monitor developments in Northern Ireland.
Whether he has had recent discussions with UK Research and Innovation on increasing funding for research into invasive lobular breast cancer.
Government responsibility for delivering cancer research is shared between the Department for Health and Social Care, with research delivered by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, with research delivered via UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which includes the Medical Research Council (MRC). The Department for Health and Social Care and UKRI officials meet regularly to discuss a range of research investments to drive the maximum collective research impact on policy, practice, and individual lives.The MRC and the NIHR are committed to supporting the development of fundable research proposals in lobular breast cancer and continues to encourage researchers to submit high quality funding applications to funding programmes in this area.To further stimulate research in this area, in November 2025, the NIHR issued a highlight notice encouraging applications for new research into lobular breast cancer, to improve the detection, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term surveillance of patients.The Government recognises the crucial need for research into all forms of cancer, including lobular breast cancer. It remains committed to the role of research to drive a stronger collective understanding of the biology behind lobular breast cancer and to improve outcomes for women.
What assessment she has made of the potential merits of allocating and ring-fencing funding for strategic rail infrastructure in Northern Ireland.
Responsibility for rail infrastructure in Northern Ireland is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive. It is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive to allocate funding across devolved areas, and they are accountable to the Northern Ireland Assembly for these decisions.
Whether the Civil Society Covenant will have a role in the implementation of the National Year of Reading.
The National Year of Reading is a UK-wide campaign to address the steep decline in reading enjoyment amongst children, young people and adults. It is a department initiative, in collaboration with our delivery partner, the National Literacy Trust, who are leading the delivery of the campaign.The National Year of Reading is operating as a collective impact campaign, allowing multiple partners from a range of sectors to participate, including schools, libraries, publishers, booksellers, media companies, retailers, and charities. It supports the Civil Society Covenant’s aims to build effective partnerships across the breadth of civil society and government, working together to tackle the deep-seated challenges of our time.Tackling the long-term decline in reading for pleasure requires cross-sector support across the UK, as encompassed by the Go All In campaign which encourages everyone to get involved. The year includes a major physical and online marketing campaign, as well as exciting events, webinars, resources, and activities in communities, libraries, schools and early years settings across the UK throughout the year.
What steps she is taking to promote reading.
Reading for pleasure is hugely important and brings a range of benefits. That is why we have launched the National Year of Reading 2026, in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust. It aims to address long-term declines in reading enjoyment through engaging new audiences, reshaping public attitudes and building the systems needed to embed lasting, meaningful change. As part of this, we are providing £5 million of funding for secondary schools to purchase books to encourage reading for pleasure.The government has also committed £28.3 million this financial year to support and drive high and rising standards in reading. This includes supporting the teaching of reading across all primary stages and key stage 3 in secondary via the English Hubs programme. Furthermore, the government’s reading framework provides guidance on improving the teaching of reading, to ensure that every child is not only able to read proficiently but also develops a genuine love of reading.
What plans the department has to promote the National Year of Reading in a) early years settings, b) primary schools, c) secondary schools, d) further education and e) higher education.
The National Year of Reading is a UK-wide campaign to address long-term declines in reading enjoyment.It includes a major physical and online marketing campaign, as well as exciting events, webinars, resources, and activities in communities, libraries, schools and early years settings throughout the year. Reading together is one of the most powerful ways to build a child’s language and communication skills, strengthen early bonds, and spark a lifelong love of reading, which is why early years is one of the priority groups for the National Year of Reading.We are raising awareness of the National Year of Reading through a range of methods, such as via departmental communication channels, the National Year of Reading mailing list and social media, communications from the National Literacy Trust, and promotion via the English Hubs network.All interested parties are encouraged to sign up to the National Year of Reading website for more information: https://goallin.org.uk/.To further support reading for pleasure, this government has committed over £10 million of dormant assets funding to guarantee a library for every primary school by the end of this parliament, and a further £5 million for secondary schools to purchase books to encourage reading enjoyment amongst their pupils.
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to promote equality and inclusion as part of the National Year of Reading.
The National Year of Reading is a UK-wide campaign designed to tackle the steep decline in reading enjoyment amongst children, young people and adults, and to engage new audiences in reading. It aims to make lasting change to the nation’s reading habits and is for everyone, including adults, children, families and communities, reflecting that the decline in reading enjoyment affects all sectors of society. However, there will be a targeted focus on certain priority groups: boys aged 10 to16, parents from disadvantaged communities, and early years children.‘Go All In’ is a fully inclusive campaign, encouraging people to read about whatever interests them, through any genre and all mediums of reading, from physical books, to comics, to e-readers. The campaign includes support from a diverse range of authors, celebrities and content creators representing a range of different ages, backgrounds and cultures from communities across the UK. The campaign will reach communities across the UK through schools, libraries, businesses and local partners. Libraries, as free to access community hubs, will play a central role in supporting participation and helping people of all ages and from all sectors of society to develop a lasting love of reading.
Media and Sport, whether Young Futures Hubs will have a role in the implementation of the National Year of Reading.
The National Year of Reading is a Department for Education initiative, in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust. Young Futures Hubs will bring together services to improve access to opportunities and support for young people at community level, promoting positive outcomes and enabling them to thrive. Local Authorities participating in the programme will co-design the services in each hub alongside young people in the community to ensure it meets local needs. Young Futures Hubs are just one part of delivering support within a much wider youth landscape, and will work closely with core services and wider initiatives spanning youth, education, employment, social care, mental health, youth justice and policing.
What plans the department has to support the National Year of Reading in Northern Ireland.
I recently hosted the East West Council in Belfast where the Minister for Early Years noted the significant collaboration between all four nations of the UK to support the National Year of Reading. Education is a devolved matter and is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive. Decisions about the National Year of Reading in Northern Ireland are for the Northern Ireland Education Minister. This Government remains committed to working with partners across the United Kingdom to collaborate to share best practices and I look forward to seeing how this great initiative progresses throughout the year.
How many administrative letters to individuals under the on-the-runs scheme were issued broken down by year.
This information is publicly available at Appendix 4: Chronology of The Report of the Hallet Review: An Independent Review into the On the Runs Administrative Scheme, which can be found here.
What discussions he has had with stakeholders on his Department's modelling of workforce numbers in the 10 Year Workforce Plan.
The Government will publish the 10 Year Workforce Plan in spring 2026. This plan will set out action to create a National Health Service workforce which is able to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. It is important we do this in a robust and joined up way. We are therefore engaging extensively with partners to ensure this plan delivers for staff and patients.That engagement began well before the call for evidence was closed. In early November, ministers hosted an event with nearly one hundred representatives of partner organisations to hear views from across the health system.Engagement is now continuing while we analyse the submissions to our call for evidence, including a roundtable with medical royal colleges on 14 January, which I chaired.We have committed to publishing regular workforce planning. This will start with the 10-Year Workforce Plan, which will include updated workforce modelling and its underlying assumptions when published in spring 2026. The updated workforce modelling will be subject to independent scrutiny by our appointed external scrutiny panel.
Food and Rural Affairs, what response she has given to the US Administration's letter to her Department regarding trophy hunting.
The Government is committed to banning the import of hunting trophies from species of conservation concern. We continue to engage constructively with a wide range of stakeholders, including other Governments, to understand different perspectives and ensure we can implement a robust ban. Baroness Hayman met with a representative of the United States Government in July 2025 to discuss the UK Government’s proposed ban on the import of hunting trophies. There have been no further ministerial‑level discussions with the United States Government on this issue since this meeting.
What consideration he has given to ring-fencing any element of the Local Growth Fund allocation for Northern Ireland for community and voluntary sector services.
The Northern Ireland Office; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Northern Ireland Executive have worked to provide community and voluntary sector organisations with the certainty they need to plan for this year. The RDEL element of the Local Growth Fund in 2026/27 will be split between economic inactivity provision delivery partners and Go Succeed, in the same proportion to funding received in 2025/26 under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This was agreed between the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive. The record £19.3bn settlement for the Spending Review period - as well as the £370m announced at the Budget - provides the Northern Ireland Executive with the means to provide additional funding to support the voluntary and community sector, should they wish to do so.
What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Northern Ireland Executive on re-profiling the Local Growth Fund allocation for Northern Ireland to increase the resource element.
Following the announcement of the Local Growth Fund in Northern Ireland at the Spending Review in June 2025, I have had regular engagement with the Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government, as well as Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive, as we continue to work in partnership on the design and delivery of the Fund.