Every parliamentary written question tabled by Clive Jones this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 501–504 of 504 · this parliament
What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of a western rail link to Heathrow Airport.
The Government is considering its position on future rail investment in the context of our critical missions and the availability of public finances.
Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to bring forward legislative proposals on banning the import of dogs with cropped ears.
Ear cropping has rightly been banned in the UK for over 15 years. Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, it is an offence in England and Wales to carry out a non-exempted mutilation e.g., where a surgical procedure is not carried out for medical purposes, such as the cropping of a dog’s ears. While the practice is illegal in the UK, we recognise that the current legislative framework can be abused by traders who import these dogs from abroad. As outlined in our manifesto, the Government is committed to ending puppy smuggling. We will clamp down on unscrupulous traders who prioritise profit over welfare. We are considering the most effective ways to deliver this and will be setting out next steps in due course.
Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to support the life science industry in (a) Berkshire and (b) the UK.
The government has supported Lonza’s plans to relocate and expand their Centre of Excellence for biologic molecules to Thames Valley Park, Berkshire. More broadly the government has published Invest 2035: the UK’s modern industrial strategy to drive long-term sustainable, inclusive and secure growth – securing investment into crucial sectors of the economy including life sciences. By ensuring the NHS works hand-in-hand with life sciences companies and research institutions, we will drive the development of new treatments and help grow our industries across every region of the UK.
Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support the screen and creative industries in (a) Berkshire and (b) the UK.
Our creative industries showcase the best of our creativity and culture to the world and drive both regional and national growth. They employ over 2 million people, are worth over £124 billion to the UK economy and have seen GVA growth twice that of the national rate. We will ensure that the sector can continue to drive growth, boost opportunities and help people to fulfil their creative potential across the UK, including in Berkshire. Our support includes:almost doubling studio capacity through funding for the British Film Commission of £6million over four years, which includes support for Shinfield and Bray studios in Berkshire;expanding the global reach of independent content through the £28 million UK Global Screen Fund;the screen sector tax relief (for film, high-end TV, animation, children’s TV, and video games) which supported over £10 billion of production for over 1000 projects between July 2023 and June 2024; and£13.4 million funding between 2022 and 2025 for the UK Games Fund to support independent video games studios and graduate talent.We’re also supporting the next generation of indie films with the introduction of the Independent Film Tax Credit, which will allow eligible films to apply for tax reliefs of 53% on qualifying expenditure up to £15 million, creating jobs and growth.Opportunities to drive growth exist across the whole of the UK and in places such as Berkshire, which has benefited from the £56 million Creative Industries Clusters programme. This funded the StoryFutures Cluster bringing together creative businesses and universities to provide a research platform to develop cutting edge technologies. We will be launching the next wave of the Clusters programme next year.Finally, the British Film Institute has committed £34.2 million National Lottery funding over 2023-2026 for education and skills programmes. This includes £8.1 million to develop skills clusters, one of which has been set up in Berkshire, led by Resource Productions, the University of Reading, and Shinfield Studios.