Every parliamentary written question tabled by Connor Naismith this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 21–40 of 157 · this parliament
Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the rollout of full fibre broadband infrastructure does not result in prolonged loss of service for households; and whether she has ha
Government works in partnership with communications providers to ensure that networks remain secure, resilient, and accessible, including during emergencies and service disruption. There are statutory obligations on communications providers to take approp...
How many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions under the Hunting Act 2004 there have been in each of the last five years and whether he has considered changes to evidential thresholds for offences under the Huntin
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on prosecutions and convictions for a wide variety of offences in the Outcomes by Offences data tool including offences under the Hunting Act 2004. Data related to the years 2021 – 2025 can be downloaded from the Cri...
Food and Rural Affairs, (a) what review her Department has undertaken of the exemptions listed in Schedule 1 to the Hunting Act 2004, (b) whether she plans to amend or remove exemptions relating to the stalki
This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans in a generation to improve animal welfare and that is exactly what we will do. This Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting, that truly protects our countrys...
Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to introduce a statutory difference between drag hunting using synthetic scents and activities involving animal-based scent trails.
On 26 March, Defra launched a Consultation on Proposals to Prohibit Trail Hunting in England and Wales seeking views on how to deliver a ban in England and Wales, including on any potential implications for drag hunting. All responses to the consultation ...
Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential risk of trail hunting being used to circumvent the Hunting Act 2004.
The Government is aware of concerns on this point. On 26 March, Defra launched a Consultation on Proposals to Prohibit Trail Hunting in England and Wales inviting views on the Government’s proposed approach to implementing a ban. All responses to the cons...
Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to bring forward reforms to the Hunting Act 2004 beyond a ban on trail hunting; and whether she has consulted (a) police forces, (b) prosecutors and (c) animal welfar
This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans in a generation to improve animal welfare and that is exactly what we will do. This Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting, that truly protects our countrys...
What assessment she has made of trends in the use of Skilled Worker visas by UK airlines to recruit non-UK national airline pilots; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that qualified UK-
The aviation industry is a multinational sector which seeks qualified employees from a range of employment markets. The points-based system aims to strike the right balance between business access to labour and protecting resident workers.There have been ...
What assessment she has made of the adequacy of current school attendance enforcement policies in relation to parents with shared custody arrangements; and what plans her Department has to update guidance to lo
The department’s guidance sets out that schools and local authorities should take a support first approach when working with families to ensure that their children regularly attend, and that they must consider whether a penalty notice for absence is appro...
What steps her Department is planning to take to reduce taxes on pensioners.
The Government wishes to encourage pension saving to help ensure that people have funds to draw on throughout retirement. That is why, for the majority of savers, pension contributions made from income during working life are tax-free. This makes pension...
Whether the Government intends to exercise the break clause in the NHS Federated Data Platform contract with Palantir Technologies UK Ltd.
The NHS Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP) safely connects information from different systems across the National Health Service into a single, secure environment. This allows staff to co-ordinate care to improve outcomes for patients. The NHS FDP is del...
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department is taking steps to make private landlords responsible for tackling anti-social behaviour caused by their tenants, particularly where it impacts neighbourin
Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.We will crack down on those making neighbourhoods feel unsafe and unwelcoming by introducing the new Respect Order, which local authorities w...
Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of regulations for making private landlords accountable for anti-social behaviour caused by their tenants; and whethe
Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.We will crack down on those making neighbourhoods feel unsafe and unwelcoming by introducing the new Respect Order, which local authorities w...
Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that housing developers remain responsible for the maintenance and rectification of roads, pavements and associated infrastructure on completed housing developments where (a) such assets have not yet been adopted by the local authority and (b) no management company is in place.
Awaiting answer.
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of social landlords allocating properties through local authority housing allocation schemes before those homes are ready for occupation on households and local authorities; and whether his Department plans to introduce new standards or enforcement mechanisms to help prevent this practice.
Awaiting answer.
(a) whether her Department monitors roads with a high number of serious traffic collisions, including fatalities; (b) whether her Department has provided guidance to local authorities on reviewing and intervening on these roads; and (c) if she will consider introducing national criteria or minimum thresholds to ensure that frequent collision hotspots are subject to regular review and remedial action.
The Department does not directly monitor individual roads for collision risk. Instead, it collects national reported road traffic collision statistics, while local highway authorities are responsible for analysing collisions on their own networks and taking appropriate action. A range of guidance has been published to support local highway authorities in reviewing and improving safety on their road networks. This includes Setting Local Speed Limits, which supports decisions on appropriate speeds, and Manual for Streets, which provides guidance on the design of streets to improve safety for all road users. Through the recently published Road Safety Strategy, the Department has committed to updating relevant guidance. There are no current plans to introduce national criteria or minimum thresholds for the review of collision hotspots. Decisions about reviewing and intervening on specific roads are matters for local highway authorities, which are best placed to consider local circumstances. The Department will continue to support local authorities through guidance.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Making Tax Digital reforms on childminders who (a) employ assistants and (b) operate from their own homes and have fixed property‑related costs, including the proposed removal of the 10 per cent wear‑and‑tear allowance for those with qualifying income above £50,000.
Childminders make a significant contribution to children’s development, learning, and wellbeing. The Government has eased rules on working from schools and community centres and increased early years funding rates above 2023 average fees. These increases reflect increased costs, and from April 2026, local authorities must pass at least 97 per cent of funding to providers. Only a small proportion of childminders with qualifying income over £50,000 have been mandated into Making Tax Digital (MTD) for income tax from April 2026. Childminders moving to MTD for income tax can continue to claim tax relief for household costs, wear and tear of household items and furniture, and food and drink, by deducting actual business costs. This ensures childminders receive tax relief for all of the costs that they incur in relation to their childminding business. The Government has recently published updated guidance for childminders to help them claim relief for these costs. The Government will monitor the impact of MTD for income tax on childminders and other home-based childcare providers in the same way as it will for all sole traders moving to MTD for income tax. We will also review the impacts of moving from the 10% deduction to actual costs for wear and tear claims.
What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the private hire vehicle licensing framework in supporting traditional private hire operators and app-based platforms operating across multiple local authority areas.
The taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of the sector could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need. The Department issues guidance to licensing authorities in England to help achieve consistency in the application of licensing requirements. We are seeking a power through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to enable the setting of national standards to ensure robust standards are applied by all licensing authorities.
Whether the Department plans to review or update the statutory framework for private hire licensing to reflect changes in technology and operating models since the legislation was introduced.
The taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of the sector could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need. The Department issues guidance to licensing authorities in England to help achieve consistency in the application of licensing requirements. We are seeking a power through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to enable the setting of national standards to ensure robust standards are applied by all licensing authorities.
What mechanisms exist to help ensure consistency in the application of private hire licensing rules across local authorities.
The taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of the sector could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need. The Department issues guidance to licensing authorities in England to help achieve consistency in the application of licensing requirements. We are seeking a power through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to enable the setting of national standards to ensure robust standards are applied by all licensing authorities.
What guidance she provides to local licensing authorities on what constitutes an operating base for private hire operators; and whether the Department has assessed the adequacy of existing definitions in the context of app-based operator models.
No guidance has been issued on this matter. An ‘operating base’ is not defined in law. All guidance is kept under review and the need for any amendments or additions considered. The Department consulted on revised best practice guidance in 2022 and it was subsequently updated in 2023. The licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of taxis and private hire vehicles could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need.