Every parliamentary written question tabled by Luke Taylor this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 41–60 of 355 · this parliament
Whether he plans to establish an independent judge-led review into the Ministry of Defence’s handling of the circumstances surrounding the 1994 Mull of Kintyre Chinook crash.
The Chinook Justice Campaign have submitted a formal claim to the Ministry of Defence for a Judicial Review of our decision to reject the demand for an independent judge-led inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the crash. This process is ongoing and...
What the evidential basis is for changes to the Access to Work awards.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that the Overseas Territories introduce Public Registers of Beneficial Ownership.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on this issue during the most recent session of departmental oral questions on 21 April, and to my Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS1237) following the Joint Ministerial Council on 13 January.
What steps she is taking to improve protections for journalists and media organisations in the UK against threats carried out by foreign states.
The Home Office does not comment on operational matters. I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given on 13 April to Question 125072.The Government's top priority is our national security, and we will use all the tools at our disposal to protect the UK, and its people, from state threats. Any attempt by a foreign state to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will not be tolerated, and will be thoroughly investigated.The Home Office works closely with other government departments as well as relevant agencies and law enforcement to protect people identified as being at risk. The National Security Act 2023 provides the security services and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to deter, detect, and disrupt modern-day state threats. The National Protective Security Authority and Counter Terrorism Policing will continue to provide protective security advice and support to individuals and organisations threatened by states.It is vital that journalists are able to continue their jobs without the fear of attack or threat. A free and robust media is essential - for national security, for human rights, and for democratic governance. That is why we remain an important member of the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC), which we co-founded in 2019.Anyone who thinks they might be a victim should report incidents or suspicious activity to the Police via 101, a local police station, or 999 in emergencies.
Whether she is taking steps to strengthen protections for journalists and media organisations in the UK against threats from foreign states.
The Government's top priority is our national security, and we will use all the tools at our disposal to protect the UK, and its people, from state threats. Any attempt by a foreign state to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will not be tolerated, and will be thoroughly investigated.The Home Office works closely with other government departments as well as relevant agencies and law enforcement to protect people identified as being at risk. The National Security Act 2023 provides the security services and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to deter, detect, and disrupt modern-day state threats. The National Protective Security Authority and Counter Terrorism Policing will continue to provide protective security advice and support to individuals and organisations threatened by states.It is vital that journalists are able to continue their jobs without the fear of attack or threat. A free and robust media is essential - for national security, for human rights, and for democratic governance. That is why we remain an important member of the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC), which we co-founded in 2019.Anyone who thinks they might be a victim should report incidents or suspicious activity to the Police via 101, a local police station, or 999 in emergencies.
What assessment she has made of the success of the Loan Charge and HMRC’s approach to dealing with so-called disguised remuneration schemes.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answers I gave on 9 February 2026 to UIN 109841, 109843, 109842, and the answer I gave on 27 February to UIN 114103.
What assessment she has made of the value-for-money to the taxpayer of the Loan Charge.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answers I gave on 9 February 2026 to UIN 109841, 109843, 109842, and the answer I gave on 27 February to UIN 114103.
What estimate she has made of the number of outstanding cases of people liable to the loan charge that will be settled as a result of the McCann Review.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answers I gave on 9 February 2026 to UIN 109841, 109843, 109842, and the answer I gave on 27 February to UIN 114103.
Whether she plans to offer the same settlement terms that will be provided in the settlement opportunity resulting from the implementation of the McCann Review to those that have already settled with HMRC.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answers I gave on 9 February 2026 to UIN 109841, 109843, 109842, and the answer I gave on 27 February to UIN 114103.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure freedom of worship at holy sites in Jerusalem.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 14 April in response to Questions 124030-34.
Whether he plans to publish an impact assessment of the proposed changes to NICE’s cost-effectiveness threshold in the context of a pharmaceutical agreement with the US.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Oxford West and Abingdon on 4 March to question 114047.
If he will ring-fence funding to enable the mass procurement and delivery of NHS meningitis B vaccines to groups identified by clinical experts as being at increased risk.
Decisions on eligibility for routine vaccination programmes are taken by the department on the basis of independent scientific advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).In 2015, following review of the epidemiology, disease burden, vaccine safety and efficacy, and cost-effectiveness analysis, the JCVI recommended that young infants should be routinely vaccinated against meningococcal B (MenB) with the aim of providing optimal protection as early as possible, as this age group had the highest disease incidence.In response to the meningitis outbreak in Kent, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has asked the JCVI to review eligibility for MenB vaccination in older children and young adults. As ever, the Government will carefully consider JCVI advice.
What measures she will take to ensure that those now travelling to the UK with dual passports will not have their journeys impacted too heavily by the recent changes introduced.
We recognise that the enforcement of ETAs by carriers is a significant change, and so we have taken steps including the provision of additional temporary guidance on possible alternative documentation, and have put in place around the clock support for carriers to respond to these changes. The Member may wish to refer to the Written Ministerial Statement issued on 25 February for further detail.
If he will implement meningitis monitoring on university campuses.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is an expert scientific advisory committee that advises the Government on the eligibility for vaccination and immunisation programmes. The JCVI has been consulted on the immediate vaccine response to the outbreak and clinical effectiveness of potential future outbreak response vaccination strategies.On the 17 March, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, also announced to the House of Commons that he would ask the JCVI to review eligibility for meningococcal B vaccination. The JCVI will conduct a full assessment of the cost-effectiveness of a routine adolescent meningococcal B vaccination programme and provide a complete and formal response to my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, as soon as practicable.
Innovation and Technology, if she will ensure that the Charity Research Support Fund provides sustainable funding to the Institute of Cancer Research.
The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) receives funding from a range of public and charitable sources. This includes significant funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and from charities like the Wellcome Trust, Cancer Research UK and Breast Cancer Now. As part of this Government provides the ICR nearly £9 million in Charity Research Support funding (CRSF) as part of its Quality Related research funding. This is awarded in recognition of ICRs charitable research income in line with the treatment of other universities in receipt of charity research grants. CRSF may be used to improve the sustainability of charity research.
What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme in regulating the activities of foreign actors seeking to advance political agendas in the UK.
The Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) enhances transparency and early disruption by requiring individuals and organisations acting at the direction of specified foreign powers or foreign power controlled entities to register certain activities. It does not regulate the activity of foreign actors.The Government will keep the effectiveness of the scheme under close review. We will be publishing an annual report setting out, among other things, the number of registrations across both tiers, number of information notices issued, the number of persons charged with an offence and the number of persons convicted of an offence. The first report will be published as soon as practicable after 30 June 2026.A statutory review of the legislation will be undertaken after five years in the usual way, which will consider how the scheme has worked in practice and how far its objectives have been met.
What steps her Department is taking to help tackle the unrestricted sale of e-bikes that are not type-approved for road use; and what consideration she has given to introducing tighter sales restrictions.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency have market surveillance powers to tackle the supply of e-bikes, including modified e-bikes, where users are being deliberately misled about where such vehicles can and cannot be used. In addition, the police have the power to seize such vehicles where they are used on the road under Section 165A of the Road Traffic Act 1988. This is because they would be being ridden without insurance. The Secretary of State is not considering any tighter restrictions on sales.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of compensation paid to victims of collisions involving illegal e-bikes and e-scooters on annual insurance premiums.
The Secretary of State has made no such assessment. The setting of premiums is a commercial decision for insurers, and the Government does not intervene or seek to control the market.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she plans to take to protect the UK’s national security, in the context of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Nature Security Assessment on Global Biodiversity Loss, Ecosystem Collapse and National Security, published on 20 January 2026.
The Nature security assessment forms part of routine cross-government resilience planning and complements the UK’s National Security Strategy, National Risk Register and Chronic Risk Analysis. Climate change and nature loss act as risk multipliers, increasing pressures on food systems, water security and global stability. Assessing these risks helps ensure the UK is better prepared to anticipate, respond to, and mitigate future challenges. The UK is already taking action to address the potential risks identified in the assessment. Internationally, the UK is investing in forest and ocean protection and is on track to invest £11.6bn of International Climate Finance between 2021 to 2026, including £3bn for vital habitats such as tropical rainforests and marine ecosystems, and to support indigenous communities. The Government recognises that food security is national security. As set out in the UK Food Security Report 2024, our production and trade remain stable, but risks from nature loss, water insecurity and climate change post challenges to long-term resilience. We are supporting domestic food production through investment in sustainable farming, innovation and technology, and by rewarding farmers for environmentally sustainable production. This includes a record £11.8 billion investment in sustainable farming over this Parliament.
How she plans to undertake loan charge settlement for those impacted prior to December 2010.
This Government recognised that concerns continued to be raised about the loan charge and that some felt strongly that this had not been handled appropriately. The Government therefore commissioned an independent review of the loan charge to bring the matter to a close for those affected, ensure fairness for all taxpayers and ensure that appropriate support is in place for those subject to the loan charge. The settlement opportunity will only include disguised remuneration scheme use between December 2010 and April 2019 because this is the period during which the loan charge applies.The settlement opportunity will not apply to other tax avoidance schemes that are not within scope of the loan charge. In those cases, HMRC will continue to work with taxpayers to resolve their cases in line with existing legislation and case law. HMRC is committed to working sensitively and pragmatically with taxpayers to reach settlement. This includes by offering flexible payment terms where people need more time to pay their liabilities.