Every parliamentary written question tabled by Zöe Franklin this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 41–60 of 295 · this parliament
Communities and Local Government, what protections are in place for the families of deceased leaseholders of retirement properties who continue to incur service charges while a property remains unsold.
The government recognises the importance of helping older people to live independently at home for as long as possible and is committed to enhancing provision and choice for older people in the housing market, including retirement or sheltered housing. We...
Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an estimate of the number of leasehold retirement properties that may be difficult for people to sell because of (a) high service charges and (b) associated f
The government recognises the importance of helping older people to live independently at home for as long as possible and is committed to enhancing provision and choice for older people in the housing market, including retirement or sheltered housing. We...
Whether she plans to introduce additional safe and legal routes for Afghan nationals at risk.
The Afghan schemes were never intended to operate indefinitely. On 1 July 2025, the Government announced the closure of the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy to new principal applications, and the closure of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme....
Whether her Department has considered the potential merits of the introduction of a GCSE qualification in Romanian.
The government is committed to supporting the teaching of modern foreign languages in England’s schools. Decisions about which languages to offer at GCSE in England are taken by four independent awarding organisations rather than by central government: AQ...
What assessment she has made of whether the complaints framework operated by the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education is fit for purpose in the context of current (a) higher education tuit
The Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) for Higher Education (HE) continues to perform well despite sustained year on year increases in the number of complaints it handles. Its latest annual report shows that over 90% of complaints were closed wit...
Whether councillors will continue to be able to claim allowable expenses against PAYE councillor income under Making Tax Digital for Income Tax; and what mechanism will apply for claiming such expenses.
I refer the honourable member to the answers provided in the responses to questions 89450 and 89451 Guidance, including information on who needs to sign up and what counts as qualifying income for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, is available on GOV.UK:...
Whether councillors whose only income is a PAYE councillor allowance and related expenses are within the scope of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
I refer the honourable member to the answers provided in the responses to questions 89450 and 89451 Guidance, including information on who needs to sign up and what counts as qualifying income for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, is available on GOV.UK:...
Whether HMRC has issued guidance for councillors on the application of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax; and whether further guidance is planned.
I refer the honourable member to the answers provided in the responses to questions 89450 and 89451 Guidance, including information on who needs to sign up and what counts as qualifying income for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, is available on GOV.UK:...
How councillor-related expenses should be reported under Making Tax Digital for Income Tax where a councillor also has self-employed or property income above the relevant threshold.
I refer the honourable member to the answers provided in the responses to questions 89450 and 89451 Guidance, including information on who needs to sign up and what counts as qualifying income for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, is available on GOV.UK:...
What steps his Department is taking to reduce the gap in healthy life expectancy between the country’s most and least deprived communities.
The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan sets out our ambitious commitment to halve the healthy life expectancy gap between the richest and poorest regions. We know that reducing the gap will require action on challenges that are more prevalent in areas with ...
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the freeze on Local Housing Allowance on levels of poverty among older private renters.
Awaiting answer.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of stopping the issuing of visas to Afghan nationals on the ability of those people to safe and legal routes for relocation and protection.
Awaiting answer.
What assessment she has made of the impact of pay levels on morale among police contact centre staff.
The Government has no statutory role in determining police staff pay and conditions of service which are agreed locally by Chief Constables, in consultation with trade unions.However, the Government recognises and deeply values the dedication of police staff. Their commitment to public service is exemplary, and the Government remains focused on ensuring they receive the support and recognition they need to carry out their vital roles.Every member of the police workforce is valuable in keeping the public safe. Police officers and staff work in partnership, and their combined skills are essential to delivering better outcomes for the public.
What assessment she has made of whether pay for police contact centre staff is sufficient to support recruitment and retention in high-cost areas such as Surrey.
The Government has no statutory role in determining police staff pay and conditions of service which are agreed locally by Chief Constables, in consultation with trade unions.However, the Government recognises and deeply values the dedication of police staff. Their commitment to public service is exemplary, and the Government remains focused on ensuring they receive the support and recognition they need to carry out their vital roles.Every member of the police workforce is valuable in keeping the public safe. Police officers and staff work in partnership, and their combined skills are essential to delivering better outcomes for the public.
What steps she is taking to ensure that pay for police contact centre staff reflects regional variations in the cost of living, including in Surrey.
The Government has no statutory role in determining police staff pay and conditions of service which are agreed locally by Chief Constables, in consultation with trade unions.However, the Government recognises and deeply values the dedication of police staff. Their commitment to public service is exemplary, and the Government remains focused on ensuring they receive the support and recognition they need to carry out their vital roles.Every member of the police workforce is valuable in keeping the public safe. Police officers and staff work in partnership, and their combined skills are essential to delivering better outcomes for the public.
If he will set out the contractual requirements that apply to independent sector providers delivering NHS-funded cataract surgery, including whether they are required to accept an appropriate case mix rather than lower-complexity patients.
Independent sector providers are commissioned and managed by integrated care boards (ICBs) under the terms of the NHS Standard Contract which applies the same standards of oversight and regulation as are applied to National Health Service providers.In the 10-Year Health Plan for England, we set out we would not tolerate ‘gaming’ the national payment tariff to cherry pick the simplest, most profitable cases. ICBs are expected to monitor this, and act decisively where they identify problems as part of a wider duty to safeguard and ensure value for taxpayer money.
What steps he is taking to support community pharmacies to improve accessibility for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or living with dual sensory loss; and whether he is taking steps to support the provision of reasonable adjustments, including hearing loops, to ensure patients can safely access advice and treatment.
The Department recognises the importance of ensuring community pharmacy services are safe and accessible to all patients, including those with sensory impairments. In addition to legal requirements under the Equality Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act 1998, pharmacy businesses have a duty to comply with the General Pharmaceutical Council’s (GPhC) standards for registered pharmacy premises. This requires pharmacies to provide an environment that is safe and accessible for all, taking reasonable steps to remove barriers for patients with disabilities. These standards emphasise the need for pharmacies to make adjustments to facilities and services, such as providing accessible entrances, hearing loops, and assistance for individuals with mobility or sensory challenges. To support community pharmacies in meeting their legal duties, the GPhC has issued equality guidance for pharmacies, which outlines best practices for supporting patients with a range of needs. NHS England is also rolling out a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag which enables the recording of key information about a disabled patient and the reasonable adjustments to care and treatment that they need, to ensure support can be tailored appropriately and equitably. This is being rolled out nationally across all healthcare settings and will help community pharmacies spot when a patient may need extra support.
What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of average waiting times for fact-finding hearings in the family courts; and what steps he is taking to reduce those waiting times.
This Government is committed to improving the performance of the Family Courts, and the Family Justice Board has agreed system-wide priorities and targets for reducing delay across England and Wales. While we do not have specific figures for the timeliness of fact-finding hearings, the latest published data shows a reduction in the national average case duration for both public and private law cases.The Government recently announced the national rollout of the Child Focused Model for private law over the next three years. It currently operates in 10 of 43 Family Court areas and seeks to enhance the experience of children and families. The model has additionally demonstrated a significant impact on timeliness and reductions in the number of average hearings per case. Cases are concluding between 11-30 weeks quicker and outstanding caseloads have been reduced by up to 50%.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of landfill tax rates on levels of fly-tipping; and whether she has made a comparative assessment of (a) revenue generated from landfill tax and (b) the cost to the public purse of clearing illegally dumped waste.
The Government does not have a legal duty to clear illegally dumped waste and is not funded to do so. The Government has not undertaken an assessment of the impact of landfill tax rates on levels of fly-tipping, neither has it made a comparative assessment of revenue generated from the landfill tax against the cost to the public purse of clearing illegally dumped waste.
Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with Ofcom on the adequacy of the pace of its ongoing investigation of a suicide forum that grooms users to die by suicide.
The Secretary of State has been clear Ofcom has full backing to use its enforcement powers and welcomes its investigation into extremely harmful suicide forums. Ofcom’s provisional decision published on 27 February is clear that unless its concerns are fully addressed, it will consider using all of the powers available to it, including, in most serious cases of non-compliance, imposing business disruption measures. One of the first things the Secretary of State did in the job was to make self-harm a priority offence under the Online Safet Act, triggering the strongest possible legal protections. She has been clear she will not hesitate to go further if needed and regularly talks to Ofcom about ensuring enforcement is strong.