Written questions

5,143 written questions tabled, most recent first.

12 Mar 2024 · Department for Business and Trade

Export Controls: Standards

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what processes her Department has in place to (a) meet sudden increased demand and (b) delays in processing applications for export licences.

12 Mar 2024 · Department for Business and Trade

Department for Business and Trade: Training

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what (a) training and (b) support her Department provides to civil servants processing export licence applications.

12 Mar 2024 · Department for Business and Trade

Export Controls: Standards

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to (a) streamline the export licence application process, (b) increase efficiency and (c) reduce wait times.

12 Mar 2024 · Department for Business and Trade

Export Controls

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many full time equivalent staff are employed solely to process export licence applications as of 12 March 2024; and whether she has plans to review the adequacy of that staffing level.

12 Mar 2024 · Department for Business and Trade

Export Controls: Standards

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to ensure export licence applications are processed in a timely manner.

12 Mar 2024 · Department for Business and Trade

Export Controls: Standards

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the (a) target and (b) average time taken to process export licence applications is as of 12 March 2024.

12 Mar 2024 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Wholesale Trade

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that issues affecting the wholesale sector are considered in policy development across Government.

12 Mar 2024 · Department for Transport

Electric Vehicles: Carbon Emissions

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with representatives of the electric car manufacturing industry on (a) incentives and (b) infrastructure development to support the decarbonisation of commercial fleets.

11 Mar 2024 · Cabinet Office

Vetting

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to support departments to manage (a) workforce planning and (b) recruitment processes affected by the time taken to complete Developed Vetting clearances.

11 Mar 2024 · Cabinet Office

Vetting

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Developed Vetting clearance times on the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of (i) civil service personnel in roles requiring high-level security clearance a

11 Mar 2024 · Cabinet Office

Vetting

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how delays in Developed Vetting clearances are communicated to (a) people and (b) Departments affected; and what steps his Department is taking to help manage the operational impact of such delays.

11 Mar 2024 · Cabinet Office

Vetting

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the factors contributing to the average waiting time for Developed Vetting clearances; and what steps his Department is taking to help tackle these factors.

11 Mar 2024 · Cabinet Office

Vetting

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Fifty-Third Report of Session 2022–23 of the Committee of Public Accounts entitled Performance of the UK Security Vetting service, HC 994, published on 12 May 2023, what steps his Departmen

7 Mar 2024 · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

General Elections

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to ensure the preparedness of the electoral registration services for a potential general election in May.

7 Mar 2024 · Cabinet Office

General Elections

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) process and (b) criteria the Prime Minister will use to determine the timing of a general election.

7 Mar 2024 · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

General Elections

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of holding the general election in May 2024 on (a) local elections and (b) voter (i) engagement and (ii) turnout.

7 Mar 2024 · Cabinet Office

General Elections

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions the Prime Minister has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential operational readiness of the Government to hold a general election in May.

7 Mar 2024 · Cabinet Office

Government Departments: Contracts

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department issues guidance for Departments on ensuring (a) fiscal responsibility and (b) propriety in international contract management.

7 Mar 2024 · Department of Health and Social Care

NHS: Standards

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Comment entitled Health spending planned to fall in England and Scotland in 2024–25, suggesting a top-up likely, published by the Institute for Fiscal Studies on 4 March 2024,

7 Mar 2024 · Department of Health and Social Care

Health Services: Waiting Lists

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of NHS funding to tackle the backlog of (a) elective surgeries and (b) other non-emergency procedures.

7 Mar 2024 · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Ghana: Human Rights

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the introduction of the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values bill in the Ghanaian le

7 Mar 2024 · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Ghana: Human Rights

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to help support (a) civil society and (b) human rights groups in Ghana in the context of the introduction of the Proper Human Sexual Rights and

7 Mar 2024 · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Ghana: Human Rights

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values bill on human rights within the Commonwealth.

7 Mar 2024 · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Ghana: Foreign Relations and Human Rights

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had recent discussions with his Ghanaian counterpart on the potential impact of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values bill on (a) human rights and (

7 Mar 2024 · Ministry of Justice

Sexual Offences: Criminal Proceedings

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the retention of specialist counsel for cases involving rape and serious sexual offences.

7 Mar 2024 · Ministry of Justice

Barristers: Pay and Stress

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to help tackle (a) poor pay and (b) high stress among barristers working on sexual violence cases; and what other steps he is taking to help increase the retention of such barristers.

7 Mar 2024 · Ministry of Justice

Criminal Proceedings

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to provide additional funding to help facilitate the hearing of the longest-delayed rape cases; and what steps he is taking to help reduce waiting times for criminal trials.

6 Mar 2024 · Department for Business and Trade

Products: Environment Protection

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Digital Product Passports on the (a) innovation and (b) competitiveness of (i) manufacturing and (ii) exports.

6 Mar 2024 · Department for Business and Trade

Products: Environment Protection

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing Digital Product Passports.

6 Mar 2024 · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Ukraine: Disinformation

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to tackle disinformation related to the Ukraine conflict.

Source: official written-questions record.