Written Answers
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Cabinet Office
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps her Department is taking to facilitate public sector access to Artificial Intelligence expertise through procurement; and how the Government Commercial Agency will (a) identify, (b) accredit and (c) engage individuals and organisations that…
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To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government Commercial Agency is taking to help improve access to Government procurement processes for (a) Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and (b) other suppliers with expertise in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.
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To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of procurement contracts awarded by each Government Department were to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in each of the last five financial years.
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To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress his Department has made on achieving the Government’s objectives for supporting Small and Medium-sized Enterprises participation in public procurement.
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To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will itemise each (a) contract awarded and (b) payment made to Public Digital by his Department since 4 July 2024.
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To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the SFIA rate card in Annex 5 of the signed Work Order for Project_7114, published on Contracts Finder on 9 July 2025, if he will (a) publish the underlying rate card and (b) disclose any mark-up charged by Bloom Procurement Services Ltd…
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To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to contract reference Contract_17123 for the Public Sector Reform Test, Learn and Grow Strategic Delivery Partner, how many suppliers were invited to bid for the contract through Bloom Procurement Services Ltd; and whether Public Digital…
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To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will commission an investigation by the Government Internal Audit Agency into contracts awarded to Public Digital since 4 July 2024.
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Department for Business and Trade
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2025 to Question 97256, what his planned timeframe is for the further work to finalise underpinning details to be completed.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the answer of 10 December 2025 to Question 97685, whether any additional commitments have been made by the UK in relation to UK-US agreement on pharmaceutical in addition to the increased spending on innovative medicines and the cap…
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To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will publish the full legal texts establishing the MFN mitigations with the US.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what mechanisms within the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal will ensure that pharmaceutical products launched in the UK with a lower price than in the US will not trigger Most Favoured Nation rebates.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the US Trade Representative's press release entitled U.S. Government Announces Agreement in Principle with the United Kingdom on Pharmaceutical Pricing, published on 1 December 2025, what the other commitments referred to are.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, which Department is responsible for monitoring of pharmaceutical provisions within the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal; and whether he plans to update Parliament on those provisions.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what legal instrument establishes Most Favoured Nation mitigations in the deal with the US on pharmaceuticals.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the mitigations are under the US Most Favoured Nation drug pricing initiative as referred to in the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to increase interoperability and competitiveness in the domestic cloud market following recent widespread outages caused by dominant providers in the industry.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment with the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the potential merits of creating a dedicated scale-up investment scheme.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the number of retail jobs.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to maintain the £35 million investment in grassroots cricket facilities announced on 4 April 2024.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Prime Minister announces multi-million pound boost for grassroots cricket, published on 4 April 2024, what progress has been made on delivering new cricket domes to host the (a)…
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To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on (a) legislation to govern artificial intelligence models and (b) the impact of that legislation on the creative industries.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to alter the membership of the Expert Panel for her Department's BBC Funding Model Review.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has for new efficiency savings in (a) her Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what amount of her 2024-25 departmental budget was underspent on 24 May 2024.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she will continue the BBC Funding Model Review.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she expects her Department's BBC Funding Model Review is to conclude and publish its findings.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what underspends are projected in (a) her Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies in (i) this financial year and (ii) the Spending Review period.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the cost is of redeveloping Casement Park for Euro 2028.
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DCMS does not hold this data centrally.
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DCMS does not hold this data centrally.
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DCMS does not hold this data centrally.
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DCMS does not hold this data centrally.
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DCMS does not hold this data centrally.
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DCMS does not hold this data centrally.
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DCMS does not hold this data centrally.
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DCMS does not hold this data centrally.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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DCMS does not hold this data centrally.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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S4C appointments are made in compliance with the ‘The Broadcasting Act 1990’. The Chair is appointed by the DCMS Secretary of State.The DCMS Concordat with the Welsh Assembly Government also reiterates that DCMS will consult with the Welsh Government on “Welsh…
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The Government continues to support the industry’s adaptation to new requirements, including through our Export Support Service and comprehensive GOV.UK guidance.Visa and permit free touring routes are available in 24 of 27 Member States including key markets; France, Germany and Spain.The…
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Ministers and officials have regular discussions with Ofcom on a range of issues.As the UK’s independent broadcasting regulator, it is rightly a matter for Ofcom to determine whether there has been a breach of the Broadcasting Code, and whether to take any action.
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DCMS does not hold these data centrally.
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The Government has audited the cost-effectiveness of all equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) activities, through the review of EDI spending announced last June.On 14th May the Minister without Portfolio made a written statement on the latest findings from the review.In response to these…
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Individual commissioning decisions are a matter for the public service broadcasters (PSBs) themselves, which are operationally and editorially independent of Government. In 2022, commissions by PSBs were worth more than £1.5 billion to the independent production sector in the UK.
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DCMS has been a member of the Disability Confident scheme since 2017 and had its accreditation as a Disability Confident Leader renewed in April 2024. Activity to support our membership of the scheme, and disabled colleagues more generally, is mainstreamed into the work of the People and Workplace…
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His Majesty’s Government is fully committed to protecting the World Heritage Sites for which we are responsible, and we continue to engage closely with UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre and the World Heritage Committee to ensure that we are able to meet their requests as far as is…
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The Government Car service (GCS) provides vehicles to a number of Government departments. Due to logistical and operational reasons the type of vehicles deployed at each department can vary on a daily or weekly basis. The GCS fleet currently has 122 vehicles, 58 (48%) of which are vehicles made in…
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As set out in the Government’s response to the 2022 Online Advertising Programme consultation, the configuration of the market at present can mean that accessing comprehensive data on harms associated with online advertising can be challenging. We have already commissioned external research…
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The UK Government has a clear plan to grow the creative industries by a further £50 billion and support another 1 million jobs by 2030. This was set out in June 2023 in the Creative Industries Sector Vision, which was accompanied by £77 million of new funding to support the sector’s…
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The taxpayer-funded High Streets Heritage Action Zones programme ran from 2019 to 2024, operating in England only, and administered by Historic England. The programme has funded the transformation and restoration of over 60 high streets, creating economic growth and improving quality of life in…
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The Department for Culture, Media and Sport promotes cultural relations around the world, working closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the Department for Business & Trade, and the British Council to ensure that culture and the creative industries are embedded in the…
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The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 requires all upper-tier local authorities to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service. It is for local authorities to identify the needs of local residents and to fund and provide a library service that meets those needs.His Majesty’s…
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His Majesty’s Government is committed to supporting fair and transparent ticket pricing and tackling unacceptable behaviour in this market.We engage with a range of key organisations and individuals operating in the ticketing sector to understand the issues and challenges facing the ticketing…
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The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which operates independently of Government, is responsible for regulating online advertising in the UK through its advertising codes. These codes state that alcohol adverts must not link it with social or sexual success, imply that it is indispensable or…
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His Majesty’s Government is committed to supporting the arts and cultural sector, including theatres. This is primarily through the Arts Council England whose funding for National Portfolio Organisations has increased to £444.6 million per annum, funding a record 985 organisations,…
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May 2024 marks the 200th anniversary of the founding of the National Gallery. Sir George Beaumont played a crucial role in the Gallery's creation, both campaigning for its formation and donating his own art to what has become one of our greatest institutions. He died just three years later in 1827.…
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DCMS does not own any canteens or restaurants. The canteen facilities we use are provided by our landlords, and we have no involvement in the provision of food and drink to those facilities. For our London headquarters, this is overseen by the Government Property Agency.
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DCMS’s current contract with Vercida is set to expire on 1 October 2024 and continuation of the service will be considered at that point in light of the Cabinet Office guidance.
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The UK Government has a clear plan to grow the creative industries by a further £50 billion and support another 1 million jobs by 2030. This was set out in June 2023 in the Creative Industries Sector Vision, which was accompanied by £77 million of new funding to support the sector’s…
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Arts Council England collects data from local authorities and publishes a basic dataset of information on public libraries in England. The libraries basic dataset for 2022 shows the number of static libraries in England (statutory and non-statutory) from April 2010 to 31 December 2022 and includes…
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We will be publishing a refreshed Government strategy for public libraries later this year, informed by the independent review of English public libraries conducted by Baroness Sanderson of Welton which engaged with a wide range of interested parties, including through the series of roundtable…
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The UK Government has a clear plan to grow the creative industries by a further £50 billion and support another 1 million jobs by 2030. This was set out in June 2023 in the Creative Industries Sector Vision, which was accompanied by £77 million of new funding to support the sector’s…
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The Government is committed to supporting local and regional newspapers and other news outlets as vital pillars of communities and local democracy. They play an essential role in holding power to account, keeping the public informed of local issues and providing reliable, high-quality…
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The UK Government understands the huge value of our world-leading film and TV production sector and the importance of self-employed workers to the sector and wider creative economy.The UK Government has a clear plan to grow the creative industries by a further £50 billion and support another 1…
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On 19 February 2024, the government announced a mandatory national registration scheme for short-term lets.The scheme aims to preserve the benefits of short-term lets, as well as tackling the challenges they present in a proportionate way. The evidence collected through the call for evidence in…
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With coastal and countryside destinations making up 25% of domestic day trips and 31% of domestic overnight stays in 2023, tourism is recognised as a key sector with the potential to contribute strongly to economic growth and pride in place of an area.The Government is implementing a range of…
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The United Kingdom's arts and culture sector is recognised globally as a world leader. It promotes the UK’s diversity and dynamism, fosters international engagement, and contributes to global cultural exchange and understanding. In 2024, our creative and cultural sectors helped the UK once…
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No costs were incurred by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport connected to any events, activities, merchandise, or other associated costs in relation to Pride Month 2023.
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His Majesty’s Government is committed to supporting touring artists, and the music industry more widely, to adapt to new arrangements following our departure from the EU, and we have worked with the sector and directly with Member States to provide clarity and support.The UK’s rules for…
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The Secretary of State has had no such discussions with her Cabinet colleagues. The majority of AB and ES files which were withdrawn in 2018 have been released back to The National Archives following review.Any decision by the Ministry of Defence to retain records will be taken once the review has…
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The Government monitors the impact of microtransactions in video games on players, including children and young people. In 2020, we launched a call for evidence on loot boxes in video games which found an association between purchasing loot boxes and problem gambling, although no causal link has…
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Following the Government response to the call for evidence on loot boxes in video games, the Government has welcomed new industry-led guidance to improve protections for players.We are now working closely with the industry and academics to ensure robust evaluation of implementation and the efficacy…
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Ministers and officials have regular discussions with Ofcom on a range of issues. Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code sets out rules to ensure that broadcast news is reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality. The Government is committed to a free and independent media and does not…
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DCMS does not hold this information. As this is an operational matter, the Member should contact the British Library directly.
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DCMS does not hold this data centrally.
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The information is not held centrally.
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Department for Education
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the national approach to behaviour and attendance will include specific guidance on reasonable adjustments for pupils with speech and language challenges.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much and what proportion of the funding for the SEND teacher training programme announced on 16 January 2026 will be allocated to training on speech, language and communication needs.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many private nurseries there were in (a) July 2024, (b) November 2024 and (c) June 2025.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of education, health and care plans.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her planned timeline is for publishing the planned White Paper on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
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Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's consultation outcome entitled Summary of responses and government response, updated on 12 June 2025, on fairer food labelling, what recent progress her Department has made on the method of…
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Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of concentrating Government AI partnerships with a small number of large US technology companies on competition and innovation in the UK AI market.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has had recent discussions with the Competition and Markets Authority on the timetable for decisions regarding Strategic Market Status investigations into cloud infrastructure providers; and what assessment she has…
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has assessed the potential merits of regulatory intervention in the UK cloud market; and what steps she is taking to help reduce barriers to competition in that market.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate her Department has made of the cost to public sector bodies of limited competition in the UK cloud infrastructure market.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of enterprise software licensing practices on the ability of customers to run software across competing cloud platforms on equivalent commercial terms.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of technical, contractual and financial switching barriers in the cloud services market on effective competition for UK businesses and public sector bodies.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many of the AI-related (a) Memorandums of Understanding and (b) service agreements signed by her Department since July 2024 are with UK-headquartered companies; and what steps she is taking to ensure UK-based AI firms have…
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what total value of AI-related contracts has been awarded by all Government departments since July 2024; and what proportion has gone to (a) UK-headquartered firms and (b) firms headquartered outside the UK.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how she will measure UKRI progress in meeting priority areas and outcomes of the UKRI AI Research and Innovation Strategic Framework; and how Parliament will be updated on this.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will provide an update on the latest formal negotiations with the US on the UK-US Tech Prosperity Deal; and whether a date for further formal negotiation meetings has been set.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will provide an update on the establishment and membership of a ministerial-level working group as set out in the MOU for the UK-US Tech Prosperity Deal.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the resumption of negotiations on the UK-US Tech Prosperity Deal.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions she has had with her US counterparts on the resumption of negotiations on the UK-US Tech Prosperity Deal.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the life sciences sector on the application of VAT on medicines supplied free-of-charge via EAMS and other compassionate access schemes.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the impact of (a) VAT and (b) other taxation on the viability of the life sciences sector.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when she plans to publish her Department's response to the consultation entitled Draft regulations to commence Sections 61 to 64 of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022, which was published on 7 May…
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether it is still her Department’s policy to finalise s61-64 of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022, relating to renewal agreements, by the end of 2025.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the level of systemic risk from reliance on two dominant cloud providers following recent outages.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help accelerate the process to designate cloud services with Digital Market Unit's Strategic Market Status to prevent anti-competitive practices in the sector.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help ease restrictive licensing practices in relation to software by large cloud providers to ensure that there is fair and open competition in the sector.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the application of VAT for (a) medicines and (b) treatments provided for medical (i) trials or (ii) compassionate use under the Early Access to…
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support access to growth capital for scaling UK tech firms.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what her Department's planned timetable is for the implementation of outstanding provisions in the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether Public Digital provided advice on the transfer of the Government’s digital and data function to his Department.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will amend the gov.uk biography page for the Director General, Digital Centre Design to include previous employment by the (a) Labour Party and (b) Rt hon. Member for Hove and Portslade.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2024 to Question 6107 on Emily Middleton, what the business need was for appointing the Director General, Digital Centre Design under recruitment principles Exemption 1.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether individual contracts to Public Digital have been awarded through open competition since July 2024 .
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2024 to Question HL1281 on Emily Middleton, on what date the declaration of interests was made.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when the temporary role of the Director General, Digital Centre Design expires.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to Annex A of his Department's FOI release entitled FOI2024-00250: Correspondence about the appointment of Emily Middleton, published on 30 September 2024, if he will publish the document entitled Senior Civil…
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many (a) contracts were awarded and (b) payments were made to Public Digital by his Department since 4 July 2024.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Answer of 19 September 2024 to Question HL812 on Emily Middleton, whether the relevant background information provided to the Civil Service Commission included that secondment from Public Digital.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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The government welcomes legacy networks being switched off in a responsible way, as this will increase network efficiency, minimise energy consumption and free up spectrum for 4G and 5G networks and beyond. Ofcom has published details of how it expects the mobile network operators (MNOs) to conduct…
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Under the Data Protection (Charges and Information) Regulations 2018, individuals and organisations that process personal data need to register and pay a data protection fee to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), unless they are exempt.At the end of December 2016, 457,846 organisations…
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The government does not actively monitor how many businesses Ofcom are regulating. It is also not possible for Ofcom to provide an exact number for how many businesses it is currently regulating or regulated in 2016, as many of the companies that Ofcom regulates across a range of sectors are done…
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The Wireless Code of Practice was updated in 2022. It provides guidance to operators and local authorities on the deployment of wireless networks, including how infrastructure should be sited. Installation of new infrastructure is governed by planning legislation. In 2022, we made changes to these…
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Ofcom has a statutory duty to monitor the affordability of telecoms services, and releases regular reports regarding public awareness and take-up of broadband and mobile social tariffs. In December 2023, as part of its Pricing Trends Report, Ofcom stated that awareness of social tariffs amongst…
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The government welcomes legacy networks being switched off in a responsible way, as this will free up spectrum for 4G and 5G networks and beyond. Ofcom has published details of how it expects the mobile network operators to conduct the switch off in line with their regulatory obligations. These…
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On 13 October 2022, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport issued a Designation Notice to Huawei and a Designated Vendor Direction to 35 telecom providers. The Direction provides twelve specific restrictions/requirements on telecom providers’ use of Huawei equipment and…
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I met fixed-line operators on 18 April to discuss the concerns around the deployment of telegraph poles, and to seek commitments from industry. I was reassured by operators that they do not wish to undermine the public confidence in the Government's programme of infrastructure rollout and that they…
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Our 2023 Wireless Infrastructure Strategy sets out a range of measures to drive 5G adoption in the private and public sectors to ensure the UK can fully realise the benefits of 5G. This includes a commitment to drive innovation in public services, and for digital connectivity requirements for…
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30 Mbps coverage: According to Thinkbroadband, as of May 2024, almost 98% of premises in the Suffolk Coastal constituency have access to broadband speeds greater than 30 Mbps. This is much higher than the 17.5% coverage reported in 2010. 10 Mbps coverage: According to Ofcom’s Spring 2024…
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Constituency-level statistics detailing the percentage of premises with access to a gigabit-capable connection over this period are available from the independent website Think Broadband.com. As of March 2024, over 81% of premises across the UK are able to access a gigabit-capable connection, up…
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Any organisation capturing digital data that contains personal data is required to comply with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 which impose obligations on data controllers to process data fairly, lawfully, and transparently. Personal data should also be kept secure and not processed…
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Ofcom and DSIT have not conducted an economic impact assessment for the transition to digital landline services. The decision to make this transition was made by telecoms companies, not the Government. The UK’s telecoms regulator released its positioning statement in 2019 which reviewed…
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The Government has been clear that no one should be left behind in the digital age. We will take steps to ensure support for the most urgent priorities. For example, we are investing £5 billion through Project Gigabit to bring gigabit-capable broadband to hard-to-reach communities. According…
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The Department has engaged with key stakeholders on the Telecare National Action Plan, including the telecoms sector, telecare sector, the independent telecoms regulator Ofcom, the third sector – including Which?, Citizen's Advice, and Silver Voices - and other Government departments.
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The Department has previously engaged with Local Authorities on this issue via the Local Government Association. This engagement is ongoing and is in addition to frequent meetings with other relevant stakeholders, including industry and the signatories of the Charter.
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Having a competitive fixed telecoms market has been integral to the government’s strategy to deliver nationwide coverage of gigabit-capable broadband. Competition keeps prices low and standards high for consumers, whilst encouraging companies to build quickly. In the 2018 Future Telecoms…
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The security of UK businesses and their digital infrastructure is a priority for the government and a key part of the National Cyber Strategy. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) works with Ofcom, UK technical authorities (the National Cyber Security Centre & National…
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I can confirm that extensive discussions with Communication Providers (CPs) are ongoing, with a formalised reporting system having recently been established and a first update expected in May. Separately, Ofcom has also agreed a formal incident reporting system with CPs, with the first update…
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The Department has regular meetings with Local Authorities on this issue. That is in addition to frequent meetings with other relevant stakeholders, including industry and the signatories of the Charter.
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Department for Transport
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the extent to which enforcement authorities, when rejecting challenges to parking contravention notices during the discount period, re-offer the discount for a further 14 days in line with statutory guidance…
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To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress she has made on completing feasibility studies to provide step-free access to platform six at Upminster Station.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her Department's planned timetable is for the completion of feasibility works for (a) platform six at Upminster station and (b) the other 50 projects granted Access for All accessibility funding on 24 May 2024.
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Department for Work and Pensions
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what equality impact assessment was carried out before awarding the Nexus AI contract to IBM; and what safeguards are in place to prevent algorithmic bias in those AI tools used in benefits administration.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 21326 on Personal Independence Payment Mandatory Reconsiderations, what the average clearance time is for mandatory reconsiderations of Personal Independence Payment decisions; and what…
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To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse was of correspondence to inform pensioners about changes to the winter fuel payment.
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Department of Health and Social Care
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the correspondence from the Minister for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear to the Chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, dated 30 January 2026, if he will to publish the joint analysis undertaken…
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the 25% net increase in prices for new medicines and the 15% VPAG repayment cap on annual NHS medicines spend.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the capped VPAG rate referred to in the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal will only apply to pharmaceutical products of US origin.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the UK is (a) excluded from, (b) partially exempted from and (c) otherwise subject to special treatment under the United States’ Most Favoured Nation drug pricing policy.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, from which Department’s budget the additional NHS medicines spend following the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal will be funded.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, from which Department’s budget the additional NHS medicines spend following the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal will be funded.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of (a) the effect of no national oversight relating to the quality of vision rehabilitation services for patients in England and (b) the experiences of those with sight loss when it comes to being able…
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of recent trends in the number of patients receiving timely access to vision rehabilitation services in line with industry best practice.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to secure a sustainable future for the vision rehabilitation workforce.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure the continuation of the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme following the abolition of NHS England.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure the continuation of the Type 2 Diabetes in the Young programme following the abolition of NHS England.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on Type 1 Diabetes with Disordered Eating pilots.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 23 April 2025 to Question 45093 on Alan Milburn, whether Mr Milburn has initiated the process outlined in that Answer.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 42886 on NHS England: Redundancy Pay, whether he is making provision to reclaim redundancy payments for any staff subsequently reemployed by a public health body during the payout period.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether Mr Alan Milburn has consulted his Department on taking on any new work that involves, or may potentially involve, health and social care through his business A.M. Strategy Ltd.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to consolidate estates following the closure of NHS England.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to transfer any NHS England functions to other arm's-length bodies.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has ring-fenced a sum for the cost of redundancy payments associated with the abolition of NHS England.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has conducted an equality impact assessment on the decision to abolish NHS England.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Leader of the House on the timetable for bringing forward legislative proposals to abolish NHS England.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when guidance will be issued to ICBs on where the expected 50% cuts in running costs should come from.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the findings by the National Prostate Cancer Audit in their publication entitled the State of the Nation Report published in January 2025, what steps he plans to take to tackle age-related disparities in (a) prostate cancer…
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with the Human Embryology and Fertilisation Authority on the regulation of surrogacy.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to reinstate funding for the National Institute for Health and Care Research Bioresource project providing infrastructure for the development of novel non-CFTR treatments for cystic fibrosis.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the National Institute for Health and Care Research has commissioned any research into the link between Bisphenol A (BPA) and breast cancer.
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Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of potential conflict of interest associated with the former US Ambassador and companies referenced in the investments announced during US state visit in September 2025.
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Home Office
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has commissioned the use of hotel accommodation in the London Borough of Havering for the purpose of housing asylum seekers since 10 February 2025.
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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April to Question 43180 on Metropolitan Police: Finance, whether ministers in her Department have (a) met with and (b) corresponded with the (i) Mayor of London and (ii) Metropolitan Police Commissioner to discuss…
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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have been sent from the Republic of Ireland to the United Kingdom in each month since 4 July 2024.
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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the (a) Mayor of London and (b) Metropolitan Police Commissioner on increasing investment in the Metropolitan Police Estate.
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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has commissioned the use of hotel accommodation in the London Borough of Havering for the purpose of housing asylum seekers since 10 October 2024.
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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made any revision to the process of notifying hon. Members before asylum hotels are established within their constituency.
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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of asylum claims have been approved since 4 July 2024.
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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish a breakdown of approved asylum claims by country of origin since 4 July 2024.
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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many new hotels she has awarded contracts to for housing asylum seekers since 4 July 2024.
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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has commissioned the use of hotel accommodation in the London Borough of Havering for the purpose of housing asylum seekers since 29 July 2024.
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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has commissioned the use of any hotel accommodation in the London Borough of Havering for the purpose of housing asylum seekers since 5 July 2024.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether (a) fire risk appraisals and (b) EWS1 assessments carried out by an engineer who has been suspended by the Institution of Fire Engineers must be reassessed.
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Treasury
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has directed HMRC to review the application of VAT upon medicines supplied free-of-charge via EAMS and other compassionate access schemes.
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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the cost to the economy of recent outages of large-scale cloud providers.
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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of introducing VAT to to medicines provided free under Early Access Medicines Scheme programmes on pharmaceutical companies.
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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment (a) her Department and (b) HMRC have conducted on the potential impact on patient access to innovative medicines from the introduction of VAT to medicines provided free under Early Access Medicines Scheme programmes.
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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her (a) Department and (b) HMRC have conducted on the potential impact on clinical trial numbers from the introduction of VAT to medicines provided free under Early Access Medicines Scheme programmes.
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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of reforming the (a) Enterprise Investment Scheme and (b) Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme to improve support for firms in the post-start-up phase.
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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to expand the (a) Enterprise Investment Scheme and (b) Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme scheme to support older companies seeking increased investment.
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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether medicines provided free under Early Access Medicines Scheme programmes are liable for output VAT.
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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will commission guidance from HM Revenue and Customs clarifying whether medicines supplied under the Early Access Medicines Scheme fall outside the scope of VAT Deemed Supply rules.
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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps with HM Revenue and Customs to help ensure that a(a) medicines and (b) treatments provided under the Early Access to Medicines Scheme are not subjected to (i) direct or (ii) indirect VAT.
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