Written Questions

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of firefighter numbers in Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service; and what estimate she has made of the number of additio

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the value of NHS optical vouchers issued under the General Ophthalmic Services in meeting the current cost of spectacles; and whether she

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that patients who are eligible for help with the cost of spectacles are aware of their entitlement to NHS optical vouchers and to support under the NHS

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to publish more detailed inspection reports for establishments licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, including MBR Acres, with fewer redactions where this woul

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of transparency arrangements relating to licensed establishments under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, including the publication of informati

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness and independence of the Animals in Science Regulation Unit in overseeing licensed establishments under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on (a) the number of beagles bred, (b) the number used in regulated procedures, (c) the number euthanised before use in regulated procedures, (d) the reasons reco

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of scientifically validated alternatives to the use of dogs in procedures licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of removing exemptions within Temporary Use Bans that permit construction sites and housing developers to use sprinklers to water n

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department provides to water companies on granting exemptions from Temporary Use Bans for housing developments and construction sites.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to increase public awareness of Clare's Law; and whether she plans to work with local authorities, police forces, healthcare providers and community organisations t

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether she is taking steps to ensure that people can access government services through direct contact with a person, rather than solely through digital channels.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of maintaining the Plan 2 student loan repayment threshold at its 2026-27 level for three years from April 2027 on the disposable income of graduates earning below

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the index used to calculate interest rates on Plan 2 student loans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many British nationals have been the victims of homicide abroad in each of the last five years; and what assessment he has made of the case for appointing an Envoy for Co

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the remit of the newly appointed Envoy for Complex Consular Detentions extends to cases involving the homicide of British nationals abroad.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what data the Department holds on mortality, lameness and culling rates in conventional broiler flocks in England in each of the last five years; and what steps the Department is takin

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to set a target for reducing the number of households using food banks.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government plans to introduce a statutory time limit for the completion of Mandatory Reconsiderations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time taken to complete a Mandatory Reconsideration was in the most recent year for which figures are available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Mandatory Reconsideration requests were outstanding for more than (a) one month, (b) three months and (c) six months at the latest date for which data is available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made of the impact of Mandatory Reconsideration delays on claimants' financial wellbeing and mental health.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether consideration has been given to requiring the Department to determine Mandatory Reconsiderations within a specified maximum period.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the merits of introducing a statutory time limit for Mandatory Reconsiderations consistent with response time requirements that apply to other public administrative proces

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the answer of 14 July 2026 to question 16797, how many times since 1 January 2025 have the industry emergency stocks been used.