Every parliamentary written question tabled by Andrew Snowden this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1,361–1,380 of 2,662 · this parliament
Whether the Fair Work Charter provisions will be statutory.
Further details on the potential implementation of a Fair Work Charter will be included in the government’s response to the consultation on reforms to the Clean Industry Bonus ahead of Allocation Round 8. The Clean Energy Superpower Mission will create opportunities for good, secure, skilled jobs. Government has recently published its full approach to delivering good quality jobs in the Clean Energy Jobs Plan.
What discussions his Department has had with the Competition and Markets Authority on the provision of consumer information to users of (a) Ticketmaster and (b) similar ticket platforms.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is the UK’s independent competition authority and is independent of government. The department holds regular discussions with the CMA on consumer issues, including as part of its consultation on ticket resale and call for evidence on pricing practices for live events.The CMA is subject to statutory rules around the disclosure of information about individual companies. Following the conclusion of the investigation and public announcement, the department has discussed the outcome and undertakings secured from Ticketmaster with the CMA. Further information about this case is published on the CMA’s website.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of levels of immigration on patterns of social cohesion.
The Home Office will increase existing English language requirements for economic migrants and introduce new English language requirements for dependants of those coming under economic routes.These measures support the integration of those coming here to work here (and their families) into UK communities, as well; as ensuring that those coming to work here are less vulnerable to abuse and exploitation in the workplace.
How many people were reported missing in each of the last five years.
The Home Office does not hold this data centrally.Information about current missing persons incidents is held by individual police forces. The National Crime Agency’s UK Missing Persons Unit holds the national database for all missing incidents that are unresolved after 72hours, allowing the police to have access to missing persons information across force boundaries. In addition, annual missing persons statistics, broken down to police force level, are published by the National Crime Agency’s Missing Person’s Unit in its annual data report which can be found here: Downloads - National Crime Agency
How many local (a) suppliers and (b) contractors have been engaged in the delivery of the (i) single living accommodation and (ii) solar projects at Weeton Barracks.
New Single Living Accommodation (SLA) at Weeton Barracks is currently being delivered through the Ministry of Defence’ Future Defence Infrastructure Services contractor, VIVO. VIVO as the principal contractor, engages with sub-contractors who need to demonstrate how they will meet social value criteria including tackling economic inequality, tackling workforce inequality, and utilising support from local Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, where appropriate. For the Weeton project, the workforce for the on-site construction was drawn from the local area to support employment and the local economy. Contractor Mitie were appointed to deliver the solar project at Weeton Barracks. Mitie’s policy for sourcing local suppliers and contractors is driven by commitment to sustainability and social value, aiming to increase supply chain resilience and local economic support.
What comparative assessment he has made of the (a) design, (b) sustainability and (c) cost per bedspace of the single living accommodation under construction at (i) Weeton Barracks and (ii) other recently built single living accommodation across the Army estate.
Weeton Barracks is in the first wave of the Army’s Single Living Accommodation (SLA) upgrade programmes since the Single Living Accommodation Management (SLAM) Programme completed in 2017. The building complies with the Government’s Net Zero Carbon Strategy, the UK Infrastructure 10-Year Strategy and tackles the recommendations of the National Audit Office Report: Improving Single Living Accommodation February 2021. Cost efficiency is a key driver of Defence’s procurement strategy for the SLA programme, and all tenders are reviewed, benchmarked and assured against market data to ensure value for money is delivered to meet the performance specifications.
With reference to the press release entitled Military families and veterans prioritised in ‘forces first’ housing scheme, published on 29 September 2025, whether the planned 100,000 homes on surplus land will be in addition to existing Government housebuilding targets.
The Defence Secretary has identified the long-term potential for 100,000 homes on Ministry of Defence (MOD) surplus land, demonstrating the opportunity for MOD to contribute to the Government’s important housebuilding ambitions. A new approach to realising this opportunity will be set out in the Defence Housing Strategy later this year.
Communities and Local Government, what mechanisms will evaluate the Pride in Place programme at the local level.
This government is committed to taking a comprehensive approach to evaluating the Pride in Place Programme, including the impacts felt by funded communities. We will publish an Outcomes and Evaluation strategy in due course, which will set out more detail on what the evaluation will include.
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to (a) update ate the integrated communities strategy and (b) publish a revised action plan.
This Government has recently launched its Pride in Place strategy, which represents a significant step change in how we support communities, focusing on three overarching objectives: building stronger communities; creating thriving places; and helping communities to take back control of their own lives and areas. It represents a break from the past, a new way for government to work in partnership with communities and neighbourhoods, empowering them with the tools and levers to drive meaningful change that reflects their priorities. The Pride in Place programme will provide up to £5bn over 10 years to support up to 244 places. This will serve as the cornerstone of this Government’s support for communities, incorporating the existing 25 trailblazer areas announced at Spending Review and the 75 Plan for Neighbourhoods programme areas that were announced in March.
Communities and Local Government, whether guidance will be issued to Pride in Place boards on ensuring community engagement in funding decisions.
The Pride in Place Programme will give 244 of the most in-need places across Great Britain up to £20m funding and support over the next decade. Communities will decide how to invest this funding, with residents, community leaders and local businesses coming together to make decisions about how this funding is spent on newly established Neighbourhood Boards. We will publish further guidance shortly which will set clear expectations for Neighbourhood Boards to involve their surrounding community in decision-making to ensure the funding delivers the change local people want to see.
Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department plans to take to protect people's (a) biometric and (b) personal data in any future digital ID scheme.
Privacy and security are integral to the Government’s proposals. People’s privacy and data will be protected in line with the UK’s data protection laws as well as using state-of-the-art encryption and authentication technology that’s already protecting millions of digital transactions daily - in the same way banking apps do. The Government will launch a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year, which will seek views on the design, build and delivery of the system. The Government will work closely with expert stakeholders, including the Information Commissioner’s Office and the National Cyber Security Centre, to make the programme as effective and secure as possible.
Innovation and Technology, whether the Government has conducted an Equality Impact Assessment of the introduction of digital ID cards.
The Government will deliver a comprehensive inclusion programme to help ensure everyone eligible is able to access the new digital ID.The Government will launch a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year, setting out the proposed approach in more detail and seeking views on this. Views from the consultation will be used to inform future assessments on the impact on equality.The Government will work closely with expert stakeholders from a range of organisations to make the programme as effective and inclusive as possible.
Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has made an assessment of financial risk for the introduction of digital ID cards.
The Government will launch a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year. The eventual total cost and savings will depend on the design, build and delivery of the system, matters which will be included in the consultation. We expect the programme to be designed, built and run by in-house Government teams, not outsourced to external suppliers. In the event any specialist external services or expertise are procured to support the delivery of the new digital ID system, this will be subject to all the usual competitive processes to ensure transparency, and value for the taxpayer.
Innovation and Technology, what steps she plans to take to ensure value for money in procurement contracts related to digital ID.
The Government will launch a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year. The eventual total cost and savings will depend on the design, build and delivery of the system, matters which will be included in the consultation. We expect the programme to be designed, built and run by in-house Government teams, not outsourced to external suppliers. In the event any specialist external services or expertise are procured to support the delivery of the new digital ID system, this will be subject to all the usual competitive processes to ensure transparency, and value for the taxpayer.
Innovation and Technology, what engagement his Department has had with (a) teachers and (b) trade unions on the introduction of digital ID cards.
The Government will launch a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year and has begun engaging with several key stakeholders already. We will continue to engage with a range of organisations over the coming weeks and months, including as part of the consultation to be launched by the end of this year. Throughout the development of the new digital ID, the Government will work closely with expert stakeholders to make it as effective and inclusive as possible.
What policies are in place to review or revoke asylum status in cases where the individual travels to their home country after being granted asylum in the UK.
The UK has a proud history of providing protection to those who genuinely need it, for as long as it is needed, in accordance with our international obligations. However, if there is any evidence to suggest that an individual who has been recognised as a refugee has returned to their home country, the circumstances will be investigated, and refugee status may be revoked. If someone returns to their home country, this will usually indicate ‘voluntary re-availment’ and may lead to revocation of refugee status under paragraph 339A(i)-(vi) or humanitarian protection under paragraph 339GA of the Immigration Rules. All cases are considered on a case-by-case basis and protection status will only be revoked in these circumstances where there is no protection need on any grounds.
Communities and Local Government, how many people have been denied access to social housing waiting lists due to previously unlawfully subletting social housing in the last year.
My Department does not hold data on the number of people who have been denied access to social housing waiting lists due to previously unlawfully subletting social housing in the last year.
What proportion of the £75 million allocated to Great British Energy solar panels will be spent on (a) administrative and (b) consultancy costs.
The GBE Solar Scheme is a jointly funded scheme between GBE and the UK government. £75 million capital spending was allocated to the scheme earlier this month boosting the £180 million joint capital funding by HM Government and GBE, initially launched in March 2025. For the Department for Education detailed costing information is not yet available but there is expected to be very little if any administrative and consultancy costs within the budget. For the Department for Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Defence all funding will be spent on procurement and installation of solar photovoltaic systems and any complementary technologies where appropriate.
Communities and Local Government, how many First Homes properties have been built; and how many are due to be built by 2030.
Up to March 2024, 395 First Homes have been delivered through Section 106 developer contributions, and a further 1,275 through the Early Delivery Programme. This totals 1,670 First Homes altogether. These figures are published in the Live tables on affordable housing supply (Table 1011) which can be found on gov.uk here. Local authorities are not required to report First Homes delivery separately, so these figures represent the most current data available. Since the removal of the national minimum delivery requirement, local authorities now have discretion over whether to deliver First Homes, and if so, how many. This flexibility allows them to prioritise housing tenures that better meet local needs, such as Social Rent, Affordable Rent and Shared Ownership. As a result, my Department does not hold data on future delivery and cannot provide an estimate of how many First Homes will be built by 2030. Delivery decisions rest with individual local authorities.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of postural tachycardia syndrome on people’s ability to work.
Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS) can significantly limit a person's ability to work, though the degree of impact will vary among individuals. For some, symptoms are debilitating and prevent them from working entirely, while others can work with adjustments in place. A person's ability to work will depend on the severity of their symptoms and the demands of the job.The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including people with PoTS, with their employment journey. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems.The 10-Year Health Plan, published in July 2025, set out our intention to break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. The Plan sets out the vision for what good joined-up care looks like for people with a combination of health and care needs, including for disabled people and those with long-term conditions. Furthermore, it outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work.