The Westminster lensArchive · Written questions · 206 tabled · 196 answered

Written questions by Hinchliff.

Every parliamentary written question tabled by Chris Hinchliff this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.

Department:All (206)Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (41)Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (38)Department of Health and Social Care (21)Department for Transport (17)Department for Business and Trade (17)Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (14)Department for Work and Pensions (13)Treasury (10)Department for Education (9)Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (8)Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (5)Cabinet Office (3)

Showing 117 of 17 · Department for Business and Trade

24 Jun 2026·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
Asked

What was the process for arranging a meeting with Bowmer and Kirkland on 30 April 2025.

Reply

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is the government’s front door for business and its Ministers carry out a wide range of engagement with stakeholders across their portfolios, this includes construction. All meetings and their purpose are record...

22 Jun 2026·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
Asked

Whether all meetings with Bowmer and Kirkland representatives since 2010 have been published in departmental transparency returns.

Reply

Details of meetings held by Ministers of the Department for Business and Trade have been routinely published on the transparency pages of gov.uk since the department’s establishment in February 2023. Meetings which took place prior to this period were pub...

22 Jun 2026·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
Asked

What criteria were used to determine the need for ministerial engagement with Bowmer and Kirkland on building regulations on 30 April 2025.

Reply

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is the government’s front door for business and its Ministers carry out a wide range of engagement with stakeholders across their portfolios, this includes construction. All meetings and their purpose are record...

22 Jun 2026·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
Asked

With reference to DBT’s ministerial meetings, April to June 2025, published 30 September 2025, whether any actions, commitments or policy changes were agreed or initiated following the meeting with Bow

Reply

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is the government’s front door for business and its Ministers carry out a wide range of engagement with stakeholders across their portfolios, this includes construction. All meetings and their purpose are record...

22 Jun 2026·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
Asked

What issues relating to building regulations were discussed at the meeting between the Minister of State for Industry and Bowmer and Kirkland on 30 April 2025.

Reply

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is the government’s front door for business and its Ministers carry out a wide range of engagement with stakeholders across their portfolios, this includes construction. All meetings and their purpose are record...

22 Jun 2026·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
Asked

Pursuant to the Ministerial Transparency data, if she will publish a list of all meetings held between Ministers, special advisers or senior officials in her Department and representatives of Bowmer an

Reply

Details of meetings with external organisations are regularly published for all Departments on the transparency pages of gov.uk.

12 Mar 2026·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
Asked

What steps his Department is taking to support the chemical industry.

Reply

The chemicals sector underpins almost all other manufacturing in the UK and is fundamental to maximising growth. It also helps stimulates productivity across the economy to drive forward the government’s growth mission. This is reflected by the identification of chemicals as a foundational industry within the Industrial Strategy. Our modern Industrial Strategy will implement targeted policy interventions to drive long-term sustainable, inclusive and secure growth. Our commitment to the chemicals sector was demonstrated in our recent intervention to safeguard critical chemical production and jobs at INEOS in Grangemouth.

15 Oct 2025·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
Asked

What plans his Department has to support exports of UK-manufactured hydrogen and fuel cell technologies to international markets.

Reply

As a frontier sector in the Industrial Strategy, the government has committed targeted support to boost exports of world leading hydrogen technologies into new and established markets, by increasing the visibility of UK capabilities to projects and investors and unlocking greater participation in international supply chains. The Trade Strategy also commits to supporting exports through building on existing and exploring new and deeper clean energy sector agreements.Officials in my department will continue to showcase UK capabilities through our global network, increasing access to international supply chains. UK Export Finance can offer a range of support for overseas sales, aims to deliver £10bn in clean growth financing by 2029.

15 Oct 2025·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
Asked

Whether he has had discussions with industry stakeholders on growing UK-based manufacturing of hydrogen and fuel cell equipment by 2030.

Reply

The Government announced a public finance offer for clean energy industries to crowd private investment into sustainable UK supply chains. This includes: a £1bn Clean Energy supply chain fund; £5.8bn for the National Wealth Fund to invest across this Parliament in clean industries including low-carbon hydrogen; and a £4bn British Business Bank Industrial Strategy Growth Capital scale up and start up financing package.My officials in the UK and overseas are working closely with UK-based companies to showcase the UK's leading capabilities and unlock opportunities across the hydrogen value chain both at home and overseas. I look forward to working with the industry on these shared ambitions.

10 Oct 2025·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
Asked

If he will publish a timetable for launching a consultation on financial support for parents of seriously ill children.

Reply

The government has already committed to publish a terms of reference and timeline for its ongoing review of employment rights for unpaid carers this autumn. This will also outline the scope and include a timeline for consulting on employment rights for parents of seriously ill children.

10 Oct 2025·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
Asked

What is the potential scope of their proposed consultation on financial support for parents of seriously ill children.

Reply

The government has already committed to publish a terms of reference and timeline for its ongoing review of employment rights for unpaid carers this autumn. This will also outline the scope and include a timeline for consulting on employment rights for parents of seriously ill children.

5 Mar 2025·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
Asked

Whether he has had recent discussions with Stellantis on the closure of their Luton plant.

Reply

Ministers have engaged closely with Stellantis on the future of its operations in the UK, with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade most recently meeting the Chair of the Stellantis board on 1 February to discuss how the Luton plant could be kept open as well as ensuring appropriate support for affected workers should a closure proceed.

3 Jan 2025·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
Asked

Whether he plans to take steps to recover the costs of compensation from Fujitsu relating to failures of the Horizon Post Office IT system.

Reply

The Government welcomes Fujitsu’s acknowledgement of their moral obligation to make a contribution to the cost of the Horizon scandal. Fujitsu’s contribution will be decided once the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry has reviewed all the evidence and the Chair has delivered his report.

27 Nov 2024·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
Asked

Whether his Department has had discussions with trade unions on Vauxhall's planned closure of its plant in Luton.

Reply

Stellantis announced on 26 November that it was starting a consultation with staff on its plans to consolidate its two UK manufacturing sites into one plant at Ellesmere Port. The Department is actively engaging with the company and has asked them to shar...

27 Nov 2024·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
Asked

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of Vauxhall's planned closure of its plant in Luton on North East Hertfordshire constituency; and if he will take steps to support (a) people and (b)

Reply

Stellantis announced on 26 November that it was starting a consultation with staff at its Luton plant on its plans for the future of its manufacturing there. The Department is actively engaging with the company and has asked them to share the full details...

27 Nov 2024·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
Asked

Whether his Department is holding discussions with Stellantis on the announced closure of its Vauxhall plant in Luton.

Reply

The Secretary of State has been in contact with Stellantis since July to discuss the pressures in their UK and global business and the future of the Luton plant. He met them again on 26 November where they regrettably shared their proposals to consult on ...

13 Nov 2024·Department for Business and Trade·Answered
Asked

What notice the Post Office plans to give of closure of branches; and what plans he has to to mitigate the potential impact of such closures on rural communities.

Reply

No decisions to close any or all of the remaining Directly Managed Branches in rural and urban areas have been taken as of yet. Given the difficult financial position the Post Office is in, it is right that it reviews the costs of its operations and consi...

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