Every parliamentary written question tabled by Mark Sewards this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 81–100 of 196 · this parliament
How many investigations are currently underway into potential foreign interference activities linked to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London.
It is the longstanding policy of successive UK Governments that we do not comment on operational, intelligence or security matters.The verdicts in the recent trial represent the first convictions under the National Security Act related to China and send a...
What (a) data protection and (b) privacy safeguards are in place to ensure the security of (i) home addresses and (ii) other personal information belonging to people considered vulnerable to targeting
It is the longstanding policy of successive UK Governments that we do not comment on operational, intelligence or security matters. However, we continually assess potential threats to individuals’ rights, freedoms, and safety in the UK and are front foote...
What additional resources have been allocated to (a) Cantonese and (b) Mandarin translation and linguistic capabilities for investigations conducted under the National Security Act 2023.
Counter Terrorism Policing continues to maintain the technological tools and translation capabilities necessary to meet legislative and evidential requirements.CTP are strengthening this capacity, including through the development and deployment of enhanc...
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to repeal the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Act 1996.
This Government is taking a consistent, long term, and strategic approach to managing the UK's relations with China, rooted in UK interests. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Act 1996 exists to promote trade with the Hong Kong Special Administrative...
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans she has to (a) review and (b) revoke the privileges and immunities currently afforded to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London under the Hong Kong Econ
This Government is taking a consistent, long term, and strategic approach to managing the UK's relations with China, rooted in UK interests. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Act 1996 exists to promote trade with the Hong Kong Special Administrative...
How many newly qualified nurses and midwives are expected to join the Nursing and Midwifery Council register in (a) 2025-26 and (b) 2026-27; and how many Band 5 nursing and midwifery vacancies were
The Nursing and Midwifery Council publishes data twice a year on the makeup of its professional register, and this includes information on the number of people trained in the United Kingdom who have joined the register for the first time, which will be a ...
What steps his Department is taking to implement the Graduate Guarantee for newly qualified nurses and midwives; and what metrics will be used to measure its impact.
NHS England is actively monitoring future nursing and midwifery student numbers and will continue to assess the efficacy of the 2025/26 Graduate Guarantee as a mechanism. There are a range of measures to support students, universities, and clinical educat...
What assessment he has made of accessibility to NHS mental health services for residents in Leeds South West and Morley, including average waiting times for assessment and treatment.
NHS North East and Yorkshire have stated that for NHS Talking Therapies services, the current waiting time from referral to assessment is approximately six weeks, with faster access available where clinically necessary. For children and young people’s men...
Whether his Department has issued guidance to NHS employers on the relationship between partial retirement and entitlement to contractual redundancy payments.
Contractual redundancy terms are set out in the Agenda for Change NHS terms and conditions of service handbook under section 16, more specifically paragraph 16.6, for National Health Service staff who are on Agenda for Change contracts in England or those whose terms refer dynamically to the Agenda for Change.The Department commissions NHS Employers to provide guidance for employers on a range of topics, including NHS redundancy arrangements and retirement options for NHS staff. This guidance clearly sets out the position in relation to partial retirement and redundancy. NHS employers are expected to comply with both contractual and statutory obligations when determining entitlement.
What steps her Department is taking to maximise the portability of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities provision for children of Armed Forces families when they move between (a) local authority areas within England and (b) UK nations.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
What steps he is taking to help ensure that NHS staff who took partial retirement and subsequently apply for Voluntary Redundancy are not disadvantaged in their entitlement to contractual redundancy payments.
Entitlement to contractual redundancy payments is set out in the Agenda for Change NHS terms and conditions of service handbook, under section 16, for National Health Service staff that are on Agenda for Change contracts in England, or those whose terms refer dynamically to the Agenda for Change. The NHS national voluntary redundancy scheme follows the same Agenda for Change principles.Where an employee has taken partial retirement, the Department expects employers to apply the contractual redundancy provisions to the individual’s circumstances and ensure that staff are treated fairly and consistently.Taking partial retirement does not make staff ineligible for redundancy payments, however, it will affect how any contractual redundancy payment is calculated. In line with Agenda for Change paragraph 16.6, service which has been used to calculate previous pension benefits does not count again when calculating a contractual redundancy payment. Statutory redundancy entitlements are separate and should be met in accordance with statutory rules.
What assessment she has made of potential impacts of activities of Iranian state-affiliated media organisations, including Press TV, operating in the United Kingdom on the public; and whether she has considered aligning the UK’s approach with that of allies who have taken action against such entities.
We work closely with a range of partners to tackle malign state-backed influence and interference in our society. Where there is clear evidence that Iranian-linked or aligned organisations are undertaking unacceptable activity, the Government will respond accordingly.We will continue to use all appropriate tools at our disposal to protect against these threats. This includes placing Iran on the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) to bolster our oversight of Iran’s influence activities. The enhanced tier of the FIRS requires individuals and organisations to register arrangements with specified foreign powers or entities that may pose a risk to the UK's safety and interests. In addition to this, the UK has 550 sanctioned more than 550 Iranian individuals and organisations. This includes the IRGC in its entirety.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports that Iranian regime-linked actors are soliciting cryptocurrency donations from individuals in the United Kingdom to circumvent sanctions; and what steps she is taking to help ensure such funds are not used to support terrorism or Iran-backed proxy groups.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 5 February in response to Question 109571.
Media and Sport, with reference to Lord Walney’s March 2026 report entitled Undue Influence: The Iranian Regime’s Abuse of the UK Charity System, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Charity Commission's powers to respond to concerns relating to hostile foreign state influence, including the Islamic Human Rights Commission Trust and the Islamic Centre of England; and whether she plans to increase those powers.
The Charity Commission is alive to the threat of hostile foreign state influence in charities and works with other agencies to protect the sector from the risks of being exploited. Any allegation or evidence of criminal offences, including terrorism, is referred to the police to investigate.As part of the Government’s action plan for social cohesion we have announced that the Charity Commission’s powers to tackle extremist abuse of charities will be extended. This includes automatically disqualifying individuals with a criminal conviction for hate crimes from serving as charity trustees or senior managers, and helping the Charity Commission to disqualify charity trustees who have been excluded from the UK, deprived of British citizenship or are engaged in conduct which promotes violence or hatred. HMRC require that for a charity to qualify for an exemption from tax, their income and gains should be applied solely to charitable purposes. Charities may use Gift Aid funds for purposes that align with their charitable objectives and comply with UK charity law. Misuse would breach the Charity Commission rules and could result in regulatory action and tax charges.
Media and Sport, with reference to Lord Walney’s March 2026 report entitled Undue Influence: The Iranian Regime’s Abuse of the UK Charity System, if she will ensure that charities subject to live Charity Commission investigations relating to hostile foreign state influence and extremism do not receive public support mechanisms, including Gift Aid.
The Charity Commission is alive to the threat of hostile foreign state influence in charities and works with other agencies to protect the sector from the risks of being exploited. Any allegation or evidence of criminal offences, including terrorism, is referred to the police to investigate.As part of the Government’s action plan for social cohesion we have announced that the Charity Commission’s powers to tackle extremist abuse of charities will be extended. This includes automatically disqualifying individuals with a criminal conviction for hate crimes from serving as charity trustees or senior managers, and helping the Charity Commission to disqualify charity trustees who have been excluded from the UK, deprived of British citizenship or are engaged in conduct which promotes violence or hatred. HMRC require that for a charity to qualify for an exemption from tax, their income and gains should be applied solely to charitable purposes. Charities may use Gift Aid funds for purposes that align with their charitable objectives and comply with UK charity law. Misuse would breach the Charity Commission rules and could result in regulatory action and tax charges.
What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of UK financial regulations in preventing hostile states, including Iran, from exploiting cryptocurrency platforms accessible in the United Kingdom to raise funds.
The UK has a robust anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing and sanctions regime to counter hostile state activity.Cryptoassets are in scope of the UK’s Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Regulations, which require regulated firms to apply enhanced due diligence to business relationships and transactions involving high risk third countries, including Iran. This includes verifying customers’ identities and undertaking checks on source of funds and wealth. The UK has imposed financial sanctions on Iran in response to their de-stabilising and hostile behaviour. These sanctions apply to cryptoassets as well as traditional finance. HM Treasury’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) delivered a cryptoasset Threat Assessment in July 2025 to support industry their implementation and compliance efforts.
What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports that Press TV is being used to identify and assess individuals in the United Kingdom for potential recruitment by Iranian intelligence services; and what steps she is taking to protect UK residents, including members of the Jewish community and Iranian diaspora in the UK, from such activity.
The Government's first priority is our national security, and we will use all the tools at our disposal to protect the UK, and its people, from state threats. Where there is clear evidence that Iranian-linked or aligned organisations are undertaking unacceptable activity, the Government will respond accordingly.The UK has a comprehensive set of measures to counter threats posed by the Iranian regime. The UK has sanctioned over 550 Iran-linked individuals and entities, including the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has been sanctioned in its entirety. We have placed the entire Iranian State, including its intelligence agencies – the IRGC and MOIS – on the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS). Any organisation in the UK that fails to declare a registrable arrangement with the Iranian state will be committing a criminal offence punishable by a substantial fine or up to five years in prison.Furthermore, we engage directly with communities who may be at heightened risk, including members of the Jewish community and the Iranian diaspora. The National Protective Security Authority and Counter Terrorism Policing continue to provide protective security advice and support to individuals and organisations threatened by states.
What steps her Department is taking to improve enforcement against (a) people and (b) businesses supplying nitrous oxide unlawfully.
Nitrous oxide has been controlled as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 since 2023. It is an offence to produce, supply, possess or import nitrous oxide, regardless of canister size, except for activities explicitly exempt under the 1971 Act.Under the 1971 Act, nitrous oxide carries penalties of up to two years’ imprisonment for illicit possession and up to 14 years for illicit supply. Exemptions for legitimate use are applicable where there is no intention of wrongful inhalation. The police and other law enforcement agencies are operationally independent, but we expect them to prioritise resources towards tackling crime, including drug related crime.The Government also works to reduce harm through public information campaigns, including the 'Talk to FRANK' website. The Home Office works closely with the Department of Health and Social Care ('DHSC') to promote awareness. DHSC have worked with the PSHE Association to develop lesson plans on drugs, alcohol and tobacco which include specific references to the dangers of nitrous oxide. Data shows that recreational use of nitrous oxide among 16 to 24‑year‑olds has fallen to its lowest level since records began.Online sale of illegal drugs is further addressed through the Online Safety Act 2023. Under the 2023 Act, Ofcom can audit systems, require remedial action, and impose strong penalties on companies who fail to address criminality on their platforms - including fines of up to £18m or 10% of global turnover.
Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the Government’s 2026 Fraud Strategy on levels of fraud facilitated through online platforms before the Online Safety Act duties on fraudulent advertising take full effect.
While the OSA continues to be implemented, fraud is a ‘priority offence’ under the Act, with platforms already required to mitigate against criminals using their services and to remove scam content if it appears. Ofcom has existing robust powers to act where services do not fulfil their regulatory obligations. In the Summer, Ofcom is to go further, publishing its register of Category 1 and 2A services and consult on additional duties for these platforms to tackle paid-for fraudulent advertising. The Home Office’s Fraud Strategy was published on 9 March and so Government has not yet conducted a review of its impact.
What steps her Department is taking to support (a) local authorities and (b) police forces in tackling the misuse of nitrous oxide in public places and the associated littering of discarded canisters.
The Government is aware of concerns about nitrous oxide misuse in public places and littering of discarded canisters, which places a burden on communities and local authorities.Nitrous oxide has been controlled as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 since 2023. Under the 1971 Act, nitrous oxide carries penalties of up to two years’ imprisonment for illicit possession and up to 14 years for illicit supply. Exemptions for legitimate use are applicable where there is no intention of wrongful inhalation. The police and other law enforcement agencies are operationally independent, but we expect them to prioritise resources towards tackling crime, including drug related crime.Local authorities are responsible for clearing litter from public and have powers to prosecute littering offenders or issue fixed penalty notices. Littering is a criminal offence punishable by a fine of up to £2,500 on conviction, or a fixed penalty of up to £500.Additionally, the Government is increasing funding for waste crime enforcement and continues to work with police, councils and partners to discourage misuse, support enforcement and reduce associated environmental harm.