Every parliamentary written question tabled by Martin Wrigley this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1,401–1,420 of 1,715 · this parliament
If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the 20-hour-per-week work limit for international students during term time.
I refer the Honourable Member to my response to the Member for Bournemouth East’s question of 17 October 2024 [09875].
What assessment her Department has made of changes to National Insurance Contributions to home-to-school service contract suppliers beyond March 2025.
I refer the hon. Member for Newton Abbott to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26397.
What assessment she has made of the potential merits of allowing international students to reduce skills shortages in key sectors through the Graduate Route visa.
The Graduate route enables international students who have successfully completed an eligible qualification to stay in the UK and work, or look for work, at any skill level for 2 years, or 3 years for doctoral students. It includes the ability to switch into other routes, such as the Skilled Worker route, if the requirements of such routes are met.
If he will (a) hold discussions and (b) take steps with Super Humans Ukraine to provide (i) training, (ii) equipment for (A) prosthetics and (B) medical (1) assistance and (2) training and (iii) other support in Ukraine.
As a world leader in military rehabilitation, the UK Ministry of Defence, in consultation with our Ukrainian partners has chosen to contribute to the NATO Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP) funded Project RENOVATOR, a project to support the development of increased rehabilitation capacity and capability within Ukraine to help deal with the thousands of injured military personnel.Project RENOVATOR supports the building of infrastructure and the provision of equipment and delivery of training and education, including specialist physiotherapy and prosthetic capabilities. The ultimate aim is to provide five modernised rehabilitation facilities across the country, supporting Ukraine to develop a modern military healthcare system.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of President Trump's call for a peace agreement on the war between Ukraine and Russia.
We share President Trump's desire to bring this barbaric war to an end. Russia could do this tomorrow by withdrawing its forces and ending its illegal invasion. We are working closely with the US, and both the UK and the US remain focused on bringing a just and lasting peace to Ukraine. We are clear that there can be no negotiation about Ukraine without Ukraine.
Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will take steps to provide additional (a) funding and (b) other support to free range poultry farmers affected by Avian flu.
The UK poultry sector is highly resilient, adaptable and continues to supply healthy and affordable products in spite of the many challenges it has faced in recent years including the war in Ukraine and Avian Influenza outbreaks. In Autumn 2024 Defra announced a package of measures to help poultry farmers to deal with the impact of Avian Influenza outbreaks and to provide certainty and stability to the sector. This included: The introduction of legislation to allow free-range eggs to continue to be labelled as such for the duration of mandatory housing measures, reducing costs on producers and enabling them to continue to trade fairly with imported eggs. The Statutory Instrument came into force on 24 January 2025.A consultation on introducing similar measures for the labelling of free-range poultry meat during mandatory housing measures. The consultation closed on 16 December 2024. Responses are currently being analysed, and a summary of responses will be published in due course. We continue to work closely with the poultry and egg sectors and to monitor these markets for any supply issues and impacts to producers that arise as a result of Avian Influenza outbreaks.
Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to trial Avian Flu vaccinations in poultry farms in Devon.
Defra have established a cross-government and industry taskforce to explore potential for use of vaccination as a preventive measure for avian influenza. In conjunction with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), Defra will continue to monitor the development and availability of vaccines for their utility in preventing and responding to avian influenza outbreaks as they are put forward for market authorisation by vaccine manufacturers. A clinical trial to examine under field conditions the safety and/or efficacy of a veterinary vaccine, when conducted in Great Britain and/or Northern Ireland requires an Animal Test Certificate (ATC). Applications to carry out a clinical trial for avian influenza vaccination must be made to the VMD who will conduct an assessment based on the information provided and consider the application in consultation with Defra.
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce (a) hate crime and (b) discrimination against international students.
The department condemns all forms of hatred on our campuses. Every student, irrespective of their background, should feel safe to pursue their studies at university.As autonomous institutions, universities should have robust processes in place to prevent and tackle acts of harassment and abuse on campus.This government is clear that international students, who make a positive impact on UK higher education, our economy and society as a whole, are welcome in the UK. They bring significant benefits, by enriching our university campuses, forging lifelong friendships with our domestic students and becoming global ambassadors for the UK.
What the average processing time was for student visa applications in the latest period for which data is available; and what steps her Department is taking to reduce processing times for such applications.
Our published transparency statistics can be found here and include data on service standards. The current publication covers to Q3 2024.Visas, status and immigration data: Q3 2024 - GOV.UKWe continue to operate within our service standard of 15 days for straightforward applications, with even faster times for our priority services.Where applications are complex and we require further information or checks, decisions may take longer. This is to prevent abuse of our immigration system. All visa applications are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with the immigration rules.We encourage international students to apply as early as possible and ensure they have provided all required documents, to avoid any delay to starting their studies in the UK. Visa applications can be made up to 6 months before the course start date, once the student has their Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies from their education sponsor.We work with educational institutions and partners globally to ensure students are encouraged to apply for their visa as early as possible and guided through the application process online.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment they have made of the impact of the new US president on escalation in the Ukraine-Russian war.
We share President Trump's desire to bring this barbaric war to an end. Russia could do this tomorrow by withdrawing its forces and ending its illegal invasion. We are working closely with the US, and both the UK and the US remain focused on bringing a just and lasting peace to Ukraine. We are clear that there can be no negotiation about Ukraine without Ukraine.
Communities and Local Government, if the Department will make an assessment of the merits of redefining childcare as infrastructure.
The Planning Act 2008, Part 11, provides the legislative framework for the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).Section 216(1) of the 2008 Act means that CIL must be spent on the provision, improvement, replacement, operation, or maintenance of infrastructure.Section 216(2) of that Act contains an illustrative list of kinds of infrastructure that CIL may be spent on and in subsection (2)(c) express reference is made to schools and other educational facilities.This allows the levy to be used to fund a broad range of facilities, which may include childcare facilities.
What steps his Department plans to take in response to Russian use of cluster munitions in Ukraine.
As a State Party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), the UK has made a commitment not to produce or use cluster munitions and to discourage their use. We stand by that.As President of the CCM in 2022 the UK frequently highlighted the use of cluster munitions by Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. The UK has committed £6.1million to address explosive ordnance, including cluster munitions, in Ukraine in financial year 2024-5 through the Global Mine Action Programme.
Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with his American counterpart on the security provisions in place for UK citizens that have data held by US Government Departments, in the context of recent steps taken by the US Department of Government Efficiency to access personal data.
The UK-US special relationship continues to be critical for our security, growth and prosperity, as reiterated by the Prime Minister and President during the recent visit. Under the UK data protection regime, organisations must ensure there are appropriate safeguards in place when sending UK personal data internationally.The UK has an adequacy decision for certain transfers to the US and robustly monitors any developments that could affect that decision. Where an adequacy decision cannot be relied upon, UK organisations must ensure alternative safeguards are in place, such as contractual clauses, in accordance with Article 46 of the UK GDPR.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to (a) support and (b) provide training to medical practitioners on the use of (i) prosthetic and (ii) other medical technologies in Ukraine.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) partners continue to support medical practitioners in Ukraine. For example, the FCDO contributed to £320,000 of funding to the Superhumans War Trauma Centre in Ukraine last year. The clinic provides innovative rehabilitation services to people who have been impacted by war, including training surgeons on prosthetics. In addition, the Ukraine Red Cross Society, funded by UK assistance, provides specialised training at the Burns Unit in Kyiv and was recently visited by the Prime Minister.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) fund and (b) support the Superhumans war trauma centre in Ukraine.
The Superhumans War Trauma Centre in Ukraine provides innovative rehabilitation services to people who have been impacted by war. Last year, FCDO-led, multi-donor programme - the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine (PFRU) - supported the Superhumans clinic. PRFU provided £320,000 of funding for the Superhumans clinic, 40 percent of which was UK support. We remain in regular contact with the centre.
If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of proposed changes business property relief on family-run businesses in (a) Devon, (b) the South West and (c) the UK.
The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992. Information from claims is not recorded to enable regional breakdowns of the number of estates expected to be affected. However, the Government has set out that around 1,500 estates across the UK only claiming business property relief are expected to be affected in 2026-27, with around 1,000 of these expected to only hold shares designated as “not listed” on the markets of recognised stock exchanges, such as the Alternative Investment Market. The remaining 500 estates will include business assets from sectors across the economy that are eligible for business property relief. These reforms mean that around three-quarters of estates claiming business property relief in 2026-27 (excluding those only relating to holding shares designated as “not listed”) will not pay any more inheritance tax in 2026-27.
Pursuant to the Answer of 6 February 2025 to Question 27894 on Social Security Benefits: Criminal Investigation, whether her Department pursues cases where they have no record of (a) financial fraud, (b) error and (c) debt from a claimant.
A criminal investigation into social security fraud may be pursued in any case where there is a credible allegation and where there are sufficient facts, information, or intelligence, that indicate fraudulent activity may be occurring. The individual circumstances of the claim will only be considered where they are relevant to a fraud allegation.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to business property relief on the construction plant-hire sector in Devon.
The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992. Information from claims is not recorded to enable regional breakdowns of the number of estates expected to be affected. However, the Government has set out that around 1,500 estates across the UK only claiming business property relief are expected to be affected in 2026-27, with around 1,000 of these expected to only hold shares designated as “not listed” on the markets of recognised stock exchanges, such as the Alternative Investment Market. The remaining 500 estates will include business assets from sectors across the economy that are eligible for business property relief. These reforms mean that around three-quarters of estates claiming business property relief in 2026-27 (excluding those only relating to holding shares designated as “not listed”) will not pay any more inheritance tax in 2026-27.
If the Government will extend the beer duty freeze for pubs.
Pubs make an enormous contribution to our economy and society, and this is recognised in the tax system. Beer producers benefitted from a freeze to alcohol duty from 1 February 2024 until 1 February 2025. At the Autumn Budget, the Chancellor cut alcohol duty on qualifying draught products – approximately 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This represents an overall reduction in duty bills of over £85m a year and is equivalent to a 1p duty reduction on a typical pint. This reduction increased the relief available on draught products to 13.9%. This came into effect on 1 February 2025.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make it his policy to publish a deadline for the implementation public registers of beneficial ownership in the Overseas Territories.
At the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) in November 2024, the Falkland Islands and St Helena committed to join Montserrat and Gibraltar in implementing fully public registers by April 2025.Other OTs, including the British Virgin Islands, Cayman, Bermuda, Anguilla and Turks & Caicos Islands, agreed to implement registers of beneficial ownership, accessible to those with a legitimate interest, by June 2025. The details of this commitment are set out in the JMC communique published on gov.uk. We are working with OT Governments to ensure proposals for the registers meet the requirements agreed at the Joint Ministerial Council.Our expectation is that all OTs will ultimately implement registers that are fully accessible to the public.