To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Gender Based Violence: Criminal Proceedings
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Andrew Jones (Conservative - Harrogate and Knaresborough)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to tackle violence against women and girls through the criminal justice system.

Answered by Laura Farris - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Ministry of Justice) (jointly with Home Office)

This Government has introduced a comprehensive legislative framework to prevent violence against women, including our landmark Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

We have pioneered the creation of new offences including coercive control, non-fatal strangulation and intimate image abuse; more than doubled the number of adult rape cases reaching court compared to when we commissioned our End-to-End Rape Review; and made sure that sentences for adult rape are almost 40% longer than they were in 2010.

And through our Sentencing Bill, we will ensure that rapists and serious sexual offenders spend the entirety of their custodial sentence behind bars, without possibility of parole.


Written Question
General Practitioners: Labour Turnover and Recruitment
Tuesday 5th March 2024

Asked by: Andrew Jones (Conservative - Harrogate and Knaresborough)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress she has made on increasing levels of GP recruitment and retention.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude for the fantastic work of general practice. We are committed to increasing the number of doctors in general practice and I can tell my honourable friend that there were nearly 2,800 more full-time equivalent doctors in general practice in December 2023 compared to December 2019, and that in 2022 we saw a record 4,032 trainees accept a place on GP training, up from 2,671 in 2014. Finally, training places will rise to 6,000 by 2031/32, with the first 500 new places available from September 2025.


Written Question
Tree Planting
Thursday 1st February 2024

Asked by: Andrew Jones (Conservative - Harrogate and Knaresborough)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to increase tree planting.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The England Trees Action Plan, funded by over £675 million of the Nature for Climate Fund, is transforming England’s tree planting and woodland management. We have set a statutory target to increase tree canopy and woodland cover of England to 16.5% by 2050. Last year, over 3,600 hectares of trees were planted (4.7 million trees) - the highest planting rate for nearly a decade – a massive boost to a sector that employs over 33,000 people across the UK. The framework is now in place with the plan to further increase tree planting and treble planting rates in England by the end of this parliament. We’re also securing and growing nursery capacity to boost the supply of healthy seeds and trees.


Written Question
Public Sector Debt
Tuesday 5th September 2023

Asked by: Andrew Jones (Conservative - Harrogate and Knaresborough)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress he has made on reducing the level of national debt.

Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Reducing the national debt is one the Prime Minister’s five priorities and will provide the foundations for sustainable growth. The independent Office for Budget Responsibility confirmed in March that the government is on track to deliver this, meeting our fiscal rules with underlying debt falling as a percentage of GDP in 2027-28. We have shown we will take the difficult but necessary decisions to ensure that debt is falling.


Written Question
Access to Work Programme
Tuesday 28th March 2023

Asked by: Andrew Jones (Conservative - Harrogate and Knaresborough)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent progress his Department has made on increasing processing times for access to work applications made by disabled people.

Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)

Access to Work have recruited more people and redeployed existing colleagues to support the processing of applications. We have also reviewed our processes and looked to streamline, where we can, to speed up decision making. Alongside that, we are continuing to transform the service through digitalisation and aim to introduce an online claims portal and an improved application process in the Spring. Whilst we still have a number of newer colleagues in training, these activities are showing positive results with an improvement in processing times and increases in clearances.


Written Question
Employment: Disability
Monday 6th March 2023

Asked by: Andrew Jones (Conservative - Harrogate and Knaresborough)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help disabled people find employment.

Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)

There are a range of Government initiatives supporting disabled people, and people with health conditions, to start, stay and succeed in work. These include:

  • Increasing Work Coach support in Jobcentres for people with health conditions receiving Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance;
  • Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres offering advice and expertise on how to help disabled people and people with health conditions into work;
  • The Work and Health Programme and Intensive Personalised Employment Support, providing tailored and personalised support for participants;
  • Access to Work grants towards extra costs of working beyond standard reasonable adjustments;
  • Disability Confident encouraging employers to think differently about disability and health, and to take positive action to address the issues employees face in the workplace;
  • The Information and Advice Service providing better integrated and tailored guidance on supporting and managing health and disability in the workplace; and
  • Support in partnership between DWP and the health system, including Employment Advice in NHS Talking Therapies services, which combines psychological treatment and employment support for people with mental health conditions.

Written Question
Afghanistan: Females
Tuesday 26th April 2022

Asked by: Andrew Jones (Conservative - Harrogate and Knaresborough)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

What steps she is taking to help support women and girls in Afghanistan.

Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary

Last month we co-hosted a donor conference with the UN, Qatar and Germany. This raised over $2.4 billion for the UN’s humanitarian appeal.

Ahead of the summit, the Foreign Secretary announced the UK’s pledge of £286 million for Afghanistan this financial year.

The Foreign Secretary has committed to prioritising funding for women and girls. In Afghanistan, we will ensure at least 50% of those we reach with our aid should be women and girls.


Written Question
Internet: Advertising
Thursday 24th March 2022

Asked by: Andrew Jones (Conservative - Harrogate and Knaresborough)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

What recent progress her Department has made on tackling fraudulent online advertisements.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government introduced the Online Safety Bill to Parliament on 17 March. Through the Bill, the largest social media companies will need to take robust action to tackle fraud, including fraudulent online advertisements. This will ensure that people using the largest platforms are protected from scams, and ensure these services do not profit from illegal activity.

We have also launched a consultation on proposals for wider reform of online advertising regulations, including in relation to fraud.


Written Question
Armed Forces: Skilled Workers and Technology
Monday 10th January 2022

Asked by: Andrew Jones (Conservative - Harrogate and Knaresborough)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to invest in technology and skills relevant to the armed forces throughout the UK.

Answered by Jeremy Quin

The Ministry of Defence is investing more than £6.6 billion in research and development over the next four years to ensure our Armed Forces have the technologies and skills they need to meet new and emerging threats.

In addition, the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy includes commitments to work with industry to nurture and develop relevant skills in the sectors.


Written Question
Defence: Employment
Monday 1st February 2021

Asked by: Andrew Jones (Conservative - Harrogate and Knaresborough)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

What assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on employment of the defence settlement.

Answered by Ben Wallace

The Ministry of Defence already supports over 390,000 jobs in the UK and in 2019, the UK won £11billion worth of export orders. The multi-year defence settlement will protect this important contribution and build on it by investing in cutting edge capabilities, research and development.