Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when she plans to publish the 2025 UK Life Sciences Competitiveness Indicators.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Office for Life Sciences will publicly announce the planned publication date of the Life Sciences Competitiveness Indicators one month in advance of its publication.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the Government plans to update UK Infection Prevention and Control guidance to reflect the scientific consensus that (a) covid-19 and (b) other respiratory pathogens are airborne; and what steps he is taking to ensure enforceable indoor air quality standards in healthcare settings.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Infection Prevention and Control Manual (NIPCM) for England, published by NHS England, whilst not pathogen specific, provides overarching infection prevention and control principles that should be used to inform clinical judgement/practice. The NIPCM for England is regularly updated in response to changing epidemiology, or scientific evidence, feedback from frontline healthcare staff, and system need.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) advice on the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus notes that SARS-CoV-2 is primarily transmitted between individuals through infectious respiratory particles, droplet and aerosol, with transmission risk being highest when in close proximity to an infectious individual, particularly within two metres. Being in poorly ventilated indoor spaces, particularly for an extended period of time, also increases the risk of becoming infected. Further information on UKHSA advice is available at the following link:
Published guidance on ventilation in healthcare settings includes the Health Technical Memorandum 03-01: Specialised ventilation for healthcare premises, the NHS Estates Technical Bulletin (NETB 2023/01A): application of HEPA filter devices for air cleaning in healthcare spaces: guidance and standards, and the NHS Estates Technical Bulletin (NETB 2023/01B): application of ultraviolet (UVC) devices for air cleaning in occupied healthcare spaces: guidance and standards, with further information on all three documents available, respectively, at the following three links:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/specialised-ventilation-for-healthcare-buildings/
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has set a timeframe for the completion of research to (a) update and (b) strengthen the evidence base on the (i) extent and (ii) impact of pavement parking.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the 2020 pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible. The new research announced last week will not delay this; my officials are finalising its terms now. Findings will be published within 12 weeks of agreeing final outputs, per Government Social Research protocols.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to release the representative sample of local authorities it plans to consult on pavement parking research.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the 2020 pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible. The new research announced last week will not delay this; my officials are finalising its terms now. Findings will be published within 12 weeks of agreeing final outputs, per Government Social Research protocols.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the (a) staffing, (b) system, (c) compliance and (d) other costs of (i) implementing and (ii) administering the proposed changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief; and if she will take steps to publish an estimate prior to the reforms taking effect in April 2026.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
I refer to the answer given on 5 September 2025 at UIN 70546 :
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-08-29/70546
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of the firearms enquiry officers employed across police forces in England and Wales are warranted police officers.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government does not currently collect data regarding the staffing of firearms licensing departments in police forces. The level of staffing and use of warranted police officers in such departments is a matter for individual Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many firearms enquiry officers are employed across police forces in England and Wales.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government does not currently collect data regarding the staffing of firearms licensing departments in police forces. The level of staffing and use of warranted police officers in such departments is a matter for individual Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of hares shot during the period when sale is prohibited under the Hares Preservation Act 1892 in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
Defra holds no official statistics on the number of hares shot in England. The Act aims to protect hares by prohibiting the sale of hares in England from March to July inclusive.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to hold discussions with Vice Chancellors on the effectiveness of disciplinary procedures in tackling antisemitism at universities.
Answered by Janet Daby
Last month, my right hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, brought together Vice Chancellors and community leaders to hear testimonials from Jewish students and to discuss next steps to ensure safer, more inclusive campuses for all. This included productive discussion of how students’ confidence in the disciplinary processes could be improved, while ensuring that confidentiality requirements continue to be met.
The department remains deeply committed to working with universities, sector partners and stakeholder groups to effectively tackle the unacceptably high level of antisemitism on our campuses.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Mid Buckinghamshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle expressions of support for (a) Hamas and (b) Hezbollah at universities.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer that I gave to the Rt Hon Member for Fareham and Waterlooville on 7 May in response to Question 48984.