Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of recent extreme winter storms on UK (a) Atlantic Puffins and (b) other seabird populations.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have several policy delivery programmes that contribute to the protection and conservation of seabirds, supporting our mission on nature’s recovery. These include integrating seabird needs into our strategic marine spatial planning; management and review of our marine protected areas (MPA) network; delivering measures to reduce seabird bycatch; and pushing for seabird protections internationally.
We have established a Seabird Conservation Coordination Group, comprising Government officials, experts, environmental NGOs and industry representation. This group is considering recommendations in Natural England’s English Seabird Conservation and Recovery Pathway report, and helping to coordinate, monitor and drive delivery of priority actions for seabirds across our programmes of work. We will continue to work with devolved Governments on next steps, including as they implement their respective seabird conservation strategies.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, which financial institutions does the British Business Bank use for its (a) corporate banking and (b) staff pension fund.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The financial institution that provides British Business Bank plc with corporate banking services is NatWest. Bank accounts are held within the Government Banking Service.
The British Business Bank’s workplace pension scheme is provided through Aegon.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help protect seabird populations.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have several policy delivery programmes that contribute to the protection and conservation of seabirds, supporting our mission on nature’s recovery. These include integrating seabird needs into our strategic marine spatial planning; management and review of our marine protected areas (MPA) network; delivering measures to reduce seabird bycatch; and pushing for seabird protections internationally.
We have established a Seabird Conservation Coordination Group, comprising Government officials, experts, environmental NGOs and industry representation. This group is considering recommendations in Natural England’s English Seabird Conservation and Recovery Pathway report, and helping to coordinate, monitor and drive delivery of priority actions for seabirds across our programmes of work. We will continue to work with devolved Governments on next steps, including as they implement their respective seabird conservation strategies.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Lord Mandelson used a non-corporate email address for government business whilst Ambassador.to the United States.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 February in response to Question 110419.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Rt hon. Member for (a) Tottenham and (b) Ashton-Under-Lyne made representations on the appointment of Lord Mandelson as Ambassador to the United States.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12 February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament's instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential cumulative impact of changes to (a) the Minimum Wage, (b) employer National Insurance, (c) Business Rates and (d) lack of uprating to VAT thresholds on micro-businesses in the hospitality sector since July 2024.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the important contribution that micro-businesses in the hospitality sector make to local communities, the high street and the wider economy. The potential impacts of changes on this sector are carefully considered as part of policy development.
The Government considers the impact of tax measures on these businesses. Where changes are made, relevant impact notes and assessments are published at fiscal events and otherwise as necessary, in line with the Government’s usual practice. The Treasury also engages regularly with the hospitality sector.
To protect the smallest businesses from changes to employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) made at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government increased the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. This means that this year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, and more than half of all employers will either gain or will see no change.
The Government is also supporting small businesses to grow. At Budget, the Government announced the extension of Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) so that businesses opening second premises can retain their SBRR for three years, tripling the current allowance.
The Government continues to provide targeted support to the hospitality sector through the tax system and other policies and keeps all areas of the tax system under review, with future decisions taken at fiscal events under the normal process.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many Notes Verbale have been issued to foreign governments and supranational organisations since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The requested information is held on a number of different systems across the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and could only be collated for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the number of times Jeffery Epstein visited (a) No10 and (b) No11 from 1997 to 2010.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
This information is not retained for the time periods specified.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 101767 on Jeffrey Epstein, whether Jeffery Epstein visited HM Treasury offices in Whitehall during the period 1997 to 2010.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Visitor information for HM Treasury offices in Whitehall is not retained for the time periods specified.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2026 to Question 101775 on 1 Carlton Gardens: Council tax, whether the Chancellor’s residence in Downing Street is her primary residence.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 8 January 2026 to Question 101771.