Louie French Alert Sample


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View the Parallel Parliament page for Louie French

Information between 12th September 2026 - 2nd October 2026

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Written Answers
Motorcycles: Driving Licences
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Tuesday 15th September 2026

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an estimate of the number of Compulsory Basic Training certificates for motorcycle riders issued by or linked to the DVSA in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not hold full data for the number of people who repeat their CBT course, however, some analysis was conducted for inclusion in the recent ‘Improving moped and motorcycle training, testing and licensing’ consultation.

This analysis evidences that, between March 2023 and March 2025, 77,000 learner riders repeated their CBT course, indicating that they have not gained a full motorcycle licence. This equates to 23% of the total certificates issued in that period which total 384,000.

More information on the consultation can be found on GOV.UK. Information on CBT certificate validity can be found in Topic 6 of the consultation.

The number of DL196 certificates issued to approved training body’s (ATB) is a published statistic and can be found in dataset INSO0203 on GOV.UK.

Motorcycles: Driving Licences
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Tuesday 15th September 2026

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an estimate of the number of Compulsory Basic Training certificates for motorcycle riders renewed by the DVSA in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not hold full data for the number of people who repeat their CBT course, however, some analysis was conducted for inclusion in the recent ‘Improving moped and motorcycle training, testing and licensing’ consultation.

This analysis evidences that, between March 2023 and March 2025, 77,000 learner riders repeated their CBT course, indicating that they have not gained a full motorcycle licence. This equates to 23% of the total certificates issued in that period which total 384,000.

More information on the consultation can be found on GOV.UK. Information on CBT certificate validity can be found in Topic 6 of the consultation.

The number of DL196 certificates issued to approved training body’s (ATB) is a published statistic and can be found in dataset INSO0203 on GOV.UK.

Surgery: Training
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Wednesday 16th September 2026

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the withdrawal of national funding and coordination for Training Interface Group fellowships on the future workforce of surgeons trained to deliver highly specialised procedures, including cleft lip and palate surgery.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 25 March in response to Question 121818.

Surgery: Training
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Wednesday 16th September 2026

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has plans to replace Training Interface Group fellowships with an alternative national training pathway for surgeons specialising in complex multidisciplinary fields such as cleft lip and palate surgery.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 25 March in response to Question 121818.

Government
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Friday 18th September 2026

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many Government (a) announcements, (b) initiatives and (c) funding decisions have been delayed beyond their initial deadline since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government does not centrally record or hold timelines for all individual departmental announcements, initiatives, and funding decisions, including delays. Departments are responsible for tracking delivery with oversight and support from the centre of Government on the priorities that matter most to the public.

Public Consultation: Expenditure
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Friday 18th September 2026

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much HM Government has spent on consultations since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The information requested is not held centrally.

Greyhound Racing
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Thursday 17th September 2026

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the economic and social contribution of greyhound racing in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.

Answered by Vicky Foxcroft - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises the important contribution that greyhound racing makes to Britain's cultural heritage, sporting landscape and economy.

The Department has not made a separate assessment of the economic and social contribution of greyhound racing in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland individually.

The most recent information available to the Department is provided by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB). According to GBGB, greyhound racing contributes approximately £166 million annually to Britain's GDP, around £52 million to the Exchequer, and supports approximately 5,400 jobs across Great Britain.

The Government continues to engage regularly with the greyhound racing industry, including the GBGB, on issues relating to the sustainability, welfare and future development of the sport.

Motorcycles: Excise Duties
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Thursday 17th September 2026

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason Vehicle Excise Duty for motorcycles is calculated on engine size rather than vehicle weight; and if he will make it his policy to commission a review of motorcycle VED.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

Vehicle Excise Duty for motorcycles is currently based on engine size. There are four engine size ranges, with the lowest rate applying to zero emission motorcycles and the smallest engines sized 150cc or less (currently £27 per year), and the highest rate applying to engines sized 600cc and above (currently £125 per year).

Historically, engine capacity-based rates have offered the most practical and easy-to-understand way to reflect the respective emissions levels of motorcycles. The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events.

Tax Yields: Greater London and South East
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Thursday 17th September 2026

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much of the tax take is generated by London and the South East.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The Office for National statistics publishes a series of official statistics on country and regional public sector finances. The publication presents statistical estimates for the allocation of public sector revenue for each country and region of the UK, which includes figures for London and the South East.

Roads
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Friday 18th September 2026

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the impact of the weight of (a) fuel-powered vehicles and (b) electric-powered vehicles on the United Kingdom's road network.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Wear and tear on roads is dominated by heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and buses, with a much smaller impact from cars of any type.

Bereavement: Parents
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Monday 21st September 2026

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of financial support available to bereaved parents.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Bereaved parents may be eligible for Universal Credit, help with immediate costs through a Funeral Expenses Payment, and assistance through the Crisis and Resilience Fund.

For Universal Credit customers, the department maintains payments for the assessment period in which a child, partner or non-dependent dies, and for the following two assessment periods.

Where one parent has died, the surviving parent may be eligible for Bereavement Support Payment.

The government keeps bereavement support under review.

Immigration
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Monday 21st September 2026

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what she defines as immigration pull factors to the United Kingdom; and what steps she is taking to remove those pull factors.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government considers immigration pull factors to be aspects of the UK's asylum and immigration system that may incentivise irregular migration to the United Kingdom. Through the Restoring Order and Control Policy Statement and the Immigration and Asylum Bill, introduced on 30 June 2026 the Government is reforming the asylum and returns system to reduce such incentives while continuing to meet its international obligations to those in need of protection.

Measures include reforms to refugee leave, settlement and family reunion arrangements; stronger compliance requirements; action to recover accommodation and support costs from those able to contribute; increased enforcement against illegal working; improvements to returns and removals, including reforms to the framework governing Article 8 claims; expanded returns agreements with international partners; and action to reduce reliance on asylum accommodation, including hotels. The Government is also strengthening border security, disrupting organised immigration crime and expanding safe and legal routes for those who require protection.

Deportation
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Monday 21st September 2026

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that those who have had asylum claims rejected are removed from the United Kingdom; and what percentage of rejected claimants have been removed from the UK since July 2024.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

Since the July 2024 election, asylum-related returns have reached their highest level since 2010.

The monthly breakdown in asylum related returns since July 2024 is published in the ad-hoc transparency release, which can be found here: Returns from the UK between 1 July 2024 and 31 July 2026 - GOV.UK

Ramping up returns is an important part of the government’s system-wide action to strengthen UK border security and restore order to the asylum and immigration system. Immigration Enforcement are clear that individuals who have no legal basis to remain in the UK should leave and we remain resolute in our commitment to increasing returns, as set out in our statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy.

Brain: Tumours
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Monday 14th September 2026

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to increase Government funding for research to improve outcomes for brain tumour patients.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to the Rt Hon The Lord Hunt of Kings Heath OBE on 16 July 2026 in response to Question HL1674.

Available data on this issue is also published by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, at the following link:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/our-research/cancer/brain-tumours

Undocumented Workers: Fines
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Tuesday 22nd September 2026

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of businesses issued with fines for employing illegal workers (a) dissolving and (b) liquidating before fines are paid.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office pursues debt recovery in every case and proactively monitors liable companies through Companies House from the point a civil penalty referral is logged. This enables the early identification of proposed strike-offs and timely objections, helping to prevent companies from dissolving before civil penalties can be pursued or recovered.

The Home Office does not routinely assess trends in the number of businesses issued with civil penalties for employing illegal workers that subsequently dissolve or enter liquidation before penalties are paid.