Esther McVey MP: written questions
391 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Health Services: Waiting ListsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 14 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 18583More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of the reduction in the Referral to Treatment waiting list between August 2024 and March 2026 was attributable to (a) increased completed treatments and (b) non-treatment removals,
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided in the House of Lords on 30 June in response to Question HL381.
Answered 19 Aug 2026
Original Parliament recordCoronavirus: FraudCabinet OfficeTabled 14 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 18582More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether HM Treasury has produced, commissioned or received an estimate of the total amount lost through fraud and error across Covid-19 support schemes that exceeds the published estimate of £10.9 billion.
Answer: Neither HM Treasury nor the Public Sector Fraud Authority have produced, commissioned or received an estimate of the total amount lost through fraud and error across Covid-19 support schemes that exceeds the published estimate of £10.9bn. The Public Secto...
Answered 17 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordNew Businesses: Government AssistanceDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 14 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 18581More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the Government has analysed companies incorporated during the pandemic against recipients of Bounce Back Loans and other Covid support schemes.
Answer: HM Government has analysed the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) portfolio for indicators that borrowers received loans which were ineligible under Scheme rules. This included analysing whether businesses were established on or before 1st March 2020 in accor...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordCoronavirus: FraudCabinet OfficeTabled 14 Jul 2026Awaiting answerUIN 18580More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what methodology was used to estimate the £10.9 billion of fraud and error in Covid-19 support schemes; whether the estimate includes unidentified fraud; and what estimate the Public Sector Fraud Authority has m
Answer: No published answer in this record yet.
Original Parliament recordObesity: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17729More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the government announcement of 27 June 2026 on Pioneering projects to transform obesity care, for what reason the relevant competing interests of the quoted experts were not discl
Answer: The Government announcement on 27 June 2026, titled Pioneering projects to transform obesity care, backed by £85 million from government and industry, was a press notice announcing the 12 successful projects funded through the Obesity Pathway Innovation P...
Answered 17 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordFolic Acid: Perinatal MortalityDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17728More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the article in The Lancet by Dr Czeizel entitled Can terathanasia explain the protective effect of folic-acid supplemen
Answer: In the United Kingdom, folic acid fortification was first considered by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) in 2000.In its report on Folic Acid and the Prevention of Disease, COMA considered the 1997 paper by Hook and Czei...
Answered 17 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordPeak ClusterDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 8 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 16872More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether it is his policy to support the building of the Peak Cluster project.
Answer: The Peak Cluster project is being developed privately by Peak Cluster Ltd, alongside its industry partners. The project has not been identified as one of the four Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) clusters for support through the government’s CCUS ...
Answered 17 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordEmergency Services: Crimes of ViolenceMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 16871More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Department's press release entitled Deputy Prime Minister sets out vision for the justice system, 24 February 2026, what information his Department holds on the number of cases involving ass
Answer: We inherited a criminal courts system in crisis. There are over 80,000 criminal cases currently waiting to be heard in the Crown Court, which means that some victims – and those seeking to clear their name – are waiting years for justice. Only by pulling ...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Energy Security and Net Zero: Peak ClusterDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 7 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 16395More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what meetings a) Ministers and b) officials in his Department have had with i) local authorities and ii) private sector companies on the Peak Cluster project.
Answer: Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Details of meetings with Senior Civil Servants are recorded in our transparency database, which is publishe...
Answered 15 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordInnovation and Technology: ObesityDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15321More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what funding has been allocated within the Obesity Pathway Innovation Programme to assess the outcomes of that programme.
Answer: The Obesity Pathway Innovation Programme includes evaluation activity to assess programme outcomes, funded from within the programme's budget. The programme's 12 funded projects will generate real-world evidence on innovative approaches to obesity care, s...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordFolic AcidDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15320More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Government response of 29 June 2026 to the petition entitled End the mandatory fortification of white flour with folic acid immediately, what assessment he has made of the ade
Answer: The Government introduced mandatory fortification of non-wholemeal wheat flour with folic acid as a preventative public health measure to help reduce the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) during pregnancy. Increasing folic acid intake through fortificati...
Answered 10 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordFolic AcidDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15319More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2026 to Question 113069 on Folic Acid, to clarify where the impact assessment has been published as it is not available on the cited link.
Answer: The Government introduced mandatory fortification of non-wholemeal wheat flour with folic acid as a preventative public health measure to help reduce the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) during pregnancy. Increasing folic acid intake through fortificati...
Answered 10 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordFolic AcidDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15318More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2026 to Question 3756 on Folic Acid, whether he is taking steps to help ensure patients will be made aware of the fortification of non-wholemeal wheat flour; and w
Answer: The Government introduced mandatory fortification of non-wholemeal wheat flour with folic acid as a preventative public health measure to help reduce the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) during pregnancy. Increasing folic acid intake through fortificati...
Answered 10 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordUnpaid TaxesTreasuryTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14819More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money that is owed to HMRC by a) businesses and b) taxpayers has not been collected as a percentage over the previous five years.
Answer: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) publishes information on the total amount of tax debt owed to it, but does not publish a breakdown of the debt balance between businesses and individual taxpayers. The Government is taking significant action to reduce tax deb...
Answered 10 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordUnpaid TaxesTreasuryTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14818More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money is owed by a) businesses and b) taxpayers to HMRC i) this financial year, and ii) in the previous financial year, and when that money is expected to be paid back.
Answer: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) publishes information on the total amount of tax debt owed to it, but does not publish a breakdown of the debt balance between businesses and individual taxpayers. The Government is taking significant action to reduce tax deb...
Answered 10 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordInformation Commissioner's Office: Public AppointmentsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12110More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether recruitment for the next Information Commissioner has commenced; and if she will publish the expected timetable for an appointment.
Answer: DSIT and the ICO have continued to work together on the transition to the Information Commission whilst the independent investigation was taking place. Due to the changes to the regulator’s governance structure, DSIT will be recruiting a Chair of the Info...
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordInformation Commissioner's Office: Public AppointmentsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12109More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the appointments process undertaken for the new Information Commission Board.
Answer: We are confident in the adequacy of the process that was followed to appoint non-executive members to the new Information Commission. The recruitment campaign was launched last June and has concluded. It was carried out in accordance with the public appoi...
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordJohn EdwardsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12108More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether any recommendations to the ICO were made relating to workplace culture, leadership, governance or staff welfare in the findings of the independent workplace investigation.
Answer: The independent investigation, and subsequent report, focused solely on the allegations made against Mr. Edwards. We are working closely with the ICO to consider what the next steps should be.
Answered 2 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordJohn EdwardsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12107More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she intends to publish any further findings, recommendations and conclusions of the ICO independent workplace investigation, subject to any lawful redactions necessary to protec
Answer: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 June 2026 to Question UIN 11634.
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordJohn EdwardsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12106More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what was the earliest date on which the Information Commissioner's Office informed her Department, or its predecessor sponsor Department, whether formally or informally, of any complain
Answer: Ministers were informed of workplace allegations relating to the Information Commissioner’s conduct on 16 February 2026.Ministers were not informed of any complaints prior to this.
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordJohn EdwardsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12105More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Executive Director for Communications and Public Affairs at the Information Commissioner's Office was interviewed by the independent workplace investigation of the former In
Answer: It is not appropriate to comment on who was interviewed as part of the investigation.
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordJohn EdwardsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12104More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the independent workplace investigation of the former Information Commissioner, John Edwards, considered the actions and inaction of other senior Information Commissioner's Offi
Answer: The investigation focused solely on the allegations made against Mr Edwards.
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordInformation Commissioner's Office: EmploymentDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 22 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11635More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the independent workplace assessment, whether she plans to require the Information Commissioner's Office to implement any recommendations relating to workplace culture
Answer: The allegations and subsequent independent investigation pertained to Mr Edwards alone; however, we are currently considering any further next steps.
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordJohn EdwardsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 22 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11634More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to publish the findings, recommendations and conclusions of the independent workplace investigation into John Edwards.
Answer: We are looking at options following receipt of the report, working closely with the ICO who commissioned the investigation. It is important that any decision protects the witnesses and those who made the allegations.
Answered 30 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordBank Services: BusinessTreasuryTabled 22 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11633More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will ensure the FCA reports on the number of businesses which close down each year due to a lack of banking facility, broken down by sector.
Answer: Generally speaking, it is economically beneficial for banks to provide business bank accounts, as this provides an important source of funding for their activities, such as funding their costs in relation to providing mortgages, consumer and business cred...
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament record
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