James McMurdock MP: written questions
830 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Pensions: Electronic GovernmentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 17 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38891More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to (a) streamline application processes and (b) use technology for digital proof of IDs for pension claims made through the Government Gateway.
Answer: For State Pension claims, citizens are invited to claim by letter four months in advance of their State Pension Age. Citizens are provided a unique identifier to use the digital claim service. Where citizens cannot use the digital service, they are direct...
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordHospitals: Waiting ListsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 14 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 38530More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of waiting times for (a) appointments and (b) scans following a referral from a GP.
Answer: The current national waiting list stands at 7.43 million, with 58.9% of those having waited less than 18 weeks and with a median waiting time of 14.4 weeks from referral. We will ensure that 92% of patients return to waiting no longer than 18 weeks from r...
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordDental Services: ThurrockDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37894More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to tackle low levels of dental attendance in Thurrock.
Answer: The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentist...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordDental ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37893More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to ensure equitable access to NHS dental services for patients living in areas with chronic shortages of NHS dentists.
Answer: The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentist...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordDental Services: Labour Turnover and RecruitmentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37892More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Golden Hello scheme in improving (a) NHS dentist recruitment and (b) retention levels of staff.
Answer: We are determined to rebuild National Health Service dentistry, but it will take time and there are no quick fixes. Strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions.Integrated care boards have started to recruit posts through the Golden Hello scheme. T...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordDental ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37891More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to ensure that the targets for the additional 700,000 urgent dental appointments are met in areas with high vacancies in NHS dental services.
Answer: We will deliver 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments per year, with integrated care boards (ICBs) asked to start making extra appointments available from April 2025.Appointments will be available across the country. Patients will be able to access the...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: FaresDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37881More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of rail fare increases on the number of people using trains.
Answer: Our aim is to keep the price of rail travel at a point that works for both passengers and taxpayers, where possible. This year's increase is the lowest absolute increase in three years and delivers a fair balance between taxpayers and passengers. It will ...
Answered 20 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: FaresDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37880More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of rail fare increases on local economies that depend on affordable transport for (a) tourism, (b) business and (c) trade.
Answer: Our aim is to keep the price of rail travel at a point that works for both passengers and taxpayers, where possible. This year's increase is the lowest absolute increase in three years and delivers a fair balance between taxpayers and passengers. It will ...
Answered 20 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37878More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to reduce (a) delays and (b) overcrowding of train services.
Answer: The Department has been clear that rail services have been failing passengers. Cancellations are at a ten-year high and punctuality is inconsistent across the network. We need to improve services for passengers and deliver better value for money for the t...
Answered 20 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37877More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve (a) service reliability, (b) service quality, (c) infrastructure, and (d) accessibility for passengers of trainlines.
Answer: Improving both the reliability and quality of rail services for passengers is an important priority for this Government. We have already taken significant steps towards this, through resolving the long running industrial disputes and through meeting regul...
Answered 20 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordUganda: Politics and GovernmentForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37861More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the political situation in Uganda.
Answer: The UK works with the Government of Uganda on a range of shared interests including trade, development, and regional security. The Minister for Africa has spoken regularly to Ugandan Ministers, including on areas of cooperation and on issues related to hu...
Answered 20 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordFoodDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37860More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage producers to extend the lifespan of food, in the context of reducing (a) consumer waste and (b) costs for consumers.
Answer: Defra is working closely with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and the food industry to reduce consumer food waste. Through WRAP, Defra supports food businesses, including producers, and their work in making sure their products help consume...
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordWaste ManagementDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37857More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage (a) repair, (b) reuse and (c) other waste reduction measures.
Answer: This Government is committed to transitioning to a circular economy. We have convened a Circular Economy Taskforce, comprising experts from industry, academia, and civil society, to help develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England. The Strategy will m...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordElectronic Equipment: WasteDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37856More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to reduce electronic waste.
Answer: This Government is committed to transitioning to a circular economy. The UK is exposed to significant supply risks: 80% of the UK’s raw material footprint is extracted abroad, including almost all of the metal ores we use. A transition to a circular econo...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordAdoption and Special Guardianship Support FundDepartment for EducationTabled 11 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37516More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to simplify the re-application process for the Adoption and special guardianship support fund.
Answer: The department regularly discusses policy issues with a range of sector bodies and interested parties.Between 2018 and 2021, the Institute of Public Care (IPC), at Oxford Brookes University, carried out a three-year mixed-method evaluation, on behalf of t...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAdoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund: StandardsDepartment for EducationTabled 11 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37515More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of waiting times for the Adoption and special guardianship support fund.
Answer: The department regularly discusses policy issues with a range of sector bodies and interested parties.Between 2018 and 2021, the Institute of Public Care (IPC), at Oxford Brookes University, carried out a three-year mixed-method evaluation, on behalf of t...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAdoption and Special Guardianship Support FundDepartment for EducationTabled 11 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37514More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Adoption and special guardianship support fund on families with adopted children.
Answer: The department regularly discusses policy issues with a range of sector bodies and interested parties.Between 2018 and 2021, the Institute of Public Care (IPC), at Oxford Brookes University, carried out a three-year mixed-method evaluation, on behalf of t...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAdoption and Special Guardianship Support FundDepartment for EducationTabled 11 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37513More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which groups she has consulted during the decision-making process on the future of the adoption and special guardianship support fund.
Answer: The department regularly discusses policy issues with a range of sector bodies and interested parties.Between 2018 and 2021, the Institute of Public Care (IPC), at Oxford Brookes University, carried out a three-year mixed-method evaluation, on behalf of t...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCancer: Bereavement CounsellingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37510More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve support available for families who have lost a relative to cancer.
Answer: The Government recognises how important it is for grieving families and friends who have lost loved ones have access to the support they need, when they need it. Bereavement support is commissioned locally, to meet the needs of the local population. NHS E...
Answered 17 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPancreatic Cancer: Health EducationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37509More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer.
Answer: NHS England is delivering a range of interventions to improve awareness of pancreatic cancer symptoms. NHS England runs ‘Help Us Help You’ campaigns to increase knowledge of symptoms of a wide range of cancers, including pancreatic cancer, and encourage p...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPancreatic Cancer: Clinical Trials and ResearchDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37508More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer access (a) relevant research and (b) clinical trials.
Answer: The Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.Re...
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPancreatic Cancer: Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37507More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to invest in developments in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Answer: NHS England is delivering a range of interventions to improve awareness of pancreatic cancer symptoms. NHS England runs ‘Help Us Help You’ campaigns to increase knowledge of symptoms of a wide range of cancers, including pancreatic cancer, and encourage p...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPancreatic Cancer: Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37506More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the amount of (a) research into pancreatic cancer and (b) clinical trials into potential treatments for pancreatic cancer.
Answer: The Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.Re...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordRetail Trade: Crimes of ViolenceHome OfficeTabled 11 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37505More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to with retailers in Essex to increase (a) the provision of security personnel and (b) local police presence in stores to help deter (i) violence and (ii) abuse against staff.
Answer: Shop theft continues to increase at an unacceptable level, with more and more offenders using violence and abuse against shopworkers. We will not stand for this.This Government is committed to effectively tackling retail crime. In the Crime and Policing B...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordRetail Trade: Crimes of ViolenceHome OfficeTabled 11 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 37504More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to support retail workers in reporting incidents of abuse, threats and violence to the police.
Answer: Shop theft continues to increase at an unacceptable level, with more and more offenders using violence and abuse against shopworkers. We will not stand for this.This Government is committed to effectively tackling retail crime. In the Crime and Policing B...
Answered 19 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
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