James McMurdock MP: written questions
830 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Internet: DisinformationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 3 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35200More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much online content was flagged as disinformation by his Department in the last 12 months; and what the nature was of that content.
Answer: In 2024 the National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT) referred 180 pieces of content to platforms, across national security and public safety risks. Any online content referred to social media platforms falls within NSOIT’s defined remit of public...
Answered 11 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordInternet: DisinformationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 3 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35199More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding his Department plans to provide for countering disinformation online in each of the next three financial years.
Answer: In October 2023 the Counter Disinformation Unit became the National Security and Online Information Team (NSOIT). The name more accurately reflects the team’s revised remit to identify and understand information threats that pose national security and pub...
Answered 11 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordInternet: DisinformationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 3 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35198More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions his Department has had with the Centre for Countering Digital Hate on monitoring online content.
Answer: Ministers, special advisers, and officials have regular meetings with a range of stakeholders. Details of ministerial meetings, including the purpose of meetings, are published quarterly on the gov.uk website.
Answered 11 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordInternet: DisinformationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 3 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35197More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much money has been spent on the Counter Disinformation Unit in each year since 2021.
Answer: In October 2023 the Counter Disinformation Unit became the National Security and Online Information Team (NSOIT). The name more accurately reflects the team’s revised remit to identify and understand information threats that pose national security and pub...
Answered 11 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordInternet: DisinformationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 3 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35196More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what (a) themes and (b) trends will be monitored by the Counter Disinformation Data Platform.
Answer: DSIT uses the Counter Disinformation Data Platform (CDDP) in accordance with relevant existing UK legislation, including on data protection and human rights.DSIT officials use the platform to analyse disinformation narratives and trends from publicly avai...
Answered 11 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordInternet: DisinformationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 3 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35195More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the Counter Disinformation Data Platform does not restrict freedom of speech.
Answer: DSIT uses the Counter Disinformation Data Platform (CDDP) in accordance with relevant existing UK legislation, including on data protection and human rights.DSIT officials use the platform to analyse disinformation narratives and trends from publicly avai...
Answered 11 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordHomelessnessMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34761More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate she has made of the number of people in England owed homelessness prevention or relief duty.
Answer: Homelessness levels are far too high. There are far too many living in temporary accommodation - including 560 families and 839 children in Thurrock as of the 30 September 2024. This is symptomatic of the housing crisis we have inherited and is not accept...
Answered 6 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPupils: DisadvantagedDepartment for EducationTabled 28 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34760More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support children living in temporary accommodation to ensure their access to a stable education in (a) Thurrock and (b) England.
Answer: The Opportunity Mission will break the link between young people’s backgrounds and their future success across Thurrock and the whole of England, by ensuring family security and providing the best start in life. It will ensure all children are achieving, ...
Answered 10 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordTemporary AccommodationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34759More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support local authorities experiencing a significant rise in the number of families requiring temporary accommodation.
Answer: Homelessness levels are far too high. There are far too many living in temporary accommodation - including 560 families and 839 children in Thurrock as of the 30 September 2024. This is symptomatic of the housing crisis we have inherited and is not accept...
Answered 6 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordTemporary Accommodation: ThurrockMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 28 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34758More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the recent increase in the number of households in temporary accommodation in Thurrock.
Answer: Homelessness levels are far too high. There are far too many living in temporary accommodation - including 560 families and 839 children in Thurrock as of the 30 September 2024. This is symptomatic of the housing crisis we have inherited and is not accept...
Answered 6 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordArms Length Bodies: FinanceTreasuryTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34573More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) arms-length bodies and (b) Non-Governmental departments have not published full financial accounts in the last five years.
Answer: For arms-length bodies, inclusive of non-departmental public bodies the legal requirement to produce financial accounts is normally set out in their founding legislation. The Treasury monitors all Departmental accounts to ensure they are laid in a timely ...
Answered 7 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordArms Length Bodies: Public ExpenditureTreasuryTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34572More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has plans to introduce new financial reporting requirements for (a) arms-length bodies and (b) Non-Governmental departments that handle significant public expenditure.
Answer: For arms-length bodies, inclusive of non-departmental public bodies, the legal authority to direct financial reporting requirements for their individual Annual Reports and Accounts is with its sponsoring department. HM Treasury’s Financial Reporting Manua...
Answered 7 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordArms Length Bodies: WhitehallTreasuryTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34571More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the financial oversight delivered by (a) arms-length bodies and (b) non-Governmental bodies across Whitehall.
Answer: Managing Public Money guidance sets out the responsibilities of accounting officers in departments and in ALBs regarding the stewardship of public funds, including the requirement for public bodies and their sponsor departments to have an appropriate fram...
Answered 7 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34570More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average processing time is for Pension Credit applications; and what the target processing time is for the coming financial year.
Answer: DWP works to a planned timescale of 50 working days to clear Pension Credit claims. In 2023/24 DWP cleared 192,000 Pension Credit claims within the planned 50 working day timescale, equating to 77.7%. [Source: DWP annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024 -...
Answered 6 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPension CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34569More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much Pension Credit was paid out in the latest reporting period; and what proportion of this was subject to fraud or error.
Answer: The latest published DWP Benefit expenditure and caseload tables show that in 2023/24, Pension Credit expenditure (outturn) was £5,467 million (nominal terms). These figures are based on Autumn Statement 2024 and are available at: Benefit expenditure and ...
Answered 6 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordBank Services: Older PeopleTreasuryTabled 26 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34221More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what her Department's policy is on support for elderly people who lack access to (a) online banking and (b) a physical banking hub.
Answer: The Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and high streets and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority. This is why Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs...
Answered 3 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordBank ServicesTreasuryTabled 26 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34220More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she is taking steps to ensure that people who rely on in-person banking services are provided with suitable alternatives.
Answer: The Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and high streets and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority. This is why Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs...
Answered 3 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordFaculty: SoftwareDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 26 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34219More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions his Department has had with Faculty AI on the scope of their monitoring software.
Answer: Faculty AI was contracted by DSIT following a procurement process. Details of the contract can be found here. As part of that procurement process, all companies were required to provide a variety of information, including details of their expertise in man...
Answered 7 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: Temporary AccommodationHome OfficeTabled 25 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33842More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2025 to Question 29388, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of her Department holding information centrally on local council spending on housin
Answer: The cost of housing for asylum seekers is borne by the Home Office and not local government.
Answered 6 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordMentally Disordered Offenders: Crimes of ViolenceMinistry of JusticeTabled 25 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33841More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 14 February 2025 to Question 29394 on Mentally Disordered Offenders: Crimes of Violence, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of collecting data on the number and propo
Answer: Collecting mental health data at the point of conviction provides a limited snapshot in time. The diagnosis of physical and mental health conditions is a matter for medical professionals. NHS England, which is responsible for the commissioning and funding...
Answered 5 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordVisasHome OfficeTabled 25 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33840More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were overstaying legitimately-granted visas in the UK as of 25 February 2025.
Answer: As set out in legislation, an individual is liable to removal from the UK if "the person requires leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom but does not have it". The Home Office does not routinely categorise immigration offenders by the ma...
Answered 6 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordInterception Warrants: AppleHome OfficeTabled 25 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33839More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) authorisations and (b) warrants are required for Government access to data following Apple's removal of advance data protections.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to my response to PQ 33378 answered on 3 March 2025.
Answered 4 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCryptography: AppleHome OfficeTabled 25 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33838More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has plans to have discussions with Apple on reintroducing its Advanced Data Protection encryption service for UK users.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to my response to PQ 33378 answered on 3 March 2025.
Answered 4 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCryptography: AppleHome OfficeTabled 25 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33837More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with the (a) police and (b) security services on the removal of Apple's Advanced Data Protection.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to my response to PQ 33378 answered on 3 March 2025.
Answered 4 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCryptographyHome OfficeTabled 25 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33836More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has had discussions with technology companies other than Apple on the removal of advanced data protection systems.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to my response to PQ 33378 answered on 3 March 2025.
Answered 4 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
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