Kerry McCarthy MP: written questions
132 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Maternity Services: EpilepsyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 19878More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to improve maternity care for women with epilepsy.
Answer: On 6 January 2026, NHS England published the Maternal Care Bundle, setting out best practice standards to tackle the leading causes of maternal death including epilepsy, thrombosis, mental health, and haemorrhage. The National Maternity and Neonatal Taskf...
Answered 7 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordNational Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce: EpilepsyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 19877More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to ensure that people with epilepsy are represented in the work of the Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce.
Answer: On 6 January 2026, NHS England published the Maternal Care Bundle, setting out best practice standards to tackle the leading causes of maternal death including epilepsy, thrombosis, mental health, and haemorrhage. The National Maternity and Neonatal Taskf...
Answered 7 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordAnimal Products: LabellingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 16385More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made on introducing clearer country-of-origin and method-of-production food labelling to support higher animal welfare standards since the Government response to
Answer: As set out in the Government’s animal welfare strategy, and the Farming Roadmap published in June 2026, we are committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how and where their food was produced. To support this, we will continu...
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordFood: Public SectorDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 16384More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which public bodies will be required to comply with the revised Government Buying Standards for food and catering services.
Answer: Defra is considering the policy options available to deliver further on its ambitions for public sector food, including potentially updating the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services. Defra has not yet made any decisions on the conten...
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordFood: Public SectorDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 16383More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that public sector food procurement meets the proposed requirement for 50% of food spend to meet higher environmental and welfare standards.
Answer: The Government has already published a new national procurement policy statement which sets expectations for government contracts to favour products certified to high environmental standards that British producers are well-placed to meet. Data collection ...
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: FoodDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 16382More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made on updating Government Buying Standards relating to food procurement.
Answer: Defra is considering the policy options available to deliver further on its ambitions for public sector food, including potentially updating the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services. Defra has not yet made any decisions on the conten...
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordAnimal WelfareDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 6 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15936More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she will bring forward regulations under the Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023.
Answer: The Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023 provides a framework for the introduction of future bans on the advertising and offering for sale, in England and Northern Ireland, of low-welfare animal activities taking place abroad. As set out in th...
Answered 14 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordTextiles: RecyclingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 6 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15935More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the forthcoming Circular Economy Strategy will include proposals to introduce Extended Producer Responsibility for the textiles sector.
Answer: This Government is committed to transitioning towards a circular economy where resources are kept in use for longer and waste is designed out. This systemic change, with investment in green jobs and vital infrastructure, builds a path to economic growth, ...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordFoster Care: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 19 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11388More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 10 April 2026 to Question 126120, when her Department will publish further details on the scope of its in-depth study of fostering finances.
Answer: The department plans to focus on fostering allowances, fees, as well as other financial support that carers receive, and use this to inform analysis alongside existing data on recruitment and retention.To inform this work, more data is needed about the fi...
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordCare Homes: Fees and ChargesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 9327More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of reducing care home costs for elderly and disabled people.
Answer: Fee rates are set by providers of adult social care, the majority of which are in the independent sector. The Department does not have powers to set or recommend the level of fees that care homes charge. However, all businesses are required to comply with...
Answered 22 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAffordable Housing: Young OffendersMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8015More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on securing (a) affordable, (b) safe and (c) appropriate accommodation for young people leaving youth custody
Answer: There are regular discussions between cabinet colleagues, and further dialogue through the Inter-Ministerial Group on homelessness and rough sleeping. The details of these discussions are not usually disclosed.
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAffordable Housing: BristolMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8014More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the availability of affordable housing for (a) care leavers and (b) young people unable to live with their families in Bristol.
Answer: The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that local planning authorities should assess the size, type, and tenure of housing needed for different groups, and should reflect this in their planning policies and decisions.I otherwise refer t...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHousing: ApprenticesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8013More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what housing cost support is available for young apprentices living independently.
Answer: Housing costs support is available in Universal Credit for those of working age who have a liability to pay rent for the home that they live in. Renters that require further support, where they face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs, can apply fo...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordProperty DevelopmentMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7382More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential risk of speculative development in locations without an up-to-date Local Plan.
Answer: In the absence of an up-to-date Local Plan, there is a high likelihood that development will come forward on a piecemeal and speculative basis, with reduced public engagement and fewer guarantees that it will make the most of an area’s potential. It is fo...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordNature Conservation: FinanceTreasuryTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7381More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing fiscal incentives to support wildlife restoration and habitat creation.
Answer: The Government is committing more than £2.7 billion per year in sustainable farming and nature recovery from 2026‑27 until 2028‑29. This includes increasing support for nature-friendly farming through Environmental Land Management schemes from £800 millio...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordEnvironment Protection: InvestmentDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7380More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps are being taken to support stable governance for private investment in nature markets.
Answer: The Government is committed to scaling stable, high integrity markets to mobilise investment in nature recovery and sustainable farming. As detailed in the Summary of Responses to the consultation on Voluntary Carbon and Nature Market integrity, simple an...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRecyclingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 5 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7112More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Circular Economy Growth Plan will be published.
Answer: This Government is committed to transitioning towards a circular economy where resources are kept in use for longer and waste is designed out. This systemic change, with investment in green jobs and vital infrastructure, builds a path to economic growth, ...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRivers: Pollution ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 5 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7111More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support the scaling up of innovative, low-cost technologies, including fungal filtration, to reduce pollutants such as E. coli, phosphorus and ni
Answer: Funding for Environmental Land Management Schemes will increase by 150% from £800 million in 23/24 to £2 billion by 28/29 and we are working actively to target this to help address water pollution, protect nature, and support thriving biodiversity across ...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordUN Convention to Combat DesertificationForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 21 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3748More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether there will be ministerial attendance at the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (COP17) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in August.
Answer: We remain committed to working with our international partners to tackle desertification, land degradation and drought. Details of UK representation at the UN Convention to Combat Desertification COP17 in Ulaanbaatar in August will be confirmed in due cou...
Answered 5 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSchool Support Staff Negotiating BodyDepartment for EducationTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 51More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her Department's timetable is for responding to the Setting up the School Support Staff Negotiating Body consultation.
Answer: The department is currently preparing the response to the public consultation on setting up the School Support Staff Negotiating Body for publication.
Answered 18 May 2026
Original Parliament recordPrisons: VisitsMinistry of JusticeTabled 21 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128678More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with representatives from prisons on making prison visits more suitable for children and families.
Answer: Ministry of Justice Ministers have frequent discussions with prison staff on all aspects of the prison experience. His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) encourages prisons to make the experience of those visiting prisoners the ‘best it can be...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordPrisons: VisitsMinistry of JusticeTabled 21 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128677More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with representatives from prisons on allowing prisoners to have virtual visits with their children through longer and high-quality video calls.
Answer: Ministry of Justice Ministers have frequent discussions with prison staff on all aspects of the prison experience. His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) encourages prisons to make the experience of those visiting prisoners the ‘best it can be...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordPregnancy TestsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128240More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the answer of 9 October 2025 to Question 76643 on Primodos, whether his Department plans to consider scientific evidence from Aaron. P. Adam et al (2026) titled Recurrent Constellations
Answer: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), together with the wider Government, have committed to review any new scientific evidence which comes to light regarding the use of hormone pregnancy tests during early pregnancy and adverse p...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordKick Online EntertainmentDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 20 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128208More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with Ofcom on progress on its investigation into Kick Online Entertainment S.A. and harmful online content.
Answer: While enforcement decisions are a matter for the independent online safety regulator, Ofcom, the government has made it clear that it is keen to see the regulator use all the powers Parliament has provided it with under the Online Safety Act. The governme...
Answered 27 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordPrisoners: ParentsMinistry of JusticeTabled 20 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128200More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of making support for parents in prisons a Key Performance Indicator.
Answer: Decisions on changes to prison key performance indicators, including whether to introduce new or more explicit measures focused on support for parents in prison, must balance the benefits of clearer accountability with the need to ensure performance frame...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
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