Cat Smith MP: written questions 2026
65 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Railways: TicketsDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 28783More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she has had conversations with Rail Delivery Group about railcard users being able to store railcards on digital wallets.
Answer: My officials routinely have conversations with the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) and I can confirm that the RDG is in discussion with relevant technology suppliers. No implementation timetable is yet agreed and no further details are available at this time.
Answered 30 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordSodium Valproate: CompensationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 28343More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has costed compensation for people impacted by sodium valproate.
Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 14 July in response to Question 16121.
Answered 15 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDiffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma: ResearchDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 1 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 26054More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that funding is available for research into Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma.
Answer: 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 follo...
Answered 14 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordNature ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21176More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will include plans to restore natural habitats in England’s next National Adaption Programme.
Answer: The Government’s plans for restoring natural habitats are set out in the 2025 Environmental Improvement Plan. I refer the Hon Member to information on gov.uk - Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2025 - GOV.UK. We are exploring how to drive greater ambit...
Answered 17 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordFire PreventionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21175More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will consider the views of rewilding and nature recovery experts when drafting the Wildfire Action Plan.
Answer: Defra and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will jointly develop a cross-Government Wildfire Action Plan to improve resilience and preparedness over the short, medium and long term. The Government will consider evidence from a rang...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDevelopment Aid: Tropical DiseasesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21174More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to research carried out by Dr Steven Hall and Dr Stefanie Menzies at Lancaster University, whether his Department has plans to invest in snakebite research, in
Answer: The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) announced new funding for Product Development Partnerships including support to Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) for the development of new effective treatments for Neglected Tropical Di...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordClimate Change: FinanceForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21173More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the level of global climate finance that is provided through loans on indebtedness in lower inc
Answer: The UK only provides climate finance directly to lower income countries' governments in the form of grants.The UK also supports the Multilateral Development Banks and multilateral climate funds to provide climate finance, including through loans. These in...
Answered 7 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordAdministration of Justice: AutismMinistry of JusticeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21172More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to support autistic people in the justice system.
Answer: HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) has a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to provide reasonable adjustments for users with disabilities, including dyslexia.HMCTS supports court and tribunal users with dyslexia and autism through its reasonable a...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordAdministration of Justice: DyslexiaMinistry of JusticeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21171More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to support people with dyslexia in the justice system.
Answer: HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) has a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to provide reasonable adjustments for users with disabilities, including dyslexia.HMCTS supports court and tribunal users with dyslexia and autism through its reasonable a...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordBirds of Prey: RodenticidesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21170More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides found in birds of prey in England in the last ten years.
Answer: The Health and Safety Executive chairs the Government Oversight Group for Rodenticide Stewardship (GOG). GOG received annual reports from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) on the residues of second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGAR...
Answered 9 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordBus Services: ConcessionsDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17763More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the free bus travel for children in August scheme will permit travel by minors unaccompanied by an adult.
Answer: In May, the Chancellor announced the Summer Bus Fare Offer, which will enable children aged five to 15 to travel for free on participating local buses in England throughout August to help ease cost-of-living pressures for families and to help them get out...
Answered 15 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBus Services: ConcessionsDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17762More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether an impact assessment has been undertaken for the free bus travel for children in August scheme.
Answer: In May, the Chancellor announced the Summer Bus Fare Offer, which will enable children aged five to 15 to travel for free on participating local buses in England throughout August to help ease cost-of-living pressures for families and to help them get out...
Answered 15 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBus Services: ConcessionsDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17761More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consultation with trade unions representing bus workers was undertaken (a) prior to and (b) since the announcement of the free bus travel for children in August scheme.
Answer: In May, the Chancellor announced the Summer Bus Fare Offer, which will enable children aged five to 15 to travel for free on participating local buses in England throughout August to help ease cost-of-living pressures for families and to help them get out...
Answered 15 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordLightAwareDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 7 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 16453More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will meet with LightAware to discuss digital exclusion for light-sensitive people.
Answer: The Government’s ambition is simple: everyone, whatever their circumstances, should be able to get connected and get online, safely and with confidence. That is why we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan and, in the year, since, over a million peo...
Answered 15 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordChildren: Body SearchesHome OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14882More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Minister for Women and Equalities regarding plans to end the use of strip search powers against minors.
Answer: The Government welcomes the Children’s Commissioner’s report, Police powers and children – strip searching and use of force, and takes its recommendations seriously.Strip search is one of the most intrusive powers available to the police and its use must ...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBody Searches: Children and Young PeopleHome OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14881More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will consider the potential merits of requiring police forces to conduct all child strip searches at police stations.
Answer: The Government welcomes the Children’s Commissioner’s report, Police powers and children – strip searching and use of force, and takes its recommendations seriously.Strip search is one of the most intrusive powers available to the police and its use must ...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBody Searches: Children and Young PeopleHome OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14880More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish data on a) multiple strip searches, b) the outcome, c) the reason, d) whether the outcome is linked, e) whether an officer of the opposite gender was present, and f) the search loc
Answer: The Government welcomes the Children’s Commissioner’s report, Police powers and children – strip searching and use of force, and takes its recommendations seriously.Strip search is one of the most intrusive powers available to the police and its use must ...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBody Searches: Children and Young PeopleHome OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14879More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will consider the potential merits of requiring police forces to 1) inform the child’s legal parent or guardian prior to the strip search taking place, and 2) ensure that the parent or guardian
Answer: The Government welcomes the Children’s Commissioner’s report, Police powers and children – strip searching and use of force, and takes its recommendations seriously.Strip search is one of the most intrusive powers available to the police and its use must ...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBody Searches: Children and Young PeopleHome OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14878More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to help ensure that all police use of force against children is limited to cases preventing significant harm to themselves or others, rather than to detain children for the purposes
Answer: The Government welcomes the Children’s Commissioner’s report, Police powers and children – strip searching and use of force, and takes its recommendations seriously.Strip search is one of the most intrusive powers available to the police and its use must ...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBody Searches: Children and Young PeopleHome OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14877More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to ensure that children are only strip searched where there is an immediate risk of significant harm.
Answer: The Government welcomes the Children’s Commissioner’s report, Police powers and children – strip searching and use of force, and takes its recommendations seriously.Strip search is one of the most intrusive powers available to the police and its use must ...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBody Searches: Children and Young PeopleHome OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14876More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will consider the potential merits of requiring police forces to have custody healthcare practitioners conduct child strip searches rather than police officers.
Answer: The Government welcomes the Children’s Commissioner’s report, Police powers and children – strip searching and use of force, and takes its recommendations seriously.Strip search is one of the most intrusive powers available to the police and its use must ...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBody Searches: Children and Young PeopleHome OfficeTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 14875More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the extent to which the Children Commissioner’s recommendations from the report Police Powers and Children – Strip Searching and Use of Force, published on 22 April 202
Answer: The Government welcomes the Children’s Commissioner’s report, Police powers and children – strip searching and use of force, and takes its recommendations seriously.Strip search is one of the most intrusive powers available to the police and its use must ...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordFertilisers and PesticidesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 25 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13167More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of pesticides and synthetic fertiliser on the level of nature depletion.
Answer: In March 2025, Defra, alongside the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government, and the Northern Ireland Executive, published the UK Pesticides National Action Plan (NAP). The NAP includes a UK domestic target to reduce the potential environmental harm fro...
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordIran: Baha'i FaithForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 24 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12722More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what reports she has on the threats to life against Peyvand and Borna Naimi, two members of the Baha'i community in Iran, and if she will make a statement.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to Question 611 on 19 May, and I would add that we are aware of the reported cases referenced in her question and are monitoring the situation for Baha'is in Iran more widely.
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordHuntington's Disease: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11674More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that all people living with Huntington’s disease have a named professional acting as a single point of contact to coordinate their care.
Answer: The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as Huntington’s Disease. Better coordination of care is a priority under the UK Rare Diseases Framework. On 26 February the National Institute for Health and Care ...
Answered 2 Jul 2026
Original Parliament record
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