Cat Smith MP: written questions
221 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Women's Health Hubs: North WestDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11420More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many women's health hubs have been established in NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB and what services do they provide.
Answer: NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board currently has one women’s health hub operating, provided by Queen Square Medical Practice in Lancaster. The hub delivers a community gynaecology service, including assessment and treatment for routine...
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: Workplace PensionsCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11157More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment has been made of the adequacy of Capita's progress in meeting the Government’s mandate to restore Civil Service Pension Scheme service levels by the end of June 2026.
Answer: The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government. The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to ...
Answered 25 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordJerusalem: ChristianityForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 10665More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps Tahoe is taking to help support the protection of Christian holy sites, religious institutions and heritage properties in Jerusalem.
Answer: The UK remains committed to championing freedom of religion or belief for all around the world, including in Jerusalem where the protection of sacred sites and interfaith coexistence remain central to regional stability. The UK is clear on the need to res...
Answered 23 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordJerusalem: Orthodox ChurchForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 10664More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether officials have raised with the Government of Israel reports concerning restrictions on access to land owned by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Silwan, Jerusalem.
Answer: The UK is monitoring the situation in Silwan closely, including the reported seizure of land belonging to the Greek Orthodox Church. The UK is committed to championing freedom of religion or belief for all, and that is particularly important in a city whi...
Answered 24 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordJerusalem: Orthodox ChurchForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 10663More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department's policies of reports concerning the seizure of land owned by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in
Answer: The UK is monitoring the situation in Silwan closely, including the reported seizure of land belonging to the Greek Orthodox Church. The UK is committed to championing freedom of religion or belief for all, and that is particularly important in a city whi...
Answered 24 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMotor Vehicles: Excise DutiesDepartment for TransportTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 243More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will instruct the DVLA to amend their V11 tax reminder form to include information on over-the-counter transaction options currently provided by the Post Office.
Answer: This information is already contained on a number of The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) manual forms.DVLA’s V11 tax reminder also advises customers to visit GOV.UK to access information on ways to pay vehicle excise duty. DVLA will review th...
Answered 21 May 2026
Original Parliament recordInternational Humanitarian LawForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 242More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how the Government intends to monitor and track potential breaches of international humanitarian law following the closure of the international humanitarian law cell.
Answer: As explained in the answer of 29 April to Question 129721, the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Cell has not closed; it has simply moved to a different team within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Answered 21 May 2026
Original Parliament recordBowel Cancer: Alcoholic DrinksDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127460More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to prevent bowel cancer by addressing key modifiable risk factors, including alcohol.
Answer: The Government and the National Health Service welcome the findings of the World Cancer Research Fund’s report and recognise that a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the biggest risk factors of bowel cancer.The National Cancer Plan for England, published ...
Answered 27 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordBowel Cancer: Alcoholic DrinksDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127459More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to improve public awareness of the bowel cancer risks associated with alcohol consumption.
Answer: The Government and the National Health Service welcome the findings of the World Cancer Research Fund’s report and recognise that a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the biggest risk factors of bowel cancer.The National Cancer Plan for England, published ...
Answered 27 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordBowel Cancer: Alcoholic DrinksDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127458More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policies of the findings of the World Cancer Research Fund’s report on dietary and lifestyle patterns for cancer prevention, part
Answer: The Government and the National Health Service welcome the findings of the World Cancer Research Fund’s report and recognise that a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the biggest risk factors of bowel cancer.The National Cancer Plan for England, published ...
Answered 27 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordFuel Oil: Supply ChainsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 15 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127457More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that there are sufficient heating oil supplies into the UK to meet demand.
Answer: We are confident in the UK’s security of fuel supply, and there are currently no indications of disruption. The Department is working closely with fuel suppliers, distributors, and trade bodies to monitor heating oil supply, demand, and market conditions,...
Answered 24 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDevelopment AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 124925More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the fiscal circumstances within which the level of the Official Development Assistance budget w
Answer: In line with the International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015, the Government is required to review whether a return to spending 0.7 per cent of gross national income on Official Development Assistance is possible against ea...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordBrain Cancer: ResearchDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 122700More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding has been allocated to early-stage and discovery brain cancer research in the last five years; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of that funding for building a pipelin
Answer: Government responsibility for delivering cancer research is shared between the Department for Health and Social Care, with research delivered by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and the Department for Science, Innovation and Tec...
Answered 30 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordBrain: TumoursDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 122699More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the status of each work package within the NIHR Brain Tumour Consortium, including submission date, status, date of the latest decision and correspondence and reasons for any del
Answer: The Department invests over £1.7 billion per year in research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).We are committed to furthering our investment in brain cancer research and have already taken steps to stimulate scientific pr...
Answered 30 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordRare CancersDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 122698More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the role of National Cancer Lead for Rare Cancers is full-time; what the contracted FTE and weekly hours are; and what interim leadership arrangements are in place until the role is filled.
Answer: The National Cancer Plan, published on the 4 February 2026, sets out several commitments and ambitions, to be delivered within the next ten years. The role of the reformed National Cancer Board will be to support and monitor the delivery of the commitment...
Answered 30 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordEnvironment Protection: National SecurityDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121357More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she plans to take to help mitigate the national security risks identified in the nature security assessment on global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national secu
Answer: Nature underpins the UK’s security, prosperity and resilience and understanding the threats we face from biodiversity loss is essential to addressing them effectively. The Nature security assessment forms part of cross-government resilience planning and c...
Answered 23 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordEnvironment Protection: BiodiversityDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121356More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to page 8 of the Government's document entitled Global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security, published on 20 January 2026, what steps she is takin
Answer: Nature underpins the UK’s security, prosperity and resilience and understanding the threats we face from biodiversity loss is essential to addressing them effectively. The Nature security assessment forms part of cross-government resilience planning and c...
Answered 23 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordTelevision: North WestDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 17 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121355More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether decision-making process on the proposed switch off the UK's digital terrestrial television will take into account the impact on low-income households, particularly in the North West of En
Answer: I can confirm that my department is working closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to ensure that the impact on low-income households across the UK, including in the North West of England, is fully considered as part of any dec...
Answered 23 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordInternet: SafetyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 17 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121354More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she’s taking with Cabinet Colleagues to work with voluntary organisations, such as Girl guiding, to help ensure that girls’ voices are heard in the national consultation, Gro
Answer: On 2 March, the government launched a landmark consultation on how to give young people the childhood they deserve in an online world. Alongside the formal consultation, we published a child‑ and parent‑friendly version to ensure these important voices ar...
Answered 25 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPornography: ChildrenMinistry of JusticeTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118810More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the review of pornography law will include differences between online and offline regulation in relation to children’s access to sexually explicit material.
Answer: On 9 December 2025, during the House of Lords Committee Stage debate on the Crime and Policing Bill, the Government announced that it would accept, in part, recommendation 24 of Baroness Bertin’s Independent Review on Pornography:‘The current criminal jus...
Answered 16 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPornography: ChildrenMinistry of JusticeTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118809More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department's review of the criminal law relating to pornography will consider the adequacy of existing age-verification and age-assurance measures in preventing children from accessing online pornogra
Answer: On 9 December 2025, during the House of Lords Committee Stage debate on the Crime and Policing Bill, the Government announced that it would accept, in part, recommendation 24 of Baroness Bertin’s Independent Review on Pornography:‘The current criminal jus...
Answered 16 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPornographyMinistry of JusticeTabled 9 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118808More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when his Department plans to publish a review of the criminal law relating to pornography.
Answer: On 9 December 2025, during the House of Lords Committee Stage debate on the Crime and Policing Bill, the Government announced that it would accept, in part, recommendation 24 of Baroness Bertin’s Independent Review on Pornography:‘The current criminal jus...
Answered 16 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordSports: FacilitiesDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 5 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118213More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will commit to funding court-based sport facilities such as tennis and padel to support economies of scale and partner funding.
Answer: The Government's 27 January announcement of £85 million of investment via the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2026/27 also set out that an additional £15 million will be invested into innovative facilities in England, to allow more people t...
Answered 13 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordSports: FacilitiesDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 5 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118212More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will support the development of covered tennis, padel and multi-sport facilities to facilitate year-round, all-weather participation.
Answer: The Government's 27 January announcement of £85 million of investment via the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2026/27 also set out that an additional £15 million will be invested into innovative facilities in England, to allow more people t...
Answered 13 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordSports: FacilitiesDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 5 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 118211More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of providing funding for court-based sports facilities such as tennis and padel.
Answer: The Government's 27 January announcement of £85 million of investment via the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2026/27 also set out that an additional £15 million will be invested into innovative facilities in England, to allow more people t...
Answered 13 Mar 2026
Original Parliament record
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