Cat Smith MP: written questions
93 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Prescription DrugsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 101755More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many prescriptions were issued for each drug categorised under the (a) (i) clonazepam and (ii) other benzodiazepines, (b) z-drugs, (c) antidepressants, (d) opioids, (e) pregabalin and (f) gabap
Answer: The NHSBSA holds patient identifiable information for the number of items dispensed and claimed for reimbursement. The following table shows the total number of prescription items for clonazepam and other benzodiazepines, z-drugs, antidepressants, opioids...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordLicensing Laws: ReformDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98422More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Questions 85811 and 85813, if he will publish all evidence received by the Licensing Taskforce (a) during meetings and (b) through written evidence or other
Answer: The Government is undertaking activity to implement the initial announcements made by the Chancellor on 26 November. Those include a guidance document (the National Licensing Policy Framework) which is already available at https://www.gov.uk/government/pu...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordLicensing Laws: Alcoholic DrinksDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98421More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 85812, whether he plans to introduce his Department's proposed reforms to alcohol licensing through (a) legislative changes to the Licensing Act 20
Answer: The Government is undertaking activity to implement the initial announcements made by the Chancellor on 26 November. Those include a guidance document (the National Licensing Policy Framework) which is already available at https://www.gov.uk/government/pu...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordLicensing Laws: ReformDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98420More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 85808, if he will publish all responses received to the call for evidence on proposed licensing reforms.
Answer: On 26 November an initial analysis of responses to a number of the Call for Evidence questions was published, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system. We will be publishing a summary of responses receiv...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordLicensing Laws: ReformDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98419More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 85806, on what evidential basis his Department chose to issue a call for evidence rather than a consultation.
Answer: The Government invited views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system. A Call for Evidence ran for four weeks, primarily via an online survey, and this attracted a significant number of responses. Alo...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: Social WorkersHome OfficeTabled 27 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 95086More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether registered social workers will be eligible for the 5 year pathway to settlement for skilled frontline public service workers.
Answer: In May 2025, the Immigration White Paper set out an increase in the baseline qualification period for settlement from five years to ten, which was collectively agreed across government. A Fairer Pathway to Settlement sets out the Government’s proposed mod...
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: AccidentsDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94718More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data her department holds on the number of road traffic collisions involving both electric vehicles and pedestrians.
Answer: The number of road traffic collisions involving both battery electric vehicles and pedestrians in Great Britain, for the last 5 years is shown in the table below:YearCollisions2020592021139202229220234482024591 Data and statistics on personal injury road ...
Answered 1 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordWomen: Human RightsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94213More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make it her policy to support efforts to create a Special Rapporteur for Women and Girls Living Under Occupation at the United Nations.
Answer: In our discussions with the United Nations and other international bodies, the UK continues to push for greater priority to be given to the risks facing women and girls in conflict, as set out in the Foreign Secretary's speech on 24 November, available at...
Answered 3 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordFracking: HousingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 19 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92604More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what analysis his department has undertaken about the potential effects of fracking on house prices and home insurance costs across the North of England and the United Kingdom.
Answer: There has been no hydraulic fracturing for shale gas extraction (“fracking”) since the effective moratorium was put in place in England in 2019. Similar restrictions are in place across other parts of the UK. Prior to the moratorium, only three wells have...
Answered 28 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordClergy: LGBT+ PeopleChurch CommissionersTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92025More
Question: To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church is taking to support (a) LGBTQ+ clergy and (b) people considering entering ministry.
Answer: Many dioceses now offer specific LGBT+ chaplaincy teams to offer specialised support to LGBT+ candidates, ordinands and clergy, with more in development. Dioceses work on this to locally developed plans, not national guidance or advice.All candidates, ord...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordClergy: AbuseChurch CommissionersTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92024More
Question: To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church is taking to rebuild trust with survivors of abuse within the Church of England.
Answer: The Church of England recognises that trust among victims and survivors varies greatly, as each survivor is on a different journey. We engage with a high number of people with lived experience, and we are committed to learning with those with lived experi...
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordChurch Schools: AdmissionsChurch CommissionersTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92023More
Question: To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what discussions the Church of England has had with Church of England academies with admission processes that exclude potential pupils of another faith or none.
Answer: In a voluntary aided (VA) school or former VA school that has converted to become an academy, school admissions are the responsibility of the governing body or trust directors. Church of England schools, as Church Schools, have to consult with the Diocesa...
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordElectoral Commission: Public OpinionSpeaker's Committee on the Electoral CommissionTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 92022More
Question: To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Committee has made an assessment of the (a) public's perception of the independence of the Commission and (b) potential
Answer: The Commission publishes annual research on public attitudes to elections and democracy. In the latest study, published in April 2025, 52% of respondents said they trust the Commission to be an independent regulator. Historical data is available on the Co...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordMembers: CorrespondenceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88286More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the letter dated 21 July 2025 and re-sent on 7 October 2025 from the hon. Member for Lancaster and Wyre and nine other hon. Members on Sodium Valproate.
Answer: We received the Hon. Member’s correspondence of 21 July 2025 and responded on 20 November 2025.
Answered 25 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRoads: SafetyDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85819More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress she has made on taking steps to reduce the drink drive limit; and when she plans to publish (a) a draft of and (b) a consultation on the road safety strategy.
Answer: This Government takes road safety seriously. We are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. We are considering a range of policies under the new Road Safety Strategy; the first for ten years. This includes the case for ...
Answered 31 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAlcoholic Drinks: LabellingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 28 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85818More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress his Department has made on introducing mandatory health information on alcohol labels; and when he plans to publish a consultation on this matter.
Answer: In Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England, the Government committed to strengthen and expand on existing voluntary guidelines for alcohol labelling by introducing a mandatory requirement for alcoholic drinks to display consistent nutritional ...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLicensing LawsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 28 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85817More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the Licensing Taskforce requested assessments of the potential impact of post-pandemic changes to drinking patterns on (a) crime, (b) violence and (c) anti-social behaviour; and whether those a
Answer: The Licensing Taskforce did not request assessments of the potential impact of post-pandemic changes to drinking patterns on (a) crime, (b) violence and (c) anti-social behaviour; however its membership included the National Police Chiefs Council’s lead f...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLicensing LawsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 28 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85816More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the licensing taskforce recommendations on progress towards meeting the targets of the Mission Boards for (a) safer streets, (b) tackl
Answer: No assessment has yet been made of the impact of any potential reforms on safer streets, tackling violence against women and girls, and reducing ASB and building safer communities. The Government is currently inviting views and evidence to inform the deve...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordAlcoholic Drinks: MisuseDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 28 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85815More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the recommendations in his Department's policy paper entitled Licensing policy sprint: joint industry and HM government taskforce
Answer: Following the Licensing Taskforce, which was jointly let by the Department for Business and Trade and industry, the Government is considering which recommendations to take forward. As part of this, the Government is inviting views and evidence to inform t...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLicensing LawsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 28 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85814More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment of trends in the level of post-pandemic changes to (a) drinking patterns and (b) resulting health harms were (i) requested by and (ii) provided to the Licensing Taskforce by his Dep
Answer: Following the Licensing Taskforce, which was jointly let by the Department for Business and Trade and industry, the Government is considering which recommendations to take forward. As part of this, the Government is inviting views and evidence to inform t...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLicensing Laws: ReformDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 28 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85813More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps did the Licensing Taskforce take to consult (a) local authorities, (b) police forces, (c) Police and Crime Commissioners, (d) directors of public health and (d) local licensing committees on
Answer: The Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system.A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms t...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLicensing Laws: ReformDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 28 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85812More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he had with experts on (a) alcohol licensing and (b) the Licensing Act 2003 on the proposals set out in the call for evidence entitled Reforming the licensing system, published on 7 Oc
Answer: Earlier this year the Government established a Licensing Taskforce which was co-chaired by the then Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports, Gareth Thomas MP. The Taskforce held discussions with experts on the licensing regime in reaching its co...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLicensing Laws: ReformDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 28 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85811More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he received representations on his proposed changes to the Licensing Act 2003.
Answer: Changes to the Licensing Act 2003 were proposed as part of a Licensing Taskforce which concluded its work in the Summer. Consideration of those proposals and options for implementation, where appropriate, is currently underway. To inform that work, the Go...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLicensing LawsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 28 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85810More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether each Mission Board was (a) represented, (b) involved in and (c) consulted as part of the Licensing Taskforce workstream; and what their level of involvement was.
Answer: The Licensing Taskforce reported its findings in July and relevant Government departments were involved in determining the response to that report. That included the Department for Business and Trade, the Home Office, HM Treasury, the Department for Healt...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordLicensing LawsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 28 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85809More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of the licensing taskforce recommendations on the workstreams of each of the five Mission Boards.
Answer: The Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system. A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms ...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament record
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