Cat Smith MP: written questions
221 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Hospices: ChildrenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77085More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much ringfenced funding will be provided to children’s hospices in each year from 2026-7 to 2029-30.
Answer: We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.We are also providing £26 million of revenue funding to support...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPoultry: Animal WelfareDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76274More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects the research her Department has commissioned into tackling gaps in the scientific evidence on the potential impact of various catching methods for farmed poultry to co
Answer: Research into assessing the impact of poultry catching and handling methods on animal welfare and catching durations in Great Britain is expected to be completed in 2028, after which the Government will consider its findings.
Answered 23 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordDevelopment Aid: WaterForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 9 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76007More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much her Department spent on bilateral water, sanitation and hygiene projects in each year between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
Answer: UK bilateral Official, Development Assistance (ODA) expenditure on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is published annually in the Statistics on International Development. The latest report shows UK bilateral ODA for WASH totalled £37 million in 2023, £...
Answered 17 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordIsraeli SettlementsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70532More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help prevent the Israeli Government’s E1 settlement plan going ahead.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the joint statement issued by the UK and 26 international partners on 21 August condemning the E1 settlement development, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/occupied-palestinian-territories-joint-statemen...
Answered 17 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordPrivate Education: InspectionsDepartment for EducationTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69273More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department subsidises inspections of independent schools undertaken by Ofsted.
Answer: Ofsted inspects around 50% of the 2,496 (July 2025) registered private schools in England. There is disparity between the fees charged for inspections and full cost recovery. Private school inspections carried out by Ofsted cost around £6.5 million per an...
Answered 3 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordSodium Valproate and Surgical Mesh Implants: CompensationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66540More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention of 27 March 2025 in the debate on Hughes Report: First Anniversary, Official R
Answer: Following the debate on Hughes Report: First Anniversary, I met and put on record my discussion with the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Patient Safety, Women's Health and Mental Health (Baroness Merron), who confirmed that the Government is ca...
Answered 21 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordIndependent Schools Inspectorate: ExpenditureDepartment for EducationTabled 9 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 66186More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding her Department has provided for the (a) running of the Independent Schools Inspectorate and (b) cost of inspections undertaken by that inspectorate in each financial year since March 2015.
Answer: The department does not provide funding to the Independent Schools Inspectorate, and does not cover the cost of inspections undertaken by the inspectorate.
Answered 17 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence PaymentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 27 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63316More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her policy is on whether people receiving Personal Independence Payment would stay within the existing system in instances where their case is reviewed or renewed.
Answer: As I set out in the House of Commons on 1 July 2025, this Government has listened to the concerns raised by Members from across the House regarding the proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP).Clause 5 of the Universal Credit and Personal I...
Answered 3 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordAlcoholic Drinks: IndustryDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61524More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for his policies of the health-related findings in the Institute of Alcohol Studies report entitled Spin the Bottle: How the UK
Answer: The Department has noted the publication of the Institute of Alcohol Studies’ report. It will consider its findings and reflect on the relevant policies, as necessary.External engagement is a fundamental part of what United Kingdom ministerial Government ...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSodium Valproate: CompensationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60066More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of potential claimants for redress for valproate.
Answer: The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departme...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSodium Valproate: CompensationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60065More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in the debate of 27 March 2025 on Hughes Report: First Anniversary, Official Report,
Answer: The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departme...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFoetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60064More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that disabled children between the ages of 16 and 18 with a diagnosis of foetal valproate syndrome receive the full amount of care that was provided du
Answer: Everyone who has been harmed by sodium valproate has our deepest sympathies.NHS England recognises that healthcare transition should be need and complexity based, not managed solely on diagnosis or what is routinely provided. Its Children and Young People...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordFoetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60061More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that disabled children with a diagnosis of Foetal Valproate Syndrome between the ages of 16yrs old and 18 yrs old receive the full amount of care which was given d
Answer: Everyone who has been harmed by sodium valproate has our deepest sympathies.NHS England recognises that healthcare transition should be need and complexity based, not managed solely on diagnosis or what is routinely provided. Its Children and Young People...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSodium Valproate: CompensationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60060More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has met with Sanofi to discuss the topic of redress for people affected by Sodium Valproate in pregnancy since July 2024.
Answer: The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departme...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordCongenital Abnormalities and Foetal Valproate Spectrum DisorderDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60059More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children with a diagnosis of Foetal Valproate Syndrome also have a diagnosis of (a) Spina Bifida, (b) neural tube defects, (c) Cardiac/heart malformations, (d) Kidney malformations and (e)
Answer: Everyone who has been harmed from sodium valproate has our deepest sympathies. The information requested is not held centrally.
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordAutism and Foetal Valproate Spectrum DisorderDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60058More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children who are diagnosed with having an Autistic Spectrum Disorders also have a diagnosis of Foetal Valproate Syndrome.
Answer: Everyone who has been harmed from sodium valproate has our deepest sympathies. Information about the number of children diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder and a diagnosis of foetal valproate syndrome is not collected centrally.
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPregnancy: Sodium ValproateDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60057More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) GPs and (b) other healthcare professionals to distribute the pregnancy prevention program for people prescribed Sodium Valproate.
Answer: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), taking advice from the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), has worked to raise awareness among healthcare professionals and patients of the risks of valproate when taken during pregnancy thr...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPregnancy: Sodium ValproateDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60056More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if (a) he and (b) the Minister for Public Health and Prevention will meet the hon. Member for Lancaster and Wyre to discuss further safety issues to prevent avoidable harm from Sodium Valproate in
Answer: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is taking proactive steps to inform the public on the very latest safety issues relating to sodium valproate in pregnancy. The MHRA has, most recently in May 2025, approved updated safety and ...
Answered 20 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSodium Valproate: CompensationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60055More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has allocated funding for Valproate (a) financial redress and (b) interim payments.
Answer: The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departme...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSodium Valproate: CompensationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60054More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps is he taking to ensure that people harmed by the drug Valproate in pregnancy will be fully compensated.
Answer: The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departme...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordSodium Valproate: CompensationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60053More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of providing interim payments for people avoidably harmed by Sodium Valproate.
Answer: The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departme...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordCancerDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57262More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the four out of 10 cases of cancer which are preventable.
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of primary and secondary prevention, to reduce the number of people with cancer.There are significant national programmes across vaccination, screening, and education, which have the potential to support both reduc...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordAlcoholic Drinks: LabellingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57261More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of introducing mandatory health labelling on alcoholic drinks on public health.
Answer: In ‘Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England’, the Government has committed to strengthen and expand on existing voluntary guidelines for alcohol labelling by introducing a mandatory requirement for alcoholic drinks to display consistent nutrit...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordAlcoholic Drinks: LabellingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57260More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to consult on the potential merits of introducing mandatory standards for the labelling of alcohol products to include information on the risk of (a) drinking during pr
Answer: In ‘Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England’, the Government has committed to strengthen and expand on existing voluntary guidelines for alcohol labelling by introducing a mandatory requirement for alcoholic drinks to display consistent nutrit...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCancer: Alcoholic DrinksDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57259More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the National Cancer Plan will place a priority on (a) recognising and (b) addressing the cancer risks associated with alcohol.
Answer: Alcohol has been identified as a causal factor in more than 200 medical conditions, including mouth, throat, stomach, liver and breast cancers. The Government is committed to reversing the trend on alcohol-specific deaths and shortening the amount of time...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament record
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