Catherine West MP: written questions 2025
28 published records · newest first.
Written questions
NHS: BureaucracyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101444More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce (a) waste and (b) bureaucracy in the NHS.
Answer: The Government is taking action to reduce National Health Service bureaucracy by abolishing NHS England and reducing staff numbers by up to 50% across the Department, NHS England, and the NHS integrated care boards. These reductions will be made by March ...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordNHS: ManagersDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101443More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve (a) recruitment and (b) retention of managers in the NHS.
Answer: The Department is implementing a range of initiatives designed to attract talented individuals into management roles and support existing managers.NHS England is developing an NHS Leadership and Management Framework, which sets clear expectations for lead...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Fund: Funeral PaymentsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99874More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of expanding the eligibility criteria for the Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payment award.
Answer: We continue to keep the Funeral Expenses Payment scheme under review to ensure it remains effective and sustainable within current budgetary constraints.
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMyanmar: SanctionsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97288More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, in light of forthcoming elections in Myanmar, what steps is he taking to ensure that the UK takes the lead internationally on sanctions against Myanmar.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided in the House of Lords on 1 December to Question HL11962, which dealt with this question at length and is reproduced below for ease of reference:We continue to support the aspirations of the people of Myanmar f...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCaribbean: Diplomatic RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97286More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to make sports partnerships part of the UK's diplomatic efforts in Small Island States in the Caribbean.
Answer: The Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) recognises that sport can be an enabler of sustainable development, including through the promotion of tolerance and respect and through the positive contribution it makes to empowerment of women and girls, h...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPostal Services: StandardsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96720More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) a sustainable postal service and (b) the employment rights of postal workers.
Answer: Ofcom has a primary duty to secure the provision of a universal postal service, having regard to its financial sustainability and efficiency. On 10 July this year, Ofcom announced changes to the universal postal service obligation intended to have a signi...
Answered 8 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCar SharingDepartment for TransportTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95987More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what efforts she is taking to make sure that car-sharing is available in London and across the UK, in the context of Zipcar closing its UK operations by the end of the year.
Answer: Car sharing, as one area of shared mobility, is an important option available to local authorities to help people travel, cut congestion and reduce emissions alongside public transport. The Minister for Local Transport met with the shared mobility industr...
Answered 8 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence Payment: Medical ExaminationsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 25 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 94245More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people with (a) Fibromyalgia and (b) other complex and lifelong conditions are not asked to complete a number of reassessments for Personal Independenc
Answer: Entitlement to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is assessed on the basis of the needs arising from a health condition or disability, rather than the health condition or disability itself. Individuals can be affected in different ways by the same condit...
Answered 4 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordConditions of Employment: WomenDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 24 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93961More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to (a) safeguard and (b) improve workplace rights for women.
Answer: The Plan to Make Work Pay and Employment Rights Bill illustrate the government’s commitment to supporting women at work. Key measures include reviewing the parental leave system, making it more likely flexible working requests are accepted, ending exploit...
Answered 1 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordUSA: VenezuelaForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91613More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that a diplomatic path is pursued by the USA and Venezuela.
Answer: The bilateral relationship between the USA and Venezuela is a matter for those countries. The UK will continue to work with our international partners to achieve a peaceful, negotiated transition in Venezuela that ensures the will of all Venezuelans is re...
Answered 20 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Rented Housing: Hornsey and Friern BarnetMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90774More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to work closely with local authorities in Hornsey and Friern Barnet constituency to further progress the building of social housing.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 58440 on 17 June, the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July (HCWS771), and the Social and Affordable Homes Programme policy statement published on 7 November which can be found on gov.uk h...
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordBritish Nationality: Hornsey and Friern BarnetHome OfficeTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90773More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that applications for naturalisation are concluded within a reasonable timeframe and; what progress her Department has made in reducing the backlog of app
Answer: The service standard for the processing of a straightforward application for British citizenship is six months.The most recent Migration Transparency data published in August 2025 shows that 99.36% of straightforward applications were decided within servi...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy: BillingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90772More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) energy companies correctly bill consumers by default and (b) any billing mistakes are corrected promptly and without significant delay.
Answer: Ofgem, as the independent regulator, is responsible for ensuring good consumer outcomes, including accurate billing by energy companies. The government committed in its manifesto to strengthen the regulator to require higher standards of performance and e...
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: Workplace PensionsCabinet OfficeTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90771More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people entitled to a civil service pension are paid on time and without fault.
Answer: The Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS) is one of the largest in the UK, currently paying pensions to approximately 730,000 members every month. The scheme administrator processes an average of 6,000 retirements each month.The Cabinet Office, as the Schem...
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: Hornsey and Friern BarnetDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90770More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the transition from analogue to digital across NHS services in Hornsey and Friern Barnet constituency.
Answer: The analogue to digital shift across National Health Services in Hornsey and Friern Barnet involves national initiatives like upgrading IT systems, developing integrated care systems, and utilizing digital tools for patient care.Our goal is to make NHS he...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordDiabetes: Hornsey and Friern BarnetDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90769More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support those living with type 1 and 2 diabetes with the (a) cost of living and (b) the long term impact of those conditions in Hornsey and Friern Barnet cons
Answer: To improve the provision of services for the treatment of type 1 and 2 diabetes in the Hornsey and Friern Barnet constituency, the North Central London Integrated Care System has commissioned a long-term conditions service. This supports the identificatio...
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordDiabetes: Hornsey and Friern BarnetDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90768More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the provision of services for the treatment of type (a) 1 and (b) 2 diabetes in Hornsey and Friern Barnet constituency.
Answer: To improve the provision of services for the treatment of type 1 and 2 diabetes in the Hornsey and Friern Barnet constituency, the North Central London Integrated Care System has commissioned a long-term conditions service. This supports the identificatio...
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordUniversal Credit: Young PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90767More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposals to remove entitlement to the Universal Credit Health element for those aged under 22 on levels of food bank need.
Answer: No such assessment has been made. An Impact Assessment was published alongside the Pathways to Work Green Paper, which can be found here.
Answered 21 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordEating DisordersDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87357More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) improve care and treatment for people with eating disorders and (b) reduce the number of lives lost to eating disorders.
Answer: As part of our mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future, there is a critical need to shift the treatment of eating disorders from hospital to the community. Improved care in the community will give young people early access to evidenc...
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordEmployment: AutismDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87356More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to improve employer (a) awareness and (b) training on autism-inclusive workplace practices.
Answer: In the plan to Make Work Pay (October 2024), government committed to raising awareness of all forms of neurodiversity in the workplace. This includes autism. We are supporting employers to be more inclusive in their workplace practices, regardless of diag...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: Humanitarian AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 28 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85841More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure access to humanitarian aid for women and children in Gaza.
Answer: The UK is actively supporting humanitarian efforts in Gaza, with a particular focus on protecting vulnerable groups including women and children. In August, the UK announced £3 million funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), to contribute ...
Answered 5 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: HousingHome OfficeTabled 27 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 85242More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that asylum seekers are living in (a) safe and (b) suitable accommodation.
Answer: The Home Office is firmly committed to ensuring that destitute asylum seekers are provided with safe, secure, and appropriate accommodation, and that they are treated with dignity throughout the asylum process. As part of its assurance processes, the Home...
Answered 4 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordDental Services: ChildrenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84205More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve children's access to orthodontic treatment in Hornsey and Friern Barnet constituency.
Answer: National Health Service orthodontic treatment is free for people under the age of 18 years old with a clear health need for treatment. Adult patients, and patients under the age of 18 years old who do not qualify for NHS orthodontic treatment, may choose ...
Answered 6 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: Hornsey and Friern BarnetDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83345More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what fiscal steps he plans to take to help support small businesses with their business costs in Hornsey and Friern Barnet constituency.
Answer: The Government's Plan for Small Businesses, published in July, sets out the measures that Government is taking to support small businesses across the UK. This includes legislation to end the scourge of late payments which costs the UK economy £11bn annual...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLeasehold: MouldMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82708More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to extend (a) support and (b) protection to leaseholders experiencing damp and mould problems outside of the scope of the Hazards in Social Ho
Answer: Individual leases set out obligations for building maintenance and failure by the landlord to take action can mean a breach of the lease, which leaseholders may seek to pursue through an application to the County Court. Leaseholders can approach the Lease...
Answered 24 Oct 2025
Original Parliament record
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