James McMurdock MP: written questions 2026
3310 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Arts: Rural AreasDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108553More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she plans to take to help ensure that Arts Everywhere funding allocations will be accessible for communities in rural and semi-rural areas.
Answer: Over the course of this parliament £1.5 billion will be invested across arts, cultural and heritage providing support to arts venues, museums, libraries and heritage buildings across England. It aims to keep venues open, finance urgent repairs and infrast...
Answered 4 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordArts: South Basildon and East ThurrockDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108552More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that the Arts Everywhere funding improves access to arts and culture for children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in South Basil
Answer: Over the course of this parliament £1.5 billion will be invested across arts, cultural and heritage providing support to arts venues, museums, libraries and heritage buildings across England. It aims to keep venues open, finance urgent repairs and infrast...
Answered 4 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordArts: FinanceDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108551More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the financial stability of councils will be a criteria for the allocation of Arts Everywhere funding.
Answer: Over the course of this parliament £1.5 billion will be invested across arts, cultural and heritage providing support to arts venues, museums, libraries and heritage buildings across England. It aims to keep venues open, finance urgent repairs and infrast...
Answered 4 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordArts and Cultural Heritage: FinanceDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108550More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what criteria she plans to use to determine the allocation of the arts, culture and heritage funding announced in her speech at the Barbican Centre in London on 23 January 2026.
Answer: Over the course of this parliament £1.5 billion will be invested across arts, cultural and heritage providing support to arts venues, museums, libraries and heritage buildings across England. It aims to keep venues open, finance urgent repairs and infrast...
Answered 4 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordArts: EssexDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108549More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much and what proportion of the Arts Everywhere funding is due to be allocated to (a) South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency and (b) Essex.
Answer: Over the course of this parliament £1.5 billion will be invested across arts, cultural and heritage providing support to arts venues, museums, libraries and heritage buildings across England. It aims to keep venues open, finance urgent repairs and infrast...
Answered 4 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordGraduates: EmploymentDepartment for EducationTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108147More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to introduce interventions to help reduce graduate underemployment.
Answer: Research suggests the majority of graduates are expected to earn a positive financial return from higher education (HE) over their lifetime.The latest HE Statistics Agency data shows that 71.4% of UK-domiciled graduates from 2022/23 in employment were in ...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordOffenders: Electronic TaggingMinistry of JusticeTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108146More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department's research entitled Alcohol monitoring on licence: process and interim impact evaluation, published 30 October 2025, what assessment his Department have made of the adequacy of al
Answer: Alcohol monitoring on licence was introduced in Wales in 2021 and England in 2022 and enables probation to include an additional licence condition banning or restricting the consumption of alcohol, where a criminogenic need related to alcohol misuse is id...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordGraduates: EmploymentDepartment for EducationTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108145More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of recent graduates entering non-graduate roles on a) career and b) earning progression.
Answer: Research suggests the majority of graduates are expected to earn a positive financial return from higher education (HE) over their lifetime.The latest HE Statistics Agency data shows that 71.4% of UK-domiciled graduates from 2022/23 in employment were in ...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordOffenders: Electronic TaggingMinistry of JusticeTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108144More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department's research entitled Alcohol monitoring on licence: process and interim impact evaluation, published 30 October 2025, whether he plans to repeat research on the impact of the Alcoh
Answer: Alcohol monitoring on licence was introduced in Wales in 2021 and England in 2022 and enables probation to include an additional licence condition banning or restricting the consumption of alcohol, where a criminogenic need related to alcohol misuse is id...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordGraduates: EmploymentDepartment for EducationTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108143More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of recent graduates employed in non-graduate roles.
Answer: Research suggests the majority of graduates are expected to earn a positive financial return from higher education (HE) over their lifetime.The latest HE Statistics Agency data shows that 71.4% of UK-domiciled graduates from 2022/23 in employment were in ...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108142More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) not allowing councillors whose terms expire to sit for an extra year in areas where elections are postponed and (b) a
Answer: The Secretary of State announced on 22 January 2026 that he intends to bring forward legislation to postpone for one year the elections due in May 2026 to councils including Thurrock Council. That legislation will include any consequential amendments to o...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLevel Crossings: TilburyDepartment for TransportTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108141More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he make an assessment of the potential merits of installing a bridge over the level crossing in East Tilbury.
Answer: Network Rail are engaging with London Gateway and other stakeholders on the merits of level crossing interventions in the East Tilbury area and are keeping my officials updated.
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: South Basildon and East ThurrockTreasuryTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108140More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Valuation Office Agency's news story entitled Business rates revaluation 2026, updated on 22 January 2026, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to business rates on the fin
Answer: At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since the pandemic, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. To suppo...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108139More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to amend the scheme of elections updated by the Thurrock (Electoral Changes) Orders of 2024 and 2025 so that the 2025 and 2026 delayed elections taking place in
Answer: The Secretary of State announced on 22 January 2026 that he intends to bring forward legislation to postpone for one year the elections due in May 2026 to councils including Thurrock Council. That legislation will include any consequential amendments to o...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108138More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he had discussions with the Leader of Basildon Council before announcing the delay to the 2026 local elections in Basildon.
Answer: As set out to Parliament on 22 January, in reaching his decisions the Secretary of State carefully considered all the representations made, including those relating to elections in Basildon. The Secretary of State did not meet with the Leader of Basildon ...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108137More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he had discussions with the Leader of Thurrock Council before announcing the delay to the 2026 local elections in Thurrock.
Answer: In reaching his decisions, as set out to Parliament on 22 January, the Secretary of State carefully considered all the representations made, including those relating to elections in Thurrock. The Secretary of State did not have meetings with the Leader of...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108136More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of delaying elections on the timing of his decision on the composition of the new councils in Essex.
Answer: In reaching his decisions on 2026 elections, as set out to the House on 22 January 2026, the Secretary of State adopted a locally led approach and carefully considered all the representations made. The consultation on the final proposals for Essex, Southe...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108135More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of postponing the 2026 local elections on Thurrock council's ability to tackle its financial issues.
Answer: On 22 January 2026, the Secretary of State announced his intention to bring forward legislation to postpone for one year the May 2026 elections. This legislation will apply to 30 councils, including Thurrock. Separately, the Government accepts that Thurro...
Answered 4 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108134More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of postponing the 2026 local elections on the progress of Thurrock council's local plan.
Answer: The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government followed a locally-led process and based his decisions on a careful consideration of the representations made from councils with elections scheduled in May and from other councils, inter...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108133More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of postponing the 2026 local elections on the progress of Basildon council's local plan.
Answer: The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government followed a locally-led process and based his decisions on a careful consideration of the representations made from councils with elections scheduled in May and from other councils, inter...
Answered 9 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108132More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of holding some elections, but not others, in Essex on the local government reorganisation progress.
Answer: In reaching his decisions on 2026 elections, as set out to the House on 22 January 2026, the Secretary of State adopted a locally led approach and carefully considered all the representations made. The consultation on the final proposals for Essex, Southe...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108131More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he received representations from people in the unitary authority of Thurrock council before announcing the postponement of elections in Thurrock.
Answer: In reaching his decisions, as set out to Parliament on 22 January, the Secretary of State carefully considered all the representations made, including those relating to elections in Thurrock. The Secretary of State did not have meetings with the Leader of...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108130More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Councils granted flexibility to finish reorganisation, published on 22 January 2026, whether he has received representat
Answer: In reaching his decisions, as set out to Parliament on 22 January, the Secretary of State carefully considered all the representations made, including those relating to elections in Thurrock. The Secretary of State did not have meetings with the Leader of...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108129More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Councils granted flexibility to finish reorganisation, published on 22 January 2026, whether he has received representat
Answer: As set out to Parliament on 22 January, in reaching his decisions the Secretary of State carefully considered all the representations made, including those relating to elections in Basildon. The Secretary of State did not meet with the Leader of Basildon ...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108128More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Councils granted flexibility to finish reorganisation, published on 22 January 2026, whether he has received and represe
Answer: As set out to Parliament on 22 January, in reaching his decisions the Secretary of State carefully considered all the representations made, including those relating to elections in Basildon. The Secretary of State did not meet with the Leader of Basildon ...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament record
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