James McMurdock MP: written questions 2025
1340 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Local Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97402More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2025 to Question 94117 on Local Government: Essex, what his planned timetable was for announcing the cancellation of the mayoral elections in
Answer: Following Ministerial and official consideration, we are minded to hold inaugural mayoral elections for the four Devolution Priority Programme places that are also undertaking local government reorganisation – including Greater Essex – in May 2028 rather ...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordElections: EssexMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97401More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse in (a) Essex, (b) Thurrock and (c) Southend of preparations for mayoral elections in 2026.
Answer: Following Ministerial and official consideration, we are minded to hold inaugural mayoral elections for the four Devolution Priority Programme places that are also undertaking local government reorganisation – including Greater Essex – in May 2028 rather ...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: East of EnglandMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97400More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of cancelling 2026 mayoral elections on strategic cooperation between Greater Essex and Norfolk and Suffolk.
Answer: Following Ministerial and official consideration, we are minded to hold inaugural mayoral elections for the four Devolution Priority Programme places that are also undertaking local government reorganisation – including Greater Essex – in May 2028 rather ...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: EssexMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97399More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to hold a referendum in Essex on the constitution of new councils.
Answer: On 2026 elections, I refer the Hon. Gentleman to my answer to Question UIN 94417 of 24 November. Our answer remains that local elections will go ahead unless there is strong justification otherwise. The Government announced on 4 December that we are minde...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government Finance: EssexMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97398More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether funding for Greater Essex will be delayed as a result of the cancellation of the mayoral election.
Answer: Following Ministerial and official consideration, we are minded to hold inaugural mayoral elections for the four Devolution Priority Programme places that are also undertaking local government reorganisation – including Greater Essex – in May 2028 rather ...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordElections: EssexMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97397More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason Greater Essex’s mayoral election has been cancelled until 2028.
Answer: Following Ministerial and official consideration, we are minded to hold inaugural mayoral elections for the four Devolution Priority Programme places that are also undertaking local government reorganisation – including Greater Essex – in May 2028 rather ...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97396More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the decision to cancel mayoral elections in 2026 in (a) Essex and (b) other areas with cancelled mayoral elections on Polic
Answer: Following Ministerial and official consideration, we are minded to hold inaugural mayoral elections for the four Devolution Priority Programme places that are also undertaking local government reorganisation – including Greater Essex – in May 2028 rather ...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97395More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, who his Department consulted before the decision to cancel mayoral elections in 2026.
Answer: Following Ministerial and official consideration, we are minded to hold inaugural mayoral elections for the four Devolution Priority Programme places that are also undertaking local government reorganisation – including Greater Essex – in May 2028 rather ...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97394More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when local councils were informed of the decision to cancel mayoral local elections.
Answer: Following Ministerial and official consideration, we are minded to hold inaugural mayoral elections for the four Devolution Priority Programme places that are also undertaking local government reorganisation – including Greater Essex – in May 2028 rather ...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97393More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of delaying mayoral elections on (a) Greater Essex and (b) other areas with cancelled mayoral elections.
Answer: Following Ministerial and official consideration, we are minded to hold inaugural mayoral elections for the four Devolution Priority Programme places that are also undertaking local government reorganisation – including Greater Essex – in May 2028 rather ...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordElections: EssexMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97392More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the cancellation of the 2026 Greater Essex mayoral elections on the initial funding of the new Greater Essex combined autho
Answer: Following Ministerial and official consideration, we are minded to hold inaugural mayoral elections for the four Devolution Priority Programme places that are also undertaking local government reorganisation – including Greater Essex – in May 2028 rather ...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordElections: EssexMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97391More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of cancelling the mayoral election for Greater Essex on lower tier authorities, including Basildon council.
Answer: Following Ministerial and official consideration, we are minded to hold inaugural mayoral elections for the four Devolution Priority Programme places that are also undertaking local government reorganisation – including Greater Essex – in May 2028 rather ...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordElections: EssexMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97390More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, given the cancellation of Greater Essex’s mayoral election, can the minister confirm that the lower-tier authorities in Essex, including Basildon Council, will have 2026 election
Answer: On 2026 elections, I refer the Hon. Gentleman to my answer to Question UIN 94417 of 24 November. Our answer remains that local elections will go ahead unless there is strong justification otherwise. The Government announced on 4 December that we are minde...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordElections: EssexMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97389More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, will the upper-tier authorities Essex County Council, Thurrock Council, and Southend Council have 2026 elections as scheduled.
Answer: On 2026 elections, I refer the Hon. Gentleman to my answer to Question UIN 94417 of 24 November. Our answer remains that local elections will go ahead unless there is strong justification otherwise. The Government announced on 4 December that we are minde...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: EssexMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97388More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of Greater Essex’s progress on devolution, in the context of the decision to cancel the mayoral election.
Answer: There has not been a decision to cancel the mayoral election in Greater Essex. Following the ministerial reshuffle, the Government has taken the opportunity to reflect on the most effective way of ensuring our mayoral institutions are best placed to deliv...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: ElectionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97387More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, at what time and date was the decision taken to cancel mayoral elections in 2026.
Answer: Following Ministerial and official consideration, we are minded to hold inaugural mayoral elections for the four Devolution Priority Programme places that are also undertaking local government reorganisation – including Greater Essex – in May 2028 rather ...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordTrials: Human RightsMinistry of JusticeTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96980More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that the removal of a defendant's right to elect a jury trail is compatible with Article 6 of the ECHR.
Answer: We are confident that the removal of the defendants’ right to elect is compatible with Article 6 of the ECHR. Whilst the jury trial will remain an important feature of the criminal justice system following these reforms, it is important to recognise that ...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordJuriesMinistry of JusticeTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96979More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to the right to jury trial on the number of appeals and judicial review applications.
Answer: Following reforms to the criminal courts, appellants will continue to have the right to appeal convictions and sentences received in both magistrates’ courts and the Crown Court. Permission to appeal will be granted by the judiciary where the appeal has a...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordJuriesMinistry of JusticeTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96977More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 2 December 2025, what safeguards will be put in place to ensure that, where defendants can no longer elect a jury trial, decisions are (a) consistent and (b)
Answer: The court reforms, including removing the right to elect for a jury trial, are not intended to impact trial outcomes; the intention is only to change how trials are heard.The vast majority of criminal cases - over 90% - are already heard without a jury, b...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordJuriesMinistry of JusticeTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96976More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of removing the right to elect for a jury trial on perceptions of the justice system of a) victims, b) witnesses and c) defendants.
Answer: The Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with a record and rising open caseload of nearly 80,000 criminal cases waiting to be heard and too many victims waiting years for justice. One of the first priorities of this Government has been to tack...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordJuriesMinistry of JusticeTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96975More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of removing a defendant’s right to choose trial by jury for certain offences on the constitution.
Answer: We are confident that the removal of the defendants’ right to elect is compatible with Article 6 of the ECHR. Whilst the jury trial will remain an important feature of the criminal justice system following these reforms, it is important to recognise that ...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordJuriesMinistry of JusticeTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96974More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of removing a defendant’s right to elect trial by jury for triable-either-way offences on public confidence in the criminal justice system.
Answer: The Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with a record and rising open caseload of nearly 80,000 criminal cases waiting to be heard and too many victims waiting years for justice. One of the first priorities of this Government has been to tack...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96915More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what requirements exist for follow-up contact within 48 hours of discharge from inpatient mental health services; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of NHS compliance with these requir
Answer: There is no requirement that exists for follow-up contact within 48 hours of discharge from inpatient mental health services. There is, however, a follow up requirement for 72 hours post discharge, based on evidence from the National Confidential Inquiry ...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: EssexDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96914More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help support Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board to reduce the number of pathways waiting more than 52 weeks for treatment.
Answer: We are clear that the extent of waits for treatment is unacceptable, and cutting waiting lists is a key priority for the Government. We have committed to returning by March 2029 to the NHS constitutional standard that 92% of patients should wait no longer...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: EssexDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96913More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to restore the 18-week referral-to-treatment standard at Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board; and by what timeframe.
Answer: We are clear that the extent of waits for treatment is unacceptable, and cutting waiting lists is a key priority for the Government. We have committed to returning by March 2029 to the NHS constitutional standard that 92% of patients should wait no longer...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
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