James McMurdock MP: written questions 2026
3310 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Alcoholism: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117164More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve access to treatment and engagement with services for people experiencing alcohol dependence in South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency.
Answer: The Government is committed to ensuring that anyone with an alcohol problem can access the help and support they need, including in South Basildon and East Thurrock, and we recognise the need for evidence-based, high-quality treatment.Local authorities ar...
Answered 16 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordFreight: CrimeDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117163More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the availability of secure lorry parks on freight crime levels.
Answer: The Department has not assessed the impact of secure lorry parking or enhanced lighting and CCTV at lorry parks on levels of freight crime. The 2022 survey of HGV parking in England identified a lack of security measures and secure parking as a priority f...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordFreight: CrimeDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117162More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of a) enhanced lighting and b) CCTV at lorry parks on levels of freight crime.
Answer: The Department has not assessed the impact of secure lorry parking or enhanced lighting and CCTV at lorry parks on levels of freight crime. The 2022 survey of HGV parking in England identified a lack of security measures and secure parking as a priority f...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordFreight: CrimeDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117161More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of freight crimes reported in the last 12 months occurred at secure lorry parks.
Answer: The Department has not assessed the impact of secure lorry parking or enhanced lighting and CCTV at lorry parks on levels of freight crime. The 2022 survey of HGV parking in England identified a lack of security measures and secure parking as a priority f...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordFreight: CrimeDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117160More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of freight crime over the last five years.
Answer: The Department has not assessed the impact of secure lorry parking or enhanced lighting and CCTV at lorry parks on levels of freight crime. The 2022 survey of HGV parking in England identified a lack of security measures and secure parking as a priority f...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordFreight: CrimeDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117159More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent data her Department holds on levels of freight crime affecting HGV drivers.
Answer: The Department has not assessed the impact of secure lorry parking or enhanced lighting and CCTV at lorry parks on levels of freight crime. The 2022 survey of HGV parking in England identified a lack of security measures and secure parking as a priority f...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordFood: ImportsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117158More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of food imports from countries with lower hygiene, production, animal welfare and environmental standards on the sale of UK farmers
Answer: As the Secretary of State set out at the NFU Conference, the first meeting of the new Farming and Food Partnership Board will take place in March. This represents a reset of the relationship between government and the farming and food sectors, and will de...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordLarge Goods Vehicles: ParkingDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117157More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to Answer of 26 February 2026 to Question 115137, how many new secure HGV parking spaces have been delivered in each region of England since 2022.
Answer: The Department has not assessed the impact of secure lorry parking or enhanced lighting and CCTV at lorry parks on levels of freight crime. The 2022 survey of HGV parking in England identified a lack of security measures and secure parking as a priority f...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPatient Advice and Liaison ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117156More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of variation between NHS trusts in the a) operation and b) resourcing of Patient Advice and Liaison Services.
Answer: No assessment has been made of the operation and level of resourcing of Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS) across National Health Service trusts. PALS is a free, confidential and independent service providing advice and support to resolve issues a...
Answered 11 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPatient Advice and Liaison Services: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117155More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to introduce national service standards for Patient Advice and Liaison Services.
Answer: No assessment has been made of the operation and level of resourcing of Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS) across National Health Service trusts. PALS is a free, confidential and independent service providing advice and support to resolve issues a...
Answered 11 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordUniversal CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117153More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of Universal Credit claimants are assessed as having a) negligible and b) negative disposal income after housing and energy costs.
Answer: We do not hold information on the disposable income of households after essential expenditure including energy costs. Working-age benefits covered by the Secretary of State’s statutory review will be increased by 3.8% from April, in line with the increase...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordFood: ImportsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117152More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure imported food complies with UK production, hygiene and welfare standards.
Answer: As the Secretary of State set out at the NFU Conference, the first meeting of the new Farming and Food Partnership Board will take place in March. This represents a reset of the relationship between government and the farming and food sectors, and will de...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPovertyDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117151More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of households with less than £50 per month in disposable income after essential expenditure.
Answer: We do not hold information on the disposable income of households after essential expenditure including energy costs. Working-age benefits covered by the Secretary of State’s statutory review will be increased by 3.8% from April, in line with the increase...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDebts: South Basildon and East ThurrockTreasuryTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117150More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of personal debt among financially vulnerable households in South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency.
Answer: The Government regularly engages with the Bank of England, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) to monitor personal finances and debt levels. Household debt levels have been falling since the beginning of 2022, ...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordAmbulance Services: Electric VehiclesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116646More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to his Department's press release entitled Health service to save millions with boost to electrify NHS fleet, by what date he anticipates the electrification of the NHS fleet of ambulances
Answer: The 10-Year Health Plan committed to support the National Health Service’s Net Zero ambitions. This includes NHS England’s Net Zero travel and transport strategy, published in 2023, which set a target date of 2040 for full decarbonisation of the NHS fleet...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Charging PointsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116645More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to his Department's press release entitled Health service to save millions with boost to electrify NHS fleet, published on 27 February 2026, by what date the additional hundreds of EV char
Answer: This £4 million in capital funding will be provided via a budget transfer from the Department for Transport to the Department of Health and Social Care in the financial year 2026/27, and capital will only be available for projects in that year. Projects h...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordNature ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116634More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with local authorities including (a) Thurrock, (b) Basildon, and (c) Essex councils on bringing wildlife restoration projects into suburban and rural
Answer: Essex has a wealth of wildlife and holds a wide variety of nature-rich habitats, including some that are unique to this part of England. As one of 48 Responsible Authorities appointed by the Secretary of State, Essex County Council published its Local Nat...
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordCoastal Areas and Rivers: Environment ProtectionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116633More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding has been allocated in the current spending period for river and coastal habitat restoration.
Answer: The “current spending period” is taken to mean the 2025/26 financial year. The Environment Agency (EA) was allocated several funds in 2025/26 that directly contribute to the restoration of river and coastal habitats: £10.9 million Water Environment Improv...
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordCoastal Areas and Rivers: Environment ProtectionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116632More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what targets his Department has set for the creation of new natural habitats along rivers and coastlines.
Answer: We have a statutory habitat target which include rivers and coastal habitats, but no sub-targets for habitat types. The revised Environmental Improvement Plan includes prioritised actions to deliver our goals and the ambitious Environment Act targets. It ...
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordWater: Public ConsultationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116631More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what mechanisms exist for local communities to be involved in decision-making about water quality and river restoration in their areas; and whether he plans to expand those mechanisms.
Answer: The Government’s Water White Paper committed to strengthening regional water planning to enable a more holistic, coordinated approach to water environment and supply planning. Enhanced regional planning will support delivery of national and local prioriti...
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: Environment ProtectionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116630More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Ofwat in preventing water companies from prioritising shareholder returns over environmental protection.
Answer: A stable and effective regulatory framework is crucial in attracting sustained investment to the sector. The Government supports Ofwat imposing tougher rules on water company dividends and bonuses, so that consumer bills never reward pollution. Ofwat wan...
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordSewage: EssexDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116627More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many recorded sewage discharge incidents into (a) the river Thames and (b) any other waterways in Essex that have occurred in each of the last five years; and what steps his Depart
Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) received 635 reports of sewage pollution in Essex and 330 reports for the River Thames originating from water companies and private sewage treatment facilities in the last five years. The EA has strengthened its regulation of t...
Answered 19 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordSewage: Waste DisposalDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116620More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of enforcement powers available to the Environment Agency regarding sewage discharges by water companies.
Answer: The Government keeps the Environment Agency’s (EA) powers to address sewage discharges under regular review. We introduced the Water (Special Measures) Act to increase accountability, strengthen sanctions, and make pollution coverups a criminal offence. O...
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPrisoner Escorts: Bus LanesMinistry of JusticeTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116617More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled Deputy Prime Minister sets out vision for the justice system, published on 24 February 2026, which additional local authorities plan to adopt the scheme a
Answer: We agree with Sir Brian’s Leveson’s recommendation in the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts that Prisoner Escort and Custody Services (PECS) should be enabled to use bus lanes when transporting prisoners. However, these decisions are ultimately fo...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordCourtsMinistry of JusticeTabled 27 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 116616More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled Deputy Prime Minister sets out vision for the justice system, published on 24 February 2026, whether blitz courts will be delivered through new additional
Answer: Blitz courts have been trialled previously and have shown positive results in reducing case backlog. The announcement of uncapped sitting days in the Crown Court in 2026/27 will enable more blitz initiatives to take place. The two court rooms which will b...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament record
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