Kerry McCarthy MP: written questions
132 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Carers: Holiday LeaveDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117687More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a statutory right to paid leave for kinship carers.
Answer: The Government’s Parental Leave and Pay Review will conclude in early 2027 with a set of findings which outline next steps for implementing any reforms.In addition to considering, all current and upcoming parental leave and pay entitlements, the Review is...
Answered 11 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordCancer: Older PeopleDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117686More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support is available to meet the travel costs of pensioners with cancer diagnoses.
Answer: The Department recognises that the cost of travel should not be a barrier to cancer treatment. NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of local communities are met, including providing...
Answered 16 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordStudents: LoansDepartment for EducationTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117685More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on whether medical students will qualify for maintenance grants when these are reintroduced.
Answer: This government is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to attend higher education. We must, therefore, reform the higher education system to better support disadvantaged students.Maintenance grants w...
Answered 1 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordRespiratory Diseases: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117684More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of a respiratory Modern Service Framework on NHS provision in Bristol East constituency.
Answer: The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and...
Answered 11 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordGeneral Practitioners: EndometriosisDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117683More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what action his Department is taking to ensure (a) GPs and (b) GP nursing staff receive training on endometriosis.
Answer: General practitioners (GPs) and nurses are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge, including on endometriosis and women’s health issues in general, remains up to date and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing profession...
Answered 11 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence Payment: Bristol EastDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117258More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time is to process a Personal Independence Payment appeal in Bristol East constituency.
Answer: The average time to process a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) appeal for all PIP appeals registered in the Bristol East constituency since PIP was introduced can be found below. Mean appeal processing time (weeks)Median appeal processing time (weeks)2...
Answered 17 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordFruit and Vegetables: ProductionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117257More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to increase production of domestic fruit, vegetables, pulses and legumes to strengthen the UK’s food security, in light of the findings of the Natio
Answer: The Government is committed to the horticulture sector and its role in providing fresh home‑grown produce that helps to feed the nation. In December 2025, the Secretary of State announced the Farming & Food Partnership Board in response to the indepen...
Answered 11 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordMaternity Services: Working HoursDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117256More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to enforce guidance around Working Time Regulations in maternity services to encourage safe working practices in maternity care.
Answer: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides readily accessible guidance to all employers on the Working Time Regulations 1998 on its website and is responsible for the enforcement of the maximum weekly working time limit, night work limits, and health ...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordUniversal Credit: ChildrenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117255More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to raise awareness of the disabled child addition to Universal Credit among eligible claimants.
Answer: DWP’s digital Universal Credit (UC) application pathway uses automated prompts to ask claimants proactively whether any children are disabled. Where this is confirmed, the system guides them through the relevant eligibility criteria, helping ensure the co...
Answered 23 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordUniversal Credit: ChildrenDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117254More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of automating eligible claimants' entitlement to the disabled child addition to Universal Credit.
Answer: DWP’s digital application process uses automated prompts to identify where a claimant has a disabled child and guides them through the relevant eligibility criteria, helping ensure the correct addition is applied at the point of claim. This is currently t...
Answered 12 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordEnergy: CharitiesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 116724More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the Government is doing to reduce non-commodity costs affecting energy bills for charities.
Answer: Our Clean Power 2030 mission is essential to cutting electricity prices for good. By accelerating the transition to clean, homegrown electricity, we are working to shield end-users from the volatility of fossil fuel prices and to deliver reliable, afforda...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordInland Waterways: AccessDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 20 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 113474More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to improve the safety and availability of public access to waterways for recreation and wellbeing.
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of providing access to the outdoors for people’s health and wellbeing and is working to ensure that this access is safe and appropriate. As part of this, Defra has committed in its new Environmental Improvement Pla...
Answered 4 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordWaste: LandfillDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 113062More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects further policy measures to be introduced to prevent biodegradable waste from entering landfill.
Answer: Reducing the amount of biodegradable waste being sent to landfill has a key part to play in tackling climate change. In February 2025, Defra published a summary of responses to the call for evidence on the near elimination of biodegradable municipal waste...
Answered 24 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordSustainable Farming Incentive: Organic FarmingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 113061More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will ensure that organic farming is appropriately supported within the relaunched Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme, in the context of increasing trade balance for organic pr
Answer: We recognise the importance of organic farming. The new SFI offer will continue to support sustainable farming by strengthening the environmental foundations of farm profitability. Healthy soil, clean water and thriving pollinators are essential to our lo...
Answered 24 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordMethane: Departmental CoordinationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 113060More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how her Department is working with other departments to coordinate delivery of the Government’s methane reduction commitments.
Answer: We are working closely with other departments to coordinate delivery of the Government’s methane reduction commitments. Alongside the Carbon Budget Growth Delivery Plan, we published our Methane Action Plan detailing historic progress on methane abatement...
Answered 24 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordSchool Meals: NutritionDepartment for EducationTabled 3 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 110340More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the environmental and health impacts of their School Food guidance in the context of the 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission; and how she plans to respond to the Commission’s P
Answer: The department is committed to raising the healthiest generation ever and encourages schools to have a whole school approach to healthy eating. We are continuing our work to revise the School Food Standards and are engaging experts across the sector, incl...
Answered 10 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCarbon Emissions: Public ConsultationDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 109973More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he will publish the results of the Department's consultation on the Voluntary Carbon and Nature Markets: raising integrity.
Answer: The Government welcomes the many responses to the Voluntary Carbon and Nature Markets consultation. Officials are undertaking analysis of the responses received and the Government intends to publish its response in the first half of this year.
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordSoft Drinks: TaxationTreasuryTabled 27 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108604More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to ensure coherence between the Soft Drinks Industry Levy and other Government frameworks, including nutrient profiling, dietary guidance and restrictions on foods high in fat, su
Answer: When considering the reforms to the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) announced at Budget 2025, HM Treasury worked closely with the Department for Health and Social Care throughout the process, including to consider whether the SDIL minimum sugar content t...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordSchool MilkDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108603More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential benefits to children’s health and inclusion of expanding the School Milk Scheme to include fortified plant-based alternatives.
Answer: This is a devolved matter, and this response applies to England only. Defra regularly reviews the administration and outcomes associated with the School Milk Subsidy Scheme, most recently following the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition’s assessme...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordSchool MilkDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108602More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will review current guidance under the school milk scheme to ensure consistency with NHS Eatwell guidance, which includes fortified dairy alternatives such as plant-b
Answer: This is a devolved matter, and this response applies to England only. Milk and relevant dairy products only are eligible under the School Milk Subsidy Scheme. There are no plans to amend the scheme requirements to include non-dairy drinks or associated pr...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordOctopuses: AquacultureDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107352More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will introduce legislation to prohibit (a) octopus farming in the UK and (b) imports of commercially-farmed octopus.
Answer: The Government have no current plans to prevent the import of farmed octopus products to the UK. Defra is not aware of any plans to establish octopus farming in the UK. Any such plans would be subject to relevant existing regulatory regimes.
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordForests: Environment ProtectionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104472More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2025 to question 91282, what assessment she has made of the relative merits of (a) the forest-risk commodities regime and b) the approach of the E
Answer: The UK and the EU share the common commitment to tackle deforestation in supply chains. The UK is continuing to monitor and engage with international frameworks on deforestation, including measures such as the EU Deforestation Regulation, and their impact...
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordForests: CommoditiesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104466More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 31 October 2025 to question 85098, when she will bring forward due diligence measures on forest-risk commodities.
Answer: The UK recognises the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation. The Government is carefully considering the best regulatory approach to address deforestation in UK supply chains; we wil...
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordFood Supply: Supply ChainsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104465More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact global deforestation and desertification on the UK’s national food security, supply chains and food prices.
Answer: The UK imports 40% of its food and is therefore exposed to supply chain risks such as deforestation and desertification via food security and price impacts associated with food imports. Defra routinely conducts and updates assessments on a range of threat...
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBiodiversityDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104464More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she will publish in full the Global Ecosystem Assessment report.
Answer: Defra routinely conducts and updates assessments on a range of threats. The Government publishes assessments in the National Risk Register and Chronic Risks Analysis, including on biodiversity loss and its interactions with ecosystems, on GOV.UK.
Answered 19 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
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