Kerry McCarthy MP: written questions
99 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Fungi: ConservationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 91916More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made on supporting the Fungal Conservation Pledge since the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) in 2024.
Answer: To deliver against the statutory targets for biodiversity, in England, we are taking action at scale to create, restore, manage, and protect wildlife-rich habitats, reduce pressures on biodiversity, and take targeted action for species. This includes acti...
Answered 24 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordMobile Phones and Social Media: ChildrenDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90677More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to establish a (a) social media curfew and (b) cap on smartphone screen time fo
Answer: It is important that children can seize the opportunities that being online offers whilst being safe. The Online Safety Act provides protections for children from illegal and harmful content onlineWe continue to explore evidence around the impact of socia...
Answered 20 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: PensionersDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90676More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of making pensioners who live with a partner below State Pension age eligible to receive age-appropriate welfare benefits.
Answer: We have no current plans to do so. Ensuring that individuals, including those below State Pension age, can get into and stay in work is important for individuals in helping them to continue saving for their own retirement and contributes to the wider econ...
Answered 20 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHome Education: RegistrationDepartment for EducationTabled 13 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90675More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to send information to home educating parents on the registration measures within the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
Answer: Following the Bill’s attainment of Royal Assent, the department intends to make regulations and publish statutory guidance outlining how local authorities must publicise the registers and the duties of parents in relation to the registers.We will consult ...
Answered 20 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordSmall Businesses: Transgender PeopleWomen and EqualitiesTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90152More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will ensure that any forthcoming code of practice for (a) services, (b) public functions and (c) associations contains practical guidance on how small businesses can be inclusive towards transgender cus
Answer: The Equality and Human Rights Commission - as the independent regulator - has submitted a draft Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations. This will provide guidance to relevant duty bearers on how they should comply with the Equali...
Answered 19 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordGynaecological Cancer: ScreeningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90151More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to encourage (a) breast cancer screening and (b) cervical screening programmes to raise awareness of other gynaecological cancers.
Answer: NHS England works to ensure that core public information on screening is easily accessible and understandable to the public, and it regularly and systematically reviews this information.For example, earlier this year, NHS England updated its cervical scre...
Answered 19 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordDental ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90150More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what comparative assessment he has made of trends in NHS dental costs and average wages in England.
Answer: No direct assessment has been made, however any decision to uplift dental patient charges is accompanied by an equalities impact assessment and informed by patient demographic data from the NHS Annual Dental Statistics and the GP Patient Survey NHS dentis...
Answered 19 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing Benefit: Single PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90149More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 22 July 2025 to Question 68072 on Housing Benefit: Supported Housing, what further discussions he has had with stakeholders on proposals to increase the Housing Benefit disrega
Answer: We acknowledge there is a challenge arising from the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit, particularly for working age customers living in Supported Housing and Temporary Accommodation. A wide range of customers currently receive rent...
Answered 19 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing BenefitDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 12 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 90148More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 22 September 2025 Question 76922 on Housing Benefit: Supported Housing, what further discussions he has had with stakeholders on proposals to decrease the Housing Benefit taper
Answer: We acknowledge there is a challenge arising from the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit, particularly for working age customers living in Supported Housing and Temporary Accommodation. A wide range of customers currently receive rent...
Answered 19 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordFlats: Fire PreventionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89407More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2025 to Question 71739 on Flats: Fire Prevention, when he plans to publish the eligibility criteria.
Answer: The Department intends to provide further information on cladding remediation funding for buildings under 11m in height in England in due course.
Answered 17 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPostgraduate Education: ChildcareDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88614More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the cost of extending the Childcare Grant to postgraduate students.
Answer: The government introduced new support packages for students starting postgraduate master’s degree courses from the 2016/17 academic year onwards and postgraduate doctoral degree courses from 2018/19 onwards. These loans are not based on income and are int...
Answered 19 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordImmigration: Advisory ServicesMinistry of JusticeTabled 5 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88211More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure adequate access to free immigration advice in (a) Bristol and (b) the South West.
Answer: We are committed to making sure timely advice is there for those who need it, and this sits right at the heart of our vision for a better, more effective justice system.We have confirmed we will be uplifting housing and immigration legal aid fees. This re...
Answered 13 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordBone Cancer: DiagnosisDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88210More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ensure early diagnosis of primary bone cancer is included in the National Cancer Plan.
Answer: Early diagnosis is a key focus of the National Cancer Plan. It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including primary bone cancer and other rare cancers, as early and quickly as possible, and to treat...
Answered 13 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRenters' Rights Act 2025Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 5 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88209More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to raise awareness among renters about the provisions of the Renters’ Rights Act ahead of its implementation date.
Answer: The government intends to set out detailed implementation plans for the Renters’ Rights Act in the near future. As part of those plans, we will support all stakeholders through detailed guidance and communications.
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRenters' Rights Act 2025Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 5 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88208More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his Department's timetable is for implementing the Renters’ Rights Act (2025).
Answer: The government intends to set out detailed implementation plans for the Renters’ Rights Act in the near future. As part of those plans, we will support all stakeholders through detailed guidance and communications.
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: Advisory ServicesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 5 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88207More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure the availability of housing-related advice services in Bristol.
Answer: I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 78811 on 15 October 2025.
Answered 12 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordGeneral Practitioners: RecruitmentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87252More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2025 to Question 78048 on General Practitioners: Recruitment, whether he plans to recruit more experienced GPs whose Certificate of Completion of Training Date
Answer: As self-employed contractors to the National Health Service, it is for general practices (GPs) to determine how they run their operations, including recruitment decisions.We are investing an additional £1.1 billion into GPs to reinforce the front door of ...
Answered 13 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordInfected Blood Compensation Scheme: Medical RecordsCabinet OfficeTabled 3 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 87251More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department has taken to help ensure that the Infected Blood Compensation Authority claims process is accessible to people whose historic NHS records are difficult to locate.
Answer: Given the historic nature of the infected blood scandal, the Government recognises that not all medical records will still be available. The Compensation Scheme has been designed to minimise as far as possible the burden on those applying, and eligibility...
Answered 13 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordGroceries Code AdjudicatorDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 31 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 87023More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when he plans to publish his response to the Grocery Code Adjudicator statutory review, which closed on 5 August 2025.
Answer: The fourth statutory review of the effectiveness of the GCA covers the period from 31 March 2022 – 1 April 2025. The review commenced on 1 April 2025 and a consultation to gather stakeholder views and evidence closed 5 August. The government is currently ...
Answered 11 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordPersonal Independence Payment: StrokesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81270More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of adding specific information on Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy to (a) guidance and (b) t
Answer: Personal Independence Payment assessments assess the functional impact of a claimant’s health condition or impairment on their ability to carry out daily living activities, and to understand how a condition affects day-to-day functioning. All health profe...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCardiovascular Diseases: InternetDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81269More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS England on the adequacy of the information available on the NHS website on cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalo
Answer: There are over 7,000 rare diseases often needing highly specialised input, and so the National Health Service’s website is not always the most appropriate platform to disseminate such information. Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Governme...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordStudents: ChildcareDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78049More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the eligibility for the Childcare Grant to include PhD students in receipt of stipends.
Answer: The government introduced new support packages for students starting postgraduate master’s degree courses from the 2016/17 academic year onwards and postgraduate doctoral degree courses from 2018/19 onwards. These loans are not based on income and are int...
Answered 30 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordGeneral Practitioners: RecruitmentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78048More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to recruit more experienced GPs whose Certificate of Completion of Training date was more than two years ago.
Answer: We hugely value and appreciate the work that all general practitioners (GPs) do and recognise that it is vital for their roles to be satisfying, rewarding, and sustainable so that our GPs continue to contribute throughout their career.The Government commi...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPrimary Education: Children's PlayDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78047More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Curriculum and assessment review will include measures to support play-based learning for primary school aged children.
Answer: The Curriculum and Assessment Review will be informed by evidence, data and input from experts, stakeholders and the public, including over 7,000 responses to the call for evidence, and a range of research and polling.The Review’s interim report demonstra...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament record
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