Mary Kelly Foy MP: written questions
213 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Universal Credit: FraudDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115498More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Universal Credit fraud prosecutions were (a) withdrawn by his Department and (b) dismissed by a judge before trial in each of the last three financial years; and if he will provide a breakdown
Answer: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) do not make decisions on whether to prosecute individuals and cannot make the decision to withdraw a prosecution. The DWP will complete the investigation and when appropriate hand the case files to the Crown Pros...
Answered 3 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordSpeech and Language Disorders: ChildrenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98933More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the potential merits of providing training to mental health teams on adapting their support to children with lifelong speech and language difficulties.
Answer: The Department of Health and Social Care is working closely with the Department for Education and NHS England to improve access to community health services, including speech and language therapy, for children and young people with special educational nee...
Answered 19 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDevelopmental Language DisorderDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98932More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to treat developmental language disorders in line with autism by matching levels of freely available support, training and information for parents and carers.
Answer: Community health services, including children’s speech and language therapy, are locally commissioned to enable systems to best meet the needs of their communities. NHS England is working with the Department for Education to identify and support children ...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDevelopmental Language DisorderDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98931More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has considered requesting the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to set national clinical guidelines for developmental language disorders.
Answer: Topics for new or updated National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance are considered through an established prioritisation process. Decisions as to whether NICE will create new, or update existing, guidance are overseen by a prioriti...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: Speech and Language DisordersDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98930More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she plans to take to improve a) universal, b) targeted and c) specialist speech, language and communication support.
Answer: Speech and Language Therapists (SaLTs) play a critical role in early intervention for children and young people. By breaking down communication barriers, they unlock learning, inclusion, and opportunity for every child.The department is working closely wi...
Answered 23 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: Speech and Language DisordersDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98929More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the Disabled Children’s Partnership and the Speech, Language and Communication Alliance's 2025 report entitled How to spend less an
Answer: The department recognises that early identification and intervention is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. We are strengthening the evidence base of what works to improve early ide...
Answered 10 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordWest Bank: DemolitionForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 88819More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential humanitarian impact of the reported demolition issued against 13 residential houses and a community centre in the village of Um
Answer: We are deeply concerned by the levels of settler violence, settlement growth, and demolition of Palestinian homes in the West Bank. In all but the most exceptional cases, demolitions by an occupying power are contrary to international law. We urge Israel ...
Answered 18 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordEducation: StandardsDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82718More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of making (a) critical thinking and (b) problem solving key competencies in the education system.
Answer: It is important that young people are equipped with the key knowledge and skills to adapt to a rapidly changing world.The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, which is evaluating the existing national curriculum and ...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordFinancial Institutions: TaxationTreasuryTabled 16 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82717More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a windfall tax on the profits of (a) banks and (b) other financial institutions.
Answer: The government’s position on the taxation of the banking sector remains as set out in the Corporate Tax Roadmap. The regime is kept under review to ensure that objectives around growth and fiscal responsibility are appropriately balanced.
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordFireworks: SalesDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82383More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of restricting the sale of fireworks to organised and regulated displays.
Answer: No assessment has been made of the potential merits of restricting the sale of fireworks to organised and regulated displays.The Government has launched a public campaign on fireworks safety for this year’s fireworks season. The campaign includes new guid...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPalliative Care: EqualityDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82382More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure equitable provision of palliative care in England.
Answer: Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. ICBs are responsible for the commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. To sup...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordHospices: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82381More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to fund the specialist palliative care provided by hospices.
Answer: Whilst the majority of palliative care and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordHospices: FinanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82380More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that hospices receive the required funding to increase staffing wages in line with nationally agreed NHS pay rises.
Answer: We are immensely grateful for the critical role healthcare workers, including hospice staff, play in our health service and the high quality, compassionate care they deliver.The impact that National Health Service pay uplifts will have on the hospice sect...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordHospices: ContractsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82379More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that hospice contracts reflect the (a) cost of the services they provide and (b) needs of their local populations.
Answer: Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service spec...
Answered 22 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: Tax AllowancesTreasuryTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78598More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure industries on the level of business rates relief which would help to drive (a) investment and (b) local employment.
Answer: The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century. As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospital...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordBusiness Rates: City of DurhamTreasuryTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78597More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the number of retail businesses impacted by (a) the business rates reduction for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure properties and (b) the higher business rates multiplier in the City of D
Answer: The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century. As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospital...
Answered 16 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordHornetsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78596More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle Asian hornets.
Answer: Defra is continuing to follow an eradication strategy against Yellow Legged Hornet (also known as Asian Hornet) to prevent this invasive non-native species from establishing in GB. Contingency action is delivered by the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s Na...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordHome Insurance: TravellersTreasuryTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77602More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps with the Financial Conduct Authority to help ensure that (a) Gypsies and (b) Travellers are able to access homes and contents insurance.
Answer: As set out in the answer to question 75505 on 11 September 2025, the Government is determined that insurers should treat customers fairly, and insurers must comply with all relevant regulations and legislation. This includes the Equality Act 2010 which ge...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Society CovenantDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77601More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent progress her Department has made in implementing the civil society covenant.
Answer: The Civil Society Covenant was launched by the Prime Minister in July at a major civil society summit. Its ambition is to strengthen relationships and encourage partnership between civil society and all levels of UK government. Achieving this will require...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordHome Insurance: TravellersTreasuryTabled 5 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75505More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department plans to take to ensure that Gypsies and Travellers are able to access homes and contents insurance without discrimination.
Answer: Insurers make commercial decisions about the terms on which they will offer cover following an assessment of the relevant risks. This is usually informed by the insurer’s claims experience and other industry-wide statistics. The government does not usuall...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordEast Coast Main Line: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 905592More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve rail services on the East Coast Main Line.
Answer: The Department has invested £4bn in route-wide upgrades – including new trains and improvements to platforms, tracks, signals and junctions. This will deliver journey time, reliability and capacity improvements, with more than 60,000 extra seats across th...
Answered 11 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry and Retail Trade: City of DurhamTreasuryTabled 3 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 905555More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps she is taking to support small retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in City of Durham constituency.
Answer: Businesses in our retail, hospitality and leisure sectors are foundational to our economy and our high streets, and we are supporting them to succeed.From 2026-27, we will introduce a permanently lower business rates multiplier for retail, hospitality and...
Answered 9 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: Secondary EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68547More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that PSHE education is consistently embedded as part of the curriculum in all year groups in secondary education.
Answer: All schools should teach personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, drawing on good practice, and this expectation is outlined in the national curriculum framework document.The department published revised relationships, sex and health educat...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordMobile Phones: BroadbandDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64135More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help improve mobile telephone signal in (a) Brancepeth Village, (b) County Durham and (c)) across the country.
Answer: Ofcom reports that 4G is available across 96% of the City of Durham constituency from all four mobile operators, while 5G (standalone and non-standalone) is available outside 94% of premises in the constituency from at least one operator.However, I know O...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordVisas: Digital TechnologyHome OfficeTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63665More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional steps her Department plans to take to improve the process of accessing evisa accounts.
Answer: eVisas are a key part of delivering a border and immigration system which will be more digital and streamlined, a change that will enhance the applicant’s experience and increase the immigration system’s security and efficiency.The UKVI account provides p...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →