Susan Murray MP: written questions

87 published records · newest first.

Written questions

  • Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement TherapyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35464More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to provide additional funding to Integrated Care Boards for the importation of alternative pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy brands.

    Answer: The Department monitors and manages medicine supply issues at a national level so that stocks remain available to meet regional and local demand. Information on stock levels within individual National Health Service trusts is not held centrally.The Depart...

    Answered 10 Mar 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy: ShortagesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35463More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of local plans implemented by Integrated Care Boards to mitigate pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy shortages.

    Answer: The Department monitors and manages medicine supply issues at a national level so that stocks remain available to meet regional and local demand. Information on stock levels within individual National Health Service trusts is not held centrally.The Depart...

    Answered 10 Mar 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy: ShortagesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35462More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to meet (a) clinicians, (b) patient advocacy groups, (c) affected charities and (d) manufacturers of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy to discuss (i) shortages and (ii) potenti

    Answer: The Department monitors and manages medicine supply issues at a national level so that stocks remain available to meet regional and local demand. Information on stock levels within individual National Health Service trusts is not held centrally.The Depart...

    Answered 10 Mar 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Electronic Cigarettes: PackagingDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 33693More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to regulate the packaging of vapes to provide similar safeguards to that of cigarettes.

    Answer: It is very worrying that approximately 25% of 11 to 15-year-olds have tried vaping, despite the risks of nicotine addiction. Evidence suggests that vapes appeal to children because of the brightly coloured packaging, amongst other child-friendly features....

    Answered 5 Mar 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Visas: Overseas VisitorsHome OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28791More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how her Department assesses references from British nationals during the visitor visa application process.

    Answer: The Visit caseworker guidance provides guidance to decision makers when assessing Visitor applications. It sets out that all information provided by the applicant must be assessed which may include supporting statements or references provided by British n...

    Answered 12 Feb 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Restaurants: Fire PreventionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28389More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support her Department provides to restaurant businesses who have incurred financial cost as a result of operating from premises affected by flammable cladding.

    Answer: The key objective of the government’s cladding funding schemes is to ensure that life safety fire risks associated with cladding are addressed as quickly as possible to ensure that residents in residential buildings are safe and feel safe in their homes. ...

    Answered 11 Feb 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Bounce Back Loan SchemeDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 28 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27044More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the bounce back loan scheme implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic; and what assessment he has made of trends in the level of repayment

    Answer: The British Business Bank is undertaking a multi-year evaluation of the Covid-19 loan schemes, looking at whether the schemes met their objectives. The Year 2 evaluation report was published in November 2023 and shows that the schemes met their primary ob...

    Answered 3 Feb 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Small Businesses: ImportsTreasuryTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 902458More

    Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to help support small and medium sized enterprises with the cost of import charges.

    Answer: Small and medium sized businesses make a vital contribution to the UK economy. There are various arrangements in place that enable businesses to access reduced or zero import charges. With regards to customs duty, the UK has a number of free trade agreeme...

    Answered 30 Jan 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Small Businesses: VATTreasuryTabled 15 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24329More

    Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the VAT (a) threshold and (b) rates on the (i) growth and (ii) financial sustainability of small businesses.

    Answer: At £90,000, the UK has a higher VAT registration threshold than any EU country and the joint highest in the OECD. This keeps the majority of businesses out of the VAT regime altogether. The Government’s approach to the VAT threshold and applicable rates a...

    Answered 22 Jan 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Palliative Care: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19503More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to ensure palliative care standards are maintained for an aging population.

    Answer: The delivery of palliative and end of life care services is a devolved matter.We have taken necessary decisions to fix the foundations in the public finances at the Autumn Budget, which enabled the Spending Review settlement of a £22.6 billion increase in...

    Answered 17 Dec 2024

    Original Parliament record
  • Palliative Care: Employers' ContributionsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19502More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of changes made to employer National Insurance contributions at the Autumn Budget 2024 on access to palliative care.

    Answer: The delivery of palliative and end of life care services is a devolved matter.We have taken necessary decisions to fix the foundations in the public finances at the Autumn Budget, which enabled the Spending Review settlement of a £22.6 billion increase in...

    Answered 17 Dec 2024

    Original Parliament record
  • Palliative Care: VacanciesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17664More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of workforce shortages on the delivery of palliative care services.

    Answer: The delivery of palliative and end of life care services is a devolved matter. We want to assure ourselves and the National Health Service in England that it has access to the workforce it needs in the years ahead to ensure that patients, including those ...

    Answered 8 Jan 2025

    Original Parliament record
  • Disability: TaxationTreasuryTabled 3 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17663More

    Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will review the criteria for vehicle tax exemptions for disabled individuals (a) over the state pension age and (b) in receipt of Attendance Allowance.

    Answer: The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and is determined that support should be focused on people who need it most. The aim of existing Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) exemptions for recipients of some disability benefits is to provide additi...

    Answered 11 Dec 2024

    Original Parliament record
  • Workplace PensionsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17360More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing measures to support pensioners whose defined benefit schemes are underfunded.

    Answer: The UK has a robust and flexible regime for protecting defined benefit (DB) pensions. Sponsoring employers are ultimately responsible for meeting the promised pensions and DB pension schemes are subject to the statutory funding objective which requires th...

    Answered 10 Dec 2024

    Original Parliament record
  • Workplace PensionsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17359More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the financial status of people (a) who received pre-1997 defined benefit pensions and (b) who received payments from schemes with mandatory increases.

    Answer: Analysis by the Pensions Regulator estimates that, as of 31 March 2023, more than three quarters of schemes provide indexation on scheme benefits accrued before 6 April 1997. This is in addition to any Guaranteed Minimum Pension rights accrued between 198...

    Answered 10 Dec 2024

    Original Parliament record
  • Workplace Pensions: InflationDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17358More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information her Department holds on the number of retirees affected by the lack of statutory inflation protection for pre-1997 defined benefit pensions.

    Answer: Analysis carried out by the Pensions Regulator estimates that, as of 31 March 2023, 23 per cent of private-sector occupational Defined Benefit (DB) pension schemes have no indexation applied to pre-1997 benefits. However, this is in addition to any Guaran...

    Answered 10 Dec 2024

    Original Parliament record
  • Personal PensionsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17357More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to encourage private pension schemes to voluntarily offer inflation protection for pre-1997 defined benefit pension entitlements.

    Answer: It is for sponsoring employers to decide on what pension benefits they offer, provided they meet minimum standards. Scheme rules set out how the scheme should be run. It would not be appropriate for the Government to interfere in decisions made by individ...

    Answered 10 Dec 2024

    Original Parliament record
  • Workplace Pensions: InflationDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17356More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to address the lack of statutory inflation protection for pre-1997 defined benefit pension entitlements.

    Answer: It is for sponsoring employers to decide on what pension benefits they offer, provided they meet minimum standards. Scheme rules set out how the scheme should be run. It would not be appropriate for the Government to interfere in decisions made by individ...

    Answered 10 Dec 2024

    Original Parliament record
  • Workplace Pensions: Index LinkingDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 17355More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of regulations not subjecting pre-1997 defined benefit pensions to statutory indexation on the financial wellbeing of pensioners.

    Answer: Analysis by the Pensions Regulator estimates that, as of 31 March 2023, more than three quarters of schemes provide indexation on scheme benefits accrued before 6 April 1997. This is in addition to any Guaranteed Minimum Pension rights accrued between 198...

    Answered 10 Dec 2024

    Original Parliament record
  • Gaza: Fire ServicesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 22 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15685More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Fire Brigades Union on the fire engine donated to Gaza.

    Answer: The UK continues to call on Israel to increase humanitarian and commercial access into the Occupied Palestinian Territories by ensuring all aid crossings are fully operational, including the port of Ashdod. The Foreign Secretary recently spoke to Israeli ...

    Answered 4 Dec 2024

    Original Parliament record
  • Asylum: EmploymentHome OfficeTabled 20 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 15337More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of allowing asylum seekers to undertake paid work.

    Answer: At present, asylum seekers who have had their claim outstanding for 12 months or more, through no fault of their own, can apply for permission to work. Those permitted to work are restricted to jobs on the Immigration Salary List. This list is based on ex...

    Answered 2 Dec 2024

    Original Parliament record
  • Erasmus+ ProgrammeDepartment for EducationTabled 18 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14799More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to provide students with support in place of the Erasmus+ programme.

    Answer: The Turing Scheme is the UK government’s global programme to provide grants for students to do study and work placements anywhere in the world, including in the EU. Students can develop new skills, gain international experience and boost their employabili...

    Answered 26 Nov 2024

    Original Parliament record
  • Construction: FraudDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14221More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what support the Government provides to (a) individuals and (b) businesses impacted by rogue operators in the building industry.

    Answer: The Consumer Rights Act 2015 sets out the standards consumers can expect when a trader supplies goods and services, including building work, and remedies if these rights are breached. Consumers can seek redress through local authority trading standards or...

    Answered 19 Nov 2024

    Original Parliament record
  • Employers' Contributions: BusinessTreasuryTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14219More

    Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made a comparative assessment of the potential impact of the proposed increase in employers National Insurance contributions on (a) small and medium businesses and (b) large businesses.

    Answer: A Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the employer NICs changes was published by HMRC on 13 NovemberThe government has protected the smallest businesses from the impact of the increase to employers’ National Insurance by increasing the Employment ...

    Answered 22 Nov 2024

    Original Parliament record
  • Radiology: EquipmentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13360More

    Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to tackle shortages of molybdenum-technetium generators.

    Answer: The Department has been working hard with industry to help resolve the shortages of radioisotopes, which are affecting the United Kingdom and other countries around the world. The affected radioisotopes are mainly used for diagnosing cancers, including pr...

    Answered 18 Nov 2024

    Original Parliament record

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