Every parliamentary written question tabled by James McMurdock this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 2,701–2,720 of 3,503 · this parliament
What her plans are for the asylum seekers housed in hotels, in the context of the Chancellor’s recent pledge to end all hotel accommodation for asylum seekers by 2029.
The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders to fulfil our statutory obligations and deliver our commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels by the end of this Parliament.
What steps he is taking to ensure that people living in Essex who are digitally excluded have full access to the healthcare services they need.
We are working to improve access to digital services, outcomes, and experiences for the widest range of people, based on their preferences. Digital health tools should be part of a wider offering that includes face-to-face support, with appropriate help for people who struggle to access digital services. NHS England has successfully run a number of programmes to support patients, carers, and health service staff with their digital skills. These include:- the Digital Health Champions programme, a proof of concept to support citizens who have no or low digital skills with understanding how to access health services online;- the Widening Digital Participation programme, aimed to ensure more people have the digital skills, motivation, and means to access health information and services online; and- the NHS App ‘Spoken Word’ Pilot project, designed to test the efficacy of promoting National Health Service digital health products and services in languages other than English. NHS England has published a framework for NHS action on digital inclusion and is developing further resources to support practical actions. All programmes are actively considering how they can contribute to improvements in healthcare inequalities and digital inclusion.
How many and what proportion of prison officers aged 60 or over were dismissed from service after failing an annual fitness test in each of the last 5 years.
The information requested is not held centrally.
Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of changing the rules to allow prison officers who retire after failing their annual physical fitness test to receive their full pension.
Prison officers are members of the Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS), for which the policy is owned by HM Treasury and applied to the scheme by Cabinet Office. Like all public sector pension schemes, a member of the CSPS can consider taking retirement at any time after reaching the age of 55 (increases to 57 from 2028). If there is an underlying medical condition which significantly impacts a prison officer from carrying out their role, they may be considered for Ill Health Retirement.
What assessment HMRC has made of the potential merits of using alternative data sources on smoking incidence to calculate tobacco tax estimates.
The tobacco duty forecast starts by generating an in-year estimate for receipts in the current year based on the year-to-date performance of receipts. Future tobacco duty receipts are then forecast from that starting point based on inflation (CPI and RPI), real household consumption and underlying trends in tobacco consumption. Smoking incidence rates impact receipts and are accounted for via the in-year receipts estimate and underlying trends in tobacco consumption. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) provide further details on the tobacco tax receipt forecast on their Tobacco duties forecast webpage.
What recent assessment she has made of the appropriateness of the retirement age for prison officers given the (a) mental and (b) physical health challenges of the role.
We recognise the unique and challenging role that prison officers play in protecting the public and reducing reoffending. The Lord Chancellor has requested advice from officials on the pension age of prison officers, and we will continue to engage with trade unions as this is considered.
What steps she is taking to improve (a) working conditions and (b) infrastructure for prison officers.
We recognise that the serious problem of over-occupancy which we inherited has meant that conditions for those living and working in prisons are not those we would expect. We are determined to rectify this. The steps we are taking include action in response to the independent Sentencing Review and our prison building programme. Together, these measures are designed to balance demand for prison places with supply over the longer term. Our 10-Year Prison Capacity Strategy makes a commitment to delivering an additional 14,000 prison places: we aim to do this by 2031. This involves the construction of four new prisons, including the recently delivered HMP Millsike, as well as the expansion and refurbishment of the existing estate and temporary accommodation.
What steps she is taking to support primary schools in teaching (a) manners, (b) personal responsibility, (c) basic self care and (d) other life skills alongside the national curriculum.
Ensuring every child has the best start in life and the chance to achieve and to thrive are the foundation stones of the government’s Opportunity Mission. This government is committed to giving children the best start in life, breaking the link between background and opportunity. We have set a milestone of a record proportion of children (75%) starting school ready to learn in the classroom.Physical development is one of the three prime areas of learning and development in the early years foundation stage and includes fine motor skills. Practitioners should support children to develop fine motor skills including manipulating objects and eating with cutlery.All schools have specific duties to promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of their pupils and to prepare them for the opportunities and responsibilities of adult life in modern Britain. This includes ensuring pupils understand the society in which they are growing up and the importance of respect for other people.Through compulsory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE), pupils are taught how to build respectful and empathetic relationships as well as how to support their own and others’ health and wellbeing, including simple self-care techniques, personal hygiene, prevention of health and wellbeing problems and basic first aid. Citizenship education is also important for ensuring pupils have the knowledge and skills for life that they need to grow into responsible and caring adults.
Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of promoting (a) The Chadwell Way and (b) other character education models to teach children (i) core values and (ii) practical life skills.
Ensuring every child has the best start in life and the chance to achieve and to thrive are the foundation stones of the government’s Opportunity Mission. This government is committed to giving children the best start in life, breaking the link between background and opportunity. We have set a milestone of a record proportion of children (75%) starting school ready to learn in the classroom.Physical development is one of the three prime areas of learning and development in the early years foundation stage and includes fine motor skills. Practitioners should support children to develop fine motor skills including manipulating objects and eating with cutlery.All schools have specific duties to promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of their pupils and to prepare them for the opportunities and responsibilities of adult life in modern Britain. This includes ensuring pupils understand the society in which they are growing up and the importance of respect for other people.Through compulsory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE), pupils are taught how to build respectful and empathetic relationships as well as how to support their own and others’ health and wellbeing, including simple self-care techniques, personal hygiene, prevention of health and wellbeing problems and basic first aid. Citizenship education is also important for ensuring pupils have the knowledge and skills for life that they need to grow into responsible and caring adults.
How many and what proportion of prisons have rats: and what steps she taking to tackle this.
This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has specialist contractors to tackle any rodent activity, when it occurs.
What assessment she has made of the potential merits of reducing the retirement age for prison officers in line with (a) police officers and (b) firefighters.
We recognise the unique and challenging role that prison officers play in protecting the public and reducing reoffending. The Lord Chancellor has requested advice from officials on the pension age of prison officers, and we will continue to engage with trade unions as this is considered.
What recent assessment she has made of the level of violence against prison officers in prisons.
Reducing the levels of violence in prisons is a key priority and we are working hard to make prisons as safe as possible.In response to recent serious assaults on our brave and hardworking prison officers, we are mandating the use of Protective Body Armour in the highest risk units and this summer we will trial the use of tasers by specialist staff in adult male prisons.To protect our staff from serious assaults, PAVA – a synthetic pepper spray – is available in the adult male closed estate and a limited rollout in three Youth Offender Institutions is planned to commence in the summer period, to be used as a last resort in response to an immediate threat of serious harm. We are also committed to removing wet shave razors, that can be used as weapons. Electric shavers are in 31 priority sites in the adult male closed estate and this rollout continues.All new staff receive violence reduction training and prisoners who pose a raised risk of violence are supported through a case management approach to address the underlying causes of their violence. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 doubled the maximum penalty to two years’ imprisonment for those who assault prison officers.We publish Safety in Custody statistics quarterly covering deaths, self-harm and assaults in prison custody in England and Wales. Statistics on assaults on staff can be found in Table 4 of the Safety in Custody summary tables to December 2024.
How many violent attacks on prison officers on prison estates have occurred in each of the last 10 years.
Reducing the levels of violence in prisons is a key priority and we are working hard to make prisons as safe as possible.In response to recent serious assaults on our brave and hardworking prison officers, we are mandating the use of Protective Body Armour in the highest risk units and this summer we will trial the use of tasers by specialist staff in adult male prisons.To protect our staff from serious assaults, PAVA – a synthetic pepper spray – is available in the adult male closed estate and a limited rollout in three Youth Offender Institutions is planned to commence in the summer period, to be used as a last resort in response to an immediate threat of serious harm. We are also committed to removing wet shave razors, that can be used as weapons. Electric shavers are in 31 priority sites in the adult male closed estate and this rollout continues.All new staff receive violence reduction training and prisoners who pose a raised risk of violence are supported through a case management approach to address the underlying causes of their violence. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 doubled the maximum penalty to two years’ imprisonment for those who assault prison officers.We publish Safety in Custody statistics quarterly covering deaths, self-harm and assaults in prison custody in England and Wales. Statistics on assaults on staff can be found in Table 4 of the Safety in Custody summary tables to December 2024.
Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of including lessons on (a) tying shoelaces, (b) using cutlery and (c) other life skills in primary schools.
Ensuring every child has the best start in life and the chance to achieve and to thrive are the foundation stones of the government’s Opportunity Mission. This government is committed to giving children the best start in life, breaking the link between background and opportunity. We have set a milestone of a record proportion of children (75%) starting school ready to learn in the classroom.Physical development is one of the three prime areas of learning and development in the early years foundation stage and includes fine motor skills. Practitioners should support children to develop fine motor skills including manipulating objects and eating with cutlery.All schools have specific duties to promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of their pupils and to prepare them for the opportunities and responsibilities of adult life in modern Britain. This includes ensuring pupils understand the society in which they are growing up and the importance of respect for other people.Through compulsory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE), pupils are taught how to build respectful and empathetic relationships as well as how to support their own and others’ health and wellbeing, including simple self-care techniques, personal hygiene, prevention of health and wellbeing problems and basic first aid. Citizenship education is also important for ensuring pupils have the knowledge and skills for life that they need to grow into responsible and caring adults.
Communities and Local Government, whether he has plans to review leasehold arrangements to prevent charities leasing buildings from having to deal with the costs of failed (a) heat pumps and (b) other infrastructure.
No such assessment has been made. However, The Law Commission is conducting a review of business tenancies to ensure the commercial leasehold market is accessible and functions effectively. In addition, through High Street Rental Auctions, we are creating opportunities for these groups to secure property opportunities.
Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to take steps to introduce a statutory requirement for local fire and rescue services to be consulted during the planning process for BESS installations.
Planning Practice Guidance encourages developers who are promoting BESS and for local planning authorities to engage with local fire and rescue services and National Fire Chiefs Council guidance. I also refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Question UIN 35249 on 12 March 2025 and Question UIN 5520 on 11 October 2024.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the merits of funding fire and rescue services in the same way as police and ambulance services in order to meet changes in employers' National Insurance.
As part of the 2025/26 Local Government Finance Settlement, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) announced an additional £515 million to help councils manage the impact of employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) changes from the Autumn Budget. Payments to councils are un-ringfenced to give Local Authorities discretion over the use of funds in their area. This funding can be used to support councils to mitigate the additional costs of employer NICs within direct, commissioned, and externally provided local services, for example.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of smoke emissions from Battery Energy Storage Systems fires on (a) the environment and (b) public health.
The Government agrees with the need to have robust measures in place to manage the risks associated with facilities that use large numbers of lithium-ion batteries. DEFRA will consult shortly on including grid-scale BESS as an activity within environmental permitting to manage the environmental and public health risks from fires at BESS sites.
Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure fire and rescue services keep pace with (a) international best practice and (b) technological advancements.
The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) maintains a proactive approach to identifying international best practices through its established workstreams. These workstreams encompass areas such as technological innovation, operational tactics, and strategic response, providing valuable insights that can inform the continuous improvement of Fire and Rescue Services. Fire and Rescue Authorities are operationally independent from central government. Decisions on how resources are deployed—including the adoption of new technologies—are made locally. Each authority assesses its own risks and local circumstances to determine the most effective ways to protect its communities.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of being liable for the repair or replacement of heat pumps in leased premises on (a) charities and (b) non-profit organisations.
No such assessment has been made. However, The Law Commission is conducting a review of business tenancies to ensure the commercial leasehold market is accessible and functions effectively. In addition, through High Street Rental Auctions, we are creating opportunities for these groups to secure property opportunities.