Every parliamentary written question tabled by Helen Maguire this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 61–80 of 1,117 · this parliament
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Ordinance XX on the religious freedom of Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan; and if she will make representations to her Pakistani counterpart on the repeal of Sections 298-B and 298-C of the Pakistan Penal Code.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 29 October 2025 to Question 83844.
What criteria will be used in the annual summary of progress publication to evaluate the success of the National Cancer Plan’s implementation.
The Department has announced that the National Cancer Plan, published in February 2026, is backed by significant funding committed by the Government at the Spending Review.Investment which will support the delivery of the National Cancer Plan includes £200 million in 2026/27 for cancer alliances to improve performance and early diagnosis as part of service development funding (SDF) with similar spending for each year across the rest of the Spending Review. £70 million has been provided to roll out new radiotherapy machines, and up to £10 million a year will be available so that children and young people with cancer don't face financial barriers travelling to treatment. £2.3 billion has been provided for diagnostics to deliver 9.5 million additional tests by 2029 and more than £650 million has been allocated to complete the roll out of lung cancer screening by 2030.A reformed National Cancer Board chaired jointly by the Department and an independent representative of the wider cancer community will track progress and provide regular updates to ministers. Ministers will publish an annual summary of progress, along with a more in-depth report after three years to assess where the plan needs updating and refreshing. The annual summary will be available publicly.
Innovation and Technology, what steps the Defending Democracy Taskforce is taking to tackle disinformation and misinformation online.
Awaiting answer.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of implementing alcohol blocks on delivery service apps and supermarket accounts.
The Licensing Act 2003 regulates the sale and supply of alcohol. The Government recognises that consumer purchasing habits have evolved in recent years, particularly with a notable growth in alcohol sales made via online platforms and rapid delivery services.The Department for Health and Social Care, which has responsibility for policy on health harms, and the Home Office are looking at how current licensing rules apply to these services and monitoring emerging evidence on the impact they may be having on people’s health. I am clear that we will act where necessary to protect public safety.To this end, I will shortly hold a roundtable jointly with the Minister for Public Health and Prevention to consider solutions with healthcare professionals and experts in the field.
Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with animal welfare charities on the use of CO2 in pig slaughter.
As set out in the Government’s animal welfare strategy, Defra will consult on banning carbon dioxide gas stunning of pigs. In developing the animal welfare strategy, Defra has held meetings with representatives of the farming sector and with animal welfare charities.
What assessment she has made of the impact of changes to the National Curriculum on students wishing to study languages at university.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Whether the One Login programme is compliant with the National Cyber Security Centre's Cyber Assessment Framework.
It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
How much of the revenue raised from VAT on independent school fees since its introduction was directly spent on state schools per school.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
What discussions she has had with exam boards on introducing a Romanian GCSE.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
What alternatives are available for company directors unable to use One Login.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to tackle the potential impact of Bot Farms on online misinformation.
The Online Safety Act addresses illegal mis- and disinformation regardless of whether it is generated or amplified by AI or automated accounts. In-scope services are required to fulfil their obligations under the Act and Ofcom has strong enforcement powers where they fail to comply. We are taking action across government to ensure a coherent, effective response to misinformation online and its impact on the UK, including through the Defending Democracy Taskforce which coordinates a whole-of-government response to threats to our democratic processes.
How her Department is working with colleagues in the Department for Business and Trade to support women working in the night time economy.
It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of misinformation and disinformation online on local communities.
While social media can play an important role in society, it is unacceptable that people use it to threaten our communities. Government engages with local authorities to monitor issues affecting cohesion, including misinformation and disinformation. Under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom has broad information-gathering powers and has consulted on a new crisis measure which includes an expectation on platforms to conduct post-crisis analyses to improve transparency. In Protecting What Matters – the government’s plan to improve social cohesion – we further committed to reviewing the Online Safety Act’s crisis powers to ensure they are fit for purpose and adequately tackling issues including mis- and disinformation.
Communities and Local Government, what support his Department is giving to local authorities to ensure correct and working CCTV is deployed in their area.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
What support her Department has given to local police officers in light of protests in Surrey.
This Government is committed to protecting the right to peaceful protest, while ensuring public order legislation balances freedom of expression with protecting the public from serious disruption or harm. Under the Public Order Act 1986 the police have powers to manage protests, and it is for individual forces to determine the most appropriate approach based on the specific context.The Home Office engaged with Surrey Police and the National Police Coordination Centre in relation to recent protest activity. The National Police Coordination Centre has recently received additional funding to improve its capabilities, including in relation to intelligence gathering and mobilisation to ensure it can properly support police forces in managing public order risks.The Government is committed to supporting the mental and physical wellbeing of police officers, including during periods of heightened operational demands such as protests. We work closely with policing partners to ensure officers are properly supported. This includes continued funding for the National Police Wellbeing Service, which provides evidence-based guidance, advice, tools and resources to forces, supporting Chief Constables in their duty to safeguard the wellbeing of their workforce.
Communities and Local Government, what conversations he has had with the Minister for Women and Equalities regarding improving local safety for women and girls, especially at night.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made on the merits of introducing legislation which would mandate social media platforms to share data from times of public disorder crises.
While social media can play an important role in society, it is unacceptable that people use it to threaten our communities. Government engages with local authorities to monitor issues affecting cohesion, including misinformation and disinformation. Under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom has broad information-gathering powers and has consulted on a new crisis measure which includes an expectation on platforms to conduct post-crisis analyses to improve transparency. In Protecting What Matters – the government’s plan to improve social cohesion – we further committed to reviewing the Online Safety Act’s crisis powers to ensure they are fit for purpose and adequately tackling issues including mis- and disinformation.
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support survivors of sexual assault.
It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
What steps he is taking to help protect (a) resources and (b) infrastructure for the delivery of the National Cancer Plan in the context of the NHSE and DHSC merger.
The Government has protected specialist cancer leadership, confirmed Cancer Alliances as the main delivery partners, and aligned national resources and infrastructure within a single system. Clear accountability, safeguarded workforce capacity, and shared digital and delivery infrastructure ensure the plan will continue to be implemented consistently across England during organisational change.Progress against commitments will be monitored through a reformed National Cancer Board, jointly overseeing delivery and providing regular updates to ministers to ensure momentum is maintained during and after the merger.We will work to ensure a smooth transition during the merger of NHS England and the Department, so that the public continues to have access to high-quality cancer care.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of attacks on female Christian converts in Central Asia.
The UK continues to champion Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all, and we continue to recognise the issue of persecution of Christians globally on account of their faith, alongside the persecution of other groups. We also recognise that women and girls may face heightened and overlapping risks of persecution or violence where religious discrimination intersects with gender-based inequality, including in contexts where women's rights and freedoms are systematically restricted, such as Afghanistan.Last July, the UK Special Envoy for FoRB, David Smith MP, publicly set out the Government's approach to FoRB, providing a framework for UK engagement. Within this framework, we identified Afghanistan as one of ten focus countries for work on the issue. As part of this strategy, the UK continues to highlight FoRB violations on the international stage, through our position at the UN, G7, and as an active member of the Article 18 Alliance.