James McMurdock
Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock
98 (0.2%) majority - 2024 General ElectionFirst elected: 4th July 2024
4 APPG Memberships
Listed Properties, Freight and Logistics, Youth Affairs, SepsisDivision Voting information
Debates during the 2024 Parliament
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
Sparring Partners
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
(7 debate interactions)
Department Debates
(11 debate contributions)
(11 debate contributions)
(8 debate contributions)
(7 debate contributions)
South Basildon and East Thurrock Petitions
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
of 27,717 signatures (0.46%)
of 54,591 signatures (0.37%)
of 149,698 signatures (0.30%)
of 50,324 signatures (0.28%)
of 111,181 signatures (0.22%)
of 149,698 signatures (0.30%)
of 202,097 signatures (0.20%)
of 203,533 signatures (0.18%)
of 230,651 signatures (0.12%)
of 111,181 signatures (0.22%)
Petition Closed
Make Play and Continuous Provision statutory in England's Key Stage 1 Curriculum
Gov Responded - 1 Aug 2025 Debated on - 26 Jan 2026 View James McMurdock's petition debate contributionsclosed 5 months, 1 week ago
Revise statutory guidance for KS1 to make play based pedagogy a core part of the Key Stage One National Curriculum, extending the best practice that we see in Early Years to ensure all Key Stage One children continue to have a developmentally appropriate play based approach to their learning.
Petition Closed
Introduce Licensing and Regulation for Dog and Cat Rescues to Protect Welfare
closed 8 months ago
Many UK animal rescues operate without clear legal oversight, creating opportunities for unethical practices. Some rescues have been linked to supporting irresponsible breeding, neglecting animals, or misusing public donations.
Petition Closed
Review possible penalties for social media posts, including the use of prison
Gov Responded - 25 Jul 2025 Debated on - 17 Nov 2025 View James McMurdock's petition debate contributionsclosed 5 months, 3 weeks ago
We call on the Government to urgently review the possible penalties for non-violent offences arising from social media posts, including the use of prison.
Petition Closed
Allow parents to take their children out of school for up to 10 days fine free.
Gov Responded - 23 Dec 2024 Debated on - 27 Oct 2025 View James McMurdock's petition debate contributionsclosed 1 year ago
We’re seeking reform to the punitive policy for term time leave that disproportionately impacts families that are already under immense pressure and criminalises parents that we think are making choices in the best interests of their families. No family should face criminal convictions!
Petition Closed
Don't change inheritance tax relief for working farms
Gov Responded - 5 Dec 2024 Debated on - 10 Feb 2025 View James McMurdock's petition debate contributionsclosed 1 year, 1 month ago
We think that changing inheritance tax relief for agricultural land will devastate farms nationwide, forcing families to sell land and assets just to stay on their property. We urge the government to keep the current exemptions for working farms.
Latest EDMs signed by James McMurdock
Horndon-on-the-Hill Primary School and school swimming lessons
Tabled by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)That this House congratulates Horndon-on-the-Hill Church of England Primary School on its innovative approach to delivering swimming and water safety lessons to its pupils; recognises the importance of swimming as part of the national curriculum and as a vital life skill for children; notes that many schools face significant financial …
(Most recent: 9 Jun 2026)
Signatures by party:
Independent: 1
AI content labelling
Tabled by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)That this House notes that, according to a study by KPMG, 72% of the UK public are now unsure whether online content can be trusted due to the proliferation of AI-generated material; further notes that AI-generated content is fuelling misinformation and eroding public trust; also notes that mandatory AI content …
(Most recent: 10 Jun 2026)
Signatures by party:
Liberal Democrat: 25
Labour: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Independent: 1
Commons initiatives
These initiatives were driven by James McMurdock, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
James McMurdock has not been granted any Urgent Questions
James McMurdock has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
James McMurdock has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
2 Bills co-sponsored by James McMurdock
Quantitative Easing (Prohibition) Bill 2024-26
Sponsor - Rupert Lowe (RB)
Criminal Cases Review (Public Petition) Bill 2024-26
Sponsor - Richard Tice (RUK)
Latest 50 Written Questions
(View all written questions)7 Other Department Questions
The Office for Equality and Opportunity have 99% of their staff with office based contracts, with the remaining 1% with remote-working contracts (home-workers). We operate a ‘hybrid’ approach, led by business needs, and as a result many employees will work both from home and in the workplace on an informal basis.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The earliest the regulated period for local election candidates can begin is the day following the last day for publication of the notice of poll.
For deferred elections, this will be in March of the year the election is deferred to. There are no ongoing campaign spending restrictions on candidates before this date.
Relevant guidance is available on the Electoral Commission’s website.
The spending limit for a candidate in a combined authority mayoral election, such as the Greater Essex mayoral election in 2028, is not a fixed sum but depends on the number of constituent councils and registered electors at the time of the election.
The formula for a candidate's spending limit during the regulated period is set out in legislation. Currently, this is:
- £3,040 multiplied by the total number of constituent councils, plus
- 8p for every elector registered to vote in the combined authority area.
The Combined Authority Returning Officer will be able to provide the number of constituent councils and registered electors to calculate the spending limit. Relevant guidance is available on the Electoral Commission’s website.
I refer the hon member to the answer given to question 54052 which can be found here
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-05-06/50452
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Supreme Court’s ruling has brought clarity and confidence for women and single-sex services providers. The Government will work closely with the EHRC as they develop definitive guidance. All government departments should follow the clarity the ruling provides.
It is vitally important that service providers understand the single-sex service exceptions in the Equality Act 2010 and feel confident using them. The Government has committed to ensuring that there is guidance in place which gives service providers assurance about the rights afforded by the Act and how to lawfully apply its single-sex exceptions. We will set out next steps on this work in due course.
Contracts issued to staff do not record the information requested. Hybrid working is an informal, non-contractual agreement.
The AGO is committed to flexible working and the business benefits that it offers, including supporting the Civil Service priority of ensuring continued, effective and productive delivery of the work carried out by civil servants across the full range of services.
The AGO operates a ‘hybrid’ approach, led by business needs, and as a result many employees work both from home and in the workplace on an informal basis.
Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The SFO’s operational guidance and processes are kept under constant review to ensure they continue to meet operational needs. The SFO’s case selection criteria are established in the Director’s Statement of Principle and ensure that the SFO meets its statutory obligations to investigate and prosecute serious or complex fraud, bribery and corruption.
The Law Officers have supervisory oversight of the SFO’s work and regularly assess their operational performance. The SFO’s work is also independently reviewed by the HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate to ensure that they are following good practice.
Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
I regularly report on the work of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) publicly and in Parliament. This includes highlighting new guidance and casework updates published by the SFO and encouraging reporting of crime, including bribery.
The SFO promotes cooperation from business, including the benefits of self-reporting, and the Director and his senior team speak directly to businesses. The SFO routinely engages with the media to promote the SFO’s work and raise awareness of new publications, including the International Foreign Bribery Taskforce’s indicators of foreign bribery.
Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The CPS does not hold the data requested. To establish whether suspects on cases where immigration offences were considered by reviewing lawyers at pre-charge stage, where then a subsequent no prosecution decision on evidential grounds was made in the last three years, would require a manual review of case files and this would be at disproportionate cost.
Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
This Government is committed to tackling fraud and supporting the victims of fraud.
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) superintends the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Serious Fraud Office (SFO). The CPS is responsible for prosecuting fraud, among other criminal offences, which is primarily investigated by the police in England and Wales. The SFO investigates and prosecutes the most serious and complex fraud, bribery and corruption.
The CPS continues to implement its Economic Crime Strategy 2025 which includes ensuring victims and witnesses are at the heart of every case. In September 2021, the CPS developed guidance focused on prosecutors’ engagement with victims of fraud, improving the experience of victims through close work with investigators to have a joint victim and witness engagement strategy from the outset of a case.
More broadly, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is currently developing a new version of the Victims’ Code, which is a practical and useful guide for all victims of crime, including victims of fraud. The CPS and SFO are actively engaging with them on this. The CPS is also working closely with the MoJ to support the delivery of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024.
The SFO has a dedicated Victim and Witness Care Unit which looks after the needs of victims in all its cases and delivers its obligations in line with the current Victims’ Code.
The SFO also provides bespoke information on relevant support services and makes referrals for ongoing support to local Police and Crime Commissioner commissioned victim services on behalf of victims. It also has a tailored needs assessment process which takes into account the length of time SFO investigations can take, and keeps victims updated via the SFO’s website and individually on the investigation, including on matters such as appeals and ongoing proceeds of crime recovery processes. A dedicated witness care officer will also attend court to be with witnesses for the duration of a trial.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 20th May is attached.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Policy analysis on options for reforming collective agreement is ongoing and we have high ambitions for speeding up the government’s decision making processes. All options are being considered for how this success is measured. There are currently no plans to perform a retrospective assessment of which decisions would have been sped-up as a result of any proposed reforms.
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Department for Health and Social Care is the government department referred to in the press release entitled Ministers rip up consultation culture published 26 March, that consulted on a change to how it produces its Annual Report.
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The new accountability framework for Permanent Secretaries does not change the responsibilities of cabinet ministers.
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
No decision has currently been taken on which requirements have been removed or amended under the reforms.Any removal of statutory consultation duties will require legislation, and so parliament will be able to scrutinise these changes in the ordinary way.
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office has launched a programme of work to simplify the state, removing unnecessary bureaucracy and speeding up the timeline from ministerial decision to delivery for citizens, including through the process for collective agreement of government policy.
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Equalities Impact Assessments are carried out for a variety of reasons, for both internal policies and processes within the Cabinet Office under Public Sector Equality Duty to assess the impact of external policies and processes. Although there is a small central team who provide advice and guidance, it is the responsibility of individual business units to assess whether a formal assessment is required, and if so, these are typically conducted locally by the teams themselves.
There is currently no requirement for teams to report activity, and we do not hold a central record across the department. It is therefore not possible to provide an accurate estimate of the number of assessments conducted. Given Equalities Impact Assessments are conducted internally, there are no direct costs associated, however the amount of official time taken to carry out the activity would be relevant. It is similarly not possible to provide an accurate estimate of time taken, as this varies significantly based on the scale and complexity of the policy or process being developed.
The new policy referenced will ensure it is far clearer when an assessment is required, and what parameters need to be followed, with the intention of reducing the amount of official time spent on this activity, whilst still providing robust challenge.
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
We have developed an AI tool to help identify uncover consultation requirements hidden within legislation. It is up to ministerial and Parliamentary discretion to decide their value to specific legislation and the policies underlying that legislation. This initiative will ensure that government policies can be implemented as efficiently as possible, streamlining the process while retaining necessary checks and balances where appropriate. We are introducing a higher bar inclusion of consultation requirements in legislation, and prioritising finding more effective and efficient ways to engage stakeholders. The end goal is ending the introduction of further unnecessary reporting and consultation requirements.
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Consultation should only be used when it is the most effective tool for good policymaking and not used for other reasons. Reporting requirements should not disproportionately slow down delivery.
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
AI tools are being used to identify statutory requirements to consult. Decisions remain the purview of Ministers.
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
AI tools are being used to identify statutory requirements to consult. Decisions remain the purview of ministers.
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The government is committed to protecting the necessary checks and balances to ministerial and Parliamentary decision making. In line with standard processes, Parliament will have the opportunity to scrutinise and challenge any changes to consultation requirements where they are legislative.
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
We are using state-of-the-art large language models to identify all duties to consult within the statute book, as well as contextual information such as responsible department and the circumstances under which consultation is required.
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The government is committed to identifying existing disproportionate reporting and consultation duties that are slowing down delivery. This process is still ongoing.
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
All 131 consultation requirements were from existing primary legislation, not bills currently before Parliament or Secondary legislation. The government is committed to identifying existing disproportionate reporting and consultation duties that are slowing down delivery.
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The government is committed to identifying existing disproportionate reporting and consultation duties that are slowing down delivery. The policy analysis is in the early stages and all options are being considered.
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Policy analysis is currently ongoing to develop recommendations to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy. We have already identified initial targeted first steps, but this is a significant piece of work requiring ministerial decisions across a range of policy areas. We are developing our plan of work and raising our ambition. Once this has been agreed, we will be in a position to develop quantifiable metrics in terms of resource savings to the public purse.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The People’s Panel will convene throughout May and June to hear expert evidence, concluding their work on 21 June 2026. Outputs from the People’s Panel will be weighed alongside the broader consultation feedback to inform the design and delivery of the voluntary digital ID system.
As announced in parliament on 10 March 2026, the People’s Panel will form part of the legal consultation on digital ID. The Government will respond to the Consultation in the usual way.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The People’s Panel will be facilitated by our suppliers, Ipsos UK. Ipsos have a trained team of skilled facilitators who will guide discussions and ensure all members of the People’s Panel have equal opportunities to contribute.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Yes, the People’s Panel will consist of a single group of 100 to 120 individuals, selected via civic lottery to ensure a representative sample of the public.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As per my response to PQ 119980, the People’s Panel is being delivered in partnership with Ipsos UK.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
I refer to my response to PQ 120742.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The People’s Panel will debate how a digital ID can work for everyone. As part of this process, participants will engage with what a digital ID might look like to meet the guiding principles of trusted, useful and inclusive.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As per my response to PQ 119980, the People’s Panel is being delivered in partnership with Ipsos UK and their partners at the Sortition Foundation.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
I refer to my response to PQ 120739.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As per my response to PQ 119980, the People’s Panel is being delivered in partnership with Ipsos UK and their partners at the Sortition Foundation. This is part of a GCS call-off contract.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Participants will be recruited through a process called sortition. This is a random postcode lottery. It is a way of selecting individuals to take part in deliberative processes, where everyone is given an equal chance to be invited. No individual can buy their way in or simply turn up at the event. All participants must be 18 or over to join the People’s Panel.
Our partners at the Sortition Foundation manage this process. Sortition Foundation will mail out to thousands of households, at random, to invite members of the public to take part. Over 100 people will be selected to participate in the People’s Panel on Digital ID.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The consultation will be open until 5 May 2026. The People’s Panel will convene throughout May and June to hear expert evidence, concluding their work on 21 June 2026. Outputs from the People’s Panel will be weighed alongside the broader consultation feedback to inform the design and delivery of the voluntary digital ID system.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to the principle of data minimisation, ensuring the new digital ID system only processes the information necessary to provide a specific service.
There will be no new single central database storing all government data on a person in one place.
We are consulting on how we can build on existing infrastructure to provide a modern “Government by App” experience that gives users more control over their data than they have now and reduces reliance on manual paperwork.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As per my response to PQ 120739, participants will be recruited through a process called sortition. This is a random postcode lottery. It is a way of selecting individuals to take part in deliberative processes, where everyone is given an equal chance to be invited. No individual can buy their way in or simply turn up at the event.
Our partners at the Sortition Foundation manage this process. Sortition Foundation will mail out to thousands of households, at random, to invite members of the public to take part. Once volunteers have been received, a set of criteria is used to determine a broadly representative sample.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Participants will be recruited through a process called sortition. This is a random postcode lottery. It is a way of selecting individuals to take part in deliberative processes, where everyone is given an equal chance to be invited. No individual can buy their way in or simply turn up at the event.
Our partners at the Sortition Foundation manage this process. Sortition Foundation will mail out to thousands of households, at random, to invite members of the public to take part. Once volunteers have been received, a set of criteria is used to determine a broadly representative sample.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The People’s Panel is being delivered in partnership with Ipsos UK, which is the primary vendor, under a pre-existing contract signed in March 2024.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to an inclusive digital identity system where existing routes to public services will continue to be available for those who prefer them.
The design and rollout of digital ID will be accompanied by an inclusion programme across the UK. This is an opportunity to empower the vulnerable and left behind in our society - inclusion will be at the heart of the design and delivery of the national digital ID.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to an inclusive digital identity system where existing routes to public services will continue to be available for those who prefer them.
The design and rollout of digital ID will be accompanied by an inclusion programme across the UK. This is an opportunity to empower the vulnerable and left behind in our society - inclusion will be at the heart of the design and delivery of the national digital ID.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)