Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency plans to examine the impact of Depo-Provera use on trends in meningioma diagnoses.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 9 September in response to Question 21794.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade on the potential impact of the proposed reduction in the maximum permitted noise level for consumer fireworks on animal welfare.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra ministers regularly engage with their counterparts across Government and have met ministers at the department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) to discuss firework policy. Defra will continue to engage with BIST following the consultation on fireworks and pyrotechnics in the UK.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking with police forces to protect Royal National Lifeboat Institution staff, volunteers and premises from intimidation and harassment.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is wholly unacceptable for those who put themselves at risk to protect the public to be subjected to harassment or intimidation. Police have a broad range of powers to tackle unlawful behaviour, including harassment and intimidation, and we expect them to take robust action to address it.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade's consultation entitled Fireworks and pyrotechnics in the UK, published on 16 July 2026, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade on the potential impact of the proposals set out in that consultation on on veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)
The government is fully committed to renewing the nation’s contract with those who serve and who have served, to ensure veterans and their families get access to the support they deserve.
For veterans facing challenges with their mental health or those living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, NHS England delivers Op COURAGE, a fully integrated, specialist mental health service for veterans, which has received over 35,000 referrals. The government has also launched a new programme to deliver dedicated training for NHS staff to help them identify and support patients with a military background, to ensure that the support offered is comprehensive, appropriate and meets the particular needs of veterans.
The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade’s public consultation on proposed reforms to fireworks legislation will remain open until Wednesday 7 October 2026 and has particularly requested the views of veterans’ organisations. Engagement is ongoing.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the average speed of answer published in HM Revenue and Customs' performance data includes time spent by callers listening to automated messages before joining a queue for an adviser.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
HMRC’s published Average Speed of Answer (ASA) measure does not include the time callers spend listening to automated messages or selecting options through the automated menu.
ASA measures the time from when a customer has finished listening to the automated messages and completed their selection from the automated menu to the time when they get to speak to an adviser.
HMRC telephony performance data, including the average speed of answering a customer’s call, is published on a regular basis and can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-quarterly-performance-updates
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of protections under Ofcom's General Conditions for vulnerable customers who lose (a) broadband and (b) telephone service as a result of switching errors by providers.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
One Touch Switch (OTS) was introduced in September 2024 to make it easier for consumers to switch providers. Ofcom, as the independent regulator, is responsible for monitoring compliance with the OTS process. Under Ofcom's General Conditions, broadband and landline providers must comply with the OTS requirements for residential customers. Providers must also offer priority fault repair to customers who rely on their landline or broadband because of a disability and have an urgent need for repair.
Ofcom will continue to monitor compliance and may take enforcement action where providers fail to meet their regulatory obligations. More than two million consumers used the process since its launch.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of arrangements for monitoring compliance with Ofcom's One Touch Switch process in the context of the closure of Ofcom's enforcement programme.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
One Touch Switch (OTS) was introduced in September 2024 to make it easier for consumers to switch providers. Ofcom, as the independent regulator, is responsible for monitoring compliance with the OTS process. Under Ofcom's General Conditions, broadband and landline providers must comply with the OTS requirements for residential customers. Providers must also offer priority fault repair to customers who rely on their landline or broadband because of a disability and have an urgent need for repair.
Ofcom will continue to monitor compliance and may take enforcement action where providers fail to meet their regulatory obligations. More than two million consumers used the process since its launch.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of classifying internet as an essential public utility.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Having internet is central to everyday life, helping people work, learn, access services and stay connected.
While the Government has not made a formal assessment of classifying internet access as an essential public utility, the UK telecoms regulatory framework has been designed to support competition, investment, affordability and access. This includes the broadband Universal Service Obligation, which gives people the right to request a decent, affordable connection and is set out in legislation.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the value is of the Barnett consequential arising for the Scottish Government from the Places of Worship Renewal Fund announced on 22 January 2026.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport received funding at Spending Review 2025, and the Barnett formula was applied in the usual way to changes in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s DEL budget.
At Spending Reviews, because the Barnett formula is not applied to the individual programmes driving the change in a UK department’s DEL budget, the Barnett consequentials associated with the Places of Worship Renewal Fund cannot be specifically attributed, but were part of the overall calculation.
Funding allocated to the Places of Worship Renewal Fund in England is treated as comparable expenditure for the purposes of calculating Barnett consequentials for Scotland.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether spending on the Places of Worship Renewal Fund has been treated as comparable expenditure for the purposes of the Barnett formula.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport received funding at Spending Review 2025, and the Barnett formula was applied in the usual way to changes in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s DEL budget.
At Spending Reviews, because the Barnett formula is not applied to the individual programmes driving the change in a UK department’s DEL budget, the Barnett consequentials associated with the Places of Worship Renewal Fund cannot be specifically attributed, but were part of the overall calculation.
Funding allocated to the Places of Worship Renewal Fund in England is treated as comparable expenditure for the purposes of calculating Barnett consequentials for Scotland.