Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to her Indian counterpart on extrajudicial killings of religious minorities in Punjab, India.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer she was provided on 9 March in response to Question 117992.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with (a) Police Scotland and (b) relevant Scottish trading standards bodies on compliance and enforcement activity relating to the sale of realistic imitation firearms and imitation firearms.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
There has been action taken by the National Crime Agency and police forces in England and Wales against certain types of imitation firearms that have been found to be readily convertible into lethal firing firearms. Such imitation firearms, depending on their features, are subject to firearms legislation and are illegal. An amnesty was held in February this year to allow owners of the certain types of imitation firearms of concern to hand them into police stations so they can be disposed of safely.
Discussions were held with the authorities in Scotland about the imitation firearms of concern, including Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), and the Scottish Government, and I also wrote to the Lord Advocate about whether a similar scheme could be introduced in Scotland. We were advised that the operational and legal context in Scotland were different, and a public awareness campaign would be considered to support public safety in respect of these imitation firearms.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of reports of extrajudicial killings of religious minorities in Punjab, India.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is aware of reports concerning extrajudicial killings in the Punjab region and continues to monitor the human rights situation closely. The UK Government remains committed to promoting human rights globally, including the right to life and access to justice. Where credible concerns arise, we raise these directly with the Government of India, both through our High Commission in New Delhi and at ministerial level. We also support civil society organisations working to uphold human rights and the rule of law in India. The UK encourages all states to ensure accountability and transparency in law enforcement practices.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many job starts are expected to be delivered in (a) Glasgow and (b) Edinburgh under the first phase of the Jobs Guarantee rollout.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The first phase of the Jobs Guarantee will provide jobs to more than 1,000 young people in Birmingham & Solihull, East Midlands, Greater Manchester, Hertfordshire & Essex, Central & East Scotland, Southwest & Southeast Wales.
In phase one, we expect to make around 150 referrals across the Central and East Scotland region, which includes areas covered by both Glasgow City Council and The City of Edinburgh Council, alongside other local authorities.
Maps published alongside our grant guidance show the phase one delivery areas and the distribution of demand across local authorities. These can be viewed here: Phase One Delivery Area Heat Maps - GOV.UK.
Phase One will be followed by national roll out of the Jobs Guarantee across Great Britain later in 2026, providing a total of 55,000 jobs over the next three years.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposals to merge Section 1 and Section 2 firearms licensing on (a) employment and (b) economic activity in rural communities, including impacts on shooting-related businesses and supply chains; and whether her Department has produced an impact assessment or cost-benefit analysis of those proposals.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February 2025, included a commitment to having a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms in the interests of public safety. We intend to publish this consultation shortly.
No decisions have yet been made on whether and what changes might be necessary. Our approach will be informed by the public consultation, and we will consider the views put forward before deciding on what further action to take. We will then provide an assessment of the impact of any changes that the Government intends to bring forward.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what outcome measures will be used to assess the first phase of the Job Guarantee rollout, and when the Department plans to publish the results.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
As a part of our recent publication on the Jobs Guarantee, the department has published a draft Grant Funding Agreement (GFA) which outlines expected outcome measures that will be used to assess grants administered under phase one of the scheme.
Schedule 4, Part B of this draft GFA outlines the expected outputs and outcomes that may be assessed in Phase One of the scheme. Final outputs and outcomes will form part of final grant funding agreements made with successful grant applicants.
We will monitor performance throughout the first phase to inform the delivery of the national roll out later in 2026.
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 he has commissioned the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to produce clinical guidance on pica.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Topics for new or updated National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance are considered through an established prioritisation process. Decisions as to whether NICE will create new, or update existing, guidance are overseen by a prioritisation board, chaired by NICE’s chief medical officer.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will set out how his Department will ensure that jobs under the Jobs Guarantee scheme are additional, including whether they represent newly created roles or existing vacancies.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Eligible young people participating in the scheme are likely to have multiple barriers and complex needs which may have prevented them from securing employment. The scheme will break the cycle of unemployment by guaranteeing meaningful paid employment opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.
It is a requirement of the Jobs Guarantee scheme that jobs created or sourced under the scheme do not cause existing employees or contractors to be displaced, dismissed, or to have their hours reduced.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people were unemployed for over last 12 months in (a) Glasgow and (b) Edinburgh in each of the last 12 months; and what proportion of those people were unemployed for 18 months or more in each month.
Answered by Josh Simons
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon lady’s Parliamentary Question of 30th January is attached.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions her Department has had with Ofcom on (a) the annual increase in the cost of mobile data for consumers, (b) the consumer protections available in relation to such increases and (c) the impact of flat-rate price increases on consumers on lower-priced tariffs.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Government engages regularly with Ofcom on consumer issues. This includes, most recently, on Ofcom’s recent changes to annual in-contract price increases rules.
Under Ofcom’s rules, providers must set out clearly, before a contract is agreed, how and when any price changes will occur, and that this must be in plain English and presented pounds-and-pence terms. If prices rise by more than was agreed at the point of sale, consumers can end the contract without penalty
On 31 October, the Secretary of State wrote to Ofcom setting out the government’s expectations on transparency, consumer empowerment and support for those who may be struggling with telecoms costs. Ofcom has agreed to undertake an interim review of the January 2025 pounds-and-pence rules, ahead of a full review in 2027.
Government recognises that the impact of flat‑rate price increases on lower‑priced tariffs increases can have a proportionately greater effect on consumers. We continue to engage with Ofcom and industry on how pricing can be made as transparent as possible, and on how consumers can be supported to make informed choices, and switch more easily at the end of their contracts. If a customer does want to move to another provider, under One Touch Switching, this is now easier, including through text‑to‑switch.
We continue to engage with Ofcom and monitor the market.