Ben Spencer MP: written questions
4 Jul 2024–3 Jul 2025
How these years work
Our reporting years run from 4 July to 3 July, starting with the 2024 general election. They are not official parliamentary sessions. Office costs keep IPSA’s April–March financial years. Records may cover only part of a year; a missing record does not mean no work was done.
Read what this MP said, asked and contributed in Parliament.
31 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Animal Feed: Public ConsultationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 13 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31640More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the accessibility to people who are digitally excluded of the consultation entitled Livestock feed controls review for England and Wale
Answer: The joint Defra and Welsh Government consultation on proposed changes to the current Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) related livestock feed controls opened on 4th February and will close on 1st April 2025. Online engagement is an efficien...
Answered 24 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordLand Use: Public ConsultationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 6 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29637More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the accessibility to people who are digitally excluded of the consultation on Land use in England.
Answer: The Land Use Consultation will run for 12 weeks, closing on the 25th of April with the Government aiming to publish the final Land Use Framework later this year. The consultation is the start of a national conversation on how we best use our land, this wi...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordBridges: Runnymede and WeybridgeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 27 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26548More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 24940 on Bridges: Runnymede and Weybridge, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the response of the Environment Agency
Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) prioritises public safety across all of the activities it carries out and also the assets it is responsible for. The towpath bridges that are currently closed will remain closed until the recommended refurbishment works have be...
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordBridges: Runnymede and WeybridgeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24940More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2024 on Bridges: Runnymede and Weybridge, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Environment Agency's response to the closure
Answer: The Thames towpath provides health and wellbeing benefits to many communities, as well as being an important access route. The Environment Agency’s (EA’s) towpath bridge refurbishments are considered within their overall Navigation capital programme. Each...
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDogsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14802More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to regulate professional dog walkers.
Answer: Professional dog walkers must comply with the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and other relevant legislation, such as welfare in transport regulations and the Health and Safety at Work Act, and any public liability or other insurance policy requirements. The Gove...
Answered 25 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: Employers' ContributionsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14792More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Ofwat on the potential impact of proposed changes to employers National Insurance contributions on the financial resilience of water companies.
Answer: The Secretary of State has not had any discussion with Ofwat on the potential impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions. Given the principle of regulatory independence, Ofwat conducts the price control review process at a distance fro...
Answered 27 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordThames Water: Employers' ContributionsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12554More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes in employers' National Insurance contributions on Thames Water's (a) financial viability and (b) infrastructure investm
Answer: To repair public finances and help raise the revenue required to increase funding for public services, the Government has taken the difficult decision to increase employer National Insurance. The Government has been clear that we need to take difficult de...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordSewers: Runnymede and WeybridgeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 22 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10491More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Thames Water on removing surface water from sewer systems by (a) sewer lining and (b) manhole sealing in the Runnymede and Weybridge Constituency since
Answer: Since July 2024 the Secretary of State has not had discussions with Thames water specifically on removing surface water from sewer systems by (a) sewer lining and (b) manhole sealing in the Runnymede and Weybridge Constituency. The Environment Agency has ...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordInland WaterwaysDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10157More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many enforcement actions to require riparian landowners to discharge their watercourse maintenance obligations were taken by the Environment Agency in each constituency in 2023.
Answer: In 2023 the Environment Agency (EA) recorded 404 incidents nationally where riparian ownership was referenced. Where offences were identified the EA took action in line with their enforcement and sanctions policy to protect the environment. One warning le...
Answered 24 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordFloodsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10155More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Thames Water's operational response to flooding during Storm Henk (a) nationally and (b) in Surrey.
Answer: Storm Henk was the eighth named storm of the 2023/24 flood season, with flood warnings across the country from 02 to 09 January. River flooding impacts were due to heavy rainfall falling on saturated catchments. On 4 January, the impact from flooding in t...
Answered 25 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSewage: Runnymede and WeybridgeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 18 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9950More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Thames Water’s surface and foul water drainage asset management in the Runnymede and Weybridge constituency.
Answer: It is important for companies to maintain assets to ensure compliance with legal obligations and continuity of service for customers now and into the future. There are two common performance commitments that Ofwat uses, alongside other information, to mon...
Answered 28 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordRiver Thames: Flood ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9781More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Environment Agency’s performance on flood risk asset management along the non-tidal Thames; and what discussions he has had with that
Answer: Protecting communities around the country from flooding is one of the new Secretary of State’s five core priorities. That’s why this Government launched a Flood Resilience Taskforce to provide oversight of national and local flood resilience and preparedn...
Answered 22 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordThames WaterDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9780More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the performance standards he expects Thames Water to meet in response to a sewer flooding incident.
Answer: The Environment Agency expects water and sewerage companies to take all possible measures to avoid pollution incidents and to mitigate environmental impact if they occur. Thames Water’s current performance on pollution incidents is unacceptable and the co...
Answered 22 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordRiver Thames: Flood ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9779More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of (a) flood risk and (b) primary navigation assets along the non-tidal Thames that are below their target condition lie within the Runnymede and Weybridge constituency
Answer: Protecting communities around the country from flooding is one of the new Secretary of State’s five core priorities. That’s why this Government launched a Flood Resilience Taskforce to provide oversight of national and local flood resilience and preparedn...
Answered 22 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordRiver Thames: Flood ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9778More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the condition of flood risk assets along the non-tidal Thames on flood risk in that area.
Answer: Protecting communities around the country from flooding is one of the new Secretary of State’s five core priorities. That’s why this Government launched a Flood Resilience Taskforce to provide oversight of national and local flood resilience and preparedn...
Answered 22 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordRiver Thames: InfrastructureDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9777More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) ability of river users to safely navigate the Thames river and (b) potential economic impact of the proportion of navigation assets along
Answer: (a) The safety of river users navigating the non-tidal Thames is a priority for the Environment Agency (EA), although it remains the responsibility of the master of their vessel to ensure the safety of it and everyone on board. The EA have measures in pla...
Answered 22 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordBridges: Runnymede and WeybridgeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9574More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the causes of delays in repairing bridge 142 in Runnymede and Weybridge constituency.
Answer: To ensure public safety and prevent access to the bridge, Egham Hythe (Bridge 142) will be closed until the Environment Agency (EA) has completed the necessary repair. Following a tree strike in 2023 the EA has conducted several specialist surveys of this...
Answered 23 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordRiver Mole: SewageDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9571More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) adequacy of improvements to sewage works discharging into the river Mole and (b) extent of further work needed to reduce storm overflows from tho
Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) has 31 Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) schemes in the current investment period 2020-25. These cover the Mole catchment as a whole. The schemes involve a range of actions including increasing storm tank ca...
Answered 22 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSewage: WeybridgeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9570More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) adequacy of improvements to Weybridge sewage works and (b) extent of further work needed to reduce storm overflows from that site.
Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) has required Thames Water to improve the Event Duration Monitoring of storm overflows at Weybridge Sewage Treatment works as part of the current Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) 2020-25. The EA has inspecte...
Answered 23 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSewage: Water TreatmentDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9229More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) adequacy of improvements to Chertsey Sewage Works and (b) extent of further work needed to reduce storm overflows from that site.
Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) has required Thames Water to significantly improve the storm tank capacity at Chertsey Sewage Treatment works as part of the current Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) 2020-25 to reduce the frequency of storm...
Answered 21 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordAnimal and Plant Health AgencyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9227More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the planned upgrade and improvement works at the Animal and Plant Health Agency on (a) current and (b) future trade agreements.
Answer: Work to safeguard and enhance the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) site in Weybridge continues. This capability ensures the Government can continue to manage a wide range of biosecurity threats which may otherwise affect our ability to trade. Defra...
Answered 23 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordInland Waterways: StandardsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9226More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what metrics are in place to (a) monitor and (b) enforce the timely response of the Environment Agency to reports of (i) waterway obstructions, (ii) lack of waterway maintenance and (i
Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) is accountable to Parliament via the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). As the principal sponsor of the EA, Defra works closely with EA officials at every level to provide constructive challenge...
Answered 23 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordInland Waterways: StandardsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9225More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what enforcement powers he has over the Environment Agency if they fail to remove (a) a tree under the Wey Bridge and (b) other waterway obstructions.
Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) is accountable to Parliament via the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). As the principal sponsor of the EA, Defra works closely with EA officials at every level to provide constructive challenge...
Answered 23 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSewage: Runnymede and WeybridgeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 14 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8892More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take enforcement action against Thames Water in response to sewer flooding in the Runnymede and Weybridge Constituency.
Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) assesses all incident reports and responds to those which pose the greatest risk to the environment. The EA has received one recent report of sewer flooding in the Runnymede and Weybridge Constituency (since 1 September 2024). ...
Answered 23 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordFlood ControlDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 11 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8679More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many enforcement actions relating to flood risk prevention were taken by the Environment Agency in each constituency in 2023.
Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) regulate works in rivers through a permissions-based approach under the Environmental Permitting Regulations. These are referred to as “flood risk activities”. The primary purpose of the regulations is to ensure in-river works ...
Answered 21 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
Explore activity by topic or department
Written questions by answering department
4 Jul 2024–3 Jul 2025. One record per UIN and tabled date; the named department is not a measure of answer quality.
View as listWhat this shows and doesn't show
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →