Freddie van Mierlo MP: written questions 2025
395 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Waste Disposal: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101290More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward the implementation timing of policy proposals to strengthen controls on waste-carrier registration; and what steps is his department currently taking to preven
Answer: Work has begun to draft the necessary legislative amendments for reform of the carriers, brokers, dealers regime and these will be progressed as soon as parliamentary time allows. Our planned reforms to the waste carriers, brokers and dealers regime and t...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordFly-tipping: OxfordshireDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101289More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the illegal waste dumped in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, whether the Government plans to increase enforcement funding.
Answer: We have increased the Environment Agency’s (EA’s) budget for waste crime enforcement by over 50% this year to £15.6 million. The EA-hosted Joint Unit for Waste Crime has nearly doubled in size thanks to our extra funding. The Unit brings together the EA, ...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBereavement LeaveDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 101288More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of making statutory bereavement leave paid.
Answer: The loss of a loved one is one of the hardest things a person can experience. This is why we have introduced a new right to bereavement leave in the Employment Rights Act which will be available to those grieving the loss of a loved one, including pregnan...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: BiodiversityDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100139More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of exempting all small sites from biodiversity net gain on the UK's progress in meeting its legally-binding biodiversity
Answer: Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) plays a vital role in protecting nature and the Government expects it to make an important contribution to meeting legally binding environmental targets. We have heard from developers, local authorities, and ecologists that BNG...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: BiodiversityDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100137More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of biodiversity net gain on the UK's progress in meeting its legally-binding biodiversity targets.
Answer: Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) plays a vital role in protecting nature and the Government expects it to make an important contribution to meeting legally binding environmental targets. We have heard from developers, local authorities, and ecologists that BNG...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordImmigration: Migrant WorkersHome OfficeTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100136More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the she plans to apply the proposed salary threshold and RQF Level 6 requirements for Skilled Worker visas retrospectively to people already in the UK under existing visa conditions when they
Answer: The earned settlement model, proposed in A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. Details of the earned settlement scheme, including any transitional arrangements for those already in t...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 15 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100135More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of delaying business rates revaluations for hospitality businesses.
Answer: The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the Rateable Value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency, and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Reva...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRadicalismHome OfficeTabled 12 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99648More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of mainstream political engagement on reducing vulnerability to extremism; and if she will bring forward policy proposals to improve mainstream eng
Answer: Improving mainstream political engagement can have a positive impact on reducing vulnerability to extremism. It is so important that an all-party approach is taken to address the incredibly important issue of extremism. We are exploring options to improve...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordConditions of EmploymentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99442More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the report by the Chartered Management Institute entitled The CMI Managers Voice September 2024: Managers Voice Pulse Point Poll, pu
Answer: The Government has not made a specific assessment of the implications of the report for the upcoming bereavement leave entitlement.Due to the sensitive nature of bereavement leave we are currently consulting on details of the final entitlement, engaging w...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordBroadband: OxfordshireDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 11 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99431More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2025 to Question 91728 on Broadband: Henley and Thame, what spending she plans between the end of the current contract period for South Oxfordshire
Answer: Building Digital UK (BDUK) is working with suppliers to review future Project Gigabit delivery plans across the UK including in Oxfordshire. Further Project Gigabit procurements will be undertaken to complete the remaining delivery necessary to achieve na...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordYoung People: InnovationDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99138More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of expanding the National Curriculum to embed (a) critical and creative thinking, (b) problem solving, (c) communication and (d) collaboration skills to supp
Answer: The government response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review sets out our plan to ensure that all pupils develop the knowledge and skills that we know are essential for life, work and innovation.When refreshing the national curriculum, we will identify...
Answered 24 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordLegal Aid SchemeMinistry of JusticeTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99136More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve access to legal aid in short notice cases.
Answer: We recognise that in certain circumstances individuals may need to access legal aid services urgently and the Government provides specific support to facilitate this.In criminal legal aid, those who are to be interviewed under caution by the police are en...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSchools: SportsDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 99132More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will bring forward policy proposals to make access to PE and sport at school a right for all disabled children.
Answer: The department is committed to giving every pupil the chance to participate in PE and sport while at school. This government has committed funding of up to £300,000 this financial year to the Youth Sport Trust to deliver Inclusion 2028, a programme to ups...
Answered 24 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordGivinostatDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98626More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the time taken by NICE to assess Givinostat.
Answer: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) aims wherever possible to publish recommendations on new medicines close to the point of licensing. NICE’s appraisal of givinostat has been more complex and has required additional work to ensur...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMilitary Aircraft: HelicoptersMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98179More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the tender process for the New Medium Helicopters to replace the Puma fleet.
Answer: The second stage of the New Medium Helicopter competition commenced on 27 February 2024 with the release of the Invitation to Negotiate to Airbus Helicopters UK, Leonardo Helicopters UK and Lockheed Martin UK.Only Leonardo Helicopters UK elected to submit...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCrime: VictimsAttorney GeneralTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98178More
Question: To ask the Solicitor General,?what assessment he has made of the (a) adequacy of the uptake and (b) effectiveness of the Victim Right to Review pilot.
Answer: In June 2025 the CPS began a pilot in the West Midlands which offers victims of rape and serious sexual assault the opportunity to have a separate prosecutor review the case before any final decision is taken to stop the case in court. If that prosecutor ...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy: HousingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98177More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to improve energy security and ensure that households reduce energy demands.
Answer: The Government is reducing dependency on volatile fossil fuel markets, with investment in homegrown energy. The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan estimates £40 billion per year for clean energy projects, with significant upgrading of a dysfunctional grid syste...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordClean EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98176More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will set and publish plans for ensuring that the most disadvantaged people can transition to clean energy with the Clean Power plan.
Answer: Last December, the Government published the Clean Power 2030 Action plan. The Plan provides the foundation for the UK to build an energy system that can bring down bills for households and businesses for good, including those who are most disadvantaged. W...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordValuation Office Agency: StandardsTreasuryTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98175More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to improve decision making times at the Valuation Office Agency.
Answer: The VOA is meeting the majority of its performance targets. In the areas where it isn’t, it has robust service recovery plans in place. These include moving staff to where there is the greatest customer demand and upskilling its workforce in a wider range...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordBroadband: Henley and ThameDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98174More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2025 to Question 91728 on Broadband: Henley and Thame, what steps her Department is taking to secure additional funding to complete that project.
Answer: Commercial delivery in a competitive market has and will remain essential to the delivery of the overall gigabit broadband ambition, as most gigabit-capable connections will be delivered commercially.At the most recent Spending Review we announced £1.8 bi...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordBroadband: Henley and ThameDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98173More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2025 to Question 91728 on Broadband: Henley and Thame, how much funding is required to meet the 99% goal.
Answer: Commercial delivery in a competitive market has and will remain essential to the delivery of the overall gigabit broadband ambition, as most gigabit-capable connections will be delivered commercially.At the most recent Spending Review we announced £1.8 bi...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordWater: StandardsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97995More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the feasibility test introduced under the Bathing Water (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2025 on the designation of s
Answer: This Government’s reforms introduce a feasibility assessment that will consider these factors ahead of formal designation. This will focus resources on sites where water quality can feasibly be improved to ‘sufficient’ standard and allow the public to mak...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordClimate ChangeDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 8 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97990More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that climate adaptation is considered alongside decarbonisation in policy planning; and whether his Department plans to develop and publish a Nat
Answer: Defra is the lead department for domestic adaptation to climate change, responsible for coordinating requirements set out in the UK Climate Change Act 2008. This includes preparing a UK Climate Change Risk Assessment every five years, followed by a Nation...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: TribunalsDepartment for EducationTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97008More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of SEND tribunal waiting times on the ability of families to hold local authorities to account for non-provision of SEND support.
Answer: The volume of appeals to the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Tribunal means that some families face a year-long wait for a hearing, lengthening the time it takes for children and young people to get the support they need. We are working ...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordWater: StandardsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97007More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2025 to Question 90952 on Bathing Water (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2025, if she can outline the (a) local and (b) national stakeh
Answer: Defra recognise that there have been changes in how and where people use bathing waters since the Bathing Water Regulations were introduced in 2013. That is why we are taking forward a programme of reforms to introduce the first overhaul of the rules gove...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
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