Freddie van Mierlo MP: written questions
425 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Overseas Students: Fees and ChargesDepartment for EducationTabled 9 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104537More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed international student levy on the financial sustainability of UK universities; and what estimate her Department has made of the nu
Answer: Higher education (HE) providers are independent from government and as such are responsible for managing their own finances. Tuition fees are not frozen - the department has announced increases to tuition fee limits in line with forecast inflation for 202...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordHomelessness: Young PeopleMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 5 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103091More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his timetable is for the publication of a chapter of the Homelessness Code of Guidance on young people.
Answer: Through our National Plan to End Homelessness the Government has set out its intention to develop a national Youth Homelessness Prevention Toolkit and develop a dedicated chapter of the Homelessness Code of Guidance on young people. We will publish these ...
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSupported Housing: Young PeopleMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 5 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103090More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to support local authorities to deliver supported housing for young people.
Answer: Young people need the right support alongside housing to improve health, wellbeing and socio-economic outcomes, enabling them to access and retain housing and reducing their risk of homelessness and rough sleeping. Funding for local housing support servic...
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordLeukaemia: Blood TestsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103089More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to ensure that all patients with suspected leukaemia symptoms can access a full blood count test within 48 hours, as recommended by the NICE NG12 guidelines.
Answer: The Department is determined to take all the necessary steps to improve early diagnosis for all cancers, including blood cancers such as leukaemia.To accomplish this, the National Health Service is implementing non-specific symptom pathways for patients w...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordRare Diseases: Gene TherapiesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 5 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103088More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support the development of gene therapy treatments for rare genetic diseases such as tyrosinemia and Gaucher disease.
Answer: The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as tyrosinemia and Gaucher disease. Through the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government supports access to specialist care, treatment, and drugs as a priority. ...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSport England: Planning PermissionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 5 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103087More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of removing Sport England as a statutory consultee in the planning system on the protection of community playing fields; wheth
Answer: On 17 November 2025, my Department published a consultation on reforms to the statutory consultee system. That consultation closes on 13 January 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here. No decision will be made on Sport England’s role until responses to the ...
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordWaterDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 5 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103086More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her planned timetable is for the (a) white paper and (b) new government bill on water reform.
Answer: The White Paper will be published early this year. These reforms will underpin a new water reform bill to be introduced during this Parliament, setting the foundation for long-term change.
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPressDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 5 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103085More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans the Government has to meet with the victims of press abuse who have written to the Government to request a meeting.
Answer: The Leveson Inquiry led to changes in the regulatory system of the press, which included the creation of the Press Recognition Panel, by Royal Charter and two new press regulators, the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) and the Independent Mo...
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordRoads: Rural AreasDepartment for TransportTabled 5 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103084More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of data on non-injury road traffic accidents at rural junctions.
Answer: The Department for Transport does not collect data on non-injury road traffic accidents at rural junctions so is unable to make an assessment.
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordUniversities: ResearchDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 5 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103083More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help ensure that UK universities remain competitive in attracting global research talent.
Answer: To keep our world-leading universities globally competitive, the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper sets out a joint DfE–DSIT vision for a financially sustainable higher education sector that delivers better value for students, supports local growth...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordWaste 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 record
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