Freddie van Mierlo MP: written questions 2025
395 published records · newest first.
Written questions
NHS: DrugsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80695More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on (a) the suitability of country-level forecasts of supply needs for medicines up to three years in advance and (b) the steps needed
Answer: Given the inherent global nature of medical supply chains, international collaboration is key to strengthening supply resilience. The United Kingdom is committed to working with international partners to enhance the resilience and security of medical supp...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: DrugsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80694More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the fortnightly notification provided to medicine suppliers regarding medicine shortages.
Answer: NHS England’s medicines frameworks contain a contractual ask that requires all suppliers to update NHS England on their ability to supply their products to National Health Service hospitals. This information is requested fortnightly and the responses are ...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordNHS: DrugsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80693More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of his Department's processes for (a) forecasting, (b) alerting and (c) responding to medicine shortages.
Answer: Medicine supply chains are complex, global and highly regulated and there are a number of reasons why supply can be disrupted – many of which are not specific to the United Kingdom and are outside of government control. This includes manufacturing difficu...
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning Permission: OxfordshireMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80692More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has had recent discussions with the Environment Agency on their process for approving a planning application in the case of new development in Oxfordshire that will be
Answer: MHCLG ministers have had no recent discussions with the Environment Agency (EA) in respect of the matter in question.The EA has worked with Thames Water to develop a strategic approach to managing wastewater capacity challenges in Oxford. Working with loc...
Answered 24 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: AppealsHome OfficeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80691More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding she has allocated to tackle the asylum case backlog.
Answer: The Home Office does not have a separately identifiable budget for tackling the asylum case backlog. All costs involved are scored against Home Office business-as-usual budgets that cover all asylum cases regardless of age. You may find Home Office annual...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: AppealsMinistry of JusticeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80690More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with Immigration and Asylum Tribunal Judges on the introduction of independent adjudicators to hear asylum appeals.
Answer: It is standard practice not to comment on the specifics of discussions between ministers and the judiciary.As would be expected, the Lord Chancellor has regular meetings with the Lady Chief Justice and other senior judges.In line with constitutional conve...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: AppealsHome OfficeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80689More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the appointment of Immigration Adjudicators on the asylum backlog.
Answer: The Home Secretary confirmed in a statement to the House of Commons on 1 September that further information regarding Tribunal system reforms will be provided in due course. The statement can be accessed here: Borders and Asylum - Hansard - UK Parliament.
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordEurovision Song ContestDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 80688More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the BBC Board on the UK's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in the context of Israel's participation.
Answer: The BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the Government. Therefore, the Government cannot intervene in the BBC’s day-to-day operations including on editorial matters.Decisions on who to include in international events and competitions are...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordCerliponase AlfaDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77949More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on securing long term access to cerliponase alfa.
Answer: Officials in the Department have had a number of discussions with colleagues in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) about the ongoing appraisal of cerliponase alfa (Brineura) for the treatment of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis typ...
Answered 14 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordParental LeaveDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77947More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make it his policy to adopt the recommendations of the Women and Equalities Committee's Sixth Report of Session 2024-25 entitled Equality at work: Paternity and shared parental leave, HC 502
Answer: The Government thanks the committee for its careful consideration of Shared Parental Leave and Paternity Leave and has responded in full to the report. We recognise that more can be done to ensure working families are better supported. That is why on 1 Ju...
Answered 14 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordHormone Replacement TherapyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77387More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2025 to Question 35541 and and the Answer of 12 May to Question 50770 on Hormone Replacement Therapy, (a) what progress has been made and (b) what further steps ar
Answer: The Department is continuing to work closely with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to ensure safe access to oestrogen and testosterone hormone replacement therapy (HRT) implants, which are not licensed in the United Kingdom.T...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordArtificial Intelligence: RegulationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77386More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of online safety regulations for protecting people against harmful advice provided by AI chatbots.
Answer: Services with AI chatbots regulated under the Online Safety Act have duties to protect all users from illegal content and children from age inappropiate content. This includes harmful advice if it is illegal content or meets the definition of harmful cont...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordInternet: ChildrenDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77385More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help ensure that parents receive adequate information on (a) the use of (i) parental controls and (ii) virtual private networks and (b) other steps to keep c
Answer: DSIT has funded media literacy projects, including Parent Zone’s ‘Everyday Digital’, to help parents understand online safety. On 12 September 2025, DSIT published research exploring what support parents need to keep children safe online. Ofcom has also r...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordTax AvoidanceTreasuryTabled 12 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76915More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will hold discussions with HMRC on the difference between the loan charge settlement terms offered to (a) large companies and (b) other people.
Answer: The Government commissioned an independent review of the loan charge to help bring the matter to a close for those affected whilst ensuring fairness for all taxpayers. The Government will respond by Autumn Budget 2025. HMRC applies the law fairly and cons...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordData ProtectionDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 11 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76765More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what guidance her Department has issued to (a) websites and (b) organisations on the implementation of the Online Safety Act 2023.
Answer: Ofcom has conducted an extensive programme of work aimed at facilitating understanding and compliance with the Online Safety Act. This includes a Regulation Checker to help services and organisations identify whether they are in scope of the relevant duti...
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordData ProtectionDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 11 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76764More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Online Safety Act 2023, what assessment he has made on the adequacy of the security of personal data shared with third parties.
Answer: The Online Safety Act has cross-cutting duties to ensure that users’ rights to privacy are protected. All providers are required to give particular regard to the importance of protecting users’ privacy rights when implementing measures to comply with thei...
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordInternet: JournalismDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 11 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76763More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Online Safety Act 2023 on (a) Wikipedia and (b) news reporting sites.
Answer: The Online Safety Act covers services where users post content or interact online, requiring sites like Wikipedia to address illegal material and protect children where necessary. Ofcom must ensure that the duties are proportionate and appropriate for the...
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMembers: CorrespondenceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76510More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the letter of 10 July 2025 from the hon. Member for Henley and Thame on maternity services.
Answer: The letter has been passed to Baroness Amos as chair of the independent investigation into National Health Service maternity and neonatal care, and she will respond directly in due course.
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordTerminal Illnesses: Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76509More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that NICE appraisals for (a) Duchenne muscular dystrophy and (b) other rare, progressive conditions take into account urgency of access.
Answer: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) aims wherever possible to issue guidance on new medicines close to the time of licensing to ensure that patients can benefit from rapid access to clinically and cost-effective new medicines. NIC...
Answered 9 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordTerminal Illnesses: Medical TreatmentsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76508More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the impact on carers is included in NICE technology appraisals for rare and progressive diseases.
Answer: NICE’s technology appraisal process allows its independent committees to take societal benefits, such as health-related quality-of-life for carers and impact on personal social services, into account. NICE’s methods are set out in its published health tec...
Answered 9 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordVamoroloneDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76507More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 64336 on Vamorolone, what the consequences are for (a) Integrated Care Boards and (b) NHS Trusts for not making NICE recommended medicines availab
Answer: Commissioners have a statutory responsibility to make funding available for a medicine or treatment recommended by a National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisal (TA) or highly specialised technology evaluation (HST) within...
Answered 8 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordEquality and Human Rights CommissionWomen and EqualitiesTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76506More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what discussions she has had with the new Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission on her priorities for the Commission.
Answer: Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson was confirmed as the next Chair of the EHRC. She will begin her term as EHRC Chair in December and will meet regularly with the Minister for Women and Equalities as part of her role.
Answered 2 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordMethylphenidate: ShortagesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76505More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January to Question 25553 on Methylphenidate Shortages, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the current supply of methylphenidate for ADHD.
Answer: The Department has worked closely with industry stakeholders, and, following extensive collaborative efforts, previous issues have been resolved and all strengths of lisdexamfetamine, atomoxetine capsules, atomoxetine oral solution, guanfacine prolonged-r...
Answered 26 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMidwives: OxfordshireDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76504More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 15 July to Question 66814 on Health Services: Oxfordshire, what steps he is taking to ensure that Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is able to recruit and r
Answer: The Government is committed to ensuring the National Health Service can both recruit and retain staff. We recently announced the Graduate Guarantee for nurses and midwives, which will ensure that there are enough positions available for every newly qualif...
Answered 15 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: SewageDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 8 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75850More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had discussions with the Environment Agency on their decision to remove opposition to new housing developments that would be connected to the Oxford Sewage treatment wo
Answer: A multidisciplinary EA team worked with Thames Water to develop a strategic approach to managing wastewater capacity challenges in Oxford. This provided a framework for the EA to no longer object to developments, instead providing clear advice on the risk...
Answered 16 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
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