Every parliamentary written question tabled by Edward Morello this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1,321–1,340 of 1,677 · this parliament
Food and Rural Affairs, how often inspections are conducted on private sewage systems to prevent environmental contamination.
In 2022, 2023 and 2024 respectively the Environment Agency carried out 185, 224 and 202 inspections of private sewerage systems, excluding private discharges of trade effluent.
Food and Rural Affairs, how he (a) monitors and (b) evaluates the effectiveness of projects financed by the Water Restoration Fund.
The Water Restoration Fund is reinvesting funding based on water company environmental fines and penalties into projects to improve the water environment. Up to £11 million of funding was made available on a competitive basis to support a range of water restoration projects, which is administered by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). Water environmental improvement project applications were assessed through a competitive process against published scoring criteria. Applications were assessed against other applications within the water company region that applicants applied for, by both a technical assessment panel and a moderation panel. Following this rigorous assessment process, I am pleased to say that current applicants to the Water Restoration Fund have been contacted regarding the outcome of their application. Further details regarding which projects have been successful will be shared in due course once funding agreements have been finalised. Details of the assessment can be found online at Gov.uk
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that Water Restoration Fund funded projects achieve their intended outcomes.
The Water Restoration Fund is reinvesting funding based on water company environmental fines and penalties into projects to improve the water environment. Up to £11 million of funding was made available on a competitive basis to support a range of water restoration projects, which is administered by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). Water environmental improvement project applications were assessed through a competitive process against published scoring criteria. Applications were assessed against other applications within the water company region that applicants applied for, by both a technical assessment panel and a moderation panel. Following this rigorous assessment process, I am pleased to say that current applicants to the Water Restoration Fund have been contacted regarding the outcome of their application. Further details regarding which projects have been successful will be shared in due course once funding agreements have been finalised. Details of the assessment can be found online at Gov.uk
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of water bills for consumers.
Ofwat published their final determinations for Price Review 2024 on 19 December, which sets company expenditure and customer bills for 2025-2030.This will deliver substantial, lasting, improvements for customers and the environment through a £104 billion upgrade for the water sector. These bill rises equate to around £3 additional per month on average before inflation. This will pay to fix crumbling infrastructure, which will dramatically reduce sewage spills and lead to cleaner rivers, lakes and seas. For too long, investment has not kept pace with the challenges of an ageing infrastructure system, a rapidly growing population and climate change. Whilst bills will therefore now need to rise to invest in our crumbling infrastructure and deliver cleaner waterways, we fully understand the financial pressures hardworking families are currently facing. We are pushing the sector to ensure support is available for vulnerable customers who are struggling to pay their bills. The Government expects water companies to put robust support measures in place for customers to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported and is working with industry to keep current support schemes under review to ensure that customers are sufficiently supported. Furthermore, the Government expects companies to hold themselves accountable for their commitment to end Water Poverty by 2030 and will work with the sector to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to this end.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support low-income households with water bills.
Ofwat published their final determinations for Price Review 2024 on 19 December, which sets company expenditure and customer bills for 2025-2030.This will deliver substantial, lasting, improvements for customers and the environment through a £104 billion upgrade for the water sector. These bill rises equate to around £3 additional per month on average before inflation. This will pay to fix crumbling infrastructure, which will dramatically reduce sewage spills and lead to cleaner rivers, lakes and seas. For too long, investment has not kept pace with the challenges of an ageing infrastructure system, a rapidly growing population and climate change. Whilst bills will therefore now need to rise to invest in our crumbling infrastructure and deliver cleaner waterways, we fully understand the financial pressures hardworking families are currently facing. We are pushing the sector to ensure support is available for vulnerable customers who are struggling to pay their bills. The Government expects water companies to put robust support measures in place for customers to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported and is working with industry to keep current support schemes under review to ensure that customers are sufficiently supported. Furthermore, the Government expects companies to hold themselves accountable for their commitment to end Water Poverty by 2030 and will work with the sector to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to this end.
What steps the Motor Insurance Taskforce is taking to help reduce the cost of motor insurance.
The cross-Government motor insurance taskforce was launched in October. It is comprised of ministers from relevant government departments and the Financial Conduct Authority and Competition and Markets Authority. The taskforce is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sector.The taskforce has a strategic remit to set the direction for UK Government policy, identifying short- and long-term actions for departments that may contribute to stabilising or reducing premiums, while maintaining appropriate levels of cover. It will look at the increased insurance costs on consumers and the insurance industry, including how this impacts different demographics, geographies, and communities. The Department will provide updates on the motor insurance taskforce’s work and announce a date for the next meeting in due course.
Food and Rural Affairs, what penalties exist for owners of private sewage systems which leak into (a) soil and (b) watercourses.
In cases where private sewerage systems cause pollution of either soil or watercourses the operator of that system may be committing an offence under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016 and, as such, may be subject to the potential penalties set out in those Regulations. When determining what compliance or enforcement action is appropriate in any given case the Environment Agency uses its enforcement and sanctions policy. Penalties may also arise under legislation for which local authorities are responsible, including the Public Health Act 1936 and the Building Act 1984.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of post-16 transition arrangements on students in (a) Social, Emotional and Mental Health provisions and (b) Pupil Referral Units unable to access (i) mainstream and (ii) specialist post-16 education.
The statutory duty on local authorities to arrange alternative provision applies to children of compulsory school age. This includes a duty to arrange education for children who cannot attend school due to their mental or physical health needs.Although the duty only applies to children of compulsory school age, alternative provision schools, including pupil referral units, can offer post-16 provision if they wish to do so. 21 of the 334 state-funded alternative provision schools currently have a registered sixth form.If any alternative provision schools would like to offer post-16 placements, they should approach the department to discuss this. Funded post-16 education has a variety of provider types which deliver different provision, relevant to the different aspirations and needs of post-16 students. In addition, 16 to 19 study programmes should be tailored to meet the individual needs of the young person.
Food and Rural Affairs, what regulations exist to prevent leakage from private sewage systems into (a) soil and (b) groundwater.
Discharges to ground or watercourses from private sewerage systems are regulated by the Environment Agency under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016. The requirements of these regulations are implemented through a combination of statutory general binding rules for small discharges and environmental permits for larger ones. Other relevant regulations are the responsibility of local authorities, in particular the relevant provisions set out in the Building Act 1984 and the Public Health Act 1936.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that water bill increases provide value for money to consumers.
Ofwat published their final determinations for Price Review 2024 on 19 December, which sets company expenditure and customer bills for 2025-2030.This will deliver substantial, lasting, improvements for customers and the environment through a £104 billion upgrade for the water sector. These bill rises equate to around £3 additional per month on average before inflation. This will pay to fix crumbling infrastructure, which will dramatically reduce sewage spills and lead to cleaner rivers, lakes and seas. For too long, investment has not kept pace with the challenges of an ageing infrastructure system, a rapidly growing population and climate change. Whilst bills will therefore now need to rise to invest in our crumbling infrastructure and deliver cleaner waterways, we fully understand the financial pressures hardworking families are currently facing. We are pushing the sector to ensure support is available for vulnerable customers who are struggling to pay their bills. The Government expects water companies to put robust support measures in place for customers to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported and is working with industry to keep current support schemes under review to ensure that customers are sufficiently supported. Furthermore, the Government expects companies to hold themselves accountable for their commitment to end Water Poverty by 2030 and will work with the sector to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to this end.
What steps she is taking to support local authorities in west Dorset to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of affordable and accessible charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle. The Government and industry have supported the installation of 75,305 publicly available charging devices, including 15,082 rapid charging devices. There are currently over 5,250 open-access rapid and ultra-rapid chargers within one mile of the strategic road network. As of 1 January 2025, there were 107 public charging devices in West Dorset, including 30 rapid or ultra-rapid devices. Dorset Council, which includes West Dorset constituency, were allocated almost £3 million of capital and resource funding through the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund. The £381 million LEVI Fund supports local authorities in England to work with industry and transform the availability of EV charging for drivers without off-street parking. The funding, backed by private investment, will support the installation of at least 100,000 on-street chargepoints across England.
Whether her Department has set a timetable for future meetings of the Motor Insurance Taskforce.
The cross-Government motor insurance taskforce was launched in October. It is comprised of ministers from relevant government departments and the Financial Conduct Authority and Competition and Markets Authority. The taskforce is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sector.The taskforce has a strategic remit to set the direction for UK Government policy, identifying short- and long-term actions for departments that may contribute to stabilising or reducing premiums, while maintaining appropriate levels of cover. It will look at the increased insurance costs on consumers and the insurance industry, including how this impacts different demographics, geographies, and communities. The Department will provide updates on the motor insurance taskforce’s work and announce a date for the next meeting in due course.
What steps her Department is taking to enable (a) Social, Emotional and Mental Health provisions and (b) Pupil Referral Units to extend (i) academic and (ii) vocational education to post-16 students on the same site.
The statutory duty on local authorities to arrange alternative provision applies to children of compulsory school age. This includes a duty to arrange education for children who cannot attend school due to their mental or physical health needs.Although the duty only applies to children of compulsory school age, alternative provision schools, including pupil referral units, can offer post-16 provision if they wish to do so. 21 of the 334 state-funded alternative provision schools currently have a registered sixth form.If any alternative provision schools would like to offer post-16 placements, they should approach the department to discuss this. Funded post-16 education has a variety of provider types which deliver different provision, relevant to the different aspirations and needs of post-16 students. In addition, 16 to 19 study programmes should be tailored to meet the individual needs of the young person.
What plans she has to increase the number of fast charging points for electric vehicles in West Dorset constituency over the next five years.
The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of affordable and accessible charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle. The Government and industry have supported the installation of 75,305 publicly available charging devices, including 15,082 rapid charging devices. There are currently over 5,250 open-access rapid and ultra-rapid chargers within one mile of the strategic road network. As of 1 January 2025, there were 107 public charging devices in West Dorset, including 30 rapid or ultra-rapid devices. Dorset Council, which includes West Dorset constituency, were allocated almost £3 million of capital and resource funding through the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund. The £381 million LEVI Fund supports local authorities in England to work with industry and transform the availability of EV charging for drivers without off-street parking. The funding, backed by private investment, will support the installation of at least 100,000 on-street chargepoints across England.
Whether her Department has considered allowing (a) Social, Emotional and Mental Health provisions and (b) Pupil Referral Units to offer post-16 education within existing frameworks.
The statutory duty on local authorities to arrange alternative provision applies to children of compulsory school age. This includes a duty to arrange education for children who cannot attend school due to their mental or physical health needs.Although the duty only applies to children of compulsory school age, alternative provision schools, including pupil referral units, can offer post-16 provision if they wish to do so. 21 of the 334 state-funded alternative provision schools currently have a registered sixth form.If any alternative provision schools would like to offer post-16 placements, they should approach the department to discuss this. Funded post-16 education has a variety of provider types which deliver different provision, relevant to the different aspirations and needs of post-16 students. In addition, 16 to 19 study programmes should be tailored to meet the individual needs of the young person.
Food and Rural Affairs, how the criteria for the Water Restoration Fund ensure the prioritisation of projects with the highest impact on the environment.
The Water Restoration Fund is reinvesting funding based on water company environmental fines and penalties into projects to improve the water environment. Up to £11 million of funding was made available on a competitive basis to support a range of water restoration projects, which is administered by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). Water environmental improvement project applications were assessed through a competitive process against published scoring criteria. Applications were assessed against other applications within the water company region that applicants applied for, by both a technical assessment panel and a moderation panel. Following this rigorous assessment process, I am pleased to say that current applicants to the Water Restoration Fund have been contacted regarding the outcome of their application. Further details regarding which projects have been successful will be shared in due course once funding agreements have been finalised. Details of the assessment can be found online at Gov.uk
Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria his Department uses to assess funding applications for the Water Restoration Fund.
The Water Restoration Fund is reinvesting funding based on water company environmental fines and penalties into projects to improve the water environment. Up to £11 million of funding was made available on a competitive basis to support a range of water restoration projects, which is administered by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). Water environmental improvement project applications were assessed through a competitive process against published scoring criteria. Applications were assessed against other applications within the water company region that applicants applied for, by both a technical assessment panel and a moderation panel. Following this rigorous assessment process, I am pleased to say that current applicants to the Water Restoration Fund have been contacted regarding the outcome of their application. Further details regarding which projects have been successful will be shared in due course once funding agreements have been finalised. Details of the assessment can be found online at Gov.uk
Whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on improving the accessibility of air travel for people with disabilities.
Aviation needs to be accessible so everyone can travel with dignity and ease. The Department for Transport’s Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group was launched in November. I look forward to seeing its recommendations for improving aviation accessibility.
Whether his Department has conducted a feasibility study on increasing domestic production of critical weapon systems.
The Strategic Defence Review will determine the roles and capabilities required by UK Defence to meet the challenges and threats of the twenty-first century. The Prime Minister’s February announcement that spending on defence will increase to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027 reflects ongoing global instability.This increased spending will sustain the UK’s globally competitive defence industry, supporting highly skilled jobs and apprenticeships across the whole of the UK. The Defence Industrial Strategy will also review consideration of the sovereign capability and capacity required in the UK.An example of early action against our security and economic priorities is the £1.6 billion deal to supply thousands of advanced air defence missiles to Ukraine. The deal will support 700 existing jobs at Thales in Belfast, will see production of lightweight-multirole missiles at Thales’s factory treble and will also benefit companies in the Thales Supply Chain across the UK.
Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the timing of the closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme on farmers.
We publish regular statistics on Farm Business Income. Farming evidence packs for example have been recently updated including key statistics and farm performance. These set out an extensive range of data to provide an overview of agriculture in the UK. We will continue to carry out appropriate and timely assessments of our interventions to inform policy development. On the 11th of March 2025 we published forecasts which suggest that average Farm Business Income has risen in 2024/25 across all farm types with the exception of cereal farms. This follows a fall in income for most farm types in 2023/24, after some exceptional highs in the two preceding years. For all farm types, except for Cereals, expected reductions in Direct Payments have been completely offset by projected increases in other Farm Business Income components in 2024/25. 50,000 farm businesses are already in agri-environmental schemes. We will open up initial applications for Countryside Stewardship Higher tier and a revised Environmental Land Management capital grants offer later in the Summer.