Every parliamentary written question tabled by Freddie van Mierlo this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 341–360 of 658 · this parliament
What recent assessment she has made of the UKVI waiting times for answering enquiries regarding (a) UK passports and (b) British National status.
For customer enquiries made to the Passport Adviceline, in August, the average speed to answer passport related calls was 16 seconds.
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 works in Oxfordshire.
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 risks and how the regulatory process is now ensuring water quality is protected and environmental objectives would be met. Following this outcome, the EA are continuing to engage with local authorities, Thames Water and developers through quarterly meetings to track delivery of the improvements to the Oxford STW and ensure wastewater capacity is delivered in this critical growth area.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) criminal and (b) civil measures to increase compliance with child maintenance payments.
69% of Paying Parents due to pay via the Collect & Pay service actually paid some maintenance during the calendar quarter ending March 2025. This compares with 65% during the quarter ending March 2023. In the year to March 2025, the CMS arranged around £1.5 billion in child maintenance payments. The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) believes current enforcement powers are sufficient and substantial enough to encourage paying parents to comply. The CMS requires paying parents to pay their maintenance on time, to avoid accrual of arrears. Where a paying parent fails to pay on time or in full, the CMS aims to take immediate action to recover the debt and re-establish compliance. When a paying parent does not make maintenance payments on time or in full, the CMS will initially negotiate a payment that is feasible for the parent to pay. If this is unsuccessful and the paying parent is employed, the CMS will request that ongoing child maintenance payments be deducted directly from their salary by issuing what we call a Deductions from Earnings Order (DEO). A DEO instructs an employer to make deductions from the paying parent’s earnings and pay the amounts to the CMS who will pass this onto the receiving parent. The CMS also has powers to deduct maintenance from a wide range of bank accounts including joint and business accounts. The CMS has a range of strong “civil” enforcement powers that can be used against those who consistently refuse to meet their obligations to provide financial support to their children including holding or obtaining driving licenses and passports and forcing the sale of a property. These powers are designed to act as a deterrent and encourage parents to pay their liability. Powers are used effectively and produce positive results. In many cases, once an application to the courts has been made, paying parents have either paid their liability or agreed to a repayment plan. Planned reforms to the Direct Pay service will allow the CMS to tackle non-compliance faster as monitoring all payments would enable the CMS to immediately identify any missed, late or partial payments and take swift enforcement action.
Food and Rural Affairs, if he has made an assessment of the adequacy of the diversions on the Thames path due to the closure of (a) Marsh Lock bridge and (b) Temple Footbridge.
We recognise the importance of National Trails as crucial connectors, not only for visitors keen to complete the trails, but as valued community pathways supporting local businesses and residents. We understand that the Thames Path National Trail Partnership are continuing to work with the Environment Agency, landowners and other partners to progress work at both locations to support the accessibility and safety of the trail. Thames Path diversions are managed by the organisation responsible for the asset that has created the need for the diversion. Although the ownership for Marsh Lock Bridge is unclear, the Environment Agency led the diversion work relating to Marsh Lock Bridge and Temple Footbridge for which they are responsible. The Environment Agency sought advice from the Local Authority on the safest route available to the public using other existing highways and once agreed, the Local Authority issue a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order which authorises the diversion. Alternative viable diversion routes will be considered by the Environment Agency and the relevant Local Authority if they become available for use.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve the condition of (a) the Thames path, (b) The Ridgeway and (c) other National Trails.
The Government remains committed to enhancing access to nature and recognises the importance of National Trails as crucial links between urban and rural settings, allowing people to get closer to nature and experience the natural world. In addition to the continued delivery of the King Charles III England Coast Path and Coast to Coast National Trails, Defra has supported the creation of National Trails UK (NTUK) and provided funding to aid in its establishment. We anticipate that NTUK will improve the long-term management and sustainability of National Trails, improve the capacity for National Trails to engage people currently not accessing nature and test new ideas and ways of working as a family of National Trails. We are also delivering the £33m ‘Access for All’ programme, which consists of a package of targeted measures in our protected landscapes, national trails, forests and the wider countryside to make access to green and blue spaces more inclusive.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2025 to Question 25560 on National Trails UK: Finance, what his timetable is for announcing the funding settlement for (a) National Trails UK, (b) the Thames Path National Trail and (c) The Ridgeway National Trail in 2024/25.
Funding settlements to National Trails UK are not announced, and individual National Trails are not funded separately. In 24/25 NTUK received a combination of funding through the Protected Landscapes Partnership, direct grants and Access for All funding.
Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in levels of funding allocated to National Trails since 2018 on those trails.
The Government remains committed to enhancing access to nature and will continue to work closely with Natural England, National Trails UK and relevant partners to understand and respond to the needs of our National Trails. We know it requires significant efforts and commitment from local authorities and trail partnerships to keep our trails accessible to the public. The Government will continue to work with Natural England and our partners in support of our National Trails and to ensure that the public can confidently access our trail network. Despite the challenging fiscal environment, Defra has committed to supporting National Trails UK with a continuation of Protected Landscapes Partnership funding, individual grant, and Access for All funding. There are no current plans to assess National Trails specifically against year-on-year funding.
Which NHS Trusts will be involved in the Rapid National Investigation into maternity and neonatal services.
On 14 August 2025, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced the appointment of Baroness Amos as Chair of the Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, with further information available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/baroness-amos-to-spearhead-maternity-and-neonatal-investigation#The investigation will carry out rapid reviews of up to ten trusts with specific issues. The Chair is working closely with families to finalise the terms of reference, including the selection criteria to select the trusts, which will be announced as soon as possible.
Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of revising the compensation scheme for electricity consumers to include compensation for the inconvenience caused by power cuts of shorter duration where these occur repeatedly.
The Government expects energy companies to deliver the best support to customers. Ofgem monitors and enforces the Guaranteed Standards of Performance. Ofgem also regularly reviews and updates their compensation arrangements. The most recent changes were made following the Storm Arwen Review which came into effect on 1 September 2023 and enable higher levels of compensation at more regular intervals. Ofgem regulates Distribution Network Operators through a price control process, which includes incentives to reduce the frequency and duration of power interruptions. For the next price control period (2028–2033), Ofgem is reviewing whether amendments are required to minimise repeated or prolonged interruptions.
What steps he is taking to help (a) ensure that energy consumers receive a reliable electricity supply and (b) reduce power cuts due to issues with the electricity distribution network.
Maintaining a secure electricity supply is a key priority for Government. DESNZ works closely with industry to continually improve and maintain the resilience the energy infrastructure, networks and assets to reduce vulnerabilities, and ensure an effective response to actual or potentially disruptive incidents. Ownership of a Distribution Network Operator (DNO) requires appropriate levels of investment to ensure power flows reliably, safely and securely. All DNOs are regulated by Ofgem, which sets annual targets for customer interruptions and customer minutes lost; DNOs must report their performance against these measures to Ofgem which rewards or penalises operators appropriately.
What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the tax-free childcare system on levels of administration for early years providers.
HMRC continually assesses the administrative impact of Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) on childcare providers, including those focused on early years provision, via customer feedback and internal system reviews. For many providers, once they have registered for TFC they will receive TFC payments made by parents directly into their bank account, just as they would when receiving non-TFC payments. In 2024, HMRC improved the administration for childcare providers by streamlining the TFC registration process and introducing a mechanism for TFC payments to be made via external payment providers used by some childcare providers. These changes are designed to improve the registration and payment functions of TFC, making the service more user friendly, efficient and accessible.
Whether he has made a recent assessment of the level of efficiency across government in answering correspondence from members of the public.
The Cabinet Office works with Government departments and agencies to monitor the quality and timeliness of correspondence, providing support and guidance as necessary.
Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of (a) trends in the level of online abuse of sport people and (b) the effectiveness of online safety provisions.
The government is extremely concerned by the online abuse of sportspeople and will continue working with the sports sector to tackle this.The Online Safety Act strengthens protections for public figures online. Harassment and hate crime are priority offences under the Act, requiring companies to proactively search for, remove and limit users’ exposure to such content and activity.DSIT is working with Ofcom to develop a longer-term monitoring and evaluation framework to assess the Act’s impact, including assessing relevant data and crime statistics.
What steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) early years and (b) childcare infrastructure keeps pace with housing growth in (i) rural and (ii) semi-rural areas.
It is the department’s ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change. The government is boosting availability and increasing access to childcare for families through the school-based nurseries programme, including school-led provision and private, voluntary and independent providers operating from school sites.The key measure of sufficiency is whether the supply of available places is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents and children. We have regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing. Where local authorities report sufficiency challenges, we discuss what action the local authority is taking and, where needed, support the local authority with any specific requirements through our childcare sufficiency support contract.Childcare Works, a government-supported initiative designed to help local authorities, schools, and early years providers deliver our childcare reforms, additionally provides one-to-one targeted support for local authorities who need it, alongside a wider package of support for all local authorities to support them to deliver the childcare expansion programme.
Whether her Department has provided guidance to local authorities on (a) forecasting and (b) meeting childcare demand in areas of rapid population growth.
It is the department’s ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change. The government is boosting availability and increasing access to childcare for families through the school-based nurseries programme, including school-led provision and private, voluntary and independent providers operating from school sites.The key measure of sufficiency is whether the supply of available places is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents and children. We have regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing. Where local authorities report sufficiency challenges, we discuss what action the local authority is taking and, where needed, support the local authority with any specific requirements through our childcare sufficiency support contract.Childcare Works, a government-supported initiative designed to help local authorities, schools, and early years providers deliver our childcare reforms, additionally provides one-to-one targeted support for local authorities who need it, alongside a wider package of support for all local authorities to support them to deliver the childcare expansion programme.
How many (a) births and (b) elective c-sections occurred in each NHS trust in England in 2024.
The National Health Service routinely publishes data on maternity activity for NHS hospitals, including data relating to the number of births, the method of onset of labour, delivery methods, and places of delivery. An annual publication for this data, covering the financial year ending March 2024, is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-maternity-statistics/2023-24A monthly breakdown of statistics is also available, at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/maternity-services-monthly-statistics/final-may-2025-provisional-june-2025-official-statistics
What assessment he has made of the potential merits of ensuring that the national review of Maternity Services (a) includes representations from (i) patients and (ii) campaign groups and (b) encourages their active involvement.
On 23 June, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced an independent investigation into National Health Service maternity and neonatal services to understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies, and families experience unacceptable care. He has held a series of meetings with harmed and bereaved families from across the country and has committed to ensuring that the voices of women and families are at the heart of improving standards.In addition, on 14 August, the appointment was announced of the Rt Hon. the Baroness Amos as chair of the independent maternity and neonatal investigation. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/baroness-amos-to-spearhead-maternity-and-neonatal-investigationThe Rt. Hon. the Baroness Amos was selected after feedback from bereaved families who expressed a preference for someone with distance from the NHS. Support will be given by a team of esteemed expert advisors, who will be selected following further engagement with families. The chair is working with families to finalise the terms of reference for the investigation, and these will be published shortly.The Government is also establishing a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and this is to be made up of a panel of experts and family, charity, and staff representatives.The taskforce will use the recommendations from the independent investigation to develop a national plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care. The taskforce will work closely with families in developing the action plan, ensuring their voices are central to this work.
What recent discussions she has with the Scottish and Welsh Assemblies on the potential merits of issuing an apology to people affected by the adoption of children of unmarried women between 1949-1976.
Departmental officials have had, and will continue to have, discussions with the Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly to understand and learn from their approaches. We are considering all aspects of this issue with the seriousness and sensitivity it deserves.
Which police forces provide a family liaison officer in cases of (a) murder, (b) fatal accident, (c) unexplained death and (d) suicide.
We recognise that the role of the FLO is an important one, especially when supporting families during difficult times.However, decisions to assign an FLO in specific cases are made by individual police forces, and such decisions would therefore be an operational matter.
What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) transparency, (b) impartiality and (c) equality of the public procurement process for government contracts.
The Government has recently implemented the Procurement Act 2023 which has introduced significantly enhanced transparency throughout the commercial lifecycle. Alongside this, a new Central Digital Platform has been rolled out and captures this data in the public domain- from publishing tender notices to contractual key performance indicators. Other measures introduced include requiring conflicts of interest assessments to ensure impartiality and equal treatment obligations that require suppliers participating in the procurement to be treated the same. A new Procurement Review Unit will additionally provide oversight for the regime and ensure it is functioning well. The Government is considering new legislation and has launched a consultation that is currently seeking views.