Freddie van Mierlo MP: written questions
280 published records · newest first.
Written questions
General PractitionersDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61112More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the merits of reforming GP licensing; and whether he will make it his policy to protect GPs from unaffordable costs when a practice fails financially.
Answer: Most general practices (GPs) are run by general, unlimited liability partnerships. Limited liability partnerships are currently not permitted as business vehicles for General Medical Services or Personal Medical Services contractors. However, limited comp...
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordGeneral PractitionersDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60254More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of reforming GP licensing; and if he will develop plans to protect GPs from costs when practices fail financially.
Answer: We have committed to substantive GP contract reform within Parliament following acceptance of the 2025/26 contract by the England general practitioners committee of the British Medical Association. As part of this, we expect to consider a breadth of topic...
Answered 19 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRoyal Berkshire Hospital: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60238More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what criteria his Department has used to determine the allocation of repair funds to the Royal Berkshire Hospital.
Answer: The £750 million Estates Safety Fund is part of the overall 2025/26 capital allocation announced by the Chancellor at the Autumn Budget 2024.The £750 million was divided between integrated care systems (ICSs) through indicative funding allocations as part...
Answered 20 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMembers: CorrespondenceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 16 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 60237More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of 14 May 2025 from the hon. Member for Henley and Thame on Bullitt Group UK.
Answer: The Secretary of State has responded to the Member’s earlier letter.
Answered 24 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordPhysiotherapy: Cost EffectivenessDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 12 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59636More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that private providers of physiotherapy services to the NHS (a) provide value for money and (b) do not operate with excessive profit margins.
Answer: Throughout its history, the National Health Service has always worked with non-NHS healthcare providers to deliver essential services to patients, especially at times of operational pressures. The overall proportion of health spending on independent secto...
Answered 18 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordExtended Services: DiabetesDepartment for EducationTabled 12 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59635More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that children with (a) diabetes and (b) other medical needs are able to access wraparound care provided by (i) breakfast, (ii) after school and (iii) holiday clubs.
Answer: All children and families should be able to access the benefits of wraparound care around the school day and term time. This is why the department is investing in new free universal breakfast clubs and new and expanded before and after school places throu...
Answered 23 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordCommunity AssetsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59266More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to (a) review and (b) strengthen the provisions of the Localism Act 2011 relating to the community right to bid; and if she will make an assessment o
Answer: As part of the English Devolution Bill, the government has committed to legislate for a strong new ‘right to buy’ for valued community assets, replacing the current ‘right to bid’ that was introduced in the Localism Act 2011. This will give real power to ...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordCommunity Assets: PlanningMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 11 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59265More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to take steps to improve protections for (a) pubs and (b) other community assets against (i) long-term commercial vacancy and (ii) speculative planni
Answer: Through the forthcoming English Devolution Bill, we will introduce a ‘right to buy’ for valued community assets, such as pubs and other spaces. This will give communities stronger powers to secure these assets if they go up for sale.Long-term vacant pubs ...
Answered 17 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordLGBT Financial Recognition SchemeMinistry of DefenceTabled 11 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 59264More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme.
Answer: As of 9 June 2025, the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) had distributed £2.2 million in payments, prioritising elderly applicants and those with serious health conditions to ensure timely support for those most in need. The first payments were issu...
Answered 16 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMembers: CorrespondenceDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 10 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58890More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Henley and Thame of 13 March 2025 on the honours list.
Answer: A response was sent to the hon. Member for Henley and Thame on Monday 9th June 2025. I apologise for the delay.
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordActive Travel England: Compulsory PurchaseDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58885More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance Active Travel England have issued on the use of compulsory purchase order powers for active travel routes.
Answer: To date Active Travel England has not issued any guidance on the use of compulsory purchase order powers. A range of approaches to establishing rural active travel routes will be set out in guidance due to be published later this year, including case stud...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordComputer Games: RegulationDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 10 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58884More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions he has had with Ofcom on the regulation of gaming companies under the Online Safety Act 2023.
Answer: The Government engages regularly with Ofcom to discuss implementation of the Online Safety Act.Game services are in scope of the Online Safety Act if they allow users to post content online or to interact with each other. The Act requires all user-to-user...
Answered 18 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRiver Thames: BoatsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58883More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take to ensure the (a) safe and (b) smooth passage of vessels along the Thames during (i) Henley Royal Regatta week and (ii) other events which attract internati
Answer: As the navigation authority for the non-tidal River Thames, the Environment Agency (EA) plays a key role in supporting the safe and successful delivery of over 200 river-based events each year. These events contribute significantly to the cultural heritag...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRowing: SafetyDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 10 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 58878More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with British Rowing on ensuring the safety of British athletes.
Answer: The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport is absolutely paramount. National Governing Bodies (NGBs) are responsible for the regulation of their sports and for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants...
Answered 13 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordActive Travel: ConstructionDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57535More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the document entitled Guidance to support local authorities in the design and delivery of active travel routes will be published; and whether this guidance will include the use of Compulsory Purchase Order
Answer: ATE is developing specific guidance for good practice application in rural areas and expects to publish this later this year. Officers in ATE are currently seeking the input of stakeholders on the document, and the current draft includes case studies on t...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordActive Travel: ConstructionDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57534More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2024 to Questions 51723 and 51724 on Active Travel: Construction, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of using compulsory purchase orders to progress active trave
Answer: The Department currently has no plans to make an assessment of the effectiveness of compulsory purchase order powers in progressing active travel schemes or produce a centralised record of their use by local authorities. Compulsory purchase for active tra...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordChildren: InternetDepartment for EducationTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57533More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure children are educated about online safety in PSHE lessons.
Answer: As part of statutory relationships and health education in primary schools and relationships, sex and health education in secondary schools, pupils are taught about online safety and harms. This includes being taught about the implications of sharing priv...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordBlood tests: ChildrenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57532More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) funding and (b) the availability of trained staff for GP practices to perform blood tests for children.
Answer: Overall, ensuring adequate general practice (GP) provision is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs).GPs are independent businesses, providing primary care services, based on a National Health Service GP Contract, to their local populatio...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordBlood tests: ChildrenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 57531More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of phlebotomy services to perform blood tests for children in (a) Oxfordshire and (b) nationally.
Answer: The Government is committed to putting patients first. This means making sure that patients are seen on time and ensuring that patients have the best possible experience during their care.Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) offer local populations a wide ...
Answered 27 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordChilternsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56639More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2025 to Question 51082 on National Landscapes: Chilterns, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing changes to the budget of
Answer: For year 2025/26 the direct funding for National Landscape designation work was not continued. Natural England is using baseline budget to fund a reduced programme of landscape designation work. Decisions on future funding for Natural England will be made...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordMembers: CorrespondenceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56638More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Henley and Thame dated 7 May 2025 on lock keepers' safety concerns.
Answer: A reply to the hon. Member is being prepared and will be issued as soon as possible.
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHormone Replacement TherapyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56636More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on encouraging manufacturers to apply for UK licenses for Hormone Replacement Therapy implants.
Answer: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Department have kept ministers informed of the ongoing issues in the manufacturing of unlicenced products used as medicines for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) implants. Regular di...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHormone Replacement TherapyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56635More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to encourage Hormone Replacement Therapy implant manufacturers to apply for UK licenses.
Answer: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Department have kept ministers informed of the ongoing issues in the manufacturing of unlicenced products used as medicines for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) implants.Regular discu...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordHormone Replacement TherapyDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56634More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure access to licenced Hormone Replacement Therapy implants for women.
Answer: There are currently no licensed United Kingdom suppliers of oestrogen and testosterone hormone replacement therapy (HRT) implants in the UK, and companies are free to decide what they market.The Department is working closely with the Medicines and Healthc...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordProbateMinistry of JusticeTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 55807More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the service provided by the (a) probate service and (b) probate service contractors.
Answer: Official statistics published by the Ministry of Justice show that despite continued high levels of receipts, the effectiveness of the service being provided continues to improve. Average waiting times are reducing and was 6 weeks, from receipt of the doc...
Answered 4 Jun 2025
Original Parliament record
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