Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects to launch the consultation on reservoir safety reform.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is reviewing the public consultation on reservoir safety reform. Many of the recommendations from the Independent Reservoir Safety Report have already been implemented – detail can be found at Reservoir Safety Reforms | Reservoir Safety Reform Programme | Engage Environment Agency.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to amend (a) environmental permitting and (b) waste licensing requirements to facilitate the reuse of treated wastewater for non-potable industrial uses.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is exploring opportunities for businesses to use treated wastewater instead of drinking water or water taken from the environment. The Environment Agency supports innovation and wastewater treatment approaches where there is sufficient evidence, regulatory assurance, and protection of people and the environment.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the potential contribution Sustainable Drainage Systems towards drought resilience and levels of demand on public water supplies over the next 25 years.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) in improving drought resilience and reducing demand on water supply. The National Planning Policy Framework requires SuDS in all new development, designed and maintained to the National Standards.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in what ways citizen science water quality monitoring groups will be involved in the development of regional water resources plans where they are not represented on Regional Water Planning Steering Groups.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are investing in citizen science to improve environmental understanding and generate high-quality evidence to solve water system problems. Government has doubled support to catchment partnerships and funded Water Environment Improvement Fund projects which support development of citizen science. Catchment Partnerships will ensure regional plans are grounded in local knowledge.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what principles will guide decisions on water allocation where the water requirements of major infrastructure projects may potentially conflict with environmental flow requirements for protected habitats and chalk streams.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should protect and enhance valued landscapes and sites of biodiversity, which includes Chalk Streams. We have also set out more clearly expectations for development proposals to assess and mitigate adverse impacts to water quality on these sensitive waterbodies.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when newborn screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy will be available to families in Oxfordshire.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the announcement made on the evaluation of newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy by the Department on 16 July, which is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/every-baby-in-england-to-get-life-saving-genetic-test-from-birth
In addition, the newborn heel prick test is routinely carried out by health visitors or community midwives on day five after birth.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a policy requiring drivers to report collisions with cats.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
I recognise how distressing it must be for pet owners to lose cats in road collisions, especially when they are unable to find out what has happened.
Although there is no obligation to report all animal deaths on roads, drivers should, if possible, make enquiries to ascertain the owner of domestic animals, such as cats, and advise them of the situation.
However, there are no plans to introduce a legal duty for drivers to report collisions with cats.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will direct NHS England and the UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) to permit NHS Trusts to appoint provisionally registered doctors who are currently without an NHS Foundation Year doctor post to any such posts that become available after the closure of the allocation process by UKFPO.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The information requested for Question 29058 is not held centrally in the format requested.
Recruitment to the 2026 UK Foundation Programme has now concluded. Total numbers of Foundation Programme places in the United Kingdom are agreed through a four-nation workforce planning process and take into account the fact that a proportion of applicants withdraw from the Foundation Programme each year. The Government therefore has no plans to backfill any vacant posts that may arise for 2026.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many foundation year doctor posts were unavailable to newly appointed foundation doctors this year because they were occupied by doctors granted extensions to complete training competencies; and how many such posts are scheduled to become vacant from 1 December 2026.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The information requested for Question 29058 is not held centrally in the format requested.
Recruitment to the 2026 UK Foundation Programme has now concluded. Total numbers of Foundation Programme places in the United Kingdom are agreed through a four-nation workforce planning process and take into account the fact that a proportion of applicants withdraw from the Foundation Programme each year. The Government therefore has no plans to backfill any vacant posts that may arise for 2026.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that park home residents are consulted during the consideration of potential change to the 10% commission payable to site owners on sale of a park home.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 10581 on 25 June 2026.