Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the condition of the river Wye in Norfolk.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) has no record of a River Wye in Norfolk. The Environment Agency works closely with partners to improve the rivers and lakes of Norfolk. The data and evidence from EA monitoring regimes play a vital role in informing these actions, focussing on the most important issues in those areas with most need.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to introduce new measures to help reduce the level of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in (a) agriculture, (b) waterways and (c) the environment.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is taking steps to assess and reduce levels of PFAS occurring in the environment.
Wastewater treatment practices have changed in recent years and new risks may be emerging from the spread of treated sewage sludge to agricultural land. To mitigate these risks, the Government has been working with water companies on the Chemical Investigations Programme1 to improve the evidence base on the presence of certain chemicals, including some PFAS, that are not captured and eliminated by the current sewage treatment process.
The Chemical Investigations Programme phase 4 will include an investigation on the impact of spreading sludge to soil, surface and groundwater. The results of this investigation will help to inform future policy.
The Government has also been working with the Environment Agency to assess the regulatory framework for spreading sludge. We recognise that effective and proportionate regulations are an essential tool to improve the water environment
The Environmental Permitting Regulations limit PFAS being discharged to the water environment. Controlling PFAS at source is our preferred measure to reduce the chemicals ever entering the water system, rather than end-of-pipe solutions.
Firefighting foams have been identified as a major source of PFAS to the environment. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are due to publish their dossier investigating whether to restrict the use, manufacture and sale of PFAS in firefighting foams soon, for a 6-month consultation. This dossier has included extensive analysis of risks and hazards of PFAS that are relevant to other uses and sets a firm foundation for further investigation of PFAS risks in Great Britain.
The Government has also completed a rapid review of the Environment Improvement Plan (EIP) 2023 and will introduce a revised EIP in 2025. The revised EIP will include the Governments approach to managing chemicals, including the risks posed by PFAS.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of banning per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances where alternatives are available.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has already prohibited three key PFAS through our domestic legislation on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), which implements the UN Stockholm Convention on POPs.
Defra, Scottish and Welsh Ministers agreed that understanding the risks posed by PFAS was a top priority for the UK REACH Agency (HSE) under the first UK REACH Work Programme, 2021-22. Defra asked the EA and HSE to examine the risks posed by PFAS and develop a 'Regulatory Management Options Analysis' (RMOA), to assess uses, exposure routes, and risk management actions specific to Great Britain in an evidence-based and proportionate way.
This RMOA was published in April 2023 and recommended work under UK REACH to reduce PFAS emissions by developing UK REACH restrictions. Following this, we have started work on a UK REACH dossier investigating whether to restrict the use of PFAS in firefighting foams, and we are exploring further measures relating to PFAS. The UK REACH restriction dossier on PFAS in fire-fighting foams is due to be published for consultation soon. As part of this, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as the Agency for UK REACH conducted a detailed analysis of PFAS alternatives.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what data his Department holds on levels on lead in tap water exceeding safe limits in (a) England, (b) Norfolk and (c) South West Norfolk constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) holds data on lead in drinking water based on compliance samples taken by water companies. These tests assess whether lead levels meet the regulatory standard of 10 micrograms per litre under the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016.
Where a sample exceeds this limit, it is recorded as a failure and triggers an investigation. Each failure is followed up to a satisfactory resolution. Most failures are linked to lead pipework, often in the final sections of pipework in private ownership. In such cases, customers may need to replace their section of pipe, with support from the water company. In the meantime, companies mitigate risk by adding orthophosphate to reduce lead solubility.
To support long-term improvements, companies are delivering lead reduction strategies under the current Asset Management Period (AMP8), which began in 2024. Anglian Water, which supplies South West Norfolk, reported 16 exceedances across its entire supply area - serving 5 million consumers - over the past five years. Its AMP8 lead strategy is being closely monitored.
National compliance with the lead standard was 99.60% in 2020–2022. More detail is available in DWI’s triennial report.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) protect the health and (b) promote (i) research, (ii) regulation and (iii) public awareness of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Following the publication of a Regulatory Management Options Analysis (RMOA) on PFAS in April 2023, my department asked the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) to investigate whether to restrict PFAS in firefighting foams under the UK REACH (Restriction, Evaluation, Authorisation & Restriction of Chemicals) regime. HSE’s restriction dossier is due to be published for consultation in Spring 2025. Alongside this, my department is also considering further measures on PFAS.
This includes working across government to help us assess levels of PFAS occurring in the environment, their sources and potential risks to inform policy and regulatory approaches.
The Government recently completed a rapid review of the Environment Improvement Plan (EIP) 2023 and will introduce a revised EIP in 2025. The revised EIP will include the Governments approach to managing chemicals, including the risks posed by PFAS.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to monitor levels of perfluoroalkyl substances in tap water.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) has provided guidance on PFAS to water companies since 2007. In 2021 a guideline value of 0.1 micrograms per litre (µg/L) was adopted for drinking water which, since August 2024 when DWI’s guidance was updated. Companies are required to monitor for 48 individual PFAS in their supplies. These were agreed with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to be robust levels with an appropriate margin to ensure our drinking water is safe to drink. Concentrations of ‘sum of 48 PFAS’ greater than 0.1 micrograms must be reported to the DWI as a water quality event and all necessary actions to reduce concentrations below this value must be taken. There is no evidence of PFAS concentrations above this value in drinking water supplies.
The DWI continue to monitor publications and advice provided by the World Health Organization and the UK’s Committee on Toxicity in relation to PFAS. It will continue to act accordingly based on the scientific evidence as it emerges, to safeguard public health from the risks from PFAS in drinking water. Work continues across government to assess levels of PFAS to safeguard current high drinking water quality and to ensure our regulations remain fit for purpose.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what measures will be included in the 10 Year Health Plan to improve palliative and end of life care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life. The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and families receive the care they need when and where they need it, including those who need palliative and end of life care.
As part of the work to develop a 10-Year Health Plan, we have been carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including the hospice sector.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many people have received funding from the Disabled Facilities Grant in (a) South West Norfolk constituency, (b) Norfolk and (c) East Anglia in each of the last 14 years.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Disabled Facilities Grant allocation to South West Norfolk constituency, Norfolk and East Anglia for the last ten years is shown below. This information is not available prior to 2015-16:
Year | Kings Lynn and West Norfolk | Norfolk County Council | East Anglia (Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough) |
2015-16 | £759,000 | £3,753,000 | £9,210,000 |
2016-17 | £1,248,225 | £6,367,664 | £16,194,692 |
2017-18 | £1,352,170 | £6,923,659 | £17,680,001 |
2018-19 | £1,456,115 | £7,479,654 | £19,165,308 |
2019-20 | £1,571,235 | £8,070,995 | £20,680,514 |
2020-21 | £1,782,807 | £9,157,782 | £23,465,217 |
2021-22 | £1,782,807 | £9,157,782 | £23,465,217 |
2022-23 | £1,782,807 | £9,157,782 | £23,465,217 |
2023-24 | £1,938,375 | £9,956,890 | £25,512,792 |
2024-25 | £2,212,175 | £11,363,321 | £29,116,526 |
This information is also available through the website of Foundations, the National Body for DFGs and Home Improvement Agencies here: Disabled Facilities Grant Annual Allocations.
It is for local authorities to decide how to spend their allocation and deliver adaptations to eligible disabled and older people. Government does not hold data on how many people have received Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) funding.
This Government recognises how important home adaptations are in enabling disabled people to live as independently as possible in a safe and suitable environment. This is why government awarded an £86 million in-year uplift to the DFG for 2024-25, bringing the total funding for 2024-25 to £711 million. The Government has also confirmed £711 million for the DFG for 2025-26.
We are also reviewing the allocations formula for the DFG to ensure the funding is aligned with local needs and will consult on a new approach during 2025. Any changes in policy that require additional funding would be subject to the Spending Review.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of freezing Local Housing Allowance on future levels of homelessness.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The causes of homelessness are multi-faceted and often complex; they interact dynamically making it very difficult to isolate the relative importance of individual factors. We work closely with other departments, including MHCLG, to ensure the impacts of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) on homelessness are considered.
This included consideration in last year’s Autumn Budget not to increase LHA rates for 2025/26. Rental data, the impacts of LHA rates, rate increases in April 2024, and the wider fiscal context were all considered. The April 2024 one-year LHA increase cost an additional £1.2bn in 2024/25 and approximately £7bn over 5 years.
We continue to work across Government on the development of the Homelessness and Rough-sleeping strategy. Any future decisions on LHA policy will be taken in the context of the Government’s missions, goals on housing and the fiscal context.
For those who need further support, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities. DHPs can be paid to those entitled to Housing Benefit or Universal Credit who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she made of the potential implications for her policies of the report by the Financial Regulators Complaints Commissioner on the Financial Conduct Authority's handling of Safe Hands Plans Limited, published on 11 March 2025.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
I am sympathetic to all the Safe Hands customers who have lost money, following the collapse of the firm in 2022.
Once concerns were raised about the funeral plan market, in 2021 the Government legislated to bring all pre-paid funeral plan providers and intermediaries within the regulatory remit of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This made it illegal to sell pre-paid funeral plans without authorisation from the Financial Conduct Authority, protecting 1.6 million customers and their families.
The FCA has published its response to the Financial Regulator Complaints Commissioner. The FCA has been clear that it is not possible to immediately act on every piece of anonymous intelligence they receive and Safe Hands failed to meet the threshold for authorisation due to underlying issues with their business model.
We support the FCA's handling of Safe Hands, and it is clear that they acted reasonably in this case, as they had a clear plan to properly scrutinise Safe Hands’ business during the authorisations process. As the Commissioner acknowledges, there is also no evidence that alternative action from the FCA would have led to different outcomes for Safe Hands customers.