Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer on 19th May 2026 to question 1352, when her Department plans to complete its review on the inclusion of Battery Energy Storage Solutions within the Environmental Permitting Regulations; and when any resulting regulatory changes will come into force.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is continuing policy work on including Battery Energy Storage Systems as an activity under the Environmental Permitting Regulations. Officials are engaging with key stakeholders from industry and wider government as part of the policy process.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will approve funding for the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement programme.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We recognise the strategic importance of the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement programme and the significant benefits it could deliver for passengers, freight and economic growth.
We will actively consider this scheme as further funding opportunities become available.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of arrangements for verifying the disciplinary and safeguarding records of applicants for employment in adult social care settings.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 23 October in response to Question 31174.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to her Department's report entitled Government response to the CMA heating oil market study, published on 13 October 2026, when she expects each of the accepted recommendations to be implemented.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government published its formal response to the CMA heating oil report on 13 October, and is taking forward proposals to regulate the heating oil sector for the first time, making sure households who use heating oil are treated fairly.
Getting this approach right will take time, to ensure the best outcomes for consumers. In the meantime, we will take practical steps to strengthen consumer protections without delay. Working across government, Ofgem and with industry and consumer groups, we will seek improvements to existing codes of practice, promote access to existing appropriate dispute resolution mechanisms, and increase consumer awareness of available support.
The full response can be found here: Government response to the CMA heating oil market study - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve the resilience of soil affected roads.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department is aware of the challenges associated with soil affected roads. Under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, the statutory responsibility for maintaining the public highway rests with local highway authorities, who are best placed to make decisions based on their local knowledge and circumstances.
To support local highway authorities in the maintenance of their highway networks, the Government has confirmed a record investment of £7.3 billion for local highway maintenance over the next four years.
In addition, the Department has recently undertaken a comprehensive review of the Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure Code of Practice, a guidance document for local highways authorities. The updated code has strengthened guidance on resilience, climate adaptation and risk-based asset management.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has assessed the potential merits of amending the General Medical Services contract to include the completion of DVLA medical assessment forms as a commissioned service within core GP contract arrangements.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We have previously considered including the completion of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) medical assessment forms within the core GP Contract, however as this was considered non-clinical work, this was not added to the contract. Instead, the DVLA is responsible for arranging and paying for the completion of DVLA medical assessment forms in line with the terms of their agreement with the British Medical Association regarding fees for the completion of these forms.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding her Department plans to provide for NHS dentistry in each of the next three financial years.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Funding for National Health Service dentistry in 2027/28 will be considered as part of the forthcoming NHS planning process. Future funding decisions are subject to the usual Spending Review and wider fiscal processes.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate her Department has made of the (a) prevalence of respiratory disease and (b) number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The specific data requested by the Hon Members is not centrally held. They may find useful information on the prevalence and treatment of respiratory conditions in their local areas at the Department’s Fingertips website, at the following link:
https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profiles
In addition, the National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report, published by the UK Health Security Agency, provides weekly surveillance of respiratory virus activity in England, including hospital admission rates specifically for influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus. This is available at the following link:
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether he will make representations to Royal Mail on the suspension of postal deliveries to residents in Upware during the recent road closure; and what assessment he has made of the impact of the decision not to deliver mail on residents and businesses in Upware.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
As Royal Mail is an independent business, the government is not involved in its operational decisions nor in resolving complaints about local service issues.
Ofcom, as the independent regulator for postal services, has established circumstances in which exceptions to Royal Mail's universal service delivery obligations may apply, including where there are difficulties of access. Decisions concerning individual delivery exceptions are operational matters for Royal Mail, subject to Ofcom's regulatory framework.
The government expects that disruptions to local postal services are avoided where possible.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she expects the review of the local government reorganisation programme announced on 7 September 2026 to conclude; how local communities and Councils will be able to engage; and when affected local authorities will receive a decision on the future of their reorganisation proposals.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We have committed to update Parliament on the review of the Local Government Reorganisation programme when Parliament returns in October. We recognise the need for clarity and will set out next steps as soon as possible.