Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
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 South Cotswolds.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The specific data requested by the Hon Member is not centrally held, but she may find useful information on the prevalence and treatment of respiratory conditions in her local area at the Department’s Fingertips website, at the following link:
https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profiles
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 the respiratory syncytial virus, rather than the full range of respiratory conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The report is available on the GOV.UK website at the following link:
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, on what date the Government plans to expand permitted development rights for on-farm reservoirs.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government has committed to review evidence on the effectiveness of current permitted development rights for on-farm reservoirs.
We are working with farmers and industry representatives, including the National Farmers’ Union and Country Land and Business Association, to gather and assess evidence to that end. Any further announcements will be made in due course in the normal way.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether Gloucestershire will be able to (a) establish a foundation strategic authority and (b) access the £120 million incubator capital for areas moving towards devolution announced in the Autumn Budget 2026, before the planned vesting of a new unitary council in April 2029.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government wants to deliver devolution for all parts of England by the end of 2028 as quickly as possible, including Gloucestershire. In areas where there is not local consensus on the right devolution pathway, we are working with local leaders to reach this.
Incubator capital for the financial year 2027/28 is being held in reserve for areas like Gloucestershire, at the same per capita rate as areas with emerging Strategic Authorities, and will be allocated as and when agreement on devolution is reached.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department takes to ensure that, where the Child Maintenance Service upholds a complaint relating to poor communication or inaccurate recording of customer enquiries, (a) specific corrective actions are identified, (b) changes to procedures or staff training are implemented where appropriate, and (c) complainants are informed of the measures taken to prevent similar failures from recurring.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department is committed to providing a high-quality service and takes complaints seriously as an important source of customer feedback and organisational learning. The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) reviews upheld complaints to determine whether any corrective action is required and to ensure that individual issues are appropriately addressed. Complainants receive a full response explaining the outcome of their complaint and, where service failings are identified, an explanation of the action taken to remedy those failings, together with an apology and, where appropriate, a consolatory payment.
Learning from complaints, including findings from the Independent Case Examiner (ICE) and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), is used to inform improvements to guidance, processes, customer communications, and staff training. Complaint trends are monitored alongside wider assurance, customer insight, and performance data to identify opportunities for service improvement and support CMS's commitment to continuous improvement.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of planned increases in fuel duty in 2027 on (a) small and medium-sized road haulage businesses, (b) employment in the road transport sector and (c) consumer prices; and whether she has considered introducing an Essential User Rebate of 15 pence per litre for qualifying heavy goods vehicle, coach and essential van operators.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Government has taken action to support households and businesses with their fuel costs, in response to the conflict in the Middle East. At Budget, the Government announced it is extending the temporary 5p per litre (ppl) fuel duty cut for a further six months to 1 July 2027. The Government is also deferring the planned Retail Prices Index (RPI) increase to 1 July 2027.
Recognising the importance of the haulage sector, a12-month vehicle excise duty (VED) holiday for the majority of heavy goods vehicles is also in place. Eligible HGVs will pay just £1 when they licence between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027. For a typical 44-tonne 6-axle articulated lorry, this will save £600.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of (a) maintaining the existing five pence per litre reduction in fuel duty, (b) cancelling planned increases in fuel duty in 2027 and (c) removing the automatic uprating of fuel duty in line with the Retail Prices Index.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Government has taken action to support households and businesses with their fuel costs, in response to the conflict in the Middle East. At Budget, the Government announced it is extending the temporary 5p per litre (ppl) fuel duty cut for a further six months to 1 July 2027. The Government is also deferring the planned Retail Prices Index (RPI) increase to 1 July 2027.
Recognising the importance of the haulage sector, a12-month vehicle excise duty (VED) holiday for the majority of heavy goods vehicles is also in place. Eligible HGVs will pay just £1 when they licence between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027. For a typical 44-tonne 6-axle articulated lorry, this will save £600.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to restrict imports of Brazilian beef and encourage greater use of British-produced beef, particularly in public sector procurement.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is committed to upholding high sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) import standards to protect animal and public health, our farming sector and consumers. Brazilian beef and other products of animal origin authorised for import into Great Britain must continue to meet our strict animal health and food safety standards.
In 2025, the Government published a new national procurement policy statement which sets expectations for government contracts to favour products certified to high environmental standards that British producers are well-placed to meet.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that communities without elected mayors are included in plans for devolution.
Answered by Sally Jameson - Parliamentary Secretary and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has committed to delivering devolution across all of England by the end of 2028. At Budget we announced the biggest ever expansion of devolution, to cover 14.2 million more people, including across Wiltshire.
We are working with remaining areas to agree devolution as quickly as possible, including non-mayoral Foundation Strategic Authorities where there is no preference for a mayor.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Prime Minister’s oral contribution of the 28th October 2026, on what date the £15 million Water Management Grant for on-farm reservoirs will open for applications.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is finalising the details of the Water Management Grant. The launch date will be confirmed when the guidance is published. While a specific opening date has not yet been confirmed, the department can confirm that applications will open this autumn.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether Homes England’s consent is required before a registered provider can vary a grant-funded shared ownership lease in a designated rural area to remove a restriction on staircasing.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Existing guidance on the arrangements for grant-funded Shared Ownership homes in Designated Protected Areas (DPA), including the process for seeking a waiver of the relevant grant conditions, is available on gov.uk here. Under this process, an application must be submitted to Homes England by the relevant local authority.
I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 26 October 2026 (HCWS417).