theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of restrictions on television and online advertising of products high in fat, salt and sugar on levels of marketing through outdoor and brand-based advertising; and if he will consider extending restrictions to cover such advertising. \p Ashley Dalton: As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan for England, we will take decisive action on the obesity crisis to ease the strain on our National Health Service and create the healthiest generation of children ever. We are already delivering the biggest public health reforms in a generation, including implementing restrictions on the advertising of less healthy food and drink before 9:00pm on television and at all times online from 5 January 2026.

Last year, the Government published the revised National Planning Policy Framework for local government, giving local authorities stronger, clearer powers to block new fast-food outlets near schools and where young people congregate. This will stop the relentless targeting of children and young people by the fast-food industry.

We also welcome the work by the metropolitan mayors to support the action to ban junk food marketing across public transport networks and public spaces that are controlled locally.

An impact assessment on the advertising restrictions was published on the GOV.UK website, which considered the impact of the restrictions on brand advertising and alternative media, including outdoor advertising, from the perspective of actions that advertisers of products that are high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS) may take to mitigate the loss of revenue from the restrictions on television and online. The impact assessment made an assumption that approximately £14 million of lost revenue may be mitigated if HFSS advertisers took these actions.

We continue to review evidence of the impacts on children of advertising for less healthy food and drink products and will consider if and where further action is needed.
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Paula Barker:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what national guidance is in place for cases of aspirin-allergic women at high risk of placental complications. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England’s guidance states that there are a few absolute contraindications, that being, conditions that mean a certain treatment should not be used, to aspirin therapy. Pregnant women with a history of aspirin allergy, for example urticaria, or hypersensitivity to other salicylates are at risk of anaphylaxis and should not receive aspirin. Clinicians should undertake a personalised risk assessment and agree appropriate care and surveillance of maternal and foetal health in line with national guidance, local protocols, and the woman’s circumstances. NHS England’s guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/saving-babies-lives-version-3-2/#appendix-b-medication-to-reduce-the-risk-of-pregnancy-complications:~:text=There%20are%20a%20few,case%2Dby%2Dcase%20basis
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Mary Glindon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of scientific evidence on vape flavours as a smoking cessation aid. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Mary Glindon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he has made an assessment on the potential impact of vape flavour restrictions in (a) Canada, (b) Australia and (c) Netherlands on smoking cessation in the context of the proposed regulation of vape flavours in the United Kingdom. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Mary Glindon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve accessibility to (a) education and (b) healthcare for people with progressive neurological conditions such as Friedreich’s Ataxia. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Mary Glindon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of flavoured vapes on tobacco smoking cessation. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether Oldham, Chadderton and Royton are being considered for additional funding for proposed new Neighbourhood Health Centres. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Ian Sollom:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps is his Department taking to increase the NICE cost-effectiveness thresholds for new medicines and increase the value that the UK places on medicines. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The pharmaceutical sector and the innovative medicines it produces are critical to our national interest, helping people access life changing treatments, reducing pressure on the health service over the longer-term, and ensuring we have a National Health Service that is fit for the future.

Tens of thousands of NHS patients will benefit from a landmark trade deal between the United Kingdom and the United States, which will secure and expand access to vital drugs, safeguard our medicines supply chain, and drive crucial investment while supporting UK patients and industries. This agreement will increase the amount which the United Kingdom pays for life-changing medicines by 25%, ensuring faster patient access for vital medicines for cancer, rare diseases, and other conditions.

A 25% increase in medicine pricing corresponds to two changes to the way the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence evaluates medicines, specifically a change to the standard cost effectiveness threshold and the introduction of a new value set for judging health states.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to answer Question 90914 on NHS: Software. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 2 December 2025 to Question 90914.
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Darren Paffey:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that patients with the rare genetic form of Motor Neurone Disease within Hampshire have timely access to Tofersen; and what assessment he has made of regional disparities that prevent this being available across the NHS. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing authoritative, evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance.

NICE has selected tofersen for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis caused by SOD1 gene mutations as a topic for guidance development through its Highly Specialised Technology (HST) programme. The HST programme appraises medicines for the treatment of very rare, and often very severe diseases and evaluates whether they can be considered a clinically and cost-effective use of NHS resources. NICE is working with the company to confirm timelines for this evaluation. If NICE is able to recommend tofersen in draft guidance, NHS England is committed to exploring an interim funding agreement with Biogen to use the Innovative Medicines Fund to expedite NHS commissioning of the treatment as soon as a positive recommendation is made by NICE.

No assessment has been made of the extent of regional inequities in the provision of early access programmes for innovative treatments and people living with SOD1 motor neurone disease. Participation in company-led early access schemes is decided at an individual NHS trust level, and under these programmes, the cost of the drug is free to both the patients taking part in it, and to the NHS, although NHS trusts must still cover administration costs and provide clinical resources to deliver the EAP. NHS England has published guidance for integrated care systems (ICS) on free of charge medicines schemes, providing advice on potential financial, resourcing, and clinical risks. ICSs should use the guidance to help determine whether to implement any free of charge scheme including assessing suitability and any risks in the short, medium, and long term. The guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/free-of-charge-foc-medicines-schemes-national-policy-recommendations-for-local-systems/
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Rebecca Paul:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the requirement to obtain a medical exemption certificate before being eligible to claim free prescriptions on people with chronic illnesses. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Department has made no assessment.

The exemption certificate provides the patient with evidence to demonstrate to dispensers that they are entitled to have the National Health Service cover the cost of their prescriptions. The exemption certificate requirement also allows for the verification of claims for exemption, and for fraud to be identified and pursued.

It is straightforward to apply for a medical exemption certificate; the patient should ask their doctor for form FP92A. The form includes guidance on how to complete it and who can authorise it. A healthcare professional (HCP), e.g. a hospital doctor or general practitioner (GP), or at the GP’s discretion a member of the GP’s practice who can access medical records, must authorise the application to confirm the patient has the qualifying condition. If a patient is unable to complete the form themselves then a relative or HCP can complete it on their behalf and insert their name in the signature box.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that the views of (a) patients and (b) the public continue to be heard when the responsibilities of Healthwatch are moved to Integrated Care Boards. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Department has accepted the recommendation of the Dash review of patient safety across the health and care landscape, to abolish Local Healthwatch.

In future, integrated care boards will be responsible for seeking patient, user and wider community input for health along with their existing duties of patient involvement, and local authorities for social care, where it can feed directly into overall strategic planning and be more closely aligned with the commissioning and provision of care.

The Dash review recommends that the strategic functions of Healthwatch England are transferred into a new patient experience directorate of the Department.

The abolition of Healthwatch England and the transfer of its functions and the changes to Local Healthwatch will require primary legislation. Timing of this is subject to the will of parliament and will happen when parliamentary time allows.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps to digitise communications with NHS patients; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on vulnerable people in South Suffolk constituency who previously received communications by letter. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The Department is taking steps to digitise communications with National Health Service patients through the NHS App. The app already allows patients to book, move and cancel their appointments, and communicate with their health team, as well as order repeat prescriptions.

Digital health tools should be part of a wider offering that includes face-to-face support with appropriate help for people who struggle to access digital services. Digital inclusion is a key priority for the NHS as it will support the shift from ‘analogue to digital’. It is one of the five national NHS England Health Inequalities Strategic Priorities, and they published a Digital Healthcare Framework which has guided the Integrated Care Board’s approach.

The NHS Digital Inclusion Framework ensures that considerations are made across all populations, including people who are vulnerable. Integrated care boards are responsible for local impact assessments, including engaging with affected populations, and ensuring no one is disadvantaged by digitisation plans. No assessment will be made on the impact of this on the population in South Suffolk by the Department.
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Mark Sewards:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his department is taking to improve (i) support, and (ii) access to treatments, for people with (a) Multiple System Atrophy, and (b) Parkinson’s. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: At the national level, there are several initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with Parkinson’s and Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), including the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit and the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology. NHS England has also established a Neurology Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically led programme, which has developed a new model of integrated care for neurology services, to support integrated care boards to deliver the right service, at the right time for all neurology patients, including those with Parkinson’s and MSA. NICE has also published guidelines on Parkinson’s disease, namely NG71, covering the diagnosis and management in people aged 18 years old and over.

Under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is working to improve access to specialist care, treatments, and drugs across all rare conditions such as MSA. In February 2025, we published the fourth England action plan reporting on progress.
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Dr Danny Chambers:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to reform the compensation formula for maternity negligence compensation. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than doubled in the last 10 years and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NHS finances.

As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC is providing expert policy advice on the rising legal costs of clinical negligence and how we can improve patients’ experience of claims. The review is ongoing, following initial advice to ministers and the recent National Audit Office’s report.

The results of David Lock’s work will inform future policy making in this area. No decisions on policy have been taken at this point, and the Government will provide an update on the work done and next steps, in due course.
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Sir Mark Hendrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that access to information about the contribution of good eye care is readily available. \p Stephen Kinnock: The NHS.UK website sets out the importance of regular sight tests whilst also providing information about entitlement to free National Health Service sight tests. The Department also looks for opportunities to promote the importance of NHS sight tests, such as through National Eye Health Week.
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Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding per capita her Department provided for NHS dentistry in the 2025-26 financial year. \p Stephen Kinnock: NHS England is responsible for determining allocations of financial resources to integrated care boards. The dental ringfenced budget is set net of patient charge revenue. It is the total spend for dental, with less expected revenue from patients, and includes primary, secondary, and community dentistry.

In 2024/25, the National Health Service dental ringfenced budget was £3.97 billion, and the population of England was assumed to be 62.1 million as per published NHS Technical Guidance. Therefore, the spend per capita was £63.93.

In 2025/26, the NHS dental ringfenced budget increased to £4.13 billion. The population of England is assumed to be 63.8 million, as per published NHS Technical Guidance. Therefore, the spend per capita is £64.78.
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Sir Mark Hendrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what provisions he is making in the National Health Service to ensure that patients with long term eye conditions receive adequate practical and emotional support. \p Stephen Kinnock: We recognise the importance of practical and emotional support for people living with long term eye conditions. Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are responsible for assessing individuals’ care and support needs and, where eligible, for meeting those needs. This includes the legal duty for local authorities to support people with sight loss.

NHS England has published a patient support toolkit for eye care commissioners and providers which aims to ensure that patients with ophthalmic conditions are supported throughout their care journey. It sets out that whilst receiving care provided by the hospital, patients need information and support through diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment. Individuals can also refer themselves into talking therapies, which are widely available.

We are also taking steps to revise the certificate of visual impairment to improve signposting to local support for newly certified patients with a sight impairment or severe sight impairment.
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Zarah Sultana:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board’s decision to end the Minor Eye Care Service and Community Urgent Eyecare Service on (a) hospital ophthalmology waiting times, (b) the ability of GPs and pharmacists to manage urgent eye conditions and (c) patient outcomes, including the risk of avoidable sight loss. \p Stephen Kinnock: Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning decisions and for ensuring that those decisions are supported by a clear evidence base, appropriate engagement, and the necessary impact assessments.
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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the impact of payment structures under the extended producer responsibility scheme on the cash flow of small producers. \p Chris Bryant: The Secretary of State for Business and Trade continues to have regular discussions with all Cabinet colleagues, including the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps she has taken to help end discrimination against disabled people. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Daisy Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing assistance for costs to unemployed jobseekers for travelling to in-person interviews for temporary jobs on minimum pay. \p Alison McGovern: Our new Get Britain Working plan is designed to reform employment support and create a new jobs and careers service to help people into work. We know that travel costs can be a barrier to work for unemployed customers. Currently the Flexible Support Fund is a discretionary non-recoverable fund, that work coaches can use to remove barriers to work for eligible Universal Credit customers, such as assistance with travel costs.

Furthermore, the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card is available to eligible customers to offer reduced rail fares supporting them into employment. The main aim of this support is to improve customers’ job and earnings progression prospects and can include travel to interviews.
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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate she has made of the cost to the economy of economic inactivity due to myalgic encephalomyelitis. \p Alison McGovern: The Department has not made an estimate of the cost to the economy of economic inactivity due to myalgic encephalomyelitis.

The Department is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including myalgic encephalomyelitis, with their employment journey.

As part of our Get Britain Working plan, more disabled people and people with health conditions will be supported to enter and stay in work. We will devolve power to local areas to shape a joined-up work, health, and skills offer meeting the needs of the people they serve.
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Graeme Downie:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when her Department last reviewed its policy on supporting its employees that are kinship carers. \p Andrew Western: DWP reviews the support it gives to carers in its workforce, including kinship carers, on an ongoing basis across a range of relevant HR policies. DWP last reviewed its policy on supporting its employees that are kinship carers, specifically in respect of time off work, in March 2024.
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Graeme Downie:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department provides to its employees that are kinship carers. \p Andrew Western: The potential support the Department for Work and Pensions provides to its employees that are kinship carers are, according to each person’s needs, a combination of flexi hours, flexible working patterns, special leave, adjusted duties and a carers’ passport to ensure that effective support can be transported when employees change jobs within DWP. Our employee assistance programme also offers wider support, which includes employee counselling, critical incident and bereavement support and legal/finance advice and signposting.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her Department's target response time is for correspondence from Rt hon. and hon. Members. \p Andrew Western: The Department for Work and Pensions follows the Cabinet Office Guide to Handling Correspondence which is published on Gov.uk. This guide sets out how departments should respond to correspondence from elected officials. The department aims to respond within 20 working days of receipt.
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Paula Barker:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support is available for pensioners to assist with pension credit applications. \p Torsten Bell: The Government wants those eligible for Pension Credit but not currently claiming it to receive the benefits they are entitled to. We know there are low-income pensioners who are not claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. We encourage all pensioners who may be eligible for Pension Credit to use the Pension Credit calculator - GOV.UK to check eligibility and to use our online Pension Credit claims process.

Claims for Pension Credit can be made online at: www.gov.uk/pension-credit/how-to-claim. The service is available to use 24/7, and provides those who may struggle to make their claim alone the flexibility to have a friend or family member to support them when making their claim at a time that is most convenient to them. Pension Credit claims can also be made through the Freephone telephone number xx-xxxx-xxxx, and there is an option to complete a paper application form.

DWP Agents and third-party organisations are available to support customers with the application process.

For customers who are unable to complete forms themselves a home visit from a visiting officer can be arranged. For customers who are deaf and use British Sign Language a Video Relay Service (known as VRS) is available and for customers who cannot hear or speak on the phone, can use Relay UK service.

Further information can be found on Gov.uk Pension Credit easy read.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 24 December 2024 to Question 20228 on Civil Society: Islam, whether his Department has engaged with (a) MEND, (b) CAGE, (c) the Muslim Association of Britain and (d) the Muslim Council of Britain since 5 July 2024. \p Andrew Western: The department does not engage with MEND, CAGE, the Muslim Association of Britain or the Muslim Council of Britain.
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Sojan Joseph:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the criteria for the eligibility of the Winter Fuel allowance to include pensioners who have received a terminal diagnosis. \p Torsten Bell: Linking Winter Fuel eligibility to Pension Credit and other means tested benefits for pensioners, ensures the least well-off pensioners still receive the help they need; this includes people with a terminal illness who are eligible. There are no plans to change the eligibility criteria.

The Department supports people nearing the end of life through the Special Rules for End of Life. These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment or serve waiting periods. In most cases they receive the highest rate of benefit. For many years, the Special Rules have applied to people who have six months or less to live and have now been changed so they apply to people who have 12 months or less to live.
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Paula Barker:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the (a) Pensions Act 1995 and (b) Pensions Act 2011 on women. \p Torsten Bell: No recent assessments have been made.
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Mr Alex Barros-Curtis:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what service standard the Child Maintenance Service has to respond to (a) complex casework and (b) complaints submitted between 30 August 2024 to 24 January 2025. \p Andrew Western: The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) have service standards for all change of circumstances, these are not categorised as complex as there is no specific criteria to meet, each case is considered on its own merit and circumstances of the case.

Caseworkers strive to manage all casework within the expected service standard time period. If the caseworker has any concerns about making a discretionary decision in cases with unusual or particularly complex circumstances involved, they have access to policy and procedures or may seek appropriate advice from the Advice and Guidance Team.

DWP complaints service standard aim is to contact a customer within 15 working days to tell them of the outcome of their complaint or when they can expect a response if the complaint is complex and will take longer.
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Alison Bennett:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to review the rates paid by employers of (a) Statutory Maternity Pay, (b) Statutory Paternity Pay and (c) Statutory Shared Parental Pay for parents of (i) twins and (ii) higher order multiple births. \p Andrew Western: We want new mothers to be able to take time away from work in the later stages of their pregnancy and in the months following childbirth, in the interests of their own and their baby’s health and wellbeing. Maternity pay is paid for each pregnancy, not in respect of each child. For paternity pay, it is also paid at the statutory rate, even if you have more than one child, for example twins.

Parental pay is reviewed annually at the discretion of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. From April 2025, the rate will increase by September 2024's CPI figure of 1.7%, subject to parliamentary approval, from £184.03 to £187.18 per week.

Parental pay is only one element of the support available for parents. Depending on individual circumstances, additional financial support, for example, Universal Credit, Child Benefit and the Sure Start Maternity Grant (a lump sum payment of £500) may also be available.

The Sure Start Maternity Grant is a grant of £500 to provide help with the costs associated with the expenses of a baby (or babies in the event of a multiple birth) expected, born, adopted, or the subject of a parental or residence order or other similar arrangements if there are no other children under the age of 16 in the claimant’s family. You might be entitled to more than one payment in the event of a multiple birth.
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Olly Glover:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of (a) 18 November 2024 and (b) 16 January 2025 from the hon. Member for Didcot and Wantage on a request for a meeting on AEAT pensions. \p Torsten Bell: My office has been in touch to arrange a meeting, and I look forward to it taking place soon.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

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Mark Garnier:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the guidance entitled Pensions dashboards: guidance on connection: the staged timetable, published 25 March 2024, if she will set out a revised timeline for making the connection of occupational pension schemes to the Pensions Dashboard Scheme available to the public. \p Torsten Bell: The Government is committed to the existing timetable in guidance for the connection of occupational pension schemes and personal and stakeholder providers to the pensions dashboards ecosystem, as well as the overall connection deadline of 31 October 2026.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-04 conversation_15

Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many full-time equivalent civil servants are working on supporting people who wish to buy back missing National Insurance years before the 5 April 2025 deadline. \p Torsten Bell: The majority of customers can check for gaps in their NI record, and make payment online. To support those unable to use online services, we have deployed c.300 frontline Civil servants within the DWP and HMRC. A further c100 frontline Civil Servants will be deployed in February, ahead of the 5 April 2025 deadline.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-04 conversation_16

Josh Newbury:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the farming in protected landscapes programme. \p Mary Creagh: The interim evaluation of the programme found the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme (FiPL) to be delivering positively for nature, climate, people, and place, with over 7,000 farmers participating and 3,700 projects in the first three years across our National Parks, National Landscapes and The Broads. We will be sharing further detail from the final evaluation report due later this year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-04 conversation_17

Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has conducted surveys on trends in the level of public support for releasing beavers into the countryside. \p Mary Creagh: This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

No surveys on trends in the level of public support for releasing beavers into the countryside have been conducted. However, levels of public support for releasing beavers into the countryside was assessed as part of the 2021 consultation on the approach to beaver reintroduction and management in England. 3095 respondents answered the question “do you agree or disagree with the proposed approach to beaver reintroductions?”. 69% selected agree, while 31% selected disagree.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-04 conversation_18

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the prevention of illegal rhino poaching. \p Mary Creagh: The UK has strict border controls in place to detect and prevent illegal imports. In 2022, Border Force seized two separate imports of rhino horn originating from China and South Africa. The UK’s National Wildlife Crime Unit also plays a critical role in preventing wildlife crime, including through intelligence work, threat analysis, and by directly assisting law enforcement.

Through our Biodiverse Landscape Fund we are working directly with partner Governments in the Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area to tackle the illegal wildlife trade, including rhino poaching. We are also investing £30 million between 2022 and 2025 to tackle IWT globally, including through our Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-04 conversation_19

Barry Gardiner:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the objectives set out in the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs' speech entitled The Kew Lecture: Foreign Secretary's speech on the climate crisis, published on 17 September 2024, if he will make an assessment of the contribution of the Darwin Plus Programme to the UK Overseas Territories. \p Mary Creagh: In 2020, Defra commissioned an independent review of the Darwin Plus programme. This found Darwin Plus projects to have a strong, positive impact on the capacity of the Territories to deliver long-term strategic outcomes for the natural environment, which enhances protection of biodiversity ecosystems. During his Kew Lecture on 17 September 2024, the Foreign Secretary declared reversing the decline in global biodiversity as a Government priority. It is estimated that the UK Overseas Territories are home to over 90% of known endemic British species.

Information on individual projects funded under Darwin Plus is available on the programme website (https://darwinplus.org.uk/). The programme’s performance is reviewed annually and published on the UK Government’s online Development Tracker.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-04 conversation_20

Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2025 to Question 24031 on Waste: Codes of Practice, if he will publish the 35 responses. \p Mary Creagh: At this stage, the Government has not yet finalised its assessment of how it can further support local authorities to tackle litter. Any new announcements will be announced in the usual way.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-04 conversation_21

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to paragraphs 17 and 60 of the policy paper entitled Planning Reform Working Paper: Development and Nature Recovery, published on 15 December 2024, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of those policies on great crested newts. \p Mary Creagh: At this stage, the Government has not yet finalised its assessment of how it can further support local authorities to tackle litter. Any new announcements will be announced in the usual way.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-04 conversation_22

John Lamont:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) letters, (b) emails and (c) other correspondence his Department has received supporting proposed changes to (i) Agricultural Property Relief and (ii) Business Property Relief for Inheritance Tax. \p Daniel Zeichner: The information requested is not held centrally.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-04 conversation_23

Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of precedents for unilateral environmental measures in trade agreements on the sandeel fishing ban within the Trade and Cooperation Agreement arbitration process. \p Daniel Zeichner: The arbitration process pertaining to the dispute brought by the EU against the UK prohibition of fishing for sandeel, and our consideration of the issues, is presently ongoing. We will fully consider the tribunal’s report and the impacts of it in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-04 conversation_24

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what purposes the Rural Payments Agency has used AI in the last 12 months. \p Daniel Zeichner: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country.

The Rural Payments Agency participated in a Central Digital and Data Office led cross-government trial of Microsoft’s AI tool called M365 Copilot, which uses generative AI. This trial started on 7 November and ended on 31 December. M365 Copilot was used for limited tasks, such as note-taking or summarising information, to assess how AI can support day-to-day productivity.

RPA have a limited number of licences to explore this capability further. All content produced by Co-pilot AI is checked by a human for accuracy. RPA are not currently using Copilot for customer interactions.

The Rural Payments Agency have undertaken AI pilots to support remote sensing, monitoring land, and intelligence on flood detection to deliver environmental outcomes for Defra. Two projects are now operational that use AI and satellite imagery to classify crop types across England and a system to detect flooding on agricultural land. We publish information about algorithmic tools we develop, where they are used in decision-making processes that affect members of the public, using the Algorithm Transparency Recording Standard.

The new Government will now examine the findings to inform the next stages of the strategy.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-04 conversation_25

Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential risks to pets from ingesting antifreeze products. \p Daniel Zeichner: The RSPCA and Cats Protection offer advice on how to keep pets safe from accidental poisoning and what to do if someone suspects their pet may have been poisoned.

The intentional poisoning of a protected animal is a criminal offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 increased the maximum sentence to five years imprisonment and/or unlimited fine for animal cruelty offences, including administering a poison to animal.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-04 conversation_26

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent soil degradation on agricultural land impacted by repeated flooding. \p Daniel Zeichner: The Sustainable Farming Incentive provides payments for several actions to improve soil health, including herbal leys and multi-species cover crops. Healthy soils have improved resilience to extreme weather and will recover faster from flood events. Sustainable Farming Incentive actions can also be used to slow down the flow of water within catchments, helping to mitigate wider catchment flood risk. We have also recently announced a significant expansion of the flood and drought resilience offer within Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier with new actions to store water, which can be used to protect agricultural land from flooding.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-04 conversation_27

Luke Akehurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including Primary Progressive Aphasia in the list of conditions requiring nationally commissioned services. \p Stephen Kinnock: Primary progressive aphasia is a rare type of dementia where the recommended treatment is usually speech and language therapy, which is carried out by a speech and language therapist. NHS England is committed to delivering high quality care and support for every person with dementia, and central to this is the provision of personalised care and support planning for post diagnostic support.

Local authorities are required to provide or arrange services that meet the social care needs of the local population under the Care Act 2014.

Provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). NHS England would expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. It is the responsibility of the IBC to work within their geographical area to offer services that meet the needs of their population.