theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Sir Julian Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to recommendation 27 of the report by the National Audit Office entitled Resilience to animal diseases, published on 4 June 2025, what steps his Department is taking to improve biosecurity at (a) UK borders and (b) high-volume entry points such as Dover. \p Daniel Zeichner: Imports of animals and animal products are subject to strict biosecurity controls. These may include pre-notification, veterinary health certification and Border Control Post checks. We apply additional measures in response to specific biosecurity threats. For example, in response to recent outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in Europe, we imposed immediate restrictions on commercial imports of susceptible animals and their untreated products from specific countries and banned personal imports of certain meat and dairy products from the European Union single market area.  We continue to work closely with officials at both ports and airports to deliver the required checks on goods to minimise the risk of animal diseases entering the UK. This includes providing funding to Dover Port Health Authority to support Border Force in the detection of illegal imports of animal products.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the use of farrowing crates on the welfare of farmed pigs. \p Daniel Zeichner: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 2 April 2025 to the hon. Member for Birmingham Northfield, PQ UIN 41698.
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Ian Roome:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the functions of the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator will be extended to align with those of the Grocery Code Adjudicator. \p Daniel Zeichner: The Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator (ASCA) is responsible for enforcing regulations developed under the Agriculture Act 2020 'Fair Dealing' powers (section 29). Regulations introduced using these powers promote fair contractual dealing and contribute to a more equitable relationship between producers and purchasers. To date, the powers have been used to create the Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024 and the Fair Dealing Obligations (Pigs) Regulations 2025.

The ASCA can investigate relevant complaints and has significant powers to impose fines and/or order compensation to be paid by those found to be in breach. The ASCA also aims to be a convener across supply chains, working with both producers and purchasers to improve business relationships and behaviours around contracts.

The remit of ASCA deals with those who farmers supply directly, which in most cases is not supermarkets. The ASCA therefore has a distinct role and way of working to the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA), which instead regulates the relationship between large retailers and their direct suppliers. The ASCA and the GCA are also in regular contact as they fulfil their respective remits, ensuring co-ordination without duplication.

The Government are committed to an evidence-based approach to regulating the supply chain. The fourth statutory review of the GCA’s effectiveness was recently launched, with a public consultation open which closes on 5 August. We encourage anyone interested to respond to the review’s consultation and will carefully consider the views received. We will also conduct a statutory review into the effectiveness of the ‘Fair Dealing’ regulations in due course.
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Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of banning the sale of flying ring frisbees. \p Mary Creagh: No, the Department has not made an assessment of the potential merits of banning the sale of flying ring frisbees. This Government is committed to moving to a circular economy for plastics – a future where we keep our resources in use for longer, waste is reduced, we accelerate the path to net zero, we see investment in critical infrastructure and green jobs, our economy prospers, and nature thrives. We will publish the first ever Circular Economy Strategy for England this autumn. It will include a series of roadmaps detailing the interventions that the government and others will make on a sector-by-sector basis. One of the five sectors we will start with is the chemicals and plastics sector.  As a part of the transition to a circular economy, managing and reducing plastic waste will be crucial. We will continue to review the latest evidence on problematic products and/or materials to take a systematic approach, in line with circular economy principles, to reduce the use of unnecessary single-use plastic products and encourage reuse solutions.  Defra’s Marine and Coastal Wildlife Code for England provides guidance on how to act responsibly around marine wildlife when visiting the coast, including the need for the public to take all litter home with them. We would encourage anyone who sees a sick, injured or entangled seal to contact the British Divers Marine Life Rescue on xx-xxxx-xxxx.
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Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential economic merits of implementing circular economy models in the UK. \p Mary Creagh: This Government has committed to transitioning to a circular economy to improve lives up and down the country, grow our economy, and protect our environment for generations to come. Recent economic modelling of illustrative measures suggests we could grow GDP in England by 0.8% over 15 years, deliver green jobs, promote efficient and productive use of resources, minimise negative environmental impacts and accelerate to Net Zero.
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Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to support the reintroduction of (a) species, (b) elk, (c) water voles, (d) eels and (e) pine martens in river catchments. \p Mary Creagh: The Government supports species reintroductions, where there are clear benefits for nature, people and the environment. Taking each species in turn:

A) We are not aware of any active proposals for the reintroduction of elk.

B) The conservation and recovery of water voles has been supported by a range of projects. The Environment Agency has carried out 279 projects over the last three years, including habitat works, reintroduction or translocation, research and monitoring. Forestry England has also reintroduced water voles to Kielder forest with Northumberland Wildlife Trust and have further plans to reintroduce water voles into Wild Ennerdale in the Lake District. In addition, Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme has invested in three reintroduction projects of captive bred water voles.

C) Defra has no current plans to support restocking of eels.

D) Forestry England works closely with both active and potential pine marten reintroduction projects across the country and are also partners on the Two Moors Pine Marten Project, and the South Cumbria Pine Marten Recovery Project, both of which released animals last autumn.
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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential contribution of the yoghurt industry to economic growth in the dairy sector. \p Daniel Zeichner: No such assessment has been made. We have a vibrant, resilient and productive dairy sector which produces a range of healthy nutritious products which bring value of £5-£6 billion at farm level, and many times higher when that milk is processed into a diverse range of products and commodities, such as yogurt. This has helped make the dairy industry the UK’s largest agricultural sector accounting for 19% of total 2023 UK agricultural output, bringing significant value to our economy.
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Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of Extended Producer Responsibility schemes in incentivising circular product design. \p Mary Creagh: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes are internationally recognised as effective tools for promoting more sustainable product design. As part of the development of packaging EPR (pEPR) scheme, we have engaged with industry stakeholders to better understand how it can incentivise circular design principles. The introduction of modulation from year two of pEPR will benefit the most recyclable materials by providing a fee discount. In contrast, less recyclable alternatives will incur an increased fee. Producers can respond to these fee-based incentives and make their packaging easier to reuse or recycle, further, they can adapt design so that less packaging is used. A full assessment, beyond the impact assessment, has not yet been made.
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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to review the Weeds Act 1959. \p Mary Creagh: The Government regularly monitors the effectiveness of its legislation. At present we are not planning to review the Weeds Act 1959.
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John Whitby:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has a (a) grassland policy group and (b) person responsible for grassland policy. \p Mary Creagh: There is no single group responsible for grassland policy, as policies affecting grasslands cut across several Defra policy areas. These include Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMs), National Biodiversity, Protected Sites and Protected Landscapes. There are also a range of habitat and species specialists in Natural England, including for grasslands.

This Government is committed to delivering our legally binding biodiversity targets which includes our habitat target to restore or create 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat outside of protected sites by 2042. We are delivering this target over a wide range of habitats, including wildlife-rich grasslands.

Protected Landscapes (National Landscapes, National Trails and National Parks) work together through the Big Chalk partnership, which seeks to protect and restore our nature-rich chalk grasslands.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with relevant authorities to prevent heat-related deaths of farm animals in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire. \p Daniel Zeichner: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 7 May 2025 to the hon. Member for Romford, PQ UIN 48861.
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Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to support the removal of barriers to keystone species reintroduction projects (a) in England and (b) over devolved boundaries. \p Mary Creagh: The Government supports species reintroductions including keystone species, where there are clear benefits for nature, people and the environment.

All reintroductions in England are expected to follow the Code for Reintroductions and other Conversations Translocations. The Code states that, while it is specific to England, cross-border co-operation and engagement with relevant authorities and stakeholders is essential where releases occur close to England’s neighbours or involve a reintroduction of a species to Great Britain. We would therefore expect any reintroduction project to carry out cross-border coordination as part of the planning phase of their reintroduction project.
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Adrian Ramsay:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's planned timetable is for publishing a consultation on banning farrowing crates. \p Daniel Zeichner: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 2 April 2025 to the hon. Member for Birmingham Northfield, PQ UIN 41698.
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Steve Race:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to update regulatory requirements to (a) reduce and (b) eliminate the need for animal testing for (i) chemicals and (ii) pesticides where non-animal New Approach Methodologies are available. \p Emma Hardy: The Government is committed to supporting the uptake and development of alternative methods to the use of animals in science. The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing.
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Cameron Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to incentivise young people to take up farming. \p Daniel Zeichner: Attracting bright new talent into land-based careers and having a skilled workforce in place is vital for the future of UK food and farming.

Defra works closely with The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture (TIAH) which is encouraging young people and new entrants into farming in its capacity as an industry led professional body for the farming industry. This includes leading a cross-industry initiative to address common negative misconceptions about the sector and providing free TIAH membership for students.

Furthermore, the Government has launched Skills England to ensure there is a comprehensive suite of apprenticeships, training and technical qualifications for individuals and employers to access, which are aligned with skills gaps and what employers need. It will work with its partners to ensure that regional and national skills needs are met.
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Mr Will Forster:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring supermarkets to include labelling in braille on newly designed packaging. \p Daniel Zeichner: Defra maintains regular engagement with food retailers on a range of issues, including labelling and improving accessibility requirements for all consumers.

The availability and accessibility of essential food information to all consumers is vitally important. It is already a requirement that food information must be easily visible, clearly legible and where appropriate indelible, in addition to there being a required minimum font size for mandatory information.

We are aware of moves by some retailers to provide information on food in braille format, and the government is interested in seeing how this works.

We know there are other exciting possibilities, including the use of mobile phone apps and QR codes via which consumers with visual impairments may be able to access not only the basics, but the full range of information available on the label.

Braille labelling has not been a specific focus to date. We continue to explore how food information can be made more accessible, including through wider conversations with industry and stakeholders representing consumers with disabilities, such as the Royal National Institute for Blind (RNIB).
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help tackle graffiti vandalism. \p Mary Creagh: Local authorities are primarily responsible for managing graffiti on their land. Existing Defra guidance on managing graffiti and flyposting for local authorities and others outlines the options available for tackling these issues with examples of good practice. The guidance has been informed by a research report which aids further understanding of the issue. The guidance and research report are available here: understanding graffiti and fly-posting management approaches - EV0497.

Local authorities have enforcement powers to help them tackle graffiti, including issuing fixed penalty notices of up to £500. They can also tackle persistent offenders and other unreasonable behaviour that is having a negative effect on a community’s quality of life by issuing Community Protection Notices and Public Space Protection Orders.
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Sir Julian Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce veterinary workforce shortages. \p Daniel Zeichner: Defra is exploring various avenues to improve the short- and long-term capacity issues.

Defra has increased engagement across the veterinary profession and other stakeholders, to find a sustainable solution, ensuring the ongoing provision of high-quality veterinary surgeons both in the private and public sectors.
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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to phase out low-welfare farming practices. \p Daniel Zeichner: This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Prime Minister announced that we will be publishing an animal welfare strategy later this year.

This will build on the support already available through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, which includes access to testing for priority diseases and advice to continually improve the health, welfare and productivity of farmed animals through funded vet visits.
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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people in prison for offences of (a) violence against the person, (b) sexual offences, (c) robbery, (d) theft offences, (e) criminal damage and arson, (f) drug offences, (g) possession of weapons, (h) public order offences, (i) miscellaneous crimes against society, (j) fraud offences, (k) summary non-motoring, (l) summary motoring and (m) offence not recorded are of (i) Asian or Asian British, (ii) Black or Black British, (iii) Mixed, (iv) White, (v) Chinese or other, (vi) not stated and (vii) unrecorded ethnicity. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The requested information is shown in the attached table.

Table (xlsx, 23.7KB)
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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she plans to review the governance of the Sentencing Council. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The Lord Chancellor is currently undertaking a review of the Sentencing Council’s role and powers and has indicated that she will introduce reforms in future legislation, if considered necessary
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to introduce AI integration and camera use in family law proceedings. \p Sarah Sackman: 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. Within the Ministry of Justice, we are testing and adopting AI to improve the experience and efficiency within our courts.

AI has the potential to enable service improvements across HM Courts & Tribunals Service, and we are exploring how it can be applied responsibly to our operations and services, including to support document processing, transcription, summarisation and translation. The use of AI in the courts and tribunals will be focused on accelerating and assisting people’s work, not automating decisions.

All use of artificial intelligence in the Ministry of Justice is aligned with the AI Playbook for the UK Government and the Algorithmic Transparency Reporting Standard. The Lady Chief Justice and Senior President of Tribunals issued AI Guidance for the judiciary in December 2023.

There are currently no live AI or predictive analytics systems in use in the Family Courts.

We are running early-stage discovery and proof of concept projects to test the potential value of AI in the Family Courts as follows:

Remote hearings in family proceedings, often conducted via telephone or video conferencing, are already regularly used where the judge with conduct of the case feels it is appropriate.
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Sir Andrew Mitchell:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to reduce the backlog of crown court cases in the West Midlands. \p Sarah Sackman: This Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog. For this financial year (2025/26), this Government is funding a record allocation of Crown Court sitting days to deliver swifter justice for victims – 110,000 sitting days this year, 4,000 higher than the last Government funded. However, the scale of the challenge is beyond what increasing sitting days can achieve. That is why we have commissioned Sir Brian Leveson to conduct a review of efficiency that will propose once-in-a-generation reform to deliver swifter justice for victims.

In the West Midlands:
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Apsana Begum:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to undertake research on the potential impact of the offence of assault against an emergency worker on women. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Ministry of Justice, which is responsible for the legislation relating to assaults on emergency workers, has not made an assessment of the impact, or potential impact, of the offence under section 1 of the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 on trends relating to the arrest or conviction of women. Nor does it plan to conduct further assessments or research relating specifically to the offence in the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018.

Following changes made by provisions in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 the then Government published an Equalities Impact Assessment of the changes on the offence in the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018. The assessment can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-crime-sentencing-and-courts-bill-2021-equality-statements/assault-on-emergency-workers-in-the-police-crime-sentencing-courts-bill-equalities-impact-assessment.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many victims of grooming gangs have applied for compensation; and how many have been rejected. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) deeply sympathises with all victims of sexual crimes and recognises the trauma suffered by victims of these abhorrent offences.

CICA cannot provide figures about compensation to victims of grooming gangs. This is because awards of compensation under the statutory Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme are made for the physical and/or mental injuries sustained by the victim rather than the type of offence committed.

Each claim for compensation is considered on its own facts and decided using all the information available from the applicant, the police, and other relevant sources.
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Sir Ashley Fox:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Spending Review 2025 on the safeguarding of victims of (a) sexual and (b) domestic abuse. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Government recognises the scale of violence against women and girls and is treating it as a national emergency. A new cross-government strategy to tackle this will be published this summer.

Action has already been taken by piloting Domestic Abuse Protection Orders; introducing new offences for sexually explicit deepfakes, intimate image abuse and spiking and providing free transcripts of sentencing remarks to victims of sexual offences in the Crown Court.

We will also establish specialist rape and sexual offences teams in every police force and introduce free independent legal advice for victims of adult rape.
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Sir Ashley Fox:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the budget for victim and witness support services will be lower in 2025-26 than 2024-25. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Ministry of Justice remains committed to supporting victims and witnesses of crime. For the 2025–26 financial year, the Department has protected funding levels for ringfenced sexual violence and domestic abuse support, maintaining them at the same level as in 2024–25.

There has been a small reduction to the core budget allocated to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), who are responsible for commissioning local victim support services based on assessed need. This decision was taken in the context of a challenging fiscal environment left behind by the previous Government.

The Department continues to work closely with PCCs and sector partners to support the delivery of high-quality services.
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2025 to Question 59711 on UK Internal Trade, what progress his Department has made on removing additional obligations placed on GB based businesses supplying Northern Ireland. \p Justin Madders: I understand that some GB based businesses have faced changes as a result of the updated General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR). The Department has issued guidance for those who are selling to Northern Ireland, which we will continue to keep under review. We have engaged with businesses directly to ensure they understand their obligations arising from the GPSR, and to support them in trading freely across the entirety of the UK.

The Government is committed to upholding its obligations under the Windsor Framework, and to protecting the UK internal market.
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Noah Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of stockpiling (a) critical minerals and (b) (i) cathode active materials, (ii) black mass and (iii) other derivative products in the context of (A) industrial resilience and (B) supply chain security. \p Sarah Jones: This Government recognises the importance of domestic supply in insulating UK industry from potential economic shocks, but working with international partners to diversify global supply chains is also essential in building resilience and improving security of supply.

Solutions such as targeted stockpiling measures (both government and industry led), diversified international supply, and expansion of recycling capabilities provide opportunities to improve resilience and security of supply while reducing demand for virgin inputs. We need to take a proactive approach and will work with UK industry to ensure that policies developed have clear, tangible benefits for both economic security and growth.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department has taken to track the final destination of military equipment transiting through UK airports. \p Mr Douglas Alexander: Responsibility for the enforcement of UK export controls on military and dual use and sanctioned goods rests with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). HMRC works closely with Border Force, other government departments and international partners to assist in identifying high-risk movements, conduct customs checks, and where necessary, seize goods at the port.

Military exports transiting the UK do not require a licence if they comply with certain handling conditions, do not include specific goods and are not for specific destinations, as set out in Article 17 of the Export Control Order 2008.
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Noah Law: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 resourcing of (a) the Environment Agency and (b) other environmental regulators for environmental regulation in the context of his Department's industrial strategy. \p Justin Madders: DBT's Secretary of State has corresponded with the Defra Secretary of State on this government's approach to regulation to understand the challenges faced by regulators, including resourcing challenges for environmental regulators such as Natural England and the Environment Agency.

This engagement focused on working together on the Regulation Action Plan, published in March, to identify opportunities for growth and innovation. This has also informed our approach to the Industrial Strategy, and we will continue to work closely with departments to deliver it and the government's regulatory reform agenda.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer 13 June 2025 to Question 57485 on Chemicals: Sanitary Products, what further (a) research and (b) evidence does his Department plan to commission. \p Justin Madders: In February, the Government published a draft Code of Conduct setting out how we intend to consult when using the new powers in the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill - Product safety: checks and balances on developing policy and legislation - GOV.UK. It is this approach that the Government will take in relation to period products.

Officials are currently reviewing the evidence base concerning the safety of these products, from which any evidence gaps will be identified, and appropriate expert evidence or further research will be sought. The Department welcomes continued engagement on this important matter from relevant external organisations.
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Anna Dixon:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will take steps to encourage businesses to use pin pads that are accessible to people with sight impairments. \p Justin Madders: The government expects people who provide goods, services, and facilities to members of the public, to anticipate the requirements of disabled customers and the adjustments that may have to be made for them, in line with the Equality Act 2010.

In April, the Minister of State for Social Security and Disability and the Economic Secretary to the Treasury jointly wrote to UK Finance, the leading trade association for the UK banking sector, to urge further progress on ensuring touchscreen card terminals remain accessible for blind and partially sighted consumers. As well, the British Standards Institution has developed and published a British Standard that provides guidelines for the adoption of an inclusive approach to the design of products.
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Dame Harriett Baldwin:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the UK-US trade deal on the energy sector. \p Mr Douglas Alexander: On 16 June, we announced concrete progress towards the implementation of the UK-US trade deal as agreed on 8 May. We continue to work closely with the energy sector to understand the impacts of the UK-US trade deal.

The government is committed to supporting the UK’s energy sector, including through our Industrial Strategy in which Clean Energy Industries is one of the eight growth sectors.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-24 conversation_217

Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of safety regulations on the storage of lithium-ion powered (a) e-bikes and (b) e-scooters. \p Justin Madders: There is a cross-Government programme of work to tackle unsafe e-bikes, e-scooters and associated products such as lithium-ion batteries, involving the Office for Product Safety and Standards in my Department, and the Department for Transport, Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. DBT is not responsible for regulations covering the storage of electric vehicles. The Government’s Buy Safe, Be Safe campaign contains vital safety advice for consumers where these products are kept in the home.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-24 conversation_218

Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support access to postal services for small businesses. \p Justin Madders: The government recognises that small businesses are critical to our communities and essential to our economic success. We are committed to hardwiring the voice of small business into everything we do and collaborating with businesses and workers to kickstart and rebuild our economy.

The universal postal service ensures that SMEs have access to an affordable service, both in the UK and internationally.

Ofcom, as independent regulator for the postal sector, is responsible for securing the provision of a universal postal service. In its 2023-24 Post Monitoring Report, Ofcom found that overall three-quarters (74%) of SMEs were satisfied with the quality of service they receive from Royal Mail, while overall satisfaction with other providers stood at 81%.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-24 conversation_219

Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with Royal Mail on improving (a) service and (b) delivery. \p Justin Madders: Ministers and officials have discussions with Royal Mail on a regular basis in its capacity as the universal service provider.

It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to set and monitor Royal Mail’s service standards and decide how to use its powers to investigate and take enforcement action should Royal Mail fail to achieve its obligations without good justification.

Ofcom is investigating Royal Mail’s performance in the 2024-25 financial year for failing to meet its regulated targets. The government expects that Ofcom will continue to closely monitor Royal Mail’s performance and take action where appropriate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-24 conversation_220

Andrew Gwynne:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will provide an update on the proposed timeframe of the parental leave review. \p Justin Madders: The Government will set out more details on the timelines of Parental Leave Review before the summer.

The review will take a comprehensive look at the parental leave and pay system. It will consider the current framework of parental leave entitlements and how they should operate as a system to improve the support available for working families.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-24 conversation_221

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of adopting the Guest Beer Agreement scheme introduced in Scotland. \p Gareth Thomas: Hospitality businesses, including pubs and independent breweries, are at the heart of our communities and play a vital role in supporting economic growth across the UK.

The government wishes to see small brewers retain and expand their access to UK pubs, maximising drinkers’ choice and supporting local economies. The Government is currently assessing the beer market to determine whether there are any structural barriers preventing small brewers' from accessing pubs.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-24)

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Ayoub Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on UK-Israeli dual nationals serving in the Israel Defense Forces. \p Luke Pollard: The UK recognises the right of British dual nationals to serve in the legitimately recognised armed forces of the country of their other nationality. We do not track the number of dual nationals that choose to take up this right.

The Secretary of State for Defence has not discussed the issue of UK-Israeli dual nationals serving in the Israel Defense Forces with the Secretary of State for the Home Department.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-24)

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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether (a) he, (b) his then political advisor and (c) any other person employed in his parliamentary office received a hard copy of the MOD policy paper entitled, Defence Command Paper 2023: defence's response to a more contested and volatile world, published on 18 July 2023, on the morning of 18 July 2023. \p Luke Pollard: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the Point of Order raised by my right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary (John Healey) on 23 June 2025 (Official Report, column 903).
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-24)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure the (a) safety and (b) security of (i) all properties and (ii) properties in operational use managed by his Department. \p Al Carns: The safety and security of our sites is of the utmost importance, in order to protect both our people, and to safeguard national security. The Strategic Defence Review recognises that we are in a new era of threat, which demands a new era for UK Defence. The Review sets out a vision to make Britain safer, secure at home and strong abroad, with specific direction to strengthen home defence and resilience and increased funding to defend Britain.

While I am unable to comment on specific security arrangements, I can assure the hon. Member that we take this extremely seriously and have robust measures in place.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-24)

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Shockat Adam:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which countries received training from the armed forces in (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25; and which branch of the armed forces was responsible for delivering that training. \p Luke Pollard: The UK Armed Forces provided various forms of military training to around 120 countries in 2023-24 and 140 countries in 2024-25. Our training provision is tailored to the specific needs of Allies and partners, spanning several branches across the Services to provide the relevant expertise needed. In the interests of national security and upholding trust and confidentiality with our international partnerships, it is not appropriate to provide a detailed breakdown of these countries, or the nature of that training. All training is carried out in adherence to International Humanitarian Law.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-24)

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Ayoub Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether procedures are in place to identify (a) UK citizens and (b) other dual nationals among foreign military personnel receiving UK military training. \p Luke Pollard: The Ministry of Defence does not routinely monitor whether those serving in foreign armed forces receiving training from the UK Armed Forces are UK citizens. The provision of any training to a foreign military is assessed on a case-by-case basis. The UK recognises the right of British nationals with additional nationalities to serve in the legitimately recognised armed forces of the country of their other nationalities.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-24 conversation_227

Ayoub Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any dual UK-Israeli nationals have received training from the armed forces in the last five years. \p Luke Pollard: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not track whether those receiving training from the UK are dual nationals, as the provision of training is based on the country the training is being provided to.

Fewer than five Israel Defence Forces personnel are currently enrolled in non-combat military academic courses in the UK.

The UK has a long history of providing assistance to other nations in the security and justice fields and continues to do so around the world. The MOD’s provision of such assistance is assessed carefully on a case-by-case basis and kept under review. UK training courses promote British values, including human rights, democracy and compliance with international humanitarian law.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-24 conversation_228

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which new Royal Navy vessels will be manufactured with (a) British-made virgin steel, (b) British-made recycled steel and (c) steel sourced overseas. \p Maria Eagle: Royal Navy vessels use a variety of steel, manufactured and sourced from the UK and overseas. Type 26 and Type 31 frigates, currently under construction, are being manufactured predominantly using steel sourced overseas, as the specification of thin plate steel required for shipbuilding cannot currently be reliably sourced in the UK. The Fleet Solid Support ships programme is still in the design phase and no orders for steel have been placed.

The sourcing of steel used in our shipbuilding programmes is a matter for the prime contractors, who we encourage to source UK steel wherever it is technically and commercially feasible. We are unable to say whether the UK steel content of the ships currently under construction contain British-made virgin or recycled steel, as this information is not held.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-24 conversation_229

Marsha De Cordova:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of suspending military training to members of the Israeli Defence Forces. \p Luke Pollard: The UK has a long history of providing assistance to other nations in the security and justice fields and continues to do so around the world. The Ministry of Defence’s provision of such assistance is assessed carefully on a case-by-case basis.

Fewer than five Israel Defence Forces personnel are currently enrolled in non-combat military academic courses in the UK.

UK training courses promote British values, including human rights, democracy, and compliance with international humanitarian law.

We keep all education course participation of overseas nations under review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-24)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-24 conversation_230

Gideon Amos:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to reduce the time taken to process access for records requests from veterans. \p Al Carns: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has experienced a substantial rise in Subject Access Requests, which has put significant pressure on our ability to deliver within the legislative timescales. However, I have already asked the Department to take steps to improve our ability to respond within the necessary timeframes. The MOD’s Data Protection Team have made the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) aware of the situation, which is being experienced across all Services.

Where an individual is seeking information about themselves, known as a SAR, the MOD adheres to guidance issued by the ICO. This stipulates that a public authority must supply the information within one month, but can take up to 90 days for complex cases. Further information can be found at the following link: https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/time-limits-for-responding-to-data-protection-rights-requests