theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

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Jim Allister:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to veterinary medicines supply routes on the ability of pet owners in Northern Ireland to fill veterinary prescriptions from online veterinary pharmacies, in the context of the online pharmacies delivering veterinary medicines being located in Great Britain. \p Dame Angela Eagle: We appreciate that there may be specific issues of concern and that access to an online retailer for pet owners to obtain veterinary medicines for their pets is of great importance. Through our extensive engagement across the supply chain, we are aware of multiple companies who are either already established in Northern Ireland or are planning to set up as online retailers in Northern Ireland. This is expected to ensure medicines remain available through these online channels. We are also working to ensure that the Veterinary Medicine Internal Market Scheme operates in a way that reflects how consumers obtain medicines at present.

Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs) are unique to the UK, and the Government is committed to supporting them and the vital role they play in supporting the UK’s farming and companion animal sectors.

Continued access to veterinary medicines for Northern Ireland at the end of the grace period is a Government priority. After extensive stakeholder engagement, our current estimate is that 10-15% of products are expected to be discontinued. Many of these authorisations are dormant or sold in very low volumes and we do not anticipate significant animal health or welfare issues as a result of these discontinuations. Our data suggests that the level of discontinuations for products that can be prescribed by SQPs is in line with that overall estimate.

Where there is, or likely to be, a significant animal health issue, and it is appropriate to do so, products under the Veterinary Medicines Health Situation Scheme could be made available for prescription and supply by SQPs. More broadly, the rules for supply by SQPs will not change from 1 January.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

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Damien Egan:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of mandating the use of alternatives to snares for animal control practices. \p Mary Creagh: This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

Defra has not made an assessment of the potential merits of mandating the use of any particular alternatives to snares for animal control practices.

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation and this included a commitment to bring an end to the use of snare traps in England. Defra is considering the most effective way to deliver this commitment and will be setting out next steps in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

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Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 November to Question 88050 on Farmers: Mental Health and Productivity, whether her Department plans to explore the possibility of commissioning this research alongside stakeholders. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Defra has no current plans to explore commissioning this research alongside stakeholders. We talk with farming charity stakeholders on a regular basis.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of banning the (a) import and (b) sale of fur on the economy. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) to produce a report on what constitutes responsible sourcing of fur. The AWC report will add to our understanding of the fur industry and help inform our next steps.

We are also aware that the European Food Safety Authority has published a report on the welfare of fur animals and are reviewing its findings.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

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John Milne:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure hunting laws are applied. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The enforcement of the Hunting Act is an operational matter for the police. This is in line with their duties to keep the peace, protect communities and prevent the commission of offences, working within the provisions of the legal framework set by Parliament.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

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Dr Danny Chambers:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2025 to Question 80723 on Stray Dogs, with which stakeholders her Department has met. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Department regularly meets key stakeholders to discuss issues affecting animal welfare. This includes the Canine and Feline Sector Group, a coalition of organisations from the animal welfare, veterinary, and pet industry sectors which includes the RSPCA and Dogs Trust.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

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Andy MacNae:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of opening paths on disused railway lines to increase public access to nature. \p Mary Creagh: The management and maintenance of public rights of way (RoW), including keeping them free from obstructions, are the responsibility of local highway authorities. These authorities are best placed to understand local priorities and allocate funding for rights of way activities accordingly.

Local authorities are required to maintain a Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP), which sets out how they intend to improve the rights of way network in their area for all users. These plans include assessments of the condition of the network and are typically available on the authority’s website.

Where disused railway lines exist within a local authority’s catchment area, it is for the authority to consider whether these can be integrated into the existing rights of way network. Decisions regarding such integration rest with the local highway authority, not central Government.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

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Andy MacNae:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to make it easier to create more routes (a) to and (b) through green spaces. \p Mary Creagh: The Government recognises the importance of access to nature for health and wellbeing and is committed to making it easier for people to reach and enjoy green spaces.

We are delivering on our manifesto commitments by creating nine new national river walks and three new national forests in England, while also working with partners to develop further policies that improve access.

Key initiatives already underway include the King Charles III England Coast Path, which has over 2,600 miles approved, 1,855 miles already open, and is creating 250,000 hectares of new open access land. Wainwright’s Coast to Coast route has now been designated as a National Trail across northern England. The £33 million Access for All programme is actively improving inclusivity across trails, landscapes, forests, and the wider countryside. Additionally, the repeal of the cut-off date for registering historic rights of way is helping to protect hundreds of miles of paths for future generations.

Together, these actions are helping to create and retain routes to and through green spaces across the country.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department has provided to local authorities on the investigation of injuries sustained by companion animals during commercial grooming appointments. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Department has not provided any guidance to local authorities on the investigation of injuries sustained by companion animals during commercial grooming appointments.

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 anyone in control of animals must protect them from suffering and provide for their welfare needs. These requirements apply to anyone operating a dog grooming business. Under the Act, local authorities have powers to investigate allegations of cruelty, poor welfare, or neglect of animals.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that grooming services offered by pet retail chains are subject to adequate (a) welfare standards and (b) inspection regimes. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the 2006 Act) anyone who has control of animals must protect them from suffering and provide for their welfare needs. These requirements apply to anyone operating a dog grooming business. Failing to comply with the 2006 Act is punishable by imprisonment, an unlimited fine or both.

The Canine and Feline Sector Group (CFSG), comprised of leading national animal welfare charities, veterinary and trade associations and other expert organisations has recently published a code of practice to assist for dog and cat groomers which can be found here.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

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Alex Brewer:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16 October 2025 to Question 77864 on Non-native Species: Weed Control, if she will make it her policy to offer funding to homeowners for the (a) treatment and (b) removal of Japanese knotweed, in the context of (i) obligations under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and (ii) the environmental impact of this species. \p Mary Creagh: Japanese knotweed is listed on Schedule 9, and subject to Section 14, of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which makes it an offence to plant or otherwise cause this species to grow in the wild. There is no explicit obligation upon landowners to manage this species on their property. However, they must prevent it spreading off their property.

Defra is not currently considering offering funding for homeowners for the treatment and removal of Japanese knotweed. Guidance remains available for homeowners who do wish to manage Japanese knotweed on their property: How to stop Japanese knotweed from spreading - GOV.UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

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Zöe Franklin:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to publish an updated timeline for the implementation of the (a) deposit return scheme and (b) extended producer responsibility schemes. \p Mary Creagh: Our Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for packaging came into force in January, and notices of liabilities have recently been issued. From 2026 fee modulation will be introduced to encourage producers to use more recyclable and sustainable packaging.

The Deposit Return Scheme regulations for England and Northern Ireland came into force in January 2025, and June 2025 by Scottish Government, to run the Deposit Return Scheme. The scheme will launch in England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland in October 2027.
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Alex Ballinger:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to support local authorities to tackle persistent cases of fly-tipping in the West Midlands. \p Mary Creagh: Local councils are responsible for tackling fly-tipping in their area and have a range of enforcement powers to help them do so. These include fixed penalty notices of up to £1000, seizing and crushing of vehicles and prosecution action. We encourage councils to make good use of their enforcement powers and are taking steps to develop statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance to support councils to consistently, appropriately and effectively exercise these existing powers. We are also conducting a review of council powers to seize and crush vehicles of fly-tippers, to identify how we could help them make better use of this tool.

In our manifesto we committed to forcing fly-tippers to clean up the mess that they have created. We will provide further details on this commitment in due course.

In the meantime, Defra continues to chair the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group through which we work with a wide range of stakeholders, such as local authorities and the Environment Agency, to share good practice on preventing fly-tipping. Various practical tools are available from their webpage which is available at: https://nftpg.com/
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Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure smaller food and drink producers in Buckinghamshire can access government support for reducing trade barriers. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Our global network of 16 agrifood and drink attachés are breaking down market access barriers and creating new export opportunities, delivering benefits to businesses in Buckinghamshire and across the UK. So far this year we have pulled down 41 trade barriers, estimated by industry to be worth nearly £100 million to the British food and drink sector. We work closely with industry to identify and resolve barriers, taking into account value and sectoral priorities. Barriers are identified and prioritised at national level but importance to local economies is taken into account. Our attaches focus on removing regulatory barriers for the agri-food and drink sector, including access for animal and plant products, as well as addressing issues such as labelling and other technical barriers to trade which can hinder exports. Together with market access secured through Free Trade Agreements, such as the recent agreement with India, this opens the door to British businesses to capitalise on strong global demand for British produce.

Businesses in Buckinghamshire can report a barrier directly through the online report a barrier service or via their trade association to Defra market access groups for each commodity category. There are a range of SME targeted tools and support available through the Business Growth Service via business.gov.uk to help businesses sell abroad and find the best country for their product. Additional support can be accessed through the UK Export Academy, which is a free training programme for UK businesses looking to grow their international sales.
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Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's press notice entitled Nation to benefit from two new national forests backed by £1 billion investment in tree planting, published on 5 November 2025, what her planned timetable is for planting trees. \p Mary Creagh: We intend to announce further details on the planned timetable for the OxCam corridor national forest in due course. Details of the competition for the third new national forest will also be published in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

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Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Nation to benefit from two new national forests backed by £1 billion investment in tree planting, published on 5 November 2025, what proportion of trees planted will be native species. \p Mary Creagh: The design of the new forests will be led by delivery partners on the ground, so exact species mix is not known at this time.  The woodlands created will be designed for multiple functions including recreation, flood management, timber production and wildlife habitat – the species will be selected to reflect these functions will differ from site to site.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

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Alex Ballinger:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of commissioning research into the impact of firework noise on animal welfare. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Government is continuing to engage with animal welfare stakeholders, businesses, consumer groups and charities on the impacts of fireworks, to inform any future action.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

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David Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what coordination processes are in place between (a) the Rural Payments Agency, (b) the Animal and Plant Health Agency and (c) other arms-length bodies of her Department to (i) reduce administrative pressures on and (ii) enable simultaneous inspections of farmers. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Our arm’s-length bodies are implementing more risk-based approaches for inspections and increasing use of remote monitoring tools, reducing administrative burdens on farmers who are doing the right thing. We are also implementing a more advice-led approach, supporting farmers to meet regulatory requirements.

To further reduce administrative pressures, arm’s-length bodies have created online systems, such as the Animal Disease Movement Licensing Service. This enables livestock keepers to submit movement license applications online for bluetongue and avian influenza, streamlining the process and reducing paperwork.

We support our regulators to share intelligence. For example, we rolled out an app for field officers to share information on regulatory issues. Additionally, RPA and APHA co-ordinate regulatory visits where possible. Cattle identification visits are aligned when possible with TB tests, and where sheep identification visits coincide with APHA work, these are completed by APHA. These actions aim to ease burden on farmers with fewer visits overall.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help prevent offences against protected species. \p Mary Creagh: The Government takes crimes against wildlife seriously and there is a range of legislation in place to protect it. Most notably, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales.

Under this Act, as well as the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006, and species-specific legislation such as the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, there are a range of offences around deliberate attempts to kill, injure or inflict harm on protected species of wildlife.

Additionally, Defra supports the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU), which helps prevent and detect wildlife crime by obtaining and disseminating intelligence, undertaking analysis which highlights local or national threats and directly assisting law enforcers in their investigations. Defra is providing £424,000 for NWCU in the financial year 2025-26.

Furthermore, the UK Wildlife Trade Regulations (WTRs) implement the UK’s obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to ensure trade in protected species is legal and sustainable. Breaches can lead to prosecution with penalties of up to seven years’ imprisonment or unlimited fines, providing a strong deterrent against wildlife crime.
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support (a) agricultural colleges and (b) training providers to develop education programmes on regenerative farming techniques. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Government is fully supportive of collaboration with industry, higher and further education institutions, and training providers to strengthen skills in the farming sector, including those needed for regenerative farming techniques. We will also continue to support farmers through our Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS) who want to introduce regenerative agriculture techniques.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

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Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of recent (a) Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science and (b) other fisheries support schemes funding rounds on the equitableness of allocations between fishing business of different sizes including (a) larger, (b) smaller and (c) independent fishing businesses; and whether she will incorporate the lessons learned into future such funding rounds. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Defra carries out independent evaluation of all fishing and seafood sector grant schemes to ensure lessons are learned, including on the suitability of application processes. The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) administered the Seafood Innovation Fund (SIF) under the UK Seafood Fund (UKSF). Evaluation of the UKSF is ongoing and Cefas are currently supporting this. To improve access to the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme for all businesses, an annual cap was introduced to try to distribute support more equitably and enable more applicants to secure funding. Looking ahead, we will look to incorporate lessons learned into the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, and Defra officials are now in the process of engaging with industry to help with the design of the fund and to make the application process as fair for all stakeholders, including small inshore fishing businesses. We are aware that small inshore fishing businesses can require more time and support with funding applications, so these are factors we will take into consideration when setting up the fund.
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Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of quota allocations for (a) bass, (b) horse mackerel and (c) other species for inshore fishers in (i) Cornwall and (ii) the South West. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The UK's allocations of quota stocks (including horse mackerel) are derived from fixed shares of total allowable catches (TACs), which the UK sets via negotiation with other coastal States. Our approach to setting TACs is based on the best available scientific advice and informed by close engagement with industry. The needs of inshore fishers in Cornwall and the wider South West, as well as other sectors of the fishing industry across the UK, are carefully considered when UK positions are developed for fisheries negotiations.

Bass is a non-quota stock and not subject to quota allocations. The catching of bass is subject to ICES advice on what can be sustainably removed, management measures and gear restrictions. Hook and line is the only authorised targeted fishery, within specific catch limits. Bass may also be landed as bycatch when caught in fixed gillnets or trawls and seines, also within specific catch limits. Other non-quota species are not subject to quota allocations.
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Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure local communities are involved in the management of new national forests. \p Mary Creagh: Community engagement is central to the approach we will encourage these new national forests to apply, and reflects the approach embedded by the original National Forest in the Midlands, which is managed by the National Forest Company. As an illustration of their dedication to community engagement, in 2021 the National Forest Company brought together its 70 community woods groups and conservation organisations under the Community Woods Network.
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Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how she plans to (a) monitor and (b) report progress on establishing new national forests. \p Mary Creagh: All grants funded by the Nature for Climate fund are subject to the appropriate scrutiny as outlined in Defra’s Integrated Assurance and Approvals Strategy including checks on feasibility and value for money.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of amending the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010 to remove the requirement for racing greyhounds to be identified by earmarking. \p Dame Angela Eagle: One of the original objectives of the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010 was to improve the traceability of greyhounds in England during and after their racing life. The 2010 Regulations therefore require all greyhounds racing in England to be permanently identified by both microchip and ear tattoo. Any future review of the 2010 Regulations would include assessing the merits of still requiring two methods of permanent identification for racing greyhounds.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will take steps to create new river trails for multi-use access. \p Mary Creagh: The Government recognises the importance of supporting access to nature, including along our rivers. We are actively engaging with stakeholders to identify suitable locations for the nine new national river walks. Wherever possible, we aim to incorporate multi-user access to ensure inclusivity.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will give Environment Agency a responsibility for improving (a) entry and (b) exit points for inland rivers to help support recreation. \p Emma Hardy: The Government recognises the importance of access to nature for people’s health and well-being. The Environment Agency currently enhances recreation where it can demonstrate value for money, by integrating safe river entry and exit points into flood and asset management schemes. Access improvements are typically funded through navigation service improvements, asset renewal, or new flood alleviation projects, often with partnership contributions.

This approach delivers multi‑benefit outcomes; flood resilience, environmental protection, and recreational use, ensuring rivers remain accessible while safeguarding communities and respecting natural habitats.
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Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with officials in (a) the Netherlands and (b) Slovenia on their plans to ban enriched cages for layer hens. \p Dame Angela Eagle: We have regular engagement with counterparts in other countries on farmed animal welfare issues, including on cages and other close confinement systems.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps she has taken to work to reduce instances of crime against animals. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Government has taken steps to reduce crime against animals. We have provided over £800,000 in additional funding to the National Wildlife Crime Unit and the National Rural Crime Unit to strengthen enforcement against offences such as poaching and illegal wildlife trade. There are strong penalties in place for offences committed against wildlife and kept animals. For kept animals we have Penalty Notices for Animal Health and Welfare Offences, giving enforcement bodies a proportionate tool for lower-level breaches. For serious animal welfare offences courts can now impose up to five years’ imprisonment for the most serious cruelty offences under the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act. These measures improve deterrence and ensure justice.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of green social proscribing on levels of mental health and wellbeing. \p Mary Creagh: The Government recognises the health and wellbeing benefits of outdoor access and will continue to champion these benefits, which the Green Social Prescribing programme has evidenced.

Phase 1 of the Green Social Prescribing programme ran until March 2023 and was very successful, achieving around 8,500 referrals and demonstrating statistically significant improvements in participants mental health.

As in the first phase of the programme, there will be an evaluation report developed for Phase 2 of the programme, which ran from April 2024 until March 2025. We expect to publish the phase 2 report in early 2026.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the likely trends in food production over the coming decade. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The UK Food Security Report sets out an analysis of statistics relating to food security, providing an evidence base to inform future government policy and public understanding. It tracks trends in domestic production, import reliance, inflation, and supply chain shocks. The UK was 65% self-sufficient for all food and 77% self-sufficient for indigenous type food in 2024, continuing a broadly stable trend.

The new annual Food Security Statistics Publication will be published in the years between the UK Food Security Report, with the first one by the end of 2025.

Defra also contributes to the OECD and FAO’s forward-looking, ten-year projections for UK agricultural production, which are published annually as part of the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook. The most recent Agricultural Outlook was published in July.

The projections are based on historic trends, macro factors such as population growth, and projected world prices in these commodities.
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Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help reduce the number of pollution incidents from Wessex Water sewerage assets in Somerset. \p Emma Hardy: In Somerset, two new Water Industry Officer teams now monitor Wessex Water’s compliance with environmental permits and hold them accountable for pollution incidents. These teams inspect all Wessex Water assets and in 2024/25, delivered more inspections than any other EA Area, with similar performance expected this year. Officers are continually upskilled to strengthen incident response and enforcement capabilities to ensure they hold Wessex Water accountable.

Within the Yeovil constituency, the EA is due to complete a total of 22 inspections of Wessex Water assets this year, an increase from 6 last year. The EA has already responded to a significant pollution incident within the constituency, initially stopping the pollution incident and now investigating further to determine an appropriate enforcement response.
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Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 78992, how much meat was processed by each slaughterhouse using the (a) halal and (b) shechita methods in each year since 2020. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Data regarding the amount of meat resulting from animals slaughtered using the halal method or the shechita method is not collected.
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Lincoln Jopp:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, where the River Thames Scheme is on the Environment Agency's register. \p Emma Hardy: Taking the register referred to as meaning a risk register, the River Thames Scheme is managed as part of the Environment Agency’s (EA’s) capital FCRM Investment programme and is therefore captured within the wider programme-level corporate risk register, rather than as an individual project risk. FCRM Investment programme risks are overseen and managed through the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) assurance framework, ensuring consistent oversight and mitigation across all major schemes. The approach focuses on managing uncertainty and delivery risk collectively to ensure the programme remains within acceptable risk tolerance while maintaining delivery confidence and value for money. The EA’s risk management framework follows standards set out in the UK Government ‘Orange Book’.
wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_115
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_115

Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of strengthening waste regulations (a) for the list of approved destinations of and (b) on the environmental standards for aluminium scrap exports on (i) encouraging domestic recycling and (ii) reducing carbon leakage. \p Mary Creagh: We are currently considering the role of exports in dealing with the UK’s scrap aluminium and how they can complement domestic recycling efforts.

Overseas facilities receiving UK waste must be operated in accordance with standards that are broadly equivalent to those established in UK legislation. We work with the UK regulators to ensure the proper enforcement of our rules and regulations.

Defra is committed to building a circular economy that enhances industry competition and capitalises on the UK’s potential in aluminium processing, whilst realising our environmental objectives.
wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_116
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_116

Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to reform the (a) Packaging Recovery Note (PRN) and (b) Packaging Waste Export Recycling Note (PERN) system to (i) address market imbalances that disadvantage UK recyclers, (ii) reduce the price disparity between PRNs and PERNs, (iii) strengthen oversight of overseas export destinations and (iv) support domestic recycling infrastructure. \p Mary Creagh: Yes, we have been working closely with relevant stakeholders to identify and prioritise options to reform the PRN system, including levelling the playing field between UK reprocessors and exporters, and increasing transparency in the system. We plan to consult on these shortly.
wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_117
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_117

Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help uphold health and safety standards in relation to worker exposure to hazardous substances. \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.
wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_118
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_118

Helen Whately:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many work coaches there were in each English district in each month since July 2024. \p Dame Diana Johnson: 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.
wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_119
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_119

James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of eligible cases have the Child Maintenance Service used enforcement powers in including (a) liability orders, (b) bailiff action, (c) passport revocation and (d) driving licence revocation in each of the last five years; and what barriers exist to the Child Maintenance Service applying such enforcement powers in cases of persistent non-payment. \p Andrew Western: The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to ensuring that children receive the financial support to which they are entitled. Where a paying parent fails to meet their obligations under a statutory child maintenance arrangement, enforcement action is taken.

The Department regularly publishes Child Maintenance Service official statistics. The Enforcement section of the latest bulletin provides details on the enforcement actions used by the CMS, and further details of these for quarter ending June 2015 to quarter ending June 2025 are available in table 6.1 and 6.2 of the accompanying National tables.

Enforcement actions are used by the CMS to collect both the maintenance arranged by the CMS, and Child Support Agency arrears that have been transitioned to CMS systems. Details of the number of paying parents using the Collect and Pay service, and the compliance of those parents, for the same time period are available in the CMS Paying Parents dataset on Stat-Xplore. Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access general guidance on how to extract the information required.

Enforcement can be more challenging where paying parents have irregular income, lack traceable assets, or receive benefits, as deductions may be limited or not feasible. These situations require careful consideration to ensure that enforcement remains proportionate and effective. In some instances, non-payment is used as a form of economic abuse. To support survivors, the CMS has introduced reforms, including easier access to the Collect and Pay service. While enforcement aims to be swift, paying parents have a right to appeal, which can delay proceedings. The CMS must balance timely action with procedural fairness.

The Department continues to monitor the effectiveness of enforcement measures and remains committed to further reforms to ensure that child maintenance is paid promptly and in full.
wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_120
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_120

Mr Lee Dillon:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to help support the financial needs of families, including their (a) eligibility for benefits and (b) access to childcare support. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Universal Credit is designed to be a flexible benefit which offers support for both those in and out of work. It provides an invaluable safety net for millions of customers through the standard allowance and additional elements.

The government recognises the value of this safety net to millions of people and has therefore legislated for the first ever sustained above-inflation uplift to the UC standard allowance.

In September we launched the Best Start in Life website for carers and parents, providing information on the government childcare offers available and an eligibility checker.

Independent, free and anonymous benefit calculators are available to help people check what benefits they may be entitled to. The calculators can be accessed on the Government website at: https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators
wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_121
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_121

Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to support disabled people to access employment by (a) ensuring that the Access to Work scheme is properly resourced and (b) addressing delays in (i) award decisions and (ii) reimbursements. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Access to Work has been providing support for over 30 years, and we know that for many, this support has been invaluable. Demand for the service has increased. In 2024/5 the number of customers in receipt of payment reached 74,190. This is an increase of 10% compared with 2023/24.

Access to Work will continue to be funded as part of the Spending Review 2025. This will ensure continued support for disabled people and people with health conditions to stay and remain in the workplace.

We recognise the importance of clearing the backlog, which is why we increased the number of staff working in this area by 27%.

In the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we consulted on the future of Access to Work and how to improve the programme to help more disabled people into work and support employers. We are currently considering responses to the consultation that closed on 30 June and we will set out our plans as soon as we are in a position to do so.
wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_122
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_122

Luke Murphy:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the time taken to process mandatory reconsiderations for Child Disability Living Allowance applications. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Department is clear that decisions should be made without delay. The department has increased resources to help reduce wait times for Disability Living Allowance Child Mandatory Reconsideration decisions, by recruiting additional decision makers and reallocating decision makers from other parts of the department.

If the decision maker considers that more time is needed to gather or consider evidence in an individual case, they must give themselves that time to ensure they are confident that the decision made is correct.
wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_123
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_123

Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of unemployment for (a) younger and (b) older people in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The information requested is published and available at:

https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp

Guidance for users can be found at:

https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp

The estimated unemployment levels can be found by selecting “Query data” on the NOMIS home page and selecting “Annual Population Survey/Labour Force Survey” and then “annual population survey (Dec 2004 to Jun 2025)” in the lists of data sources. The Geography will need to be set for the relevant Westminster constituency from the menu, and the Variable set to the desired age group from the “Unemployment rate” Category.
wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_124
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_124

Euan Stainbank:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Oral Statement of 11 November 2025 on Pensions, Official Report, col 44, whether the research findings from the 2007 report referred to in that statement have been shared with the Women Against State Pension Inequality campaign group. \p Torsten Bell: The report, Evaluation of Automatic State Pension Forecasts (research report No 447), is publicly available on the National Archives website, and on 11 November we deposited a copy in the House Libraries.
wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_125
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_125

Euan Stainbank:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to make a final decision decision on the Government response to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s investigation into Women’s State Pension age communications and associated issues. \p Torsten Bell: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions set out in his Oral Statement on 11 November 2025 that he will update the House on the decision as soon as a conclusion is reached.
wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_126
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-18 conversation_126

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department hold on the average processing time for Access to Work grant applications for work experience placements. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Department does not hold data on the average processing time for Access to Work grant applications specifically for work experience placements. These applications are included within the overall processing times for Access to Work.

For details on the average processing time for Access to Work grant applications from April to June 2025, please refer to the answer I gave on 3 July 2025 to Question UIN 63906.