theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2025 to question 82442 on Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties, when HMRC will begin the evaluation of the new rates and structures. \p Dan Tomlinson: In March 2023, the previous government published its response to the new alcohol duty system consultation which ran from October 2021 to January 2022. Within that response was a commitment to evaluate the impacts of the new rates and structures three years after the changes take effect on 1 August 2023.

The previous government’s response can be found here: The new alcohol duty system: final consultation response

HMRC and HM Treasury began to monitor the impacts of the new rates and structure before the changes were introduced on 1 August 2023. The timeframes committed to should be an appropriate amount of time to gather useful and accurate data that could be used to understand the impacts in the alcohol market.

Plans are being formulated within HMRC for discussions with business via their trade associations as part of the evaluation work. In the meantime, the government always welcomes written feedback direct from parliamentarians and their constituents.
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Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 15 October 2025 to Question 78960 on Hospitals and Schools: Solar Power, how many (a) schools and (b) hospitals have had their Rateable Values amended by the Valuation Office Agency due to the installation of solar panels since July 2024. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Valuation Office Agency does not maintain records that specifically identify properties, including schools and hospitals, whose Rateable Value has been amended solely due to the installation of solar panels.
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Juliet Campbell:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to exempt small businesses from paying VAT on birthday parties in line with the arrangements that currently exist for local leisure centres. \p Dan Tomlinson: VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is the UK’s third-largest tax, forecast to raise around £180 billion in 2025/26, helping to fund vital public services.

Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for those services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.

There are no specific VAT reliefs for birthday parties. A local authority leisure centre may not charge VAT if the activity falls within existing VAT exemptions, such as those for sport or education, or where the activity is treated as part of the council’s non-business community functions. Activities such as soft play and bouncy castle parties are taxable at the 20 per cent standard rate.
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Dan Norris:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support the delivery of youth services in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency. \p Stephanie Peacock: This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives, and we are committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential. This is why we are developing a National Youth Strategy to set out a new long-term vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this. This strategy will cover youth services, provision and policy at local, regional and national levels. We will publish the Strategy later in the year.

Additionally, outdoor learning providers in North East Somerset and Hanham were eligible to apply for this year’s Adventures Away from Home fund. This £4.7 million investment is delivered by UK Youth and supports organisations to deliver outdoor learning experiences for disadvantaged or vulnerable young people.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with (a) UEFA and (b) FIFA on the participation of Israel in international football. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Secretary of State has not had such discussions with UEFA and FIFA. The government fully respects the independence and autonomy of sports organisations. Decisions on participation in international sports events are a matter for the relevant international sport federations and their national representatives.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to support the delivery of additional youth services in South Holland and the Deepings constituency. \p Stephanie Peacock: As set out in section 507B of the Education Act 1996, local authorities have a statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people.

This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives, and we are committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential. We are co-producing a new National Youth Strategy to set out a new long-term vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this. The National Youth Strategy will be published later this year.

This financial year, we are investing over £145 million in youth programmes to provide stability to the sector and ensure young people can continue to access opportunities.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 55487 on Tourism: National Landscapes, if she will make an estimate of the economic contribution of tourism to areas with a protected landscape in each of the next five years. \p Stephanie Peacock: National Parks are vital assets for tourism, attracting millions of domestic and international visitors each year and supporting local economies through recreation, hospitality, and cultural heritage. While there are no plans to make an estimate of the economic contribution of tourism to areas with a protected landscape, DCMS recognises the importance of protected landscapes to the UK’s tourism offering.

DCMS continues to work with VisitBritain to champion visits to the British countryside to a worldwide audience. VisitBritain’s new GREAT-funded international marketing campaign, ‘Starring GREAT Britain’, uses the hook of Britain’s rich film and television history to encourage more international visitors to explore across Britain, including many rural destinations, landmarks and National Parks.
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Melanie Ward:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she is planning a further allocation of funding to support grassroots football in Scotland. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government is committed to ensuring that communities across the UK benefit from high-quality sport facilities to help enable people to get active. The Government has committed at least £400 million to be invested in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities over the next four years across the UK.

Funding is subject to departmental business planning processes which are ongoing. Further details will be announced in due course.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer to Question 8701, what action her Department has taken since 21 October 2024 to encourage (a) inbound and (b) domestic tourism in Bedfordshire. \p Stephanie Peacock: The government is committed to expanding the tourism sector and enabling more inbound and domestic visitors to fully experience the UK's diverse offerings in areas including Bedfordshire, home to stately homes such at Bridgerton’s West Park and family attractions including Whipsnade Zoo.

To drive more inbound visits across Britain, VisitBritain launched a global screen tourism campaign ‘’Starring Great Britain’’ in January 2025. The campaign uses the country's rich film and television history as a hook to inspire visitors to explore diverse and often rural destinations. The launch was supported by a wider advertising campaign across the UK’s largest and most valuable inbound visitor markets including Australia, the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries, France, Germany and the USA.

The Government has secured a multi-billion-pound investment in a major new Universal theme park and resort in Bedford. This project will create thousands of jobs and drive millions of visitors, both inbound and domestic to Bedfordshire, reinforcing the UK as a world leader in the creative industries.

The Government has also announced the expansion of Luton airport which will significantly increase its passenger capacity enabling it to play a significant role in accommodating international visitors to the Universal theme park. The East West Rail corridor will also include Bedford from 2030, improving connectivity and driving economic growth.
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Damian Hinds:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the speech at the Labour Party Conference of 29 September 2025, on what evidential basis it was said that 1,700 primary schools do not have a school library. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has responsibility for the Dormant Assets Scheme, which is providing funding to support the primary school library commitment, previously announced by the Chancellor.

Research by the National Literacy Trust estimates there are 1,700 primary schools in England currently without a library. A 2023 NLT report states that 1 in 7 UK state primary schools, rising to 1 in 4 in disadvantaged areas, do not have a library or dedicated library space.

Through the Scheme, £132.5 million has been allocated to increasing disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability over the long term. Funding for this initiative will come from the £132.5m.

It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, including whether to employ a qualified librarian. The Department for Education, therefore, does not collect data on the number or structure of school libraries or number of librarians in primary or secondary schools.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the press release entitled Cricket domes to bring year-round sport to communities, published on 25 August 2025, what the location will be of the dome in Luton. \p Stephanie Peacock: On 25 August, the Government announced £1.5 million investment into two indoor cricket domes in Luton and Farington, to be delivered through the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Luton’s new state-of-the-art indoor cricket dome will be in Lewsey Park and is expected to open in summer 2026, providing world-class indoor practice facilities for cricket, so local players, schools and grassroots clubs can access the sport all year round.

The flexible space will also have the potential to host other sports, such as hockey, tennis and badminton, ensuring as many local people as possible can get active. The new facility will also have a particular focus on encouraging more women and girls into the game ahead of the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup.

Work with the England and Wales Cricket Board is ongoing to monitor the impact and effectiveness of these sites and we’re keen that they benefit as wide a local area as possible.
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Paul Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to begin the rollout of primary school libraries in every primary school in England. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has responsibility for the Dormant Assets Scheme, which is providing funding to support the primary school library commitment, previously announced by the Chancellor.

Through the Scheme, £132.5 million has been allocated to increasing disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability over the long term. This includes a commitment to ensuring that every primary school in England has a library space by the end of this Parliament.

The Government is working with The National Lottery Community Fund to co-design the programme and develop more of the specifics around its delivery. Further details will be announced in due course, including expected timelines.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when the primary school library rollout will begin as part of the government's commitment to ensure every primary school in England has a library by the end of this parliament. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has responsibility for the Dormant Assets Scheme, which is providing funding to support the primary school library commitment, previously announced by the Chancellor.

Through the Scheme, £132.5 million has been allocated to increasing disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability over the long term. This includes a commitment to ensuring that every primary school in England has a library space by the end of this Parliament.

The Government is working with The National Lottery Community Fund to co-design the programme and develop more of the specifics around its delivery. Further details will be announced in due course, including expected timelines.
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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 September 2025 to Question 74384 on Rugby, what assessment her Department has made of the long-term financial sustainability of professional rugby union; and whether she plans to discuss the financial challenges facing professional rugby union with Premiership Rugby. \p Stephanie Peacock: The governance of rugby union is a matter for the Rugby Football Union (the national governing body for rugby union), which is independent of government.

DCMS continues to work with the RFU, representatives of Prem and Champ clubs as well as the Tier Two Board, and the wider sport sector to support the ongoing sustainability of elite and community level rugby union.

I have met with Prem Rugby previously to discuss the long-term financial sustainability of professional rugby union, and my officials regularly engage with Prem Rugby on this issue.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to develop reading for pleasure in schools. \p Josh MacAlister: The department knows that reading for pleasure is hugely important and brings a range of benefits.

That is why we are launching the National Year of Reading 2026, in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust. It aims to address long-term declines in reading enjoyment through engaging new audiences, reshaping public attitudes and building the systems needed to embed lasting, meaningful change.

On 29 September, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, committed over £10 million of funding to guarantee a library for every primary school by the end of this parliament. The government will set out further details of the scheme in due course.

The government has also committed £27.7 million this financial year to support and drive high and rising standards in reading. This includes supporting the teaching of phonics, early language and reading for pleasure via the English Hubs programme.
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Esther McVey:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what consultation her Department undertook with parents of home educated children on the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill. \p Josh MacAlister: The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill includes a proposal for compulsory Children Not in School registers and an accompanying duty on parents to give information for these registers. The department consulted on this proposal as part of its ‘Children Not in School’ consultation, which ran between April and June 2019. The consultation received almost 5,000 responses, 74% of which were from parents and young people.
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Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of support available for the transition into adulthood at age 18 for young people who were in care during early childhood before being (a) adopted or (b) placed under alternative permanency arrangements. \p Josh MacAlister: I refer the hon. Member for Chichester to the answer of 29 October 2025 to question 84112.
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Shivani Raja:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed international students levy on economic growth in (a) Leicester, (b) the East Midlands and (c) the United Kingdom; and if she will ensure the policy is reviewed prior to implementation. \p Josh MacAlister: The international student levy will fund the reintroduction of targeted maintenance grants for disadvantaged students to break down barriers to opportunity through our Plan for Change.

This will help support more students from the lowest income households progress into and excel in higher education. This will also support our national Opportunity Mission, through which the government is breaking the damaging link between background and success.

The government will set out further details on the levy at Autumn Budget.

We expect the UK to remain a highly attractive study destination. Our world-class higher education sector can offer a fulfilling and enjoyable experience to international students from around the world.
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Dame Caroline Dinenage:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that children from non-privileged backgrounds have access to music and dance schools. \p Georgia Gould: Funding of approximately £36.5 million is committed for the 2025/26 academic year for the Music and Dance Scheme, which provides income assessed bursaries to enable exceptionally talented children, regardless of their personal and financial circumstances, to attend specialist music and dance institutions.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the proportion of children choosing the EBacc subjects for GCSEs in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire, (c) the East Midlands and (d) England. \p Georgia Gould: The department publishes data on entry into English Baccalaureate subjects in the annual Key stage 4 performance statistics release available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/key-stage-4-performance/2024-25. The latest data has been available since 16 October 2025.
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Mr Lee Dillon:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve support for children with speech and language challenges in schools. \p Georgia Gould: The department, in collaboration with NHS England, has extended the Early Language and Support for Every Child (ELSEC) programme to strengthen early identification and intervention for children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) in early years settings and primary schools.

Under the Best Start in Life strategy, the department is investing in evidence-based initiatives such as the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI), which has demonstrated significant impact on oral language and early literacy, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.

Since 2021, English Hubs have delivered targeted professional development to enhance whole class early language provision, primarily in early years and key stage 1, with plans to expand support for reception classes.

Recognising the critical role of speech and language therapists, the department is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to improve access to community health services, including speech and language therapy, for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
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Esther McVey:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure provisions in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill maintain data protection requirements. \p Georgia Gould: The department recognises its responsibility to ensure the highest standards of data privacy and transparency in respect of personal data, and we are ensuring that this is prioritised as the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill progresses.

We are ensuring that measures outlined in the Bill align with data protection principles, as set out in the Data Protection Act 2018, UK General Data Protection Regulations (UK GDPR) and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.

The department has met its obligation under Article 36(4) of UK GDPR to consult with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) on all measures involving the use of personal data. We continue to engage with the ICO for measures relating to the single unique identifier and the children not in school.

The department is engaging with the ICO to ensure that data protection risks identified are properly mitigated and will publish summaries of the assessments once they are complete.
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Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the number of children that have required access to free school meals in each of the last five years in Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency. \p Olivia Bailey: The department publishes data on free school meals (FSM) in its annual ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ publication, available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics/2024-25. The most recent data was published on 5 June, and the next publication is planned for summer 2026.

To access FSM data for the Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency for the 2024/25 academic year, refer to the file titled 'School level underlying data 2025 (CSV, 22 MB)', located in the 'Additional supporting files' section.

To access data from previous academic years, visit the 'Releases in this series' section on the publication website. Then, locate the 'School level underlying data' file under 'Additional supporting files'.
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Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department takes through school food (a) standards and (b) guidance to tackle ultra-processed foods; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward further proposals to help reduce the proportion of ultra-processed items in school (i) meals and (ii) vending machines. \p Olivia Bailey: The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) has considered the impact of processed foods on health in 2023 and 2025, and recommends that on balance, most people are likely to benefit from reducing their consumption of processed foods high in energy, saturated fat, salt and free sugars and low in fibre.

The School Food Standards already restrict foods high in fat, salt and sugar, as well as low quality reformed or reconstituted foods, but to ensure quality and nutrition in meals for the future, the department is working with with experts across the sector to revise the School Food Standards, so every school is supported with updated nutrition guidance.

The School Food Standards apply to food and drink provided to pupils on school premises up to 6pm and include vending machines.
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Stuart Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure the provision of childcare in all rural areas. \p Olivia Bailey: In our Plan for Change we have set a milestone of a record proportion of children starting school ready to learn. We will measure our progress through 75% of children at the end of reception reaching a good level of development in the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile assessment by 2028.

The government has committed to working with the sector to better support parents in poorer and rural areas. We have announced over £400 million of funding to create tens of thousands of places in new and expanded school-based nurseries to help ensure more children can access the quality early education where it is needed and get the best start in life. The first phase of the programme is creating up to 6,000 new nursery places, with schools reporting over 5,000 have been made available in September 2025.

The department has regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing. Where local authorities report sufficiency challenges, we discuss what action they are taking to address those issues and, where needed, support the local authority with any specific requirements through our childcare sufficiency support contract.
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Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether (a) the healthy schools rating scheme and (b) similar programmes consider the degree of food processing in assessing school performance on healthy eating. \p Olivia Bailey: The department is committed to raising the healthiest generation ever. The healthy schools rating scheme celebrates the positive actions that schools are delivering in terms of healthy living, healthy eating and physical activity, and supports schools in identifying further actions that they can take in this area.

Healthy eating is covered in science and design and technology in the national curriculum as well as in health education, as part of the relationships, sex and health education curriculum.

The School Food Standards restrict foods high in fat, salt and sugar, as well as low quality reformed or reconstituted foods. Governing Boards have a responsibility to ensure compliance with the School Food Standards and should appropriately challenge the headteacher and the senior leadership team to ensure the school is meeting its obligations.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s length bodies have spent on (i) installing electric vehicle charging facilities and (ii) purchasing electric vehicles since 4 July 2024; and what estimate their Department has made of the difference in capital cost between (A) the electric vehicles purchased by their Department and (B) comparable (1) petrol and (2) diesel models. \p Olivia Bailey: The department and its arm’s length bodies have not incurred any expenditure on the installation of electric vehicle charging facilities or purchased any electric vehicles since 4 July 2024.
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Joe Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many parents with three and four- year-olds from (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle and (d) the North East have used their entitlement to 15 hours of free childcare in each of the last three years. \p Olivia Bailey: The latest Accredited Official Statistics release ‘Funded early education and childcare’ for January 2025 was published on 17 July 2025. Statistics are not readily available at constituency level. Figures on the number of three and four-year-old children registered for the universal entitlement in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, and the North East between January 2023 and 2025 are available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/b250b87d-7a41-4383-6814-08de1ade192d.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to encourage healthier eating in schools. \p Olivia Bailey: Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The department is committed to raising the healthiest generation ever. To ensure quality and nutrition in meals for the future, we are working with experts across the sector to revise the School Food Standards, so every school is supported with updated nutrition guidance.

The Relationships and sex education and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance states that by the end of primary school, pupils should know what constitutes a healthy diet, the principles of planning and preparing a range of healthy meals, the characteristics of a poor diet, and the risks associated with unhealthy eating and other behaviours (e.g. the impact of alcohol on diet or health). The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.
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Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will (a) collect and (b) publish data on the proportion of ultra-processed foods in school meals (i) by region, (ii) by local authority and (iii) in Wiltshire. \p Olivia Bailey: The department does not collate or publish data on the proportion of ultra-processed foods in school meals. The School Food Standards regulate the food and drink provided at both lunchtime and at other times of the school day, and restrict foods high in fat, salt and sugar, as well as low quality reformed or reconstituted foods.

Governing boards have a responsibility to ensure compliance and should appropriately challenge the headteacher and the senior leadership team to ensure the school is meeting its obligations. To support governors, the department, along with the National Governance Association, launched an online training course on school food for governors and trustees. This training is designed to improve understanding of the Standards and give governing boards confidence to hold their school leaders to account on their whole school approach to food.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether there are regional variations in the planned allocation of Pride in Place programme funding to high street regeneration projects. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: On 25 September, the Government launched its overarching Pride in Place Strategy, underpinned by two allocative funding programmes. The flagship Pride in Place Programme will provide up to £20 million in flexible funding and support to 244 places over the next decade.

Areas will establish a local Neighbourhood Board, comprised of those with a deep connection to the local area, such as, local businesses, grassroots campaigners, workplace representatives, faith and community leaders and any other relevant organisations. That board will take the decisions over how the funding is spent and what local priorities are addressed.

Areas in phase 1 of the programme have begun developing their regeneration plans, and many have indicated an interest in supporting high street regeneration projects. As we continue our work with those phase 1 places, we will develop a clearer picture of how interventions may vary across the country.

We have also set out a number of tools and powers that support areas to regenerate high streets in our Pride in Place Strategy.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_57

James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to ensure that planning and infrastructure projects are consistent with the (a) priorities and (b) targets set out in local nature recovery strategies. \p Mary Creagh: Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) set out nature recovery priorities for their area and where action could best be taken on the ground to achieve those priorities.

All public authorities must “have regard” to LNRSs and Planning Practice Guidance has been updated to set out how Local Planning Authorities should use LNRSs when preparing local plans and in decision making. A new requirement for all tiers of planning to “take account” of LNRSs is expected to come into effect.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_58

James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that local nature recovery strategies are (a) implemented in full and (b) that their targets are monitored. \p Mary Creagh: Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) are strategies whose primary purpose is to identify where action for nature recovery and wider environmental improvement would be more effective. Defra will work closely with responsible authorities to deliver priority actions identified by LNRS.

Landowners and managers are being encouraged to carry out proposed actions within an LNRS.

Actions that have been taken will be reported when each LNRS is reviewed and republished. This will ensure that LNRS remain up to date and effective in helping nature to recover.
wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_59
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_59

Wera Hobhouse:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential for private investment in the circular economy. \p Mary Creagh: This Government’s commitment to transitioning towards a circular economy builds a path to economic growth, progress towards Net Zero, restoration of nature, and creates a more resilient economy with investment in green jobs and vital infrastructure. The UK’s existing circular industries deliver £67 billion to the economy, and industry estimates indicate that the ongoing reforms in the packaging sector alone have the potential to support an estimated 21,000 new jobs and stimulate over £10 billion of investment in recycling capability over the next ten years.

We will publish a plan for delivering the Government’s circular economy ambitions in the coming months and the action plan will set out the biggest opportunities to support growth in sectors right across the economy, including: agri-food; built environment; chemicals and plastics; electrical and electronic equipment; textiles; and transport. We also convened a Circular Economy Taskforce of experts to help us with this – they have undertaken extensive engagement with industry leaders, trade associations, and other key stakeholders to ensure that the needs and opportunities for all are considered.
wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_60
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_60

Wera Hobhouse:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with PackUK on the role of the Producer Responsibility Organisation in setting expectations for (a) the sorting of collected materials and (b) mechanisms which could support consistent recovery across different local authorities and MRFs. \p Mary Creagh: The Department is working with PackUK to appoint a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) which will be responsible for administering certain elements of the pEPR scheme. The sorting of collected materials and consistent collections is not within PackUKs remit, so no discussions have taken place so far on the involvement of the PRO in this area.

We are working with WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) and waste industry representatives to support MRF (Materials Recovery Facility) readiness for the Simpler Recycling requirements in England.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_61

Wera Hobhouse:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the lack of sorting requirements of collected materials under Simpler Recycling on recycling rates. \p Mary Creagh: As part of the Simpler Recycling reforms, the Government has made an exemption in regulations to allow local authorities and other waste collectors to co-collect plastic, metal and glass in the same container. This applies in all circumstances without the need to produce a written assessment, based on the evidence that co-collection does not significantly affect the potential for those materials to be recycled.

The decision to allow dry materials to be co-collected has been taken based on evidence to indicate that simplifying the number of bins can help increase participation in recycling. Evidence also suggests that fully co-collecting systems (with one mixed dry recycling bin) have the highest levels of contamination (for example, broken glass stuck on paper or soggy paper from the liquid from bottles and cans), and that paper and card are particularly vulnerable to cross-contamination, which will affect the recycling rate. By default, therefore, paper and card should be separately collected from all other dry materials so their potential to be recycled is not reduced.
wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_62
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_62

Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) ultra-processed foods, (b) palm oil and (c) single-use plastics on the environment impacts associated with supply chains; and if she will publish lifecycle analyses held by her Department. \p Mary Creagh: Defra is funding research into the environmental impacts of agricultural goods including oil seeds such as palm oil and multi-ingredient/complex food products. We are also funding a life-cycle assessment on alternative proteins, which may include products involving varying levels of processing. The findings will be published once complete.

UK Research and Innovation is taking forward a public dialogue on ultra-processed foods to ensure public views feed into research and innovation priorities and programmes at an early stage. The oversight group for the dialogue involves multiple stakeholders from academia, Government and policy bodies, NGOs and food industry organisations.

The Government is committed to supporting sustainable production, trade and use of palm oil. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee has created the Global Environmental Impacts of Consumption indicator, which includes analysis of the impact of palm oil in global supply chains. The indicator estimates that UK consumption of palm oil drove 2,800 hectares of deforestation in 2022. We recognise the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation. Oil palm is a very efficient crop, producing more oil per hectare than other vegetable oil crops. Substitution of other oils which typically require significantly more land to produce may lead to greater environmental impacts as more land is converted to agricultural use.
wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_63
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_63

Bob Blackman:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether any cross-departmental work is being undertaken to (a) assess and (b) address the environmental impact of illegally imported disposable vapes. \p Mary Creagh: Single-use vapes have been banned in the UK since 1 June 2025, we are continuing to monitor the impact of the ban, including the illicit market. In March 2025, the Government announced a £10 million funding boost to trading standards to tackle illicit vapes, including those that are single-use, to ensure that the ban is successfully enforced.
wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_64
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_64

Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of access to dentistry in the Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency. \p Stephen Kinnock: Data on dentistry is available in the Dental statistics – England 2023/24 dataset, published by the NHS Business Services Authority on 22 August 2024, and available at the following link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324

The data for the NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board (ICB), which includes Ely and Cambridgeshire, shows that 27% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2025, compared to 40% in England, and that 55% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2025, compared to 57% in England.

We have asked ICBs to commission extra urgent dental appointments to make sure that patients with urgent dental needs can get the treatment they require. ICBs have been making extra appointments available from April 2025.

ICBs are recruiting posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.

We are committed to reforming the dental contract, with a focus on matching resources to need, improving access, promoting prevention, and rewarding dentists fairly, while enabling the whole dental team to work to the top of their capability. The Government is committed to achieving fundamental contract reform by the end of this Parliament.
wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_65
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_65

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions his Department has had with Lancashire County Council on support for unpaid carers in Fylde constituency. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department for Health and Social Care regularly engages with local authorities, including Lancashire County Council, on a range of social care issues, including unpaid carers.
wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_66
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_66

Stuart Andrew:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason Candidozyma auris was added to schedule 2 of the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations in April 2025;and if he will publish any public health risk assessments informing that decision. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_67

Stuart Andrew:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the UK Health Security Agency has made of the fatality rate associated with invasive Candidozyma auris infection. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_68
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-14 conversation_68

Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will review the covid-19 vaccination eligibility criteria for (a) frontline workers and (b) carers to ensure that (i) those who work in high-risk environments, (ii) those who provide unpaid care, (ii) carers aged 70 and over, (iv) those who have previously had contact with infectious diseases and (v) those in who cannot afford to access private vaccination services are not excluded from receiving the vaccine. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.