Every parliamentary written question tabled by Adrian Ramsay this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 179 · this parliament
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she has taken to prohibit tail docking in pigs in the context of the new animal welfare strategy; and whether she plans to review the interpretation, application or enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to ensure commercial interests are not prioritised over the protection of animals.
Awaiting answer.
Whether she has considered introducing free bus travel for people aged 16 to 21 in education or training.
Awaiting answer.
(a) what assessment he has made of the impact of increased employment costs on the ability of small and medium-sized businesses to offer apprenticeships (b) whether his Department plans to provide additional financial support to employers to sustain apprenticeship opportunities for young people.
Awaiting answer.
Whether some integrated care boards are capping neurodevelopmental assessments without informing GPs or patients.
Awaiting answer.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the UK’s level of resilience to climate risks ahead of the Climate Change Committee Well Adapted UK report.
Awaiting answer.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department's policies on the pig industry’s installation of flexible immobilisation cages.
Awaiting answer.
What steps he is taking to protect vulnerable groups during periods of extreme heat.
Awaiting answer.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the UK’s reliance on food imports in the context of increasing climate-driven supply shocks.
The UK Food Security Report, published by Defra every three years and last published in 2024, sets out an analysis of statistics relating to food security, serving as an evidence base to inform government policy and public understanding. It tracks trends in domestic production, import reliance, inflation, and supply chain shocks.The UK has a resilient food system, producing around 65% of all food consumed here. UK consumers have access through international trade to food products that cannot be produced here, or at least not on a year-round basis. This supplements domestic production and ensures that any disruption from risks such as adverse weather or disease does not affect the UK's overall security of supply.In most scenarios, the UK’s ability to access supply from diverse sources is vital to its resilience.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help improve the resilience of food supply chains to extreme weather events overseas.
The UK food supply chain is underpinned by diverse sources, robust domestic production and reliable import routes. Diversity remains a core strength, supporting response to disruptions, such as extreme weather events overseas, without significant impact on national food security. Whilst the UK currently has a high degree of food security, it cannot be taken for granted. Ongoing research through the Defra-funded Food, Farming and Natural Environment programme with the Met Office Hadley Centre will strengthen the evidence on adaptation options. It will also identify and evaluate key adaptation measures to improve the resilience of the agri-food sector, including cost and ease of implementation.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to set targets for improving the climate resilience of the UK food system.
Food production faces pressing and increasing risks from climate change and nature loss. Defra is taking action to reduce this impact and support the continued production and supply of food for UK citizens. The National Adaptation Programme sets out the actions that government and others will take to adapt to the impacts of climate change across all sectors in England, including the food supply and farming sector. The Government has committed to explore how stronger adaptation objectives can be set to improve preparedness for the impacts of climate change. This will support an ambitious and impactful fourth National Adaptation Programme due in 2028.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has considered the role of legislation such as a Good Food Bill in improving the resilience of the UK food system to climate change.
Defra is working across Government and the food system to drive the Good Food Cycle outcomes, and other Government priorities, over this Parliament. This includes taking action to support the resilience of the UK food system to climate change, by implementing the third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3) which sets out a range of measures to improve resilience and adaptation to climate change across the food supply and farming sector. Transforming the food system is a long-term programme of work. The Government needs to use all available tools in a balanced, evidence-led way that avoids unintended consequences for industry and the consumer. Legislation will play a role in some areas, but the Government has not yet made a decision on the need for a dedicated Food Bill.
Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made on the Horticulture Sector Growth Plan.
Following the first meeting of the Farming and Food Partnership Board in March, work to prepare a Sector Growth Plan for the horticulture sector is now underway. This reflects its vital role in boosting domestic production, driving growth and strengthening national food security. Meetings with horticulture sector experts have commenced to shape an industry-led, sector-owned plan that brings together government and industry expertise. This plan will identify key industry challenges and where the biggest opportunities lie to boost productivity and profitability, while cutting environmental impact and improving animal welfare, all grounded in market realities and government priorities.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of climate change on food prices.
Defra works across Government to improve understanding of the drivers of food prices and their impact on households. This includes analysis of food inflation trends, engagement with industry to improve transparency where possible, and close collaboration with HM Treasury, DBT, DWP and DHSC to mitigate cost pressures on consumers, particularly those most affected by the cost of living. Defra is implementing the third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3), which sets out a range of measures to improve resilience and adaptation to climate change across the food supply and farming sector.
What steps his Department is taking to ensure the newborn screening programme screens for all life-threatening conditions with approved treatments.
The Government recognises the devastating impact of life-threatening rare diseases on children, families, and communities. The NHS Newborn Blood Spot (NBS) screening programme screens newborn babies for 10 rare but serious conditions and consistently achieves very high coverage, with the most recent figure at 98% in Quarter two of 2025/26.We know how frightening it is for families to face the possibility of a serious condition in their newborn. Screening is an important tool, but it is only one of the ways we can reduce illness in babies. Some conditions can be prevented by supporting healthier pregnancies, for example by helping mothers to stop smoking, optimising management of diabetes and other long-term conditions, and ensuring timely antenatal care. For other conditions, there are not yet screening tests that are accurate enough, meaning some babies could undergo further tests and worry when the condition is unlikely to be present.The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), which advises the Government on all screening matters, carefully weighs the likely benefits and possible harms of screening, and works with stakeholders through consultation, to ensure screening programmes are introduced only when they are the best way to support babies and their families.The National Health Service is planning a large-scale in-service evaluation (ISE) of screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in newborn screening services. The ISE, which was due to start in January 2027, will now start three months earlier, in October 2026. The evidence from this ISE will inform a decision on whether to extend the NHS NBS screening programme and include screening for SMA.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government has made its proposed ban on the commercial import of foie gras produced by force-feeding conditional on the outcome of negotiations on a UK–EU sanitary and phytosanitary agreement.
The Government has made clear that the production of foie gras from ducks or geese using force feeding raises serious welfare concerns. Foie gras production using force feeding has been banned in the UK for nearly 20 years as it is not compatible with our animal welfare legislation. As announced at the UK-EU Leaders' Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards an SPS Agreement. Negotiations with the EU on the SPS Agreement are underway and Defra cannot comment on these discussions while they are ongoing. However, this Government is clear about the importance of being able to set high animal welfare standards.
With reference to ADE: Heat Networks report entitled Clean Heat 2040 report, whether he plans to rebalance energy policy costs for heat networks away from electricity bills.
The government recognises that high electricity prices are a significant pressure on industry and a barrier to investment and growth. We are continuing to develop further policies to bring down electricity costs relative to gas, and intend to consult on options to reduce costs and make electrification an economically rational choice for a wider range of businesses and organisations.
What estimate he has made of the level of savings to NHS services in Norfolk from VCSE sector programmes.
The Department has not made a central estimate of the level of savings to National Health Services in Norfolk specifically arising from programmes delivered by the voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector.VCSE organisations play an important role in supporting prevention, early intervention, and community-based care, which can help improve outcomes for patients and reduce pressure on statutory services.
With reference to ADE Heat Networks' report "Clean Heat 2040", what plans he has to mandate that industrial plants and data centres make their surplus heat available for district heating networks.
Heat Network zoning equips communities and local government with the tools to accelerate the development of low carbon heat networks and ensure that more homes and businesses can have access to greener, cheaper heat. Through heat network zoning, certain types of buildings and heat sources can be required to connect to a network within a prescribed timeframe. This will allow for large-scale strategic heat networks to be built in towns and cities across the country.
With reference to ADE Heat Networks' report "Clean Heat 2040" what assessment his Department has made of the case for extending to heat networks the same long-term revenue support mechanisms that are already provided to nuclear power and carbon capture projects.
The government recognises the conclusion of the report that electricity prices are a significant pressure on the heat network industry and a barrier to investment and growth. We intend to consult on options to reduce costs, provide longer-term certainty and make electrification an economically rational choice for a wider range of businesses including heat networks.
With reference to the Sutton Trust’s Selective Inclusion report, what assessment she has made of the extent to which low-income pupils with SEND are currently underrepresented in the top-performing comprehensive schools.
The School Admissions Code requires admission arrangements to be fair, clear and objective. A school must admit a child where it is named in the child’s education health and care plan.The ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ White Paper sets out the government’s commitment to developing new resources to support and encourage schools to use existing provisions within the Code, such as a pupil premium priority, to adopt more inclusive admission arrangements. We have also committed to strengthen scrutiny of all pupil movement including unacceptable off-rolling practice by developing a new, internal dashboard that identifies school level trends in how children move through the education system, paying particular attention to schools where special educational needs and disabilities, free school meals or demographic trends appear significantly out of sync with their local context.