Written questions by Ramsay.

When the Kinship Allowance Pilot will commence; and when she plans to publish the list of the ten selected local authorities participating in that pilot.

The department announced on 27 February that the Kinship Allowance pilot will be delivered through the new Kinship Zones programme, which will operate in seven local authority areas: Bexley, Bolton, Newcastle, North East Lincolnshire, Medway, Thurrock and Wiltshire.Delivery of support through the Kinship Zones will begin on 1 April 2026, with local authorities leading engagement with eligible kinship families ahead of the rollout.The seven participating local authorities were selected following last year’s expression of interest process. The final seven were selected because they provided the strongest conditions for generating robust evidence across a diverse range of local contexts and helping the maximum number of children while remaining within budget constraints.Details of the participating areas have already been published, and further information about the wider Kinship Zones programme is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-investment-in-support-for-kinship-carers.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will amend the The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 following the 2024 Post-Implementation Review in order to (a) make the breeding of rabbits a licensable activity, (b) require that all rabbits sold are correctly sexed, (c) provide additional resources to local authorities to strengthen enforcement, and (d) place the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Rabbits on a statutory footing, in line with the regulatory frameworks in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Government published its Animal Welfare Strategy in December 2025, which committed to continuing to work with the sector to drive up welfare standards and improve compliance with the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (LAIA) licensing regime, as well as working with local authorities to ensure consistent and effective enforcement. LAIA already require that anyone in the business of breeding and selling rabbits as pets must obtain a valid licence from their local authority. Licensees must meet strict statutory minimum welfare standards which are enforced by local authorities who have powers to issue, refuse or revoke licences.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to medication, paediatric support, and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services follow-up for children diagnosed with ADHD through the Right to Choose pathway.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment and support, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.NICE guidelines recommend that all medication for ADHD should only be initiated by a healthcare professional with training and expertise in diagnosing and managing ADHD and after titration and dose stabilisation. Prescribing and monitoring of ADHD medication should be carried out under shared care protocol arrangements with primary care.NHS England established an ADHD taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. The final report was published on 6 November 2025. The work of the independent ADHD taskforce highlighted the need for coordinated action across health, education and public services to reform ADHD services and support.On 4 December, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced the launch of an Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism. The independent review will build directly on the evidence and recommendations of the ADHD taskforce. The taskforce’s report provides a strong, evidence‑based foundation, and the review will consider its findings in full to ensure conclusions are aligned and complementary. In the meantime, we are working with NHS England to deliver some of the taskforce’s recommendations such as on data improvement, enhancing mental health support teams in schools, improved commissioning and better collaboration between mental health and primary care services.

Whether he plans to provide additional funding and workforce planning support to Integrated Care Boards to reduce waiting times for children with ADHD assessments and treatment.

NHS England is responsible for determining allocations of financial resources to integrated care boards (ICBs). Funding for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism assessment services are included within NHS England’s financial allocations to ICBs. The Government has recognised that, nationally in England, demand for assessments for ADHD has grown significantly in recent years and that people of all ages, including children and young people, are experiencing delays accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan for England will make the National Health Service fit for the future, recognising the need for early intervention and support, including for children and young people, such as those with special educational needs and disabilities. Through the NHS Medium Term Planning Framework, published 24 October, NHS England has set clear expectations for local ICBs and trusts to improve access, experience, and outcomes for autism and ADHD services over the next three years, focusing on improving quality and productivity. NHS England established an ADHD taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. The final report was published on 6 November 2025, and we are carefully considering its recommendations. Building on the work of the Independent ADHD Taskforce, on 4 December 2025, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced the launch of an Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism. The review will inform our approach so that people with ADHD and autistic people have the right support in place to enable them to live well in their communities.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the availability of wide area network (WAN) coverage required for smart meter functionality in Waveney Valley constituency; what information her Department holds on the number of households in that constituency that were deemed ineligible for smart meter installation due to insufficient (a) WAN and (b) 4G connectivity; and what plans her Department has to help improve connectivity in rural areas.

The Department does not collect data on smart meter installations at a constituency level. The latest statistics are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/smart-meters-in-great-britain-quarterly-update-september-2025. The Government is working closely with the Data Communications Company (DCC) - the licensed body responsible for providing communication and data services for smart metering in Great Britain - and energy suppliers to ensure smart meter connectivity can be extended to currently unserved properties in all regions as soon as reasonably possible. One solution currently being trialled will involve a Virtual Wide Area Network (VWAN) - a new option that, with their consent, uses customers’ broadband connections to carry smart metering communications.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to seek exemptions from dynamic alignment on animal welfare in the UK–EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement; and when she next plans to report progress on negotiations to Parliament.

As announced at the UK-EU Leaders' Summit on May 19, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area. The EU has accepted there will need to be a number of areas where the UK needs to retain our own rules. The details of these are subject to negotiation, but the Government has been clear about the importance of being able to set high animal welfare standards. While those negotiations are ongoing, Defra cannot comment further however parliament will be informed when they are concluded.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to restrict the (a) import and (b) sale of animal products produced using methods that would be illegal in the UK as part of the negotiations on the UK–EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 26 February 2026 to PQ UIN 114509.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the definition of hunting under the Hunting Act 2004.

The Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting, in line with its manifesto commitment. Defra will consult early this year on how to deliver a ban. All responses to the consultation will be considered carefully.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the penalties under the Hunting Act 2004; and whether the planned consultation on trail hunting will include consideration of Part 2 of that Act.

The Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting, in line with its manifesto commitment. Defra will consult early this year on how to deliver a ban. All responses to the consultation will be considered carefully.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the consultation on hunting with dogs will accept submissions on potential amendments to Schedule 1 of the Hunting Act 2004.

The Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting, in line with its manifesto commitment. Defra will consult early this year on how to deliver a ban. All responses to the consultation will be considered carefully.

What data his Department holds on the number of children removed from local NHS ADHD waiting lists after accessing the Right to Choose pathway.

The Department does not collect data on the number of children removed from local National Health Service attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) waiting lists after accessing the Right to Choose pathway.NHS England has worked with stakeholders to develop a national ADHD data improvement plan, which was published in May 2025. The plan highlights the need to make use of and publish existing NHS England data in this area and to improve data quality, with further information available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-tools-and-services/data-services/neurodevelopmental-data-hub/adhd-data-improvement-planFor the first time, NHS England published management information on ADHD prevalence and waits at a national level on 29 May 2025 as part of its ADHD data improvement plan. This management data publication will be published quarterly going forward. Further information is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mi-adhd/november-2025NHS England also issued technical guidance on 3 June 2025 for those who submit ADHD data, to improve recording of ADHD data with a view to improving the quality of data on ADHD waiting times and for publishing more localised data in the future.NHS England issued advice to systems on ADHD service delivery and prioritisation on 7 October 2025. This advice includes guidance on managing service provision, reviewing waiting lists and providing patient support.NHS England has also captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services and is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.

What guidance his Department has issued to Integrated Care Boards on how Right to Choose providers should integrate with local NHS paediatric and mental health services for children with ADHD, including for young children with complex or multiple needs.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism services and support, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.NHS England established an ADHD taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support. The final report was published on 6 November 2025. The work of the independent ADHD Taskforce highlighted the need for coordinated action across health, education and public services to reform ADHD services and support.On 4 December 2025, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced the launch of an Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism. This will build on the work of the Independent ADHD Taskforce.

Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to bring forward a ban on the use of snare traps.

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. This was recently reaffirmed in the Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy, published in December 2025. Defra is considering the most effective way to deliver this commitment and will be setting out next steps in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department's red lines are for negotiations on a UK–EU sanitary and phytosanitary agreement; and what assessment she has made of the the potential merits of retaining the ability to restrict the import and sale of animal products produced using methods that would be illegal in the UK.

Defra is currently negotiating a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement to make agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier, cutting costs and regulatory barriers for British producers and retailers. The EU has accepted there will need to be a number of areas where we need to retain our own rules. The details of these are subject to negotiation, but the Government has been clear about the importance of being able to set high animal welfare standards.

Whether he has modelled the projected level of demand for consultant‑level cancer specialists in rural, coastal and remote regions over the next 10 years.

The Department will use training more directly as a lever to support improvements in operational performance, prioritising training places in trusts, often those in rural or coastal areas, where vacancy rates are higher and performance is lower. This also includes targeting grants to train cancer nurse specialists in high-need areas.The development of the National Cancer Plan has highlighted areas where there are higher vacancy rates in some areas of the country. The Department and NHS England will work with the royal colleges to encourage resident doctors and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical and medical oncology to address these pressures.The Government will publish the 10 Year Workforce Plan in spring 2026. This plan will set out action to create a workforce able to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.

With reference to Action 25 of the National Cancer Plan, what steps he will take to incentivise medical graduates to accept specialty training posts in rural, coastal and remote areas.

The Department will use training more directly as a lever to support improvements in operational performance, prioritising training places in trusts, often those in rural or coastal areas, where vacancy rates are higher and performance is lower. This also includes targeting grants to train cancer nurse specialists in high-need areas.The development of the National Cancer Plan has highlighted areas where there are higher vacancy rates in some areas of the country. The Department and NHS England will work with the royal colleges to encourage resident doctors and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical and medical oncology to address these pressures.The Government will publish the 10 Year Workforce Plan in spring 2026. This plan will set out action to create a workforce able to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions she had with companies involved in activities authorised by a licence under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in 2025.

The Department does not hold records on whether companies it engages with are authorised under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Minister Vallance has held meetings with Contract Research Organisations (CROs) on 18 July 2025, 17 September 2025 and also on 2 October 2025 and has had numerous meetings with academic institutions and life sciences companies that may hold a licence

With reference to action 25 of the National Cancer Plan, what factors will be used to prioritise locations for new training places; and if he will consider the potential merits of using a formula to identify areas of greatest need for this purpose.

The Department will use training more directly as a lever to support improvements in operational performance, prioritising training places in trusts, often those in rural or coastal areas, where vacancy rates are higher and performance is lower. This also includes targeting grants to train cancer nurse specialists in high-need areas.The development of the National Cancer Plan has highlighted areas where there are higher vacancy rates in some areas of the country. The Department and NHS England will work with the royal colleges to encourage resident doctors and internal medicine trainees to specialise in clinical and medical oncology to address these pressures.The Government will publish the 10 Year Workforce Plan in spring 2026. This plan will set out action to create a workforce able to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward policies to ensure all Marine Protected Areas are returned to Good Ecological Status by 2030.

Good Ecological Status is an objective under the Water Framework Directive Regulations and applies specifically to inland, estuarine, and coastal waters up to 1 nautical mile from the coast and so covers only a small part of the entire MPA network. The Government has set out its new vision for water through a White Paper published on 20 January 2026. The White Paper sets out once in a generation reforms that will transform the water system for good, with a renewed focus on securing a fair deal for customers, investors, and the environment, to rebuild trust and secure a water system that works for everyone. It sets out how we will deliver on our promise to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas – not just for today, but for generations to come. In the meantime, we continue to work towards our obligation to secure continuous improvement for the water environment. With respect to the wider MPA network in English waters, the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 sets out a programme of actions to support delivery of the statutory MPA target under the Environment Act. This includes implementing any necessary fisheries bylaws, non‑statutory fisheries measures and management measures for other damaging activities.

Food and Rural Affairs, what mechanisms she has put in place to (a) monitor cases of Bovine TB in hunting hounds and (b) adherence to (i) meat hygiene rules and (ii) Bovine TB controls in relation to the safe disposal of fallen cattle stock in farms with any involvement with hunting hounds.

Tuberculosis (TB) in dogs caused by the bovine TB bacterium (M. bovis) is extremely rare. Dogs are spill over hosts and are not considered a significant source of infection for cattle, other dogs, or wildlife. There is no evidence that hunting activities contribute to the spread of TB. While there are no monitoring systems specific to hunting hounds, APHA provides guidance and training to fallen stock collectors, and kennels feeding fallen stock, on identifying TB in livestock carcases. In addition, in 2017, Defra strengthened the Animal By Product rules that apply to hunt kennels. Offal from livestock may no longer be fed to hounds, and kennels must carry out additional checks for TB lesions in fallen stock from farms with recent TB breakdowns. A reminder of these requirements was issued to all kennels in 2022. Suspected TB in dogs must be reported immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), including by hunt kennels.