Written questions by Ramsay.

What proportion of eligible families were in receipt of Healthy Start in Waveney Valley constituency on 9 June 2025.

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) operates the Healthy Start scheme on behalf of the Department. Monthly figures for the number of people on the digital Healthy Start scheme are published on the NHS Healthy Start website, which is available at the following link:https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/healthcare-professionals/The NHSBSA does not hold data on the number of families receiving Healthy Start and does not currently hold data on the number of people eligible for Healthy Start. The NHSBSA does not hold data on local constituencies. The table below shows the number of people on the digital scheme in the relevant local authorities as of 23 May 2025:Local authorityNumber of people on the digital schemeBlackpool1,434City of Bristol2,778County of Herefordshire736Southampton1,677Worthing348Brighton and Hove1,041East Suffolk1,129

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the UK’s priorities are for this year’s meeting of the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.

The UK will reinforce our strong commitment to the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) as an important constituent of the Antarctic Treaty System; uphold the key objective of CCAMLR to conserve Antarctic marine living resources; and protect UK sovereign interests in the South Atlantic and Antarctica. The UK will also continue its efforts to progress discussions on enhancing conservation in the Southern Ocean, including progressing discussions on establishing a representative network of Marine Protected Areas. The UK is also working to progress the development of a krill risk assessment framework for the management of the krill fishery around the Antarctic Peninsula.

If she will make it her policy to (a) record and (b) report on the number of animals in the UK who are bred for science and not used in scientific procedures.

The Home Office is presently reviewing the collection and publication of additional statistics on animals that were bred for, but not used in, scientific procedures.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to review the membership of the Chair of Cranswick plc on the Food Strategy Advisory Board.

Defra has no current plans to review membership of the Food Strategy Advisory Board. Members are senior leaders who represent important elements within the food system and the diversity of the sector, appointed for their individual experience and standing. Members do not represent their business interests.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much and what proportion of funding for (a) agricultural genetic modification research and development and (b) precision breeding techniques has been allocated to (i) non-UK companies and (ii) UK companies in each of the last 10 years.

Innovate UK invested £0.15 million (2023) and £1.2 million (2024) into UK companies undertaking research using precision breeding techniques in crops and farmed animals. Innovate UK has not funded any agricultural genetic modification research and development over the last 10 years, nor has it funded any non-UK based companies.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential contribution of precision bred (a) crops and (b) foods to the economy (i) in each of the next seven years and (ii) from 2032.

The Department has taken an evidence-based approach, underpinned by expert scientific advice and published data, to estimate the impacts of implementing the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023. This includes the Department’s De Minimis Assessment of the impacts of The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Regulations 2025, which covers a 10-year period. The De Minimis Assessment has been compiled by Defra economists and reviewed by the Defra Chief Economist. This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of precision breeding on market concentration in the agricultural sector.

The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 will reduce barriers to entry for businesses, evening the playing field between SMEs and large multinationals in the agricultural sector. Internationally, countries that have chosen to regulate precision bred products differently from Genetically Modified Organisms have seen a ‘democratisation’ of the technology, leading to a greater proportion of applications being submitted by SMEs and local businesses. This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that the food strategy complies with the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022.

The food strategy will articulate outcomes required to deliver food system change, and all outcomes will comply with the law.

Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to publish the Growing Media Monitor peat use figures for 2023.

We have not undertaken a separate assessment, but will publish the GMM stats in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 April 2025 to Question 44673 on Horticulture: Peat, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the time taken to ban sales of horticulture peat on relevant (a) businesses and (b) supply chains.

We have not undertaken a separate assessment, but will publish the GMM stats in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of a global temperature increase that is more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels on Government-owned infrastructure.

The third Climate Change Risk Assessment considered the impacts of climate change in the context of 2ºC and 4ºC global warming scenarios across the economy, including Government-owned infrastructure. Defra continues to work with other government departments, including Cabinet Office, to assess the potential impacts of global temperature increases on Government-owned infrastructure and to take action to improve its resilience.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has established criteria to assess progress on climate adaptation.

Defra actively monitors progress against the actions in the third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3) through regular internal monitoring across government. The department is developing a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework to support the implementation of NAP3. Progress on adaptation is also assessed externally: by the end of April, the Climate Change Committee will publish its next biennial report on progress in adapting to climate change. In addition, Defra working with other Government departments including the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury, use the cross-government director level Climate Resilience Steering Board to ensure that climate adaptation is embedded into policy- and decision-making across government. The Board oversees strategic, cross-cutting climate adaptation and resilience issues to increase UK resilience to climate change My department is exploring how to set out stronger objectives to drive action to increase our preparedness for the impacts of climate change up to and beyond the next National Adaptation Programme in 2028.

Food and Rural Affairs, what degree of global temperature increase his Department's climate adaptation plans are intended for.

Defra is the lead department for domestic adaptation to climate change, and as such it is responsible for coordinating requirements set out in the UK Climate Change Act 2008. Defra is the owning department for about half of the 61 risks and opportunities identified in the third Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA3) and works closely with the departments who own the remaining risks. The assessment of risks and opportunities in CCRA3 was based on global warming scenarios of 2ºC and 4ºC. The Government’s climate adaptation plans, as set out in the third National Adaptation Programme, follow the advice of the Climate Change Committee to plan for 2ºC. The Government remains flexible and responsive in our its approach, assessing for different scenarios. The department is exploring how to set out stronger objectives to drive action to increase our preparedness for the impacts of climate change up to and beyond the next National Adaptation Programme in 2028.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to introduce a close season for the shooting of hares.

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only, with the potential for relevant policy to extend and apply to Wales. While the Government has no immediate plan to introduce a close season for hares in England, the policy remains under consideration as part of the Government’s plans to introduce the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation.

If she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her Department's policies of the New Economics Foundation report entitled Forecasting a better future: the case for a bucket approach to fiscal multipliers and more, published on 31 January 2025.

The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is responsible for preparing forecasts for the UK economy. This includes an assessment of the impact of Government policies, where the OBR regularly review and publish papers on their approach.The Chancellor and OBR Budget Responsibility Committee speak regularly, and there is an ongoing dialogue at official level on a range of issues. This includes the OBR’s approach to preparing forecasts for the UK economy.The OBR assesses the demand side impacts of policy using multipliers – these estimate the impact on real GDP from government policy. The OBR’s multiplier framework is described in Dynamic scoring of policy measures in OBR forecasts.The OBR also take account of how specific policies affect the supply side of the economy. This approach is set out in Forecasting potential output - the supply side of the economy.The OBR have also recently published a new framework for assessing public investment which can be found in the OBR’s Discussion Paper No. 5: Public investment and potential output. This framework was used in the Autumn Budget 2024, where the OBR judged the increase in departmental capital spending to raise potential output by 1.1 percent by 2073-74.The next OBR forecast will be published on Wednesday 26th March 2025.

With reference to the OBR fiscal multipliers table in the document entitled Dynamic scoring of policy measures in OBR forecasts, published by the Office for Budget Responsibility, published on 9 November 2023, what discussions she has had with the Office for Budget Responsibility on the basis for its assumption that most government spending never has a multiplier effect above 1.

The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is responsible for preparing forecasts for the UK economy. This includes an assessment of the impact of Government policies, where the OBR regularly review and publish papers on their approach.The Chancellor and OBR Budget Responsibility Committee speak regularly, and there is an ongoing dialogue at official level on a range of issues. This includes the OBR’s approach to preparing forecasts for the UK economy.The OBR assesses the demand side impacts of policy using multipliers – these estimate the impact on real GDP from government policy. The OBR’s multiplier framework is described in Dynamic scoring of policy measures in OBR forecasts.The OBR also take account of how specific policies affect the supply side of the economy. This approach is set out in Forecasting potential output - the supply side of the economy.The OBR have also recently published a new framework for assessing public investment which can be found in the OBR’s Discussion Paper No. 5: Public investment and potential output. This framework was used in the Autumn Budget 2024, where the OBR judged the increase in departmental capital spending to raise potential output by 1.1 percent by 2073-74.The next OBR forecast will be published on Wednesday 26th March 2025.

If he will make an estimate of the value of trade (a) imports and (b) exports between the UK and the Faroe Islands for financial year (i) 2023-24 and (ii) 2022-23.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman or lady Parliamentary Question of 12th March is attached.

Whether he has plans to meet with the Faroese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Industry and Trade to discuss cetacean hunts.

The Government is strongly opposed to the hunting of whales and dolphins. The Secretary of State currently has no plans to meet with the Faroese Minster of Foreign Affairs, Industry and Trade. However, the Department for Business and Trade regularly engages the Faroese government on this important matter. Officials meet annually under the Joint Committee of the UK-Faroe Islands Free Trade Agreement, and UK officials highlight our strong opposition to the practice at every opportunity.

Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for publishing the welfare standards and guidance to accompany the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024; and which stakeholders he plans to consult on the guidance before it is published.

The accompanying guidance to the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024 has been developed taking into account views from the consultation undertaken in 2023 and relevant experts. The guidance will be published shortly.

If he will make an estimate of the total value of trade (a) imports and (b) exports of fish and crustaceans between the UK and the Faroe Islands for financial year (i) 2023-24 and (ii) 2022-23.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman or lady Parliamentary Question of 12th March is attached.