Written questions by Mayer.

If she will issue guidance to local transport authorities on the applicability of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme to concessionary fares to limited stop stage carriage bus services.

The Department has published guidance to assist Local Authorities in how to administer the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS). This includes guidance on which services are eligible under the ENCTS in accordance with the ‘Travel concessions (eligible services) (amendment) order 2009’.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that the Environment Agency has sufficient (a) resource, (b) legal expertise and (c) access to court time to enforce environmental protection laws.

Environment Agency (EA) funding and resource is closely monitored to ensure that the agency can carry out its duties and functions effectively. EA funding is currently being reviewed in line with Defra’s departmental Spending Review process. The EA has specialist legal expertise in the enforcement and prosecution of environmental crime including water company failures. The EA has very recently increased the number of specialist prosecuting lawyers dealing with pollution cases. The EA has exactly the same access to court time as other prosecuting authorities.

Representing the House of Commons Commission, from which countries' waters fish served on the Parliamentary Estate originated in the last 12 months.

The following fish products originate from the countries and regions listed below: Anchovies In Oil, TurkeyBream, TurkeyCod, Scotland/Iceland/Norway/FAO 27Cod Skrei, NorwayColey, UKCrab Meat Brown Pasteurised, UKCrab Meat White Pasteurised, UKCrab Meat White Pasteurised, UKHaddock, Iceland/NorwayHake, South coast/Scotland/FAO 27Hake Frozen, South Africa/FAO 27Halibut, NorwayJohn Dory F, UKKippers Fillets Frozen, UKKippers Whole, FAO 27Mackerel, Scotland/South Coast/UK/SpainMackerel Smoked, UK/FAO 27Mackerel Smoked Frozen, UKMonkfish Tails, UKPlaice, South coast/Shetlands/UK/FAO 27Pollock, UKPrawns In Brine, EUPrawns Peeled Frozen, FAO 27Prawns King Raw Frozen, IndiaPrawns Black Tiger Frozen, VietnamRoll Mops Tub, FAO 27 IVSalmon, Norway/ScotlandSalmon Gravadlax, UKSalmon Smoked, UKSardines, South CoastScampi Breaded Frozen, UKSea Bass, TurkeySole Lemon, South coast/Shetlands/UK/IcelandTrout Rainbow, Wiltshire/Hampshire/UKTrout Sea, Norway/Scotland/UKTuna Frozen, Sri Lanka/Indian Ocean

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) India, (b) Pakistan and (c) international organisations on the potential impact of violence in Kashmir on women.

The UK Government is taking all the steps we can to ensure that heightened tensions do not lead to escalation. We encourage all to commit to effective channels of engagement to safeguard stability in the region. Alongside international partners, the UK is continuing to engage in dialogue in pursuit of long-term regional stability. On Sunday 27 April, the Foreign Secretary spoke both to Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar and with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Dar. We encourage all parties to take a measured approach. We are committed to promoting human rights in the region and will monitor any potential risks to communities, including those most vulnerable.

How many incidents of dog bites have been recorded in the most recent 12 month period for which data is available.

The latest available data for the year ending December 2024 showed that there were 31,345 offences of an “Owner or person in charge allowing dog to be dangerously out of control in any place in England or Wales (whether or not a public place) injuring any person or assistance dog” or of an "Owner or person in charge allowing a dog to enter a non-public place and injure any person" recorded by the police in England and Wales.

Whether her Department (a) issues guidance and (b) requires mandatory training for police officers on the link between violence against (i) women and girls and (b) animals.

Domestic abuse can affect all parts of a victim’s life and relationships including, for example, through threats and harm to pets as a means of control. The Domestic Abuse Statutory Guidance that accompanies the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 provides an explanation of the different characteristics of domestic abuse and includes reference to how pets can be used by perpetrators.We are working with the new National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and Public Protection to build on and enhance police training in tackling VAWG, including ensuring it is up to date to equip officers with knowledge on emerging issues and using the latest research to improve how it is delivered. This will mean training is strengthened at each level, from the front line to senior leadership.The new National Centre, in which we are investing £13.1 million, will help deliver our manifesto commitment for strengthened specialist training for officers across the country ensuring they offer consistent protection for victims and relentlessly pursue perpetrators.

Whether his Department provide guidance on the handover of patient care between GPs and (a) dentists and (b) eye clinics.

The Department supports effective patient care handovers between general practitioners (GPs), dentists, and eye clinics through existing frameworks. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) 2018 guideline Emergency and acute medical care in over 16s: service delivery and organisation, code NG94, recommends structured handovers using tools like SBAR, or Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation, for clear communication during care transitions that are applicable to these settings. The NICE’s 2015 guideline Medicines optimisation: the safe and effective use of medicines to enable the best possible outcomes, code NG5, advises sharing accurate medicine information when patients move between different providers.For dentists, the NICE’s 2015 guideline Suspected cancer: recognition and referral, code NG12, supports GP referrals for suspected oral cancer requiring clear communication. NHS England’s dental policies promote collaboration between GPs and dentists that are reinforced by the General Dental Council’s standards on documentation.For eye clinics, NHS England’s Eye Care Digital Playbook encourages secure communication for handovers between GPs, optometrists, and eye services. Referral guidance ensures GPs provide comprehensive patient details.

How many regulatory tests were carried out on animals where non-animal methods were available in 2024.

The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) protects animals in scientific research by prohibiting their use if there is a practicable and validated non-animal alternative that would achieve the scientific outcome(s) sought.

Whether her Department holds data on the types of tickets used by bus passengers for different journey purposes.

The Department regularly considers a range of evidence when considering the typical journey purposes of bus users using different types of tickets. Our most recent published work in this area was the evaluation of the £2 bus fare cap, published on GOV.UK in February 2025, and the research report 'Increasing bus patronage through an audience strategy', published on GOV.UK in June 2023. These reports identified the main ticket types and journey purposes of key passenger groups.

With reference to data table 7.2 of her Department's statistics entitled Annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, Great Britain 2023: data tables, published on 11 September 2024, what legislation on medicinal products for human use required the use of dogs in regulatory procedures.

We are working with regulators to see how advances in technology can and will reduce use and phase out use in some areas.The explicit requirement for using animals in toxicology tests comes from section 50 (5) to the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 (as amended 2019 and 2020). Therefore, in most cases, new drugs are required to be tested in two animal species for public safety and efficacy purposes. There are rare exceptions where the medicine has no pharmacological effect in any species other than humans where this may not be applied.Although much research can be done without using animals, there are still purposes where use of live animals is essential, as the complexity of whole biological systems cannot be reliably replicated using validated alternative methodologies. Animal testing is therefore required by all global medicines regulators, including the UK’s Medicine and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). We are working with regulators to see how advances in technology can and will reduce use and phase out use in some areas.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate her Department has made of the amount of developer contributions held unspent by local authorities.

I refer the hon Member to the answer to Question UIN 2673 on 6 September 2024.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of US tariffs on the bus and coach sector.

Buses and coaches are exempt from the additional 25% tariffs the US is imposing on the automotive sector. However, they are still included in the 10% baseline tariffs, posing challenges for businesses. In March 2025, the Minister for Local Transport launched the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel, regularly bringing together industry experts to ensure the UK remains a leader in bus manufacturing. This government is committed to supporting the automotive sector, a crucial part of our manufacturing base. While preparing for all scenarios, our priority is to strengthen our economic relationship with the US through constructive discussions.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on improving public transport for construction workers accessing the site of the future Universal theme park.

The Government worked closely with Universal Destinations & Experiences to secure its first investment in Europe, which could be worth £50 billion in economic benefits, and create an estimate 28,000 jobs in the creative, hospitality and construction sectors. The Government will continue to work with Universal and other organisations involved in the delivery of this project to ensure operations are sustainable, which will include enabling construction and other workers to access the site via public transport.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the reported levels of bus passenger satisfaction in the report by Transport Focus entitled Your Bus Journey, published on 25 March 2025.

The Department for Transport welcomes the valuable insight provided by Transport Focus's 'Your Bus Journey' report published on 25 March 2025. My officials meet regularly with Transport Focus as part of our ongoing work, and these findings are informing policy development to improve bus services across the country. The government wants to see bus passenger satisfaction continue to rise across the country as we deliver our reforms, including through the introduction of the Bus Services (No.2) Bill and the £1 billion we are investing to support and improve bus services. We are also undertaking a programme of work to explore opportunities for passenger improvement, for example complaint handling and escalation pathways.

With reference to data table 7.3 in the Annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, Great Britain 2023: data tables, published on 11 September 2024, what the legislation satisfying EU requirements was that required the 2581 procedures carried out on dogs.

With reference to the Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals in Great Britain 2023, Table 7.3, the legislative requirements for the 2581 procedures carried out on dogs which satisfy EU requirements were: 2263 procedures that satisfied medicinal products for human use legislation; 205 procedures to satisfy plant protection product legislation; 111 procedures to satisfy medicinal products and veterinary use and their residues legislation; and, 2 procedures to satisfy industrial chemicals legislation

With reference to her Department's guidance entitled Demand responsive transport: local authority toolkit, published on 13 April 2022, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of Demand Responsive Transport (a) as feeder services to existing rail and bus services and (b) in general.

The government believes demand responsive transport (DRT) has an important role to play in ensuring communities can access transport services in areas where more traditional, regular stopping services may not be viable. The Department has funded 16 innovative DRT pilots through the Rural Mobility Fund. Each scheme is taking part in a detailed monitoring and evaluation process. This will provide a strong base of evidence and good practice for DRT and a better understanding of both the role it can play in rural areas and the challenges associated with introducing it. The final process evaluation will be published later in 2025, and an impact and value for money evaluation is just commencing, with findings available in late 2026.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of exam marking for public qualifications.

The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) is the independent regulator of qualifications, exams and assessments in England. Ofqual is responsible for ensuring that regulated qualifications reliably indicate the knowledge, skills and understanding students have demonstrated in their exams and assessments, including through marking and standard setting. I have asked its Chief Regulator, Sir Ian Bauckham, to write to the hon. Member directly, and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to reduce the number of deaths of dogs in greyhound racing.

Defra works with the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) to ensure greyhound racing is a safe as possible. Each year since 2018 GBGB has published data for the deaths of greyhounds from GBGB affiliated tracks and trainers. This data is published online at https://www.gbgb.org.uk/welfare-care/injury-and-retirement-data/ Defra monitors the figures published by GBGB for any identifiable trends.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the decision to increase parking penalties in London on her Department's review of penalty charge notice research.

This Government believes that transport decisions in London, including the level of penalty charge notices (PCN), should be for the Mayor of London. A group of local government and other stakeholders has submitted research to Ministers on PCN levels outside London. The Department will consider carefully their findings and recommendations along with other relevant evidence before any decision is taken.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of sanctions applied by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit for incidents of non-compliance with licence conditions or with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

The Animals in Science Regulator has published its compliance framework which explains how it identifies and investigates potential incidents of non-compliance and decides on appropriate and proportionate measures and remedies where non-compliance has been found to occur. The Regulator’s published compliance policy aims to reduce the risk of future non-compliance.All cases of non-compliance are thoroughly investigated, and the outcomes are published in ASRU’s annual report.