Written questions by Mayer.

If he will make it his policy to include food systems as a priority within Nationally Determined Contributions.

The UK will announce a 1.5°C aligned 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution at COP29, followed by publication of the detail underpinning it - known as Information to facilitate Clarity, Transparency and Understanding (ICTU) - ahead of the February 2025 deadline. The UK's NDC is an economy-wide target, incorporating all greenhouse gas emissions and sectors, including from agriculture, waste and land-use. As a signatory of the COP28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action, the UK is committed to integrating agriculture and food systems into our NDCs, National Adaptation Plans, and National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans.

What steps her Department is taking to (a) regulate and (b) monitor (i) MBR Acres and (ii) other breeding facilities to ensure compliance with animal welfare standards.

The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) provides protections for animals bred in the UK for use in scientific procedures. All establishments licenced to breed protected animals under ASPA are required to comply with the published Code of Practice, which sets out standards for the appropriate care and accommodation of animals, including dogs.The Animals in Science Regulation Unit conducts both announced and unannounced audits to ensure establishments compliance with the terms of their licences, the Code of Practice and with ASPA.

Whether her Department plans to add education on diversity to school curriculums.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The terms of reference were published in July and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/curriculum-and-assessment-review.The review will seek to deliver a curriculum which is rich and broad, that reflects the issues and diversities of our society, ensuring all children and young people are represented. The review will seek to identify and focus on addressing the most significant and pressing issues facing curriculum and assessment without destabilising the system.The review group will publish an interim report early in 2025, setting out their interim findings and confirming the key areas for further work. The final review with recommendations will be published in autumn 2025.The government intends to legislate so that, following the review and the implementation of reforms, academies will be required to teach the new national curriculum, alongside other state-funded schools. This will give parents certainty over their children’s education.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has for the (a) protection and (b) conservation of hedgehogs following the change to their conservation status on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List.

The Government has no plans to provide additional legal protection to the hedgehog in England. While we are concerned about hedgehogs, there is no evidence to suggest legal protection will address the main causes of decline namely habitat loss, pesticide use and road traffic accidents. However, the Government remains committed to restoring nature and we have wasted no time in announcing a rapid review of the Environment Improvement Plan to deliver on our legally binding environment targets, including reversing declines in our native species, such as hedgehog. Measures such as Countryside Stewardship, Sustainable Farming Incentive Scheme, Biodiversity Net Gain and Local Nature Recovery Strategies will drive the creation and restoration of habitats, particularly hedgerows, that will benefit the conservation and recovery of hedgehogs as well as a range of other species.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2024 to Question 9980 on Products: Labelling, if his Department will make an estimate of the number of items of (a) furniture and (b) other products that have been tested on animals.

Animal testing of chemical substances is prohibited in all but a very limited number of circumstances where it is essential for the protection of human and animal health or environmental safety, as prescribed by the REACH Regulation. Therefore, where testing does occur it is in relation to individual chemical substances, which may then be used in the manufacture of another product. As a result, we do not hold information for specific products

What estimate she has made of the number of beagles being bred for use in laboratory experiments in the UK.

animals bred in the UK for use in scientific procedures. All establishments licenced to breed protected animals under ASPA are required to comply with the published Code of Practice, which sets out standards for the appropriate care and accommodation of animals, including dogs. The majority of Beagles bred for use in science (85%) are for the purposes of regulatory testing under legislation on pharmaceutical products for human use. The number of Beagles bred is largely determined by the forecast needs of the pharmaceutical industry that require testing of medicines, and the Animals in Science Regulation Unit conducts both announced and unannounced audits to ensure establishments compliance with the terms of their licences, the Code of Practice and with ASPA. The Home Office assures that, in every research proposal, animals are replaced with non-animal alternatives wherever possible, the number of animals are reduced to the minimum necessary to achieve the result sought, and that, for those animals which must be used, procedures are refined as much as possible to minimise their suffering. The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) is leading on plans to accelerate the development, validation and uptake of alternatives to animal testing.

If his Department will bring forward legislative proposals to strengthen the duties of online marketplaces to protect consumers.

Online marketplaces, like other traders, will be required to comply with new laws arising from the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, which the Government is currently implementing and updates the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. The Act sets out new ‘banned practices’ relating to the buying, selling, and publishing of fake consumer reviews and prohibiting ‘drip pricing’. It also strengthens consumer law enforcement by giving the CMA new administrative powers, and the CMA and courts the ability to impose significant monetary penalties.

When she plans to publish the final evaluation report on the £2 fare cap commissioned by her Department from Frontier Economics and SYSTRA.

The Department has published two interim reports setting out emerging trends in key outcomes from the first two months of the national bus fare cap scheme, and further updates will be provided in due course. These reports are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-the-2-bus-fare-cap.On Monday 28 October, the Prime Minister confirmed the government will introduce a new £3 cap on single bus fares from 1 January 2025 until the end of 2025. The £2 cap on single bus fares had been due to come to an end on 31 December 2024. This will be replaced by the £3 cap to help millions access better opportunities, and promote greater bus use by passengers.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to paragraph 2.3.2 of the report of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture, published on 4 September 2024, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the recommendation that on trade rules the Commission should ensure (a) coherence between EU animal welfare standards and (b) that the EU livestock production model and EU Animal Welfare legislation are not undermined.

The Strategic Dialogue of the Future of EU Agriculture provided a mechanism for EU stakeholders to make suggestions to the European Commission to help inform its work shaping its Vision for Agriculture and Food. As this report represents those stakeholder recommendations to the commission, it is too early to say what potential implications it may have on current or future Government policies. This will depend on the positions developed by the Commission in response to the report. The UK and EU have shared ambitions and challenges in our agricultural sectors, including supporting farmers in the context of climate and food security demands, strengthening the position of farmers in supply chains, and exploring innovation and Agri-Tech to support production. The President of the European Commission and the Prime Minister have agreed to strengthen the relationship between the EU and UK. The UK and EU are like-minded partners with similarly high standards. The Government has already committed to seek to negotiate a veterinary/sanitary and phytosanitary agreement to help boost trade and deliver benefits to businesses and consumers in the UK and the EU.

How much funding his Department made available for school transport for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in academic years (a) 2020-21, (b) 2021-22, (c) 2022-23, (d) 2023-24 and (e) 2024-25.

Most central government funding for home to school travel is provided through the local government finance settlement (LGFS), which is administered by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. This funding is non-ringfenced, giving local authorities the flexibility to make the best decisions for their local area. In total, the LGFS for the 2024/25 financial year makes available up to £64.7 billion for local authorities in England. Further details on the settlement can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/final-local-government-finance-settlement-england-2024-to-2025.

What estimate she has made of number of beagles needed for use in laboratory experiments in the UK.

animals bred in the UK for use in scientific procedures. All establishments licenced to breed protected animals under ASPA are required to comply with the published Code of Practice, which sets out standards for the appropriate care and accommodation of animals, including dogs. The majority of Beagles bred for use in science (85%) are for the purposes of regulatory testing under legislation on pharmaceutical products for human use. The number of Beagles bred is largely determined by the forecast needs of the pharmaceutical industry that require testing of medicines, and the Animals in Science Regulation Unit conducts both announced and unannounced audits to ensure establishments compliance with the terms of their licences, the Code of Practice and with ASPA. The Home Office assures that, in every research proposal, animals are replaced with non-animal alternatives wherever possible, the number of animals are reduced to the minimum necessary to achieve the result sought, and that, for those animals which must be used, procedures are refined as much as possible to minimise their suffering. The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) is leading on plans to accelerate the development, validation and uptake of alternatives to animal testing.

If his Department will introduce an enforceable liability provision in legislation to ensure that consumers can seek redress for defective products bought via online marketplaces.

The UK’s product liability legislation has been in place since 1987. My department is undertaking a review of this legislation and, as part of the review, we will consider the range and types of products that should be in scope, given recent technological advancements. We will also consider the ways that modern supply chains operate, as well as the parties and the circumstances in which they should be held liable for any damages caused by defective products.I will keep the House updated on the Government’s progress with this review and plans for engagement on this important area of law.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that the Advertising Standards Authority upholds standards in relation to pre-watershed online gambling adverts in mobile gaming apps that may be used by children.

As part of the UK Advertising Codes, issued by the Committees for Advertising Practice (CAP) and Broadcast Committees of Advertising Practice (BCAP), sister organisations of the Advertising Standards Authority, adverts must not be placed in children’s media, for instance a game mainly intended for children, and advertisers must take all reasonable steps to ensure that under-18s are excluded from their targeted marketing. There are also a range of robust rules and restrictions which apply to gambling adverts, wherever they appear, including online. As the statutory regulator for gambling in Great Britain, the Gambling Commission requires all licensed operators to abide by the Advertising Codes.We are considering the best available evidence, including on advertising, from a wide range of sources to inform decisions on how best to fulfil the manifesto commitment to reducing gambling-related harm. We will provide further updates to the House soon.

What recent steps her Department has taken to protect the welfare of beagles bred for sale to animal testing facilities.

animals bred in the UK for use in scientific procedures. All establishments licenced to breed protected animals under ASPA are required to comply with the published Code of Practice, which sets out standards for the appropriate care and accommodation of animals, including dogs. The majority of Beagles bred for use in science (85%) are for the purposes of regulatory testing under legislation on pharmaceutical products for human use. The number of Beagles bred is largely determined by the forecast needs of the pharmaceutical industry that require testing of medicines, and the Animals in Science Regulation Unit conducts both announced and unannounced audits to ensure establishments compliance with the terms of their licences, the Code of Practice and with ASPA. The Home Office assures that, in every research proposal, animals are replaced with non-animal alternatives wherever possible, the number of animals are reduced to the minimum necessary to achieve the result sought, and that, for those animals which must be used, procedures are refined as much as possible to minimise their suffering. The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) is leading on plans to accelerate the development, validation and uptake of alternatives to animal testing.

What the completion status is of each (a) key delivery objective and (b) activity in the UK REACH work programme for 2023-24.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), acting as the UK REACH Agency, submitted to Defra in April this year their annual report which detailed the completion status of key delivery objectives and activities contained in the 2023-24 UK REACH work programme. Once approved by Ministers, the annual report will be published on HSE’s website.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the Secretary of State for Communities, Housing and Local Government on the potential impact of light pollution on animal populations; and what steps he is taking to reduce light pollution in (a) urban, (b) suburban and (c) rural areas.

Defra has not had direct discussions with the Secretary of State for Communities, Housing and Local Government about the potential impact of light pollution on animal populations.  Defra will continue to work closely with researchers, non-governmental organisations and across the Government to improve our understanding of the impacts of light pollution and will continue to address key threats to biodiversity. For example, our Pollinator Action Plan includes an action to keep potential and emerging threats such as light pollution under review. Government policy is to encourage good design, planning policies and decisions to limit the impact of pollution from artificial light. In particular, lighting schemes for developments in protected areas of dark sky or intrinsically dark landscapes should be carefully assessed on their necessity and degree. The Government believes that any mitigating actions to reduce light pollution in urban, suburban and rural areas are best taken by local authorities as these are best dealt with at a local level.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the level of availability of veterinary surgeons; and what steps his Department is taking to help increase the capacity of veterinary surgeons.

We appreciate the incredibly valuable work completed by veterinary surgeons and recognise their essential role in achieving our ambitious goals of upholding high standards of animal welfare, supporting trade, and safeguarding public health and food security. The Government acknowledges the high demand for veterinary services and is working collaboratively across departments and with the profession to explore additional measures that will ensure sufficient staffing levels to support and sustain the sector effectively.

What discussions her Department has had with police forces on training on links between domestic violence and animal abuse.

This Government is committed to tackling domestic abuse in all its forms. Achieving the mission of halving violence against women and girls in a decade will require a whole systems approach. Domestic abuse is a hidden crime and it is critical that all agencies and services that come into contact with victims can identify abuse, effectively assess risk and help victims access support.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.It is essential that every police force has the right specialist capability to properly investigate these crimes. The College of Policing has developed specialist domestic abuse training, the Domestic Abuse Matters programme, which is being delivered in many police forces and this Government has committed to strengthening police training on Violence Against Women and Girls. We will work closely with the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs’ Council to do this.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2024 to Question 8554 on Buses and Large Goods Vehicles: Carbon Emissions, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the zero emission vehicle mandate to include (a) trucks, (b) buses and c) other vehicles.

The ZEV Mandate sets a clear pathway for the decarbonisation of new cars and vans and is the largest carbon saving measure across government. The Department is committed to decarbonising other vehicle categories and is exploring options for implementation that meet the needs of each segment of the market.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of variations in levels of positive autism diagnoses at NHS foundation trusts.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including autism assessments and diagnoses, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.NHS England is aware of the variation between services that provide autism assessments in terms of the proportion of assessments which result in a diagnosis of autism. On 5 April 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance to help ICBs and the National Health Service to deliver improved outcomes for children, young people, and adults referred to an autism assessment service. In 2024/25, £4.3 million is available nationally to improve services for autistic children and young people, including autism assessment services.