Written questions by MacDonald.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is providing funding for UK-wide research into curlew conservation.

The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is the main scheme for monitoring the population changes of the UK’s breeding birds to include curlew. The BBS is a partnership jointly funded by the British Trust for Ornithology, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC). In England, Natural England’s (NE) bird research is primarily funded via its Species Recovery Programme (SRP), with more SRP funding allocated to curlew than to any other single bird species. Through SRP, NE have funded two key projects, both of which are working to increase understanding and implement conservation measures to benefit curlews. In addition, the Curlew Recovery Partnership aims to provide co-ordination and support to those engaged in curlew conservation in England. The Partnership was set up with financial support from Defra.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent estimate he has made of the of puffins in the UK; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the number of puffins on ecology within the UK.

Defra provides funding through JNCC to the UK-wide Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP), and the JNCC-led Seabirds Count census which provide UK-wide monitoring for seabirds, including puffins. The results are publicly available and will inform future conservation actions. The most recent Seabirds Count census (2023) counted 474,679 pairs of puffins. Where comparable data were available, they indicated declines of 23% since 2000, reinforcing the importance of collaboration on seabird conservation. The devolved Governments are implementing their respective seabird conservation strategies, so we continue to work together to coordinate action and data sharing.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to work with devolved Administrations to improve the sharing of data on curlew (a) ecology and (b) population health.

Data on UK-wide curlew ecology and population health is primarily gathered and shared through the British Bird Survey (BBS) and the Birds of Conservation Concern (BoCC) review. The BBS is the main scheme for monitoring the population changes of the UK’s common and widespread breeding birds to include the curlew. This publication presents trends for breeding bird populations in the UK and for each UK country, showing change in population between 1994 and 2024. UK and country-level trends are also reported for more recent shorter time periods (1-year, 5-year, and 10-year). The BoCC review is compiled by a coalition of the UK’s leading bird conservation and monitoring organisations and reviews the status of all regularly occurring birds in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. The bird species that breed or overwinter, to include the curlew, have been assessed against a set of objective criteria and placed on the Green, Amber or Red lists to indicate an increasing level of conservation concern. Curlew is red-listed in the latest BoCC.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to take steps with the devolved Administrations to improve the sharing of data on puffin (a) ecology and (b) population health.

Defra provides funding through JNCC to the UK-wide Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP), and the JNCC-led Seabirds Count census which provide UK-wide monitoring for seabirds, including puffins. The results are publicly available and will inform future conservation actions. The most recent Seabirds Count census (2023) counted 474,679 pairs of puffins. Where comparable data were available, they indicated declines of 23% since 2000, reinforcing the importance of collaboration on seabird conservation. The devolved Governments are implementing their respective seabird conservation strategies, so we continue to work together to coordinate action and data sharing.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent diplomatic steps his Department has taken to help promote freedom of religion or belief in south Asia.

The UK champions freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, and that no one should live in fear because of their religion or belief.On 8 July, the Government launched its new strategy on FoRB. Its overarching goal is to reduce the number of countries in which the right to FoRB is significantly curtailed, and to promote internationally the right to FoRB as fundamental to human flourishing.Across the world, including South Asia, the UK is taking targeted action and raising the right to FoRB with counterpart governments. For example, in Pakistan, our Aawaz II programme has reached over 35 million people with information about rights and government services. Through the John Bunyan Fund, we have improved Pakistani Parliamentarians' understanding of the laws used to persecute minorities and explored avenues for reform. In March and June this year, the Minister for the Middle East raised concerns about FoRB with Pakistani ministers.In Afghanistan, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials regularly press the Taliban to respect the human rights of all Afghans. We continue to support the UN Special Rapporteur and his mandate to document human rights abuses in Afghanistan, including against minority groups.Working with the Special Envoy for FoRB, David Smith MP, we are championing the right to FoRB and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral fora - including our position at the UN and Article 18 Alliance - and through our important bilateral work.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Germany.

The UK maintains a strong relationship with Germany. We work closely together bilaterally, as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and G7 allies, and through other formats such as the E3. On 17 July, we signed a landmark Bilateral Treaty with Germany, building on our strong defence and security ties and expanding cooperation across key shared priorities - including foreign policy, migration, economic growth, organised crime, and science and technology. We also signed the Trinity House Agreement in October 2024. Germany was the first country the Foreign Secretary visited in July 2024. The Prime Minister last visited Berlin in October 2024. Chancellor Merz and Foreign Minister Wadephul visited London on 17 July, and we engage frequently at Ministerial level. I have visited Berlin on a number of occassions and hosted Lander representatives here in London from Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia in recent months.

Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of tax reform in the (a) betting and (b) gaming sector on equine welfare standards.

The Minister for Gambling and Heritage recently met the incoming Chair of the British Horseracing Authority to discuss a wide range of matters affecting horseracing including the HMT tax consultation. DCMS has also engaged at ministerial and official level with HMT on the topic and the potential impact of any changes on horseracing.One of the statutory purposes of the Horserace Betting Levy, managed by the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) is the advancement of veterinary science. HBLB’s allocation for its disease surveillance, veterinary science and education programme rose to £2.76 million this year, up from £2.32 million in 2024/25.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) recent changes to tax rates applied to betting operators on levels of betting activity and (b) trends in the level of betting activity on revenues to the Exchequer.

Gambling Duties raised £3.6 billion in revenue in 2024-25, an increase of 7% (£227 million) compared to 2023-24.No changes have been made to the gambling duty rates applied to betting operators in this Parliament.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help improve the UK’s relationship with Norway.

The UK maintains strong and historic ties with Norway across a broad range of bilateral files. We work closely together as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) allies, and our cooperation has deepened further following the Prime Minister signing the Norway-UK Strategic Partnership in Bergen on 16 December 2024. There have been several Ministerial visits between Norway and the UK, including two visits by the Foreign Secretary to Norway in September 2024 and May 2025, I visited in October 2024, and an inward visit by Foreign Minister Barth Eide took place in December 2024. A Green Industrial Partnership was also signed by Energy Ministers in May 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Finland.

The UK maintains strong and enduring ties with Finland across a broad range of bilateral files. We work closely together as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) allies. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary hosted Foreign Minister Valtonen on 4 February and the Prime Minister hosted President Stubb at No 10 on 31 March. I also hosted State Secretary Rajala in March. I am due to visit Helsinki for the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act later this month, where I expect to continue bilateral discussions with my ministerial counterparts.

Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the British Horseracing Authority on the potential impact of proposed changes to the taxation of betting operators on that sport.

The Minister for Gambling and Heritage recently met the incoming Chair of the British Horseracing Authority to discuss a wide range of matters affecting horseracing including the HMT tax consultation. DCMS has also engaged at ministerial and official level with HMT on the topic and the potential impact of any changes on horseracing.One of the statutory purposes of the Horserace Betting Levy, managed by the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) is the advancement of veterinary science. HBLB’s allocation for its disease surveillance, veterinary science and education programme rose to £2.76 million this year, up from £2.32 million in 2024/25.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) population status and (b) ecological role of curlews.

The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is the main scheme for assessing the population changes of the UK’s breeding birds. This publication presents trends for breeding bird populations in the UK and for each UK country, showing population changes. The latest Breeding Bird Survey (BTO-JNCC-RSPB BBS Report 2024) shows a 51% decline in the UK’s curlew breeding population between 1995 and 2023. The latest review of Birds of Conservation Concern (bocc-5-a5-4pp-single-pages.pdf) assessed those bird species that breed or overwinter in the UK. This review, compiled by a coalition of the UK’s leading bird conservation and monitoring organisations, placed the curlew on the red list due to severe population declines. Curlew fulfil several ecological roles, to include biodiversity indicator, invertebrate control, and ecosystem engineer. Beyond their ecological importance, curlew are also an important part of the cultural landscape of the UK.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in other European countries on promoting freedom of religion or belief.

We continue to highlight Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) violations and abuses on the international stage, through our position at the UN, G7 and as an active member of the Article 18 Alliance, ensuring joint international action on FoRB, including with our European partners.The UK Special Envoy on FoRB has visited the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva twice this year, taking part in an interactive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur for FoRB in June and speaking at a UK-hosted event on Tibetan Buddhism in July, which several European partners co-sponsored.On 8 July, the Minister for Africa and the Special Envoy publicly set out the Government's approach to FoRB, providing a framework for UK engagement, at an event attended by over 100 stakeholders, including representatives of the European diplomatic community.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Sweden.

The UK maintains strong and enduring ties with Sweden across a broad range of bilateral files. We work closely together as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) allies and Sweden was among the first countries the Foreign Secretary visited in July 2024. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary hosted Foreign Minister Stenergard on 1 May and the Prime Minister then hosted Prime Minister Kristersson at No 10 on 12 May. I also hosted State Secretary Hartelius and State Secretary Danielsson in March and Minister for the Cabinet Office, Nick Thomas Symonds, visited Stockholm the same month. We continue to engage our Swedish counterparts regularly at all levels.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the devolved Administrations on coordinated approaches to monitoring curlew populations.

The Secretary of State has not had discussions with the Devolved Administrations on a coordinated approach to monitor curlew populations. The UK curlew population is monitored under the British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO) Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), an annual monitoring scheme jointly funded by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, BTO and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Population trends for curlew are generated at UK, country and regional levels and shared publicly in an annual report.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Estonia.

The UK maintains strong and enduring ties with Estonia across a broad range of bilateral files. We work closely together as North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Joint Expeditionary Force allies, and the UK leads the enhanced Forward Presence at Tapa, supporting regional security. The Prime Minister met Prime Minister Michal in Oslo in May at the Joint Expeditionary Force Leaders Summit, and the Foreign Secretary met Foreign Minister Tsahkna in Warsaw in May. I hosted Secretary General Vseviov in March.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Italy.

The UK enjoys a strong, historic relationship with Italy across a broad range of bilateral files. We work closely together through NATO, the G7 and G20 on key foreign policy and defence priorities, including support to Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East. Most recently, Prime Minister Meloni visited the UK on 2 March for the 2025 London Summit for Ukraine, which included a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister. Their Majesties' State Visit to Italy (7-10 April) further deepened ties, focusing on sustainability, defence, and cultural links. The Foreign Secretary continues to engage regularly with Foreign Minister Tajani at summits such as the G7 (March), NATO (April), and co-chaired a migration event at the Munich Security Conference (February). I also visited Italy on 12 June for the Weimar+ meeting and met Deputy Foreign Minister Cirielli.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent diplomatic steps his Department has taken to help promote freedom of religion or belief in Nigeria.

The Government is deeply concerned about the ongoing violence in Nigeria's Middle Belt and we express our sincere concern for all those impacted. The root causes of intercommunal violence are complex and often linked to land disputes, historical tensions, and criminal activity. While religion is not a causal factor in these conflicts, the impacts are felt acutely by religious communities, including hindering people's ability to practice their faith freely. The UK supports all affected communities, regardless of faith or ethnicity, and is working through programmes like Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria and the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership to promote peace, strengthen local institutions, and protect civilians. The UK remains committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), with Nigeria a priority country under the new FoRB strategy, and we will continue to raise this issue in our engagements with Nigeria.

What recent discussions he has had with representatives of the hospitality sector on the impact of the current rate of VAT on small businesses.

The Department for Business and Trade regularly engages with representatives from the hospitality sector, including through the hospitality sector council to understand the challenges they face, including the impact of VAT on small businesses.VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Whilst there are no current plans to reduce VAT, HM Treasury keep all taxes under review.To support businesses, we are reforming the business rates system and plan to introduce permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with a rateable value under £500,000.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of safety protocols for beekeeping activity near (a) residential areas and (b) public rights of way.

Defra advises beekeepers that apiaries should be sited away from neighbours, footpaths or public areas to minimise the risk of members of the public being stung. It is possible for experienced beekeepers to safely manage bees in a garden area, although usual practice is to site them well away from neighbours and fence colonies in with a hedge or panelled fencing - this encourages bees to fly higher, above the heads of anyone nearby.