Written questions by Voaden.

Media and Sport, what progress her Department has made on the introduction of a registration scheme for short-term lets.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of timescales for medical driving licence renewals.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to protect Dartmoor ponies in the context of the publication of stocking densities for Countryside Stewardship schemes.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of grazing density calculations on Dartmoor pony populations.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he is taking to support small-scale onshore wind projects.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of animal welfare practices in slaughterhouses.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure local authority recycling schemes accept non-black plant pots.

Part 4 of Schedule 1 to The Separation of Waste (England) Regulations 2024 provides a list of plastics which are included in the recyclable plastic waste stream. This includes PE, PET and PP pots which are larger than 40x40mm and do not contain any pigment which prevents them from being near-infrared detectable (e.g. carbon black pigment) within the plastic recyclable waste stream. Defra engages regularly with local authority networks and will raise this matter with them, so they can communicate directly with their members about the legal requirement to collect this material. We know that some local authorities will need longer to roll out changes beyond 31 March 2026 due to circumstances beyond their control, such as delivery timescales for collection vehicles and containers. In such circumstances, we expect local authorities to be taking all necessary steps within their control to progress and to keep their residents informed on timeframes for service changes. We continue to work with local authority waste networks and the wider industry, providing targeted support to help address the outstanding issues.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support farmers to recycle farm plastic.

This Government is committed to transitioning towards a circular economy where resources are kept in use for longer and waste is designed out. This systemic change, with investment in green jobs and vital infrastructure, builds a path to economic growth, progress towards Net Zero, restoration of nature, and a more resilient economy. The Government has convened a Circular Economy Taskforce of experts to help map that transition, and agrifood has been selected as one of the six priority areas that presents a significant opportunity for circular interventions to drive innovation, investment, and productivity.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of giving pharmacy students studying for MPharm degrees in England access to the NHS Learning Support Fund.

For the 2025 to 2026 academic year, the Government extended the Learning Support Fund (LSF) scheme’s Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses provision to pre-registration pharmacy and healthcare science students to ensure they are reimbursed for the additional costs of attending placements. These students cannot currently access other elements of the LSF.The Government keeps the funding arrangements for all healthcare students under close review. At all times the Government must strike a balance between the level of support students receive and the need to make best use of public funds to deliver value for money.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of recycling rates of farm plastic.

This Government is committed to transitioning towards a circular economy where resources are kept in use for longer and waste is designed out. This systemic change, with investment in green jobs and vital infrastructure, builds a path to economic growth, progress towards Net Zero, restoration of nature, and a more resilient economy. The Government has convened a Circular Economy Taskforce of experts to help map that transition, and agrifood has been selected as one of the six priority areas that presents a significant opportunity for circular interventions to drive innovation, investment, and productivity.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the potential merits inclusion of ponies in grazing densities under Countryside Stewardship schemes.

Including ponies in grazing density calculations ensures the total grazing pressure on a site is accurately assessed and aligned with sustainable levels for habitat recovery. This prevents the risk of underestimating grazing impacts, which could otherwise lead to overgrazing and damage to sensitive habitats. Including ponies also improves fairness and transparency, as all grazing animals are accounted for in stocking records. From an ecological perspective, ponies contribute significantly to vegetation management, so excluding them would distort management decisions. Within Countryside Stewardship, ponies are recognised similarly to cattle and land grazed by them can attract agri‑environment payments, providing an incentive to maintain their presence. The scheme also treats resident ponies as a permanent feature, meaning they are exempt from stock removal requirements. Overall, this approach supports habitat recovery, helps maintain favourable condition on protected sites, and contributes to meeting wider environmental targets.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the potential impact on Dartmoor ponies of their inclusion in grazing densities under Countryside Stewardship schemes.

Awaiting answer.

What discussions his Department in cooperation with other departments has had with private sector organisations on the standardisation of their bereavement notification processes, in order to reduce the level of distress caused to bereaved families.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department are taking to ensure motorists are not incorrectly pursued for parking penalties as a result of Automatic Number Plate Recognition misreads.

The law allows the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to provide vehicle keeper information to those who can demonstrate reasonable cause to receive it. The electronic release of vehicle keeper information to private parking companies following alleged parking breaches is subject to strict contractual terms. Companies must provide evidence of reasonable cause, ensure the accuracy of the information they submit, and confirm that the DVLA data matches the vehicle’s make, model, type and colour before pursuing the registered keeper. Errors by parking companies can occasionally result in motorists being pursued incorrectly. Although such cases are rare, the DVLA takes action with the parking company concerned and the relevant Accredited Trade Association where issues arise. The DVLA and the Government Internal Audit Agency also carry out audits to ensure information is requested and used appropriately and that recipients have effective internal controls to protect the data.

What assessment he has made of the feasibility of extending the Tell Us Once service to include private sector organisations including banks, insurance companies, and utility providers, in order to reduce the administrative burden on bereaved families.

Awaiting answer.

What data the Government holds on the number of complaints made to financial services and utility companies relating to the handling of bereavement notifications.

Awaiting answer.

Whether he has had any recent discussions with industry bodies representing (a) banks, (b) insurers, and (c) utility companies on improving bereavement processes for customers.

Awaiting answer.

Whether his Department assessed the adequacy of existing consumer protection regulations in ensuring that companies treat bereaved customers with appropriate sensitivity and consistency.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to provide guidance on the collection of plastic plant pots by local authorities under the plastic waste stream, in accordance with Schedule 1, Part 4 of the Separation of Waste (England) Regulations.

Part 4 of Schedule 1 to The Separation of Waste (England) Regulations 2024 provides a list of plastics which are included in the recyclable plastic waste stream. This includes PE, PET and PP pots which are larger than 40x40mm and do not contain any pigment which prevents them from being near-infrared detectable (e.g. carbon black pigment) within the plastic recyclable waste stream. Guidance has already been published to assist local authorities and other waste collectors and workplaces in implementing these requirements. Defra engages regularly with local authority networks and will raise this matter with them, so they can communicate directly with their members about the legal requirement to collect this material.

What steps she will take to ensure children with Developmental Language Disorder are adequately supported following upcoming reforms to the SEND system.

The department’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms are ensuring every child gets the right support at the right time. This includes all of those with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), including Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). We regularly engage with organisations who represent children with SLCN, including DLD, such as Speech and Language UK who are a member of our Complex Needs Group.​Speech and language therapists (SaLTs) break down communication barriers, but too often, children and young people with SEND wait too long for this support.​As part of our new £1.8 billion investment, schools will be able to access support from professionals such as SaLTs through the Experts at Hand offer. They will work directly with school staff to equip them with skills and strategies to better meet need.​We are also investing £15 million to establish new SaLT advanced practitioners in every integrated care board area to support more SaLTs to work with educational settings, upskill speech and language support workers, and promote the SaLT apprenticeship route.