Written questions by Morello.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the 1.7% reduction in Alcohol Duty rates for draught products on the financial viability of pubs.

A Tax Information and Impact Note was published alongside the changes to alcohol duty announced at Autumn Budget. This is available here: Alcohol Duty uprating - GOV.UKThe alcohol duty cut on qualifying draught products impacts approximately 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This represents an overall cut in duty bills of over £85m a year. Although alcohol duty is paid directly by producers, duty changes are ‘passed-through' to consumers in prices. This link between alcohol duty and prices is widely acknowledged, including by the Office of Budget Responsibility in its inflation forecasts. The Chancellor also confirmed her intention to introduce permanently lower business rates for high street retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000, including pubs, from 2026-27, and in the interim to extend the current RHL relief for one year at 40%, up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business. There is significant variation in alcohol taxation policy amongst European countries, with some countries having lower alcohol duty rates and some having higher rates.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her polices of recent trends in the (a) adequacy of SEND provision in mainstream schools, (b) availability of specialist school places and (c) number of children being home educated.

For too long the education and care system has not met the needs of all children, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), with parents struggling to get their children the support they need and deserve.The department wants more children and young people to receive the support they need to achieve and thrive in their local mainstream school, reducing the need for pupils to be educated at home or to travel a long way to access a specialist placement. Many mainstream settings are delivering specialist provision locally, including through resourced provision and special educational needs units. Alongside this, the department recognises the vital role that special schools play catering to children and young people with the most complex needs.The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to ensure there are sufficient school places for all pupils, including those with SEND. If a local authority identifies a shortage of special school places, resulting in a significant number of pupils needing to travel a long way to access a placement, they should consider creating or expanding local provision to meet that need.My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has now announced £740 million for high needs capital in 2025/26 to support children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision. This new funding can be used to adapt classrooms to be more accessible for children with SEND or create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit pupils’ needs, as well as continuing to provide places to support pupils in special schools with the most complex needs.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle the recent decline in the number of agricultural workers.

We recognise that it is vital that the agricultural sector have the labour they need to harvest great British produce and grow their businesses. For this reason, Defra regularly monitors agricultural labour numbers, with the most recent assessment for 1 June 2024 being published here on 15 December 2024. To help support the sector, Defra and Home Office have agreed to a 5-year extension to the Seasonal Worker visa route. This will give farms a pipeline of workers and certainty to grow their businesses. However, we remain firmly committed to reduce our reliance on overseas labour. Annual quota reviews will ensure we strike the right balance – supporting farms while gradually reducing visa numbers as we develop innovative and Agri-tech solutions.

Food and Rural Affairs, what support his Department is providing for farmers impacted by the Bluetongue virus.

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England and Wales only. This Government recognises the importance of tackling rural crimes such as Hare Coursing. The previous Government made changes to address illegal hare coursing through a package of measures in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. This broadened the circumstances in which police can investigate and bring charges for hare coursing related activity. Enforcement of the law is a matter for the police. This is in line with their duties to keep the peace and protect communities.

Communities and Local Government, what funding is available to local authorities to help improve parking infrastructure in areas with significant seasonal influxes of visitors.

Parking is the responsibility of local authorities, and it is for them to determine what is appropriate in their own area.To support this, the majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is un-ringfenced recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.Where authorities raise income from parking services, which are often influenced by increased seasonal visitors, they are able to reinvest this in additional parking capacity as they see fit.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of (a) vaccinations and (b) culling practices in tackling the spread of tuberculosis.

The new Government has started work on a comprehensive new bovine TB strategy, to continue to drive down disease rates to save cattle and farmers’ livelihoods and to end the badger cull by the end of this parliament. The CattleBCG vaccine, when coupled with the new Detect Infected amongst Vaccinated Animals (DIVA) skin test, represents a significant advancement in bovine TB control for cattle herds. Previous studies demonstrated significant vaccine protection against experimental challenge with high dose of bovine TB[1]. As with other vaccines, a range of protection is expected. Some animals will be fully or only partially protected after vaccination whilst others will remain susceptible to the disease. Recent international studies investigating the full extent of BCG protection in natural conditions found a total efficacy of 89%[2]. Previous research by APHA scientists has also found that vaccination of badgers with BCG can reduce the risk of adult badgers testing positive for TB by 54% [3]. When enough badgers are vaccinated, the risk of infection in unvaccinated cubs can also be reduced by 79%1. The Government will continue to increase vaccination delivery and analyse the effect of badger vaccination on the incidence of TB in cattle. The existing badger control policy is on a steep downward trajectory and all remaining intensive and supplementary licences will end in January 2026. These culls are based on findings of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) carried out from 1997 to 2005. The latest analysis from APHA found a median 56% reduction in bovine TB incidence from 52 areas subject to the Badger Control Policy (which includes badger culling and enhanced cattle surveillance) [4]. [1] APHA, 2021, The potential role for BCG vaccination in global efforts to control and eradicate bovine tuberculosis. https://rj8a5f.n3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/APHA_technical_discussion_paper_WOAH_-BCG_vaccination_cattle.pdf [2] Fromsa et al., 2024. BCG vaccination reduces bovine tuberculosis transmission, improving prospects for elimination. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl3962 [3] Carter et al., 2012. BCG Vaccination Reduces Risk of Tuberculosis Infection in Vaccinated Badgers and Unvaccinated Badger Cubs. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0049833.[4] Birch et al., 2024. Difference in differences analysis evaluates the effects of the badger control policy on bovine tuberculosis in England. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54062-4

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to promote the distribution of cost-effective technological innovations to the farming community in West Dorset.

We are committed to supporting technological innovation on farm so all farming sectors can maximise their levels of productivity whilst increasing their sustainability and resilience. As announced at the NFU Conference, the next window of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) will launch in Spring 2025. This will support uptake of innovative technology and equipment that is commercially available. The scheme will be open to farmers across England and a list of eligible equipment will be published within the scheme guidance ahead of its launch. The Farming Innovation Programme funds research across a range of technologies in agriculture including precision agriculture. Almost £150 million has been committed to projects of which over £84 million has been committed to small businesses. From later in the year a further £63 million will be available in innovation grants under the Programme to support research and innovation, technology and equipment for farmers. We are looking carefully at how to position further investment and support to enable the delivery of this Government's objectives as part of the forthcoming Spending Review.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle parking challenges associated with seasonal tourism surges in West Dorset constituency.

Parking is the responsibility of local authorities, and it is for them to determine what is appropriate in their own area.To support this, the majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is un-ringfenced recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.Where authorities raise income from parking services, which are often influenced by increased seasonal visitors, they are able to reinvest this in additional parking capacity as they see fit.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of post-Brexit trade agreements on UK farmers' access to international markets.

Local authorities have a critical role in responding to the impacts of climate change in their areas. The Government is currently reviewing its approach to Climate Adaptation, including the tools and support we give to Local Authorities. in terms of finance, the Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025-26 makes available over £69 billion for local government, which is a 6.8% cash terms increase in councils’ Core Spending Power on 2024-25. The majority of this funding is un-ringfenced recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help farmers adopt soil management practices that enhance moisture retention during hot and dry conditions.

Healthy soils have improved resilience to extreme weather, and soil moisture is an important factor in soil health. Our Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes include actions that support healthy soil. This includes payments for actions to improve soil health, including herbal leys and multi-species cover crops. In the October 2024 budget, we committed £5 billion for farming over two years, including £1.8 billion for our ELM schemes - the largest ever budget directed at sustainable food production and nature’s recovery in our country’s history. We now have more than half of farmers in an ELM scheme, enabling us to boost Britain’s food security while accelerating the transition to a more resilient and sustainable farming sector.

When her Department plans to confirm funding for the adoption and special guardian support fund for 2025-26 financial year.

The department will shortly be finalising business planning decisions on how we will allocate the department’s budget for the next financial year. All decisions regarding the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund are being made as part of these discussions. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.Applications for the fund with therapy starting in this financial year are still being accepted and processed under business as usual.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the time taken to approve the adoption and special guardianship support fund for 2025-26 on (a) children and (b) families requiring therapeutic support in Dorset.

The department will shortly be finalising business planning decisions on how we will allocate the department’s budget for the next financial year. All decisions regarding the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund are being made as part of these discussions. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.Applications for the fund with therapy starting in this financial year are still being accepted and processed under business as usual.

What recent steps his Department has taken to reduce waiting times for an endometriosis diagnosis.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health and improving the diagnosis times for gynaecological conditions, including endometriosis.We have taken urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan. In gynaecology, the plan supports innovative models offering patients care closer to home, and piloting gynaecology pathways in community diagnostic centres.Endometriosis is also included in the core curriculum for general practitioners, and for obstetricians and gynaecologists. The General Medical Council is introducing the Medical Licensing Assessment for most incoming doctors, including all medical students graduating from academic year 2024/25 and onwards. Within this assessment are several topics relating to women’s health, including endometriosis. This will encourage a better understanding of endometriosis among doctors as they start their careers in the United Kingdom.Clinical guidelines support healthcare professionals to diagnose and treat conditions. In November 2024 the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published updated recommendations on the diagnosis, management and treatment of endometriosis, which are available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng73

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of available agricultural labour on agricultural productivity.

We recognise that it is vital that the agricultural sector have the labour they need to harvest great British produce and grow their businesses. For this reason, Defra regularly monitors agricultural labour numbers, with the most recent assessment for 1 June 2024 being published here on 15 December 2024. To help support the sector, Defra and Home Office have agreed to a 5-year extension to the Seasonal Worker visa route. This will give farms a pipeline of workers and certainty to grow their businesses. However, we remain firmly committed to reduce our reliance on overseas labour. Annual quota reviews will ensure we strike the right balance – supporting farms while gradually reducing visa numbers as we develop innovative and Agri-tech solutions.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to help promote integrated supply chains within the dairy industry.

Farmers should always receive a fair price for their products, and the Government is committed to tackling unfairness in the supply chain wherever it exists. Central to this is the Government’s commitment to improving contractual practices across the agriculture industry, using the Fair Dealings powers in the Agriculture Act 2020 to increase transparency and protect farmers from unfair practices. The Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024, which came into force last year, introduced key reforms. These include mandatory written contracts outlining key terms such as termination conditions and agreed supply volumes. They also require greater transparency in milk pricing and establish robust dispute resolution procedures, strengthening trust and cooperation between buyers and sellers. The regulations are enforced by the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator, who can investigate complaints from farmers who believe they have not been provided with a contract that is compliant with the Regulations, on behalf of the Secretary of State. We will continue to monitor the dairy industry to ensure these reforms deliver their intended impact, including through a future review of the effectiveness of the dairy regulations.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure dairy farmers receive a fair price for their milk, in the context of recent trends in production prices.

Farmers should always receive a fair price for their products, and the Government is committed to tackling unfairness in the supply chain wherever it exists. Central to this is the Government’s commitment to improving contractual practices across the agriculture industry, using the Fair Dealings powers in the Agriculture Act 2020 to increase transparency and protect farmers from unfair practices. The Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024, which came into force last year, introduced key reforms. These include mandatory written contracts outlining key terms such as termination conditions and agreed supply volumes. They also require greater transparency in milk pricing and establish robust dispute resolution procedures, strengthening trust and cooperation between buyers and sellers. The regulations are enforced by the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator, who can investigate complaints from farmers who believe they have not been provided with a contract that is compliant with the Regulations, on behalf of the Secretary of State. We will continue to monitor the dairy industry to ensure these reforms deliver their intended impact, including through a future review of the effectiveness of the dairy regulations.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the implementation of nature-based solutions to help reduce flooding risks along the River Frome.

The Environment Agency (EA) is committed to supporting Natural Flood Management (NFM) measures across the West Dorset constituency. NFM comprises of using natural processes to reduce the risk of flooding, often to slow and store water. The EA is currently supporting, (via the Water Environment Improvement Fund), a Dorset Wildlife Trust flagship project, Frome Headwaters. This project has a multi-beneficial focus including enhanced water quality monitoring, stakeholder engagement and project development and delivery with a focus on working with natural processes to reduce sediment input and improve habitat that will also reduce flood risk. The EA has previously funded projects on the River Hooke upstream of Maiden Newton and will continue to explore NFM options with partners and communities across the area.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of differences between beer duty rates in the UK and other European countries on the financial sustainability of UK pubs.

A Tax Information and Impact Note was published alongside the changes to alcohol duty announced at Autumn Budget. This is available here: Alcohol Duty uprating - GOV.UKThe alcohol duty cut on qualifying draught products impacts approximately 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This represents an overall cut in duty bills of over £85m a year. Although alcohol duty is paid directly by producers, duty changes are ‘passed-through' to consumers in prices. This link between alcohol duty and prices is widely acknowledged, including by the Office of Budget Responsibility in its inflation forecasts. The Chancellor also confirmed her intention to introduce permanently lower business rates for high street retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000, including pubs, from 2026-27, and in the interim to extend the current RHL relief for one year at 40%, up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business. There is significant variation in alcohol taxation policy amongst European countries, with some countries having lower alcohol duty rates and some having higher rates.

What recent estimate she has made of the average time taken to process firearm licence applications in rural areas.

The issuing of firearms certificates is an operational matter for individual Chief Officers of Police and they are held to account by Police and Crime Commissioners.However, the performance of forces is being actively monitored by the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s lead for firearms licensing, Deputy Chief Constable David Gardner, who is developing a new performance framework for firearms licensing teams.

What comparative assessment her Department has made of the level of beer duty rates between the UK and the European average.

A Tax Information and Impact Note was published alongside the changes to alcohol duty announced at Autumn Budget. This is available here: Alcohol Duty uprating - GOV.UKThe alcohol duty cut on qualifying draught products impacts approximately 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This represents an overall cut in duty bills of over £85m a year. Although alcohol duty is paid directly by producers, duty changes are ‘passed-through' to consumers in prices. This link between alcohol duty and prices is widely acknowledged, including by the Office of Budget Responsibility in its inflation forecasts. The Chancellor also confirmed her intention to introduce permanently lower business rates for high street retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000, including pubs, from 2026-27, and in the interim to extend the current RHL relief for one year at 40%, up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business. There is significant variation in alcohol taxation policy amongst European countries, with some countries having lower alcohol duty rates and some having higher rates.