Written questions by MacCleary.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the police to ensure hunting laws are fully enforced.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has not had recent discussions with the police regarding the enforcement of hunting laws. The enforcement of the Hunting Act is an operational matter for the police. This is in line with their duties to keep the peace, protect communities and prevent the commission of offences, working within the provisions of the legal framework set by Parliament. It is for individual Chief Constables to determine how their resources are deployed, and it is for locally elected PCCs to hold their forces to account. This includes consideration of how the police tackle the crimes that matter most to residents and businesses in rural and urban areas alike.

Whether his Department is taking steps to implement the recommendations of the Independent ADHD Taskforce.

NHS England established an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing timely and equitable access to services and support. We are pleased that the taskforce's final report was published on 6 November, and we are carefully considering its recommendations.My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced on 4 December 2025 the launch of an Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism. This independent review will inform our approach to enabling people with ADHD and autistic people to have the right support in place to enable them to live well in their communities.

What steps her Department is taking to help reduce anti-social behaviour and harassment on the rail network.

There is no place for anti-social behaviour or harassment on the railway. Ensuring the network remains safe for passengers and staff is a priority for my Department, the rail industry, and the British Transport Police (BTP). BTP carry out high visibility and plain clothes patrols across the network every day to deter offenders and provide reassurance to the public. Where someone is a victim or witness to a crime they should report this to BTP by texting 61016 or calling 999 in an emergency. There are also rules in place under the railway byelaws, including fines of up to £1000, to deter anti-social behaviour which can be enforced by the BTP or rail operators. Operators employ staff in a range of roles including Rail Enforcement Officers who patrol the network to enforce the railway byelaws and deter anti-social behaviour.

What steps he is taking to help reduce waiting times for ADHD diagnoses.

The Government has recognised that, nationally in England, demand for assessments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan for England will make the National Health Service fit for the future, recognising the need for early intervention and support.It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to ADHD assessment and treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.NHS England established an ADHD taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing timely and equitable access to services and support. We are pleased that the taskforce's final report was published on 6 November, and we are carefully considering its recommendations.My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced on 4 December 2025 the launch of an Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism. This independent review will inform our approach to enabling people with ADHD and autistic people to have the right support in place to enable them to live well in their communities.

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency issue licences in a timely manner following the medical examination report for a Group 2 (lorry or bus) licence.

Straightforward applications for Group 2 driving licences are being processed within the normal turnaround time of ten working days. This includes applications for a first Group 2 licence and renewal at age 45 and over where the driver is required to submit a medical examination report with their application. Driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is often reliant on information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued. The DVLA is currently rolling out a new casework system which is expected to deliver significant improvements to the services provided to drivers with medical conditions. When fully implemented, this will improve turnaround times with higher levels of digital functionality and digital communication. The DVLA is also planning to launch a new medical services platform which will enable more customers to transact online and increase the use of email communication. Applicants renewing an existing licence may be able to continue driving while their application is being processed, providing they can meet specific criteria. More information can be found online at www.gov.uk/government/publications/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla.

Whether his Department plans to remove the Renewables Obligation (RO) levy from energy bills.

From April 2026/27 to 2028/29, 75% of the domestic costs of the Renewables Obligation will be moved to the Exchequer. This reform shifts the balance from levies on bills to public spending. Along with the discontinuation of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, it will result in an average £150 reduction in costs on household energy bills in April. Over three years, £7 billion worth of historic RO levies will be funded through public expenditure, providing short-term relief and greater long-term benefits for consumers.

What value of contract stage payment claim by General Dynamics was triggered by declaring Initial Operating Capability (IOC) for Ajax in November, and whether his department has paid it yet.

There was no specific payment to General Dynamics related to Initial Operating Capability.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential cumulative impact of changes to (a) the National Living Wage, (b) employers' National Insurance contributions and (c) the recruitment of overseas social care workers on independent adult social care providers.

The Government took the cost pressures facing adult social care, including independent providers, into account as part of the wider consideration of local government funding at the Spending Review.The provisional Local Government Finance Settlement confirmed that the Government is making available approximately £4.6 billion of additional funding for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26. This includes £500 million for the first-ever Fair Pay Agreement, the most significant investment in improving pay and conditions for adult social care staff to date.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many agri-food and beverage attachés there were in a) June 2024 and b) December 2025.

In June 2024 there were twelve agri-food attaches. Currently there are 16 agri-food attachés, covering all major export markets. In 2025 the agri-food attaché network has resolved trade barriers which industry estimate to be worth over £100m.

What steps is his department taking to raise awareness of the warning signs of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome.

Under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is working to improve awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals, including rare conditions that lead to sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS).NHS England has a published the national service specification Cardiology: Inherited Cardiac Conditions (All Ages), which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/cardiology-inherited-cardiac-conditions-all-ages/This outlines the service model and mandatory guidelines for commissioned providers in England to support the diagnosis and treatment of patients or families affected by inherited cardiac conditions or sudden cardiac death. NHS England is currently reviewing this service specification and is working with stakeholders as part of this review including NHS clinical experts and the British Inherited Cardiovascular Conditions Society. The NHS England Genomics Education Programme has also developed a range of educational resources for healthcare professionals.This includes a Knowledge Hub page on sudden arrhythmic death syndrome, including information on presentation, diagnosis, management, and links for clinicians to further resources. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.genomicseducation.hee.nhs.uk/genotes/knowledge-hub/sudden-arrhythmic-death-syndrome/

If he will review the adequacy of the eligibility criteria for NHS-funded COVID-19 vaccinations for carers.

The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19.For autumn 2024, the JCVI advised that in an era of high population immunity to COVID-19 and all cases due to Omicron sub-lineages of the virus, any protection against transmission of infection from one person to another is expected to be extremely limited. These considerations informed the JCVI’s advice that unpaid carers, household contacts of the immunosuppressed, and frontline health and social care workers should no longer be offered vaccination to protect those they cared for from transmission.In their advice covering 2025 and spring 2026, the JCVI advised that population immunity to COVID-19 has increased due to a combination of naturally acquired immunity following recovery from infection and vaccine-derived immunity. COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.The focus of the JCVI-advised programme has therefore moved towards targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are the oldest adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.The Government has accepted the JCVI advice for autumn 2025 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to the following groups:adults aged 75 years old and over;residents in care homes for older adults;  andindividuals aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed.The JCVI keeps all vaccination programmes under review.

What steps he is taking to ensure his department’s contribution to the Fair Pay Agreement in adult social care will be passed on to independent adult social care employers.

We are introducing the first ever Fair Pay Agreement in 2028, backed by £500 million of funding to improve pay and conditions for the adult social care workforce.This £500 million of funding will be given to local authorities to support providers to improve pay, and terms and conditions through the Fair Pay Agreement. It represents the most significant investment in improving pay and conditions for adult social care staff to date.Negotiations between employee and employer representatives, including those from all types of providers, such as independent providers, will shape how this funding will be used to enhance pay, terms and conditions. The Government is committed to supporting commissioners to enable the successful delivery of the Fair Pay Agreement and we are exploring options for engagement to best inform our understanding of this.We also recognise that, in preparation for the first Fair Pay Agreement, commissioners and providers, will need time, support and guidance. We are committed to publishing guidance to support these groups, and our consultation seeks views from all providers, including independent providers, to ensure their perspectives are fully considered.

Whether he has had recent discussions with his German, Italian and Japanese counterparts on Germany potentially joining the Global Combat Air Programme.

As partners we have maintained that we remain open to other partners joining. The UK and our GCAP partners, Italy and Japan, are focused on delivering this vital military capability at pace.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure water companies are held to account for sewage discharges.

This Government has been clear there is no excuse for poor performance, and we will not look the other way while companies routinely fail to meet agreed standards. Water companies must take seriously their role in meeting the public and regulators expectations. We have introduced the toughest sentencing powers against law-breaking water executives in history.  Through the provisions in the Water (Special Measures) Act, we have introduced new, tougher penalties to address incidences where some water companies have obstructed investigations, failing to hand over evidence related to illegal sewage discharges. In addition, The Environment Agency have increased their target for water company inspections to 10,000 per year as part of the Government’s wider focus to hold companies to account and improve our water environment.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made in improving water quality in Lewes constituency.

We have begun rebuilding the water network to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas. £104 billion is being invested to upgrade crumbling pipes and sewage treatment works across the country, including in East Sussex. This includes over £10 billion to improve over 2,500 storm overflows across England. The Environment Agency (EA) has increased regulatory inspections across East Sussex to tackle sewage spills, focusing on sites which pose the biggest risk to the environment and ensuring they meet the required environmental standards. The EA have increased regulatory inspections of water company assets within the Lewes constituency from the previous year. We are also taking action to tackle agricultural pollution. This includes doubling the funding for farm inspections, enabling the EA to work with more farmers, including in East Sussex, to bring them into compliance. These combined efforts are contributing to stronger environmental standards and a clearer picture of progress in water management across the Lewes area.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help reduce the number of sewage discharges in East Sussex.

We have begun rebuilding the water network to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas. £104 billion is being invested to upgrade crumbling pipes and sewage treatment works across the country, including in East Sussex. This includes over £10 billion to improve over 2,500 storm overflows across England. The Environment Agency (EA) has increased regulatory inspections across East Sussex to tackle sewage spills, focusing on sites which pose the biggest risk to the environment and ensuring they meet the required environmental standards. The EA have increased regulatory inspections of water company assets within the Lewes constituency from the previous year. We are also taking action to tackle agricultural pollution. This includes doubling the funding for farm inspections, enabling the EA to work with more farmers, including in East Sussex, to bring them into compliance. These combined efforts are contributing to stronger environmental standards and a clearer picture of progress in water management across the Lewes area.

What assessment she has made of the potential economic merits of UK access to the Security Action for Europe fund.

We will only sign agreements that are in the national interest and provide value for money for the UK taxpayer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to assess the potential impact of (a) microplastics and (b) PFAS contaminants in agriculture soil on human and wildlife health.

The Environment Agency (EA) keeps a close observation of emerging evidence of the risks microplastics and PFAS may pose. The EA is working with Defra and collaborating with the water industry on a suite of microplastic and sludge investigations. One water industry investigation through the Chemicals Investigation Programme is currently looking at the movement of microplastics and chemicals from biosolids spread on land to soils.

What the annual cost was of the (i) HM Forces Railcard and (ii) Veterans Railcard in 2024.

The Department for Transport does not hold this information. The HM Forces and Veterans Railcards are managed by the Rail Delivery Group.

Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on whether levels of PFAS in sewage biosolids from wastewater plants are being investigated in Phase 4 of the Chemical Investigations Programme.

Sewage sludge is the by-product of the wastewater treatment which can applied to agricultural land as a fertiliser. Whilst this practice supports the circular economy, the Government recognises that sludge spreading is not without risk. To better understand these risks from chemicals, Defra officials are engaging with industry and independent researchers under the water industry-funded Chemicals Investigation Programme (CIP). PFAS in sludge was investigated in phase 3 of CIP (CIP3) with reports available online: CIP3 Information. Further sludge investigations are now being run in the current phase 4, they include CIP4 Groundwater, Soil and Biosolids Investigation and CIP4 - Chemical Investigations Programme - Phase 4 - Sludge Investigation. This work will help inform possible and future measures to mitigate PFAS pollution. The Department discusses the progress of this work on a frequent basis.