Written questions by McMurdock.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of animal welfare regulations in protecting brachycephalic dog breeds.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the cost to developers of installing solar panels on new homes under the Future Homes Standard.

The Government has not estimated a single standalone cost for installing solar PV on new homes under the Future Homes Standard. The published Impact Assessment instead considers solar PV as part of the overall package of measures required to meet the Standard.The Department intends to monitor impacts on developers following implementation.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce (a) new regulations and (b) primary legislation on brachycephalic animals.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to raise public awareness of the health risks associated with brachycephalic animals.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of brachycephalic breeding practices on the welfare of those animals.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of trends in the ownership of brachycephalic animals over the last five years.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with campaign groups and animal welfare organisations on the breeding of animals with brachycephaly.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the number of dogs with Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has considered introducing restrictions on the use of brachycephalic animals in advertising, film, television and social media promotions.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies. The Department does not hold data on the number of brachycephalic animals in the UK. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The strategy also includes a commitment to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector. The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders alongside consideration of sector evidence and reports, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices. We continue to engage with representatives across the sector. Defra also supports the work of the UK Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), which is comprised of academia, the veterinary profession, and animal charities. The BWG has set out simple measures to address issues with brachycephalic dogs, such as not using imagery of dogs with brachycephaly for advertising unless it is aimed specifically at protecting the health and welfare of dogs in relation to brachycephaly. BWG members have committed to these measures, and other groups are encouraged to sign up to them too.

What assessment he has made of the impact of intermittent renewable energy generation on grid stability.

The Government is confident that Great Britain’s electricity system continues to maintain high levels of resilience and strong security of supply. System operators have the tools they need to effectively manage the system in a wide range of scenarios as renewable generation increases. This includes ensuring sufficient negative and positive reserves on the system to manage changes in generation or demand.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the impact of the Future Homes Standard on housing affordability.

The Future Homes Standard (FHS) has now been published and will come into force on 24 March 2027.The Department is intending to monitor the impacts of the standard following implementation, including impacts on developers and housing affordability.

What recent assessment she has made of the impact of fuel duty on a) inflation and b) the cost of living.

The Government recognises the impact of fuel costs on household budgets and is already taking action to help keep fuel prices down. Since Autumn Budget 2024, the Government’s decisions to freeze fuel duty will save the average motorist around 8 to 11 pence per litre, compared to the plans inherited from the previous government.The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) set out the impact of policy measures on inflation in its Autumn Budget 2025 forecast, including the fuel duty freeze extension announced at that Budget. The OBR forecast that this measure will reduce CPI inflation by around 0.13 percentage points in 2026/27.

What assessment he has made of the role grid-scale energy storage will play in maintaining electricity supply when renewable generation is low.

Grid-scale storage helps to balance the electricity system at lower cost, maximise the output from intermittent low carbon generation, and provide electricity security. The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan sets out ambitions for 23-27 GW of grid-scale batteries and 4-6GW of long duration electricity storage (LDES) by 2030. Batteries enable us to manage intraday variability, and LDES technologies enable us to cover multi‑hour to multi‑day energy deficits.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of current grid reserve capacity as renewable generation increases.

The Government is confident that Great Britain’s electricity system continues to maintain high levels of resilience and strong security of supply. System operators have the tools they need to effectively manage the system in a wide range of scenarios as renewable generation increases. This includes ensuring sufficient negative and positive reserves on the system to manage changes in generation or demand.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of compliance with national guidance on the monitoring of patients in accident and emergency waiting rooms.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 2 March 2026 to Question 110313.

What recent assessment he has made of awareness levels among teenagers and young adults regarding their risk of meningitis B.

In a 2023 survey of 1,003 teenagers aged 13 to 16 years old, when asked ‘How serious would it be if you got each of the following diseases?’ awareness of the seriousness of meningitis and septicaemia was very high. 98% of respondents answered that septicaemia would be very or fairly serious and 96% for meningitis. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/parental-attitudes-to-vaccination-in-young-children#what-young-people-and-their-parents-think-about-teenage-vaccination-in-englandA similar survey was completed in December 2025, and the summary findings from this survey will be published in the coming months. Information about the early signs of invasive meningococcal disease and septicaemia are available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/meningitis/Further information about the outbreak in Kent is available at the following link:https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2026/03/18/meningitis-b-outbreak-what-you-need-to-know/The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published information via social media, news stories, and a blog to provide accurate information about invasive meningococcal disease.Charitable organisations, including Meningitis Now, have launched targeted campaigns to improve understanding of symptoms and promote vaccine uptake where available.The UKHSA and the National Health Service will continue to work with partners to promote awareness of invasive meningococcal disease symptoms, encourage vaccination where appropriate, and support young people in understanding how best to protect themselves.In addition to this work, the UKHSA produces a university vaccine communications toolkit in collaboration with charities and university organisations, which is available at the following link:https://find-public-health-resources.service.gov.uk/University%20vaccine%20communications%20toolkit/UNI24This document collates key messaging around vaccines and vaccine preventable diseases, including invasive meningococcal disease, and the resources freely available to universities and other higher education institutions to support key messaging. This is updated each year and shared with the distribution lists of Universities UK and the Association of Managers of Student Services in Higher Education.

What steps is he taking to inform individuals born before 2015 that they are not routinely vaccinated against meningitis B.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) vaccine schedule links are covered in the UKHSA blog at the following link:https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2026/03/20/who-is-eligible-for-the-menb-vaccine-and-do-i-need-it-myself/This includes links to the teenage vaccine leaflet on the GOV.UK website on Immunisation for teenagers and young people, which states:“MenACWY vaccine does not protect against MenB. MenB is caused by different group of the bug which commonly affects young infants. A different vaccine, which protects against MenB, is given to very young babies. Some adults and older children considered at risk may be eligible on the NHS. You can find out more about how to get the MenB vaccine through the charity websites.”This is alongside the MenACWY vaccine leaflet, which states:“The MenACWY vaccine will increase your protection against MenC and help to protect you against three other meningococcal groups (A, W and Y). This vaccine will not protect you against all forms of meningococcal disease, like MenB, and so it is still important to be aware of signs and symptoms.”These leaflets can be accessed directly on the GOV.UK website, at the following two links:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immunisations-for-young-peoplehttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/menacwy-vaccine-information-for-young-people

What information his Department holds on the average cost for individuals to obtain the MenB vaccine privately; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of cost on vaccine uptake.

The UK Health Security Agency is not able to advise on the cost of meningococcal B vaccines on the private market. Private market supply and pricing is a matter for suppliers and those offering private vaccination services directly.

Whether workforce levels in a) urgent treatment centres, b) same-day emergency care and c) NHS 111 are adequate to deliver the objectives of the Urgent and Emergency Care Plan.

Decisions on workforce levels and recruitment are a matter for individual National Health Service employers, who manage resources at a local level to ensure they have the staff they need to deliver safe and effective care.The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

Pursuant to Answer of 23rd March 2026 to Question 115902, on Accident and Emergency Departments: Standards, what estimate he has made of the number of patients waiting more than 12 hours in Accident and Emergency before being seen by a doctor.

The 12‑hour accident and emergency (A&E) performance metric recorded and reported by National Health Service trusts measures the time from a patient’s arrival in an emergency department to their admission, transfer, or discharge. This period includes triage, clinical assessments, diagnostics, and treatment, and patients may be seen by one or more clinicians during this time, or in some cases may not require assessment by a doctor depending on their acuity and care pathway.There is a national target that patients receive an initial clinical assessment within 15 minutes of arrival in A&E. This assessment considers patient acuity, ensuring those most unwell and at greatest risk are identified and prioritised, so that clinical oversight can be adjusted accordingly and to ensure the sickest patients are seen first.The Department does not hold an estimate of the number of patients who wait more than 12 hours in A&E before being seen by a doctor, as “being seen by a doctor” is not a data point that is routinely captured or reported.