Written questions by Wrigley.

Whether the Prime Minister plans to attend COP30 in Brazil.

The Prime Minister plans to attend COP30.

Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the number of recommendations for improvements to private water supplies have been issued as a result of risk assessments in the last year.

231 notices were served in England. 114 were received by central Government.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of adding mandatory software updates to the MOT process for electric cars.

The MOT plays a vital role in keeping people safe on our roads. That is why the Department for Transport published a call for evidence in 2023 which sought views on how to keep it up to date. The monitoring of software updates for both electric and ICE vehicles is something that was raised in responses and is under consideration. Any proposals will, however, need to answer how to identify the software version on the vehicle and what the latest available version is.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to increase the number of local authorities providing Ministers with results from risk assessments of private water supplies.

Local authorities have a regulatory duty to provide the Secretary of State (in practice, the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI)), with a summary of the results from the risk assessment no longer than 12 months after the day on which it was carried out. Local authorities are regularly reminded of their duties, and where they may not be being complied with, in DWI’s annual report on the quality of private water supplies in England. We would expect local authorities to comply with their statutory duties.

Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the number of private water supplies registered in Newton Abbot constituency.

In 2024, Teignbridge reported 598 private water supplies on their register. In the Newton Abbot area specifically, one private water supply is registered.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to require private water supplies to be registered with a local authority who can (a) test them and (b) risk assess them.

Local authorities need only risk assess and monitor private water supplies that they are aware of that are large, shared, or where the water supply is used as part of a commercial or public activity. Supplies to single domestic dwellings need only be risk assessed and monitored if the owner or occupier of the dwelling requests it, and they may monitor at their discretion.

If she will bring forward legislative proposals mandating that second hand electric vehicles are sold with (a) conformity and (b) battery health check certificates.

The Government currently has no plans to mandate that second hand vehicles are sold with certificates of conformity or battery health certificates. Manufacturers are currently required to issue a certificate of conformity with each new vehicle. A vehicle owner may request a duplicate of the certificate from the manufacturer for up to 10 years after the date of manufacture. The Government will introduce a new digital system to give members of the public direct access to information about their vehicle. Most vehicles manufactured on or after 5 July 2026 will be enrolled in the new system, and paper certificates of conformity will be phased out. The UK Government has worked with international partners at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe to develop a Global Technical Regulation on EV batteries (GTR No.22). This regulation requires electric vehicles have easily accessible, accurate, and comparable information on the battery’s state of health. The Government is currently analysing options for the implementation of GTR No.22 regulations in the UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on private water supply risk assessments to ensure consistency.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate publishes and maintains a suite of risk assessment tools on its website. These tools are designed to meet the risk assessment requirements of the Private Water Supplies (England) Regulations 2016 (as amended). It is not mandatory to use the tools.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce regulations under the Animal (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023 on the domestic (a) sale and (b) advertising of low welfare animal activities taking place abroad.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire, Pippa Heylings on 23 September 2025, PQ UIN 73101.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to enforce the ban on piglet thumping.

Any allegations of poor animal welfare are investigated by the Animal and Plant Health Agency, and where there are non-compliances with the regulations, appropriate action is taken. The local authority, as an appropriate enforcement agency, may initiate prosecution action for animal welfare offences where there is sufficient evidence. Due to serious concerns about the welfare consequences of a manual percussive blow to the head, it is not a permitted method for killing piglets. In 2022, animal welfare regulations were amended to permit the use of a non-penetrative captive bolt device as a killing method for neonate piglets, kids and lambs, within certain parameters. This has provided a method of killing on farm for these species that is practical and humane.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 February 2025 to Question 31604 on Refugees: Ukraine, if she will ensure gov.uk sites are updated to show the correct length of the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme.

On 1 September, the Government announced in parliament that the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme (UPE) would be extended for an additional 24 months to enable those eligible to obtain a further period of permission following their initial permission under UPE.More detail will follow in due course and shared on the relevant GOV.UK pages.

When she plans to respond to Question 74810 on Members: Correspondence, tabled on 3 September 2025.

A response has been issued here.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the average time taken to approve Special Use Airspace applications for Beyond Visual Line of Sight uncrewed air system operations under Civil Air Publication 1616 in the latest period for which data is available.

The CAA assesses Special Use Airspace applications, including those for BVLOS operations, under the CAP1616 process to ensure safety, proportionality, and fairness for all airspace users.The CAA is currently consulting on reforms to CAP1616, including a more proportionate approach to BVLOS airspace, to improve clarity, efficiency, and transparency while maintaining safety.Application timescales vary depending on complexity and completeness, with straightforward cases often completed within weeks to a few monthsThe CAA continues to support safe, innovative BVLOS operations in line with the UK’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy.

What discussions her Department has had with the Civil Aviation Authority on the effectiveness of its processes in relation to Special Use Airspace applications to use uncrewed air systems for NHS medical logistics.

My officials continue to work closely with the Civil Aviation Authority to improve the airspace change process. My department is undertaking a full review of the regulatory framework for airspace change, with the aim of streamlining and improving the airspace change process for uncrewed air systems operations and trials. My department will consult on these changes later this year

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Civil Air Publication 1616 airspace change processes on his Department's ability to (a) test and (b) develop uncrewed air systems.

Airspace within the UK Flight Information Regions is neither specifically military nor civilian. The Joint Air Navigation Services Council is responsible for the management of airspace and Air Traffic Service provision with a Joint and Integrated Approach between the Department for Transport and the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The practical policy guidance to enact an airspace change is published in CAP1616. The MOD, through the Defence Airspace and Air Traffic Management (DAATM) organisation, is invited to comment on any relevant Airspace Change Proposal. DAATM is a stakeholder in the public consultation launched by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on 25 September 2025 on ways to modernise and streamline the CAP1616 airspace change process and will comment on behalf of the MOD in time for the 18 December 2025 deadline. The update of CAP 1616 seeks to streamline the processes for modernisation of airspace requirements and the integration of new and innovative types of airspace users. Airspace requirements for military uncrewed air systems testing and development also fall under CAP1616.

What steps her Department is taking to support schools that have had to (a) reduce subjects, (b) rely on non-specialist teaching staff and (c) remove extracurricular opportunities due to funding shortfalls.

School funding is increasing by £3.7 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, and a further £4.2 billion by 2028/29, reaching £69.5 billion. This will provide an above real terms per pupil increase on the core schools budget and help transform the special educational needs and disabilities system.The department is seeing positive signs for recruitment and retention. The secondary and special school workforce has grown by 2,346 full-time equivalent between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years, where workforce growth is most needed. We are offering bursaries worth up to £29,000 and scholarships worth up to £31,000, tax-free, to encourage more talented people into key subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing.The department knows reprioritising schools’ budgets and ensuring best value can be challenging, but it is in line with asks to the rest of the public sector. We also know it is a joint responsibility of the government and the entire school system. We will tackle systemic issues that drive costs, establishing a new programme later this year to help schools and groups free up resources to invest in what matters most, teaching, learning, and support for pupils.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure accountability in (a) financial management and (b) strategic leadership in academy trusts.

High and rising standards are at the heart of this government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and ensure every child has the best life chances. Accountability is non-negotiable. This is why the government has committed to bring multi-academy trusts into the inspection system, to make the system fairer and more transparent, and enable direct intervention when schools and trusts are not performing to the required standards.The primary responsibility for the financial oversight of academy trusts rests with the trustees themselves, supported by the financial management and governance requirements set by the department in academy trusts’ Funding Agreements, the Academy Trust Handbook, the Academies Accounts Direction and the department’s Financial Support and Oversight Guidance for Academy Trusts. The department expects academy trustees to deliver strong governance, monitor the financial health of their trust or school and ensure it remains a going concern.All academy trusts must publish an annual report and accounts (their financial statements), which are audited by a registered statutory auditor. As part of their annual reports and accounts, academy trusts must also publish details of their objectives, achievements, and future plans, including what they have done to promote value for money in support of these projects. The department publishes data on academy finances on GOV.UK, as part of the Academies Sector Annual Report and Accounts and as part of the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool.Where non-compliance or governance concerns are identified, the department will intervene in a way that is proportionate to the risk and preserves education provision. This can include issuing a trust with a Notice to Improve (NtI). Less than 1% of academy trusts are subject to an active NtI. In cases of financial or financial governance failure, NtIs issued to academy trusts and Investigation Reports are published on GOV.UK.

What assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of executive pay in academy trusts where schools (a) are in financial deficit and (b) have made frontline staff redundancies.

The primary responsibility for the financial oversight of academy trusts, including setting executive pay, rests with the trustees themselves. Academy trusts are delivering a high standard of financial management and governance. The latest published data shows that, in the 2022/23 academic year, 97.7% of trusts had a cumulative surplus or a zero balance, with an aggregate surplus of £4.6 billion. In terms of pay trends, the latest published workforce data shows that the mean average salary for headteachers in the sector was:£78,240 in a maintained primary school.£78,289 in an academy primary school.£111,796 in a maintained secondary school.£108,654 in an academy secondary school.The data can be read in full here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england/2024.The department engages with trusts on levels of executive pay where there is insufficient demonstration of value for money, where there is no direct link to improving pupil outcomes, or if the trust is in financial difficulty.The department sets out its expectations on pay for academies and academy trusts in the academy trust handbook, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academy-trust-handbook/academy-trust-handbook-2025-effective-from-1-september-2025. Executive pay must be justifiable and should reflect the individual responsibility alongside local retention and recruitment needs.The handbook requires that:An academy trust’s board of trustees ensures its decisions follow a robust, evidence-based process when setting levels of executive pay, including salary and any other benefits.Academy trusts’ decisions on pay must be a reasonable and defensible reflection of the individual’s role and responsibilities.No individual can be involved in deciding their remuneration.Academy trusts must be transparent on pay and publish the number of employees whose benefits exceed £100,000 on their websites in £10,000 bandings. Where employees are also trustees, this information must be disclosed in £5,000 bandings.To further support academy trusts, the department has also published ‘setting executive salaries’ guidance on GOV.UK which outlines the key contextual factors that trusts should be considering when setting or reviewing executive salaries, and can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/setting-executive-salaries-guidance-for-academy-trusts/setting-executive-salaries-guidance-for-academy-trusts.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of not giving the COVID vaccine to NHS patients under 75 who are clinically vulnerable.

The Government’s policy on the groups eligible for vaccination programmes is based on the advice of the independent expert body, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).The JCVI carefully considered the latest evidence on the risk of illness and serious disease in specific groups, as well as cost-effectiveness analysis, to provide the Government with advice on the COVID-19 autumn 2025 vaccination programme. The evidence indicates that whilst the risk from COVID-19 is now much lower for most people, adults aged 75 years old and over, residents in care homes for older adults, and those who are immunosuppressed are those at highest risk of serious COVID-19 disease.A more targeted vaccination programme, aimed at individuals with a higher risk of developing serious disease, was advised for autumn 2025.The latest UK Health Security Agency data in the national flu and COVID-19 surveillance report supports this change in eligibility, showing that there is a strong association between age and COVID-19 hospitalisation rates. These reports can be accessed on the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/weekly-national-flu-reports#2025-to-2026-seasonAs part of its role, the JCVI reviews vaccination programmes as new data becomes available, and this includes if strong evidence should emerge indicating a change in the groups affected. Accordingly, the Government will consider any additional advice from the JCVI in due course.

Whether her Department has a process for (a) reviewing and (b) approving executive pay rises in multi-academy trusts.

The primary responsibility for the financial oversight of academy trusts, including setting executive pay, rests with the trustees themselves. Academy trusts are delivering a high standard of financial management and governance. The latest published data shows that, in the 2022/23 academic year, 97.7% of trusts had a cumulative surplus or a zero balance, with an aggregate surplus of £4.6 billion. In terms of pay trends, the latest published workforce data shows that the mean average salary for headteachers in the sector was:£78,240 in a maintained primary school.£78,289 in an academy primary school.£111,796 in a maintained secondary school.£108,654 in an academy secondary school.The data can be read in full here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england/2024.The department engages with trusts on levels of executive pay where there is insufficient demonstration of value for money, where there is no direct link to improving pupil outcomes, or if the trust is in financial difficulty.The department sets out its expectations on pay for academies and academy trusts in the academy trust handbook, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academy-trust-handbook/academy-trust-handbook-2025-effective-from-1-september-2025. Executive pay must be justifiable and should reflect the individual responsibility alongside local retention and recruitment needs.The handbook requires that:An academy trust’s board of trustees ensures its decisions follow a robust, evidence-based process when setting levels of executive pay, including salary and any other benefits.Academy trusts’ decisions on pay must be a reasonable and defensible reflection of the individual’s role and responsibilities.No individual can be involved in deciding their remuneration.Academy trusts must be transparent on pay and publish the number of employees whose benefits exceed £100,000 on their websites in £10,000 bandings. Where employees are also trustees, this information must be disclosed in £5,000 bandings.To further support academy trusts, the department has also published ‘setting executive salaries’ guidance on GOV.UK which outlines the key contextual factors that trusts should be considering when setting or reviewing executive salaries, and can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/setting-executive-salaries-guidance-for-academy-trusts/setting-executive-salaries-guidance-for-academy-trusts.