Written questions by Duncan-Jordan.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has considered revising its guidance to local authorities on dog breeding licence fees in relation to (a) if the licence is new or being renewed, (b) the scale of the licensed activity measured by the number of breeding dogs and (c) how far the cost recovery principle can cover enforcement.

Under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (the Regulations), a local authority can charge such fees as it considers reasonable to meet its statutory licensing responsibilities. The Regulations require local authorities to provide an annual return to the department outlining their licensing fees. That information is published here. Defra has recently completed its Post-Implementation Review of the Regulations and considered local authority returns and other evidence about the fees charged by local authorities. The review was published in December 2024 and can be found here. The Government is considering the review’s findings and will be outlining more detail on next steps in due course.

What information her Department holds on the (a) time, (b) money and (c) other resources spent on policing (i) fox hunting and (ii) related crimes in each of the last five years.

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. The investigation and prosecution of all criminal offences, including consideration of whether an actual offence has been committed, is a matter for the police and Crown Prosecution Service who have comprehensive powers to take action under criminal law.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of appointing a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing for England, in the context of equivalent commissioners in (a) Wales and (b) Northern Ireland.

The Government is committed to improving the lives of older people in England, and we are progressing towards a National Care Service based on higher standards, greater choice and control, and better joined up care between services, with over £4 billion of additional funding available for adult social care by 2028.We have previously considered the merits of appointing a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing in England, similar to those in Wales and Northern Ireland. However, we believe that the duties such a role would cover are already addressed through existing structures and initiatives across the health and social care system.In England, local authorities have statutory responsibilities under the Care Act 2014 to promote individual wellbeing, prevent or delay the development of care needs, and ensure a sustainable and diverse care market, including for older people. This includes duties to assess needs, shape local provision, and support people to live independently for as long as possible. These responsibilities are reinforced by the Care Quality Commission’s assurance framework, which monitors how well councils are delivering these duties and which helps drive improvement across the system.

Whether his Department plans to negotiate investment agreements without investor-state settlement mechanisms in the future.

Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provides an independent means for investors to resolve disputes with states where they believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation. The UK is a significant capital exporter and ISDS provisions provide an independent means to resolve disputes with host governments.The UK will continue to work with trading partners multilaterally, such as at the OECD and the UN, to pursue opportunities to improve ISDS practice.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of introducing method of production labelling on (a) the economy and (b) farm incomes.

We are considering the potential role of method of production labelling reform as part of the ongoing development of the Government’s wider animal welfare strategy.

If he will publish a full impact assessment of the UK–Colombia Bilateral Investment Treaty.

Total FDI and portfolio investment assets and liabilities between the UK and Colombia were £6.8 billion at the end of 2023. The UK-Colombia Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) includes binding investment protection provisions which protect both UK and Colombian investors against unfair and discriminatory treatment, and expropriation without adequate compensation.These commitments do not remove a government’s right to regulate in the public interest, nor its obligations to comply with other commitments.

Communities and Local Government, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed reforms to leasehold on (a) the relative value of existing flats and (b) new flats with no ground rent.

The government is committed to addressing unregulated and unaffordable ground rents and we will do this in legislation. We will set out further details in due course.

What assessment his Department has made of (a) human rights issues (b) the provision of fair wages and (c) the impact of climate change of the tea trade.

In the Trade Strategy, the Government launched a review into the UK’s approach to responsible business conduct, focused on tackling human rights and labour abuses, modern slavery, and environmental harms in global supply chains. The review will cover all sectors of the economy, including the tea trade.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to protect leaseholders from increasing ground rents on properties sold prior to the implementation of new leasehold reforms.

The government is committed to addressing unregulated and unaffordable ground rents and we will do this in legislation. We will set out further details in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to eliminate escalating ground rents on existing leases.

The government is committed to addressing unregulated and unaffordable ground rents and we will do this in legislation. We will set out further details in due course.

If he will review the Child Maintenance Service and Government Legal Department procedures so as to minimise (a) unlawful enforcement and (b) the wasting of court time.

Where a paying parent fails to pay on time or in full, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) aims to take immediate action to recover the debt and re-establish compliance. The CMS is committed to using its wide-ranging enforcement powers proportionally, and in the best interests of children and separated families. Enforcement actions taken by Child Maintenance Service (CMS) must comply with the Human Rights Act 1998. A number of administrative enforcement powers are available to the CMS that do not require the use of court time, in order to re-establish payments to children eg: a deduction from earnings order. A parent who is unhappy with the exercise of such powers can either appeal to an independent tribunal to reconsider their calculation and therefore what they owe, or, in the case of the more intrusive powers, can appeal directly to a court.

What steps he is taking to ensure that people seeking a potential diagnosis of multiple sclerosis are seen by a neurologist within 12 weeks.

Cutting waiting lists is a key priority for the Government. We have committed to achieving the NHS constitutional standard that 92% of patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment by March 2029, including in neurology services.In January 2025, we published our Elective Reform Plan, which sets out our approach to hitting that target by the end of this Parliament.We surpassed our manifesto pledge to deliver an extra two million elective appointments; we have delivered 5.2 million additional appointments in our first year of government. Many of those appointments included appointments for treating multiple sclerosis.Waiting lists are coming down; they have fallen by over 206,000 since the Government came into office.

Innovation and Technology, what the evidential basis is that MBR Acres is critical to pandemic preparedness.

The UK government’s approach to pandemic preparedness is contained in the Health and Care Research and Development Framework for Pandemic Preparedness, Prevention and Response which includes the need for a resilient pre-clinical research infrastructure. The necessity for the use of animals in pre-clinical research, where no validated alternative exists, is a product of the Human Medicine Regulations 2012. MBR Acres is the only UK supplier of research dogs, which are currently essential for pre-clinical safety testing, and as such is a critical part of national pre-clinical research infrastructure.

What guidance her Department has provided to (a) local police forces (b) local authorities and (c) residents in areas where vigilante groups have been set up purporting to patrol the streets.

With regard to vigilantism, the Government does not support anybody taking the law into their own hands.Any person who has information about a crime, suspected crime, or an alleged offender should contact the police so that it can be investigated through the established process.

Communities and Local Government, which Minister is responsible for overseeing the Government’s Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition; whether a successor has been appointed to the role of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Faith and Communities; and what arrangements are in place for the Group’s secretariat and stakeholder engagement.

The Minister responsible for overseeing the Government’s Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition is Miatta Fahnbulleh. The secretariat hasn’t changed. This independent Working Group engaged extensively with a wide range of communities and have now provided their independent, evidence-based advice to Ministers for consideration. Ministers are reviewing the advice and next steps in due course.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia.

In its Clinical Knowledge Summary on insomnia, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) suggests that clinicians can offer cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for insomnia if sleep hygiene measures fail, daytime impairment is severe, causing significant distress, and the insomnia is not likely to resolve soon. It is for local integrated care boards to decide what treatments and support for insomnia are offered to their local populations. Further information on NICE’s Clinical Knowledge Summary on insomnia is available at the following link: https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/insomnia/ In addition, NHS Talking Therapies services for anxiety and depression offer low-intensity therapy, including CBT, which may include interventions around sleep hygiene. Individuals who are experiencing symptoms of anxiety and/or depression can be referred by their general practitioner, or can self-refer, to NHS Talking Therapies via the following link: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies/ Individuals can also access helpful resources on sleep problems on the Every Mind Matters website, at the following link: https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-health-issues/sleep/NICE has also agreed to prioritise digital technologies that deliver CBT interventions for insomnia and insomnia symptoms as a topic for the development of HealthTech guidance.

Whether he plans to make cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia more widely available in England.

In its Clinical Knowledge Summary on insomnia, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) suggests that clinicians can offer cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for insomnia if sleep hygiene measures fail, daytime impairment is severe, causing significant distress, and the insomnia is not likely to resolve soon. It is for local integrated care boards to decide what treatments and support for insomnia are offered to their local populations. Further information on NICE’s Clinical Knowledge Summary on insomnia is available at the following link: https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/insomnia/ In addition, NHS Talking Therapies services for anxiety and depression offer low-intensity therapy, including CBT, which may include interventions around sleep hygiene. Individuals who are experiencing symptoms of anxiety and/or depression can be referred by their general practitioner, or can self-refer, to NHS Talking Therapies via the following link: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies/ Individuals can also access helpful resources on sleep problems on the Every Mind Matters website, at the following link: https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-health-issues/sleep/NICE has also agreed to prioritise digital technologies that deliver CBT interventions for insomnia and insomnia symptoms as a topic for the development of HealthTech guidance.

How many beagles from MBR Acres were used in the UK in the development of pandemic vaccines in the last 10 years.

Regulatory testing to assure the efficacy and safety of human medicines, including vaccines, may require the use of animals where non animal alternatives are not available. This sometimes includes the use of beagles, for which MBR acres is the only UK facility with this capability.The government is actively funding research through the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs) to develop computational and mathematical models that would be a virtual second species and thereby ultimately replace the use of beagles in drug development. More information is available at: www.nc3rs.org.uk/crackit/virtual-second-speciesThe Home Office does not collect specific data on how many beagles from MBR Acres have been used in Great Britain in the development of Covid-19 or pandemic vaccines, or whether Contract Research Organisations have used beagles from MBR Acres in pre-clinical work on potential pandemic vaccines.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to landfill taxation on house prices.

The Government recently consulted on proposals for reform of Landfill Tax to ensure the regime remains effective in encouraging waste to be diverted away from landfill and to support our environmental goals. As part of the consultation, the Government has received a wide range of views from stakeholders, including representatives from the construction sector. The consultation closed on 28 July, and the government is considering responses and will set out next steps, including a summary of responses, in due course. This government is committed to delivering 1.5 million homes over 5 years as set out in the Plan for Change, and any final proposals will be designed to maintain the environmental effectiveness of the tax while supporting these plans.

Whether Contract Research Organisations have used beagles from MBR Acres in pre-clinical work on potential pandemic vaccines.

Regulatory testing to assure the efficacy and safety of human medicines, including vaccines, may require the use of animals where non animal alternatives are not available. This sometimes includes the use of beagles, for which MBR acres is the only UK facility with this capability.The government is actively funding research through the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs) to develop computational and mathematical models that would be a virtual second species and thereby ultimately replace the use of beagles in drug development. More information is available at: www.nc3rs.org.uk/crackit/virtual-second-speciesThe Home Office does not collect specific data on how many beagles from MBR Acres have been used in Great Britain in the development of Covid-19 or pandemic vaccines, or whether Contract Research Organisations have used beagles from MBR Acres in pre-clinical work on potential pandemic vaccines.