Written questions by Duncan-Jordan.

What recent steps she has taken to help end discrimination against disabled people when travelling abroad.

Discrimination on transport is not acceptable, and this Government is committed to making its UK transport network safe and easy to use, allowing disabled passengers to travel confidently and with dignity.On travel abroad, the Government works through international bodies, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), to promote accessibility standards for air and sea travel.The UK also fully supports and encourages alignment with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which includes provisions on accessible transport. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides travel advice for UK travellers overseas, and British Embassies and Consulates can offer support and advocacy.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to introduce a new Food Bill for England in this Parliament.

Our ambitious food strategy will set and deliver clear long-term outcomes that create a healthier, fairer, and more resilient food system. We will consider the need for legislation as we develop the strategy and will seek to make space in the legislative timetable if needed.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the horticulture sector.

The Government appreciates and values the vital work of our agricultural sectors including the fundamental part played by horticulture growers. As part of our mission-driven Government we are currently considering how we can achieve our ambitious, measurable and long-term goals for all of our farming sectors. This includes, as the Secretary of state announced at the CLA conference, developing a 25-year Farming Roadmap to create a robust and resilient agriculture sector, capable of meeting current challenges whilst future proofing the sector for generations to come. In addition, the department meets regularly with growers to discuss a range of specific issues facing the sector. These discussions help inform future policy development and help us understand what support the sector needs to help it thrive.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to introduce mandatory reporting by food and beverage companies on nutrition, health and sustainability metrics.

Defra, DHSC and FSA have worked in partnership with food and beverage businesses and academics through the Food Data Transparency Partnership (FDTP) to identify approaches to health and sustainability reporting. Minutes from the FDTP’s working groups are available online: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/food-data-transparency-partnership. The FDTP’s eco workstream, led by Defra, is currently developing an approach to standardise how environmental impacts are quantified and communicated across the food system. This will empower agri-food businesses to make data-driven actions to reduce environmental impacts and meet net zero goals. The Government is not planning to introduce a sector-specific legislative requirement for food and beverage companies to report on sustainability metrics. The Government is currently considering the endorsement of the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards, led by the Department of Business and Trade, to create UK Sustainability Reporting Standards that include reporting against some sustainability metrics. The Government and Financial Conduct Authority will consider whether to mandate these standards for certain economically significant entities across all sectors. The FDTP’s health workstream, led by DHSC with support from the FSA, was to explore how businesses with more than 250 employees across retail, manufacturing and the out of home (OOH) sector, could report on the healthiness of their sales. Work on the health workstream of FDTP paused for the general election, and DHSC are reviewing FDTP alongside other policies.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of uto-enroling eligible families to the Healthy Start scheme.

The Healthy Start scheme was introduced in 2006 to encourage a healthy diet for pregnant women, babies and young children under four from very low-income households. It can be used to buy, or put towards the cost of, fruit, vegetables, pulses, milk and infant formula. Those on the scheme have access to free Healthy Start Vitamins for pregnant women and children aged under four years old.The NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) operates the Healthy Start scheme on behalf of the Department. All applicants to the Healthy Start scheme, where they meet the eligibility criteria, must accept the terms and conditions of the prepaid card at the point of application. As the prepaid card is a financial product and cannot be issued without the applicant accepting these terms, NHS BSA is not able to automatically provide eligible families with a prepaid card. However, the scheme is kept under review, and we remain open to all viable routes to improve uptake to ensure that as many eligible people as possible are accessing the scheme, to support their children with a healthy start in life.In January 2025, Healthy Start supported over 353,000 people.

Whether he has plans to introduce legislation on advertising restrictions for foods that are high in (a) fat, (b) sugar and (c) salt.

Implementing restrictions on the advertising of less healthy food and drink products on television and online is a commitment for the Government. This includes a 9:00pm watershed on television and a 24-hour restriction on paid-for advertising of these products online.On 3 December 2024, we brought forward secondary legislation to confirm the products, businesses, and services in scope of the restrictions, and published guidance on the affected food and drink products. We are working with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and regulators to support businesses as they prepare for the regulations to come into force United Kingdom-wide from 1 October 2025.

If she will make an assessment of the potential implications for the Modern Slavery Act 2015 of the employer sponsorship model.

A key objective of the sponsorship system is to ensure that migrant workers are protected against modern slavery and other labour abuses.  All sponsors are required to comply with wider UK law, including the Modern Slavery Act, and the Home Office can, and does, take firm action against those who fail to do so.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of President Trump's remarks on the future of Gaza and the Palestinian people made on 4 February 2024.

The government's objective remans a negotiated two-state solution, with a sovereign Palestinian state, which includes the West Bank and Gaza, alongside a safe and secure Israel. In order to deliver this, it is clear that Palestinian civilians must be permitted to return to their communities in Gaza and rebuild and that there can be no forcible transfer of Gazans from or within Gaza, nor any reduction in the territory of the Gaza Strip. The UK will continue to work closely with the US to sustain the fragile ceasefire, ensure that all the hostages are released, increase the supply of aid, and break the ongoing cycle of violence in pursuit of a permanent, sustainable peace.

Whether his Department has plans to issue guidance to industry on steps to reduce (a) sugar and (b) salt in baby and toddler foods.

A 2019 evidence review showed that babies and young children are exceeding their energy intake requirement and are eating too much sugar and salt. Some commercial baby foods, particularly finger foods, had added sugar or salt, or contained ingredients that are high in sugar or salt.More recently, the independent Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) highlighted in their report, Feeding Young Children aged one to five years, published in 2023, that free sugar intakes are above recommendations for children at all ages where recommendations have been set, and that commercial baby food and drinks contributed to approximately 20% of free sugar intake in children aged between 12 and 18 months old. The SACN also recommended that in diets of children aged between one and five years old, foods, including snacks that are high in salt, free sugars, saturated fat, or are energy dense, should be limited and that commercially manufactured foods and drinks marketed specifically for infants and young children are not needed to meet nutrition requirements.We face a childhood obesity crisis, and the Government is committed to raising the healthiest next generation. We will provide an update on publication of voluntary industry guidelines to limit the levels of salt and sugar in commercially available baby food and drink in due course.

If she will take steps to implement sector sponsorship for immigrant social care workers.

The Government keeps all aspects of the immigration system under review, subject to our objective to reduce levels of net migration, but we have no plans to change the current rules in this area.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to establish a cross-government working group on food.

The Government recognises the importance of innovation and technologies in supporting farmers to drive productivity and profitability, boosting Britain’s food security and improving nature’s recovery. The Government is supporting the development of agricultural technologies through a range of policies. Defra has announced the Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) Fund which will launch in Spring 2025, enabling farmer-led trials to bridge the gap between new technologies and their real-world application. Legislation to implement the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 will be introduced in Parliament before the end of March. When in force, this will enable farmers to grow crops with higher yields and that are more resistant to drought, pests and diseases. Defra will collaborate closely with industry partners, such as The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture, a professional body established in 2021 that aims to drive greater uptake of professional skills, including in relation to new technologies, among farmers and growers for a more prosperous Sector. Defra will continue to look carefully at how to position future investment and support to enable the benefits of new technologies to be fully realised and integrated into farming practices.

If she will update the School Food Standards and introduce compliance monitoring to (a) reflect the latest evidence based dietary guidelines on sugar and fibre (b) remove the requirement to offer meat and a dessert at every meal (c) introduce a requirement for meals to include at least two portions of vegetables and (d) include support for water only in schools.

This government is committed to raising the healthiest generation ever. It is important that children eat nutritious food at school and the department encourages schools to have a whole school approach to healthy eating.The School Food Standards (the Standards) regulate the food and drink provided at both lunchtime and at other times of the school day. They define the foods and drinks that must be provided, which foods are restricted and those which must not be provided.Compliance with the Standards is mandatory for maintained schools, academies and free schools. Governing boards have a responsibility to ensure compliance and should appropriately challenge the headteacher and the senior leadership team to ensure the school is meeting its obligations.The department’s aim is to deliver better life chances for all through a system which works for all. As part of this, as with all government programmes, we will keep our approach to the School Food Standards and compliance under continued review.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has plans to expand the Government Buying Standards across the wider public sector.

Defra already encourages the wider public sector to use the Government Buying Standards. Using these standards provides one way of tenders achieving value for money and environmental policy priorities, and this will be further supported later this month by the more flexible approach to assessing public procurement introduced by the new Procurement Act.

Communities and Local Government, whether he is taking steps to (a) revise the National Planning Policy Framework and (b) redefine affordable housing.

The government published a revised National Planning Policy Framework on 12 December 2024, including an amended definition of affordable housing in its glossary.

If she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the report entitled Talking about School Transition, published by the University of Manchester in April 2020.

The primary-secondary school transition is a significant milestone in a child’s life and the government recognises the importance of supporting the emotional wellbeing of children and young people during these transition periods. This is critical to high and rising standards and helping pupils to achieve and thrive in school.In health education, part of mandatory relationships, sex and health education, there is already a strong focus on mental wellbeing. The aim of teaching pupils about mental wellbeing and physical health is to give them the information they need to make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing, recognise issues in themselves and others and, when issues arise, how to seek support.The department also encourages schools to embed an effective whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing, which includes considering stages during the academic year that provide opportunities for a specific curricular focus, such as learning skills for coping with transition periods. There are a number of approaches to do this, including those focused on in the Talking about School Transition report.Beyond this, the government will expand Mental Health Support Teams (so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. We will also be putting in place new Young Futures hubs, including access to mental health support workers, and will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made recent representations to his US counterpart on removing Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list.

The Foreign Secretary had a call with his recently appointed US counterpart, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on 27 January. The readout is available on gov.uk.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made recent representations to his US counterparts on the case for an end to the economic blockade of Cuba.

The Foreign Secretary had a call with his recently appointed US counterpart, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on 27 January. The readout is available on gov.uk.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to invest in the Affordable Homes Programme after 2026.

We will set out details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for Social Rent.

Whether the pension review will consider adequacy.

This government is committed to enabling tomorrow’s pensioners to have security in retirement– which is why we announced the landmark Pensions Review days after coming into office in July.The first phase is focussed on boosting investment and economic growth and we are committed to a second phase that will include retirement adequacy within its considerations. We will provide further detail on the full scope and timetable for the second phase in due course.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of professional school librarians on pupils (a) learning and (b) outcomes.

The department has not specifically assessed the impact of professional school librarians on pupils’ learning or outcomes. It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, including whether to employ a qualified librarian. Headteachers have autonomy to decide how best to spend the core schools funding that is allocated to them by the department. This school funding can be used to fund librarians, school libraries and book corners.Ministers and officials have regular discussions with His Majesty’s Chief Inspector and his staff on a wide range of matters, including those relating to literacy and ensuring pupils benefit from a knowledge-rich curriculum.