Written questions by Dowden.

Whether she plans to introduce further penalties, including licence (a) suspension and (b) loss, for retailers found to be supplying alcohol irresponsibly and illegally to customers.

The Licensing Act 2003 provides the legal framework for the sale and supply of alcohol in England and Wales. Under this framework, businesses must hold a premises licence and comply with conditions designed to uphold the licensing objectives, including the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety.It is already an offence under section 141 of the Act for a person to knowingly sell or attempt to sell alcohol to a person who is drunk, or to allow alcohol to be sold to such a person.There are also substantial powers already available to licensing authorities to address irresponsible or illegal alcohol sales including reviewing a premises licence, imposing additional conditions, suspending a licence, or, in the most serious cases, revoking it.The Government considers that the existing framework provides a robust set of tools to deal with irresponsible retailers, and there are no current plans to introduce additional penalties.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce accident and emergency department waiting times for older patients.

Awaiting answer.

What the service standard waiting times are for accident and emergency at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust; and whether the Trust has been meeting those targets.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to the Nutrient Profiling Model on (a) businesses and (b) employment within the fruit juice sector.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of licensing laws in deterring retailers from supplying alcohol to individuals who are (a) visibly intoxicated and (b) known to be vulnerable due to addiction.

The Licensing Act 2003 provides the legal framework for the sale and supply of alcohol in England and Wales. Under this framework, businesses must hold a premises licence and comply with conditions designed to uphold the licensing objectives, including the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety.It is already an offence under section 141 of the Act for a person to knowingly sell or attempt to sell alcohol to a person who is drunk, or to allow alcohol to be sold to such a person.There are also substantial powers already available to licensing authorities to address irresponsible or illegal alcohol sales including reviewing a premises licence, imposing additional conditions, suspending a licence, or, in the most serious cases, revoking it.The Government considers that the existing framework provides a robust set of tools to deal with irresponsible retailers, and there are no current plans to introduce additional penalties.

Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions she has had with (a) local police forces and (b) Trading Standards authorities on enforcement action against independent shops suspected of supplying counterfeit goods.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he is taking to reduce accident and emergency department waiting times at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.

Awaiting answer.

Whether his Department plans to implement provisions accommodating elderly patients undergoing long waiting times in accident and emergency departments.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of classifying the fruit juice category as not healthy in proposed Nutrient Profiling Model reforms on UK businesses.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he is taking to ensure that public health objectives do not adversely impact the agriculture and food producer sector, in the context of proposed changes to the Nutrient Profiling Model.

Awaiting answer.

Whether he has asked his new permanent secretary i) if he has read the December 2022 report by the Drax company secretary on whisteblowing allegations ii) if he concluded that there was a cover up and iii) if he is satisfied the company can be trusted to be the largest recipient of the department’s £20 billion biomass subsidy programme.

Awaiting answer.

If he accepts the finding in Nature Sustainability on 20 April 2026 that bioenergy with carbon capture and storage could (a) increase electricity costs by around 3.5 times and (b) take more than 150 years to create negative emissions.

Awaiting answer.

(a) when the audit of Drax's supply chain ordered by Ofgem in September 2025 will be completed; (b) whether its findings will be published in full; and (c) if he will not agree final terms for subsidies from March 2027 until that audit has been published.

Awaiting answer.

I) when his Department first saw the statement from Drax's General Counsel made on 12 December 2022 that the company's letter to the Energy Secretary dated 10 October 2022 might not "stand up to further scrutiny"; and ii) what steps he is now taking in light of that statement.

Awaiting answer.

Whether, in agreeing new subsidies for Drax for 2027 to 2031, his Department sought assurances from the company that the letter it wrote to the Department on 10 October 2022 about the forests its wood comes from was accurate and complete.

Awaiting answer.

Whether the findings of the paper published in Nature Sustainability on 20 April 2026 titled "Decades of increased emissions from forest-fuelled BECCS" conflict with the modelling underpinning the Department's decision to provide new subsidies to Drax for 2027 to 2031; and if he will now order a review of his modelling.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the use of plastic.

This Government has already taken a number of steps to help reduce the use of plastic. We have banned the supply of single-use vapes, effective from 1 June 2025. From this date onwards all vapes sold in the UK must be rechargeable and refillable. We have also legislated to ban the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic in England, marking a major step forward in tackling the plastic and microplastic pollution which harms our waterways. This Government is also committed to moving to a circular economy for plastics, reducing our reliance on virgin materials and prioritising principles of reduction, reuse, and recycling, to keep resources within the economy, rather than increasing production of virgin materials and injecting additional resources. We are finalising the Circular Economy Growth Plan and intend to publish it soon. The Plan will set out how Government will deliver a more circular and more prosperous economy.

If he will take steps to reduce the timescale allowed for a second post-mortem examination.

Once a death has been reported to a coroner, the deceased person’s body remains in the legal control of the coroner until released for burial or cremation. During this time, decisions relating to the body, including on whether to order a post-mortem examination or permit a second post‑mortem examination, are a matter for the coroner as an independent judge.The Chief Coroner has provided guidance for coroners which makes clear that, where a second post‑mortem examination is permitted, it should be carried out as quickly as possible following the first examination and, unless there are exceptional circumstances, within 28 days of the death being reported to the coroner. The coroner must inform the deceased person’s next of kin or personal representative if the body cannot be released for burial or cremation within this period.

If his Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of the timescale permitted for a second post-mortem examination.

Once a death has been reported to a coroner, the deceased person’s body remains in the legal control of the coroner until released for burial or cremation. During this time, decisions relating to the body, including on whether to order a post-mortem examination or permit a second post‑mortem examination, are a matter for the coroner as an independent judge.The Chief Coroner has provided guidance for coroners which makes clear that, where a second post‑mortem examination is permitted, it should be carried out as quickly as possible following the first examination and, unless there are exceptional circumstances, within 28 days of the death being reported to the coroner. The coroner must inform the deceased person’s next of kin or personal representative if the body cannot be released for burial or cremation within this period.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made in helping to reduce the amount of plastic waste.

This Government is committed to moving to a circular economy for plastics – a future where resources are kept in use for longer and waste is designed out. This systemic change, with investment in green jobs and vital infrastructure, builds a path to economic growth, progress towards Net Zero, restoration of nature, and a more resilient economy.We are finalising the Circular Economy Growth Plan and intend to publish it soon. The Government has also introduced the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging scheme. The scheme works by charging fees to the businesses that produce and/or supply household packaging. From 2026 fees will be higher for materials that are hard to recycle, and lower for packaging that can be easily recycled. Illustrative fees, published in December 2025, estimate that 45% of plastic packaging will attract a ‘red’ rating and therefore incur higher fees. The Government is launching a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in October 2027 that will cover PET plastic and metal drinks containers (like bottles and cans). The aim of DRS is to reduce littering, boost recycling rates and improve material quality for recycling.