Written questions by Heylings.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to align fisheries management policies with the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency.

The UK Government already has robust fisheries management measures in place and has previously welcomed the broad principles underpinning the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency. We continue to engage with the organisations who have produced the charter with a focus on tackling Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing.

Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will take steps to publish full vessel ownership, license, quota, subsidy, and sanctions information for all types of fishing vessels in a publicly accessible format.

Although fisheries control is a devolved matter, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) publish UK wide lists of licensed fishing vessels, details of fishing vessel licences and detailed quota allocations which are set out by the MMO in their annual apportionment and allocation spreadsheets. Funding provided by Defra to the fishing industry is publicly available through the Government Grants Information System.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the percentage of UK fixed quota allocation units that are held by non-UK entities.

The Fixed Quota Allocation (FQA) Register is an online resource listing UK fishing vessel licences, the associated FQA units, and their respective owners. You can access the register at: www.fqaregister.service.gov.uk. The UK’s fishing quota is currently distributed based on FQA units and linked to UK vessel licences. These units can only be assigned to vessels that are both registered and licensed in the UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to tackle (a) bycatch and (b) illegal discarding by vessels in the last year.

We continue our effort to minimise and, where possible, eliminate the bycatch of sensitive species. Working in partnership with industry and eNGOs we have a range of activities in place including: continuation of the long-standing Bycatch Monitoring Programme (BMP) which reports annually on bycatch rates analysed by gear type; the Cetacean Stranding Investigation Programme (CSIP) that closely monitors UK-wide cetacean strandings and conducts post-mortems on stranded marine mammals; the Clean Catch programme which recently launched a bycatch monitoring and mitigation trial; a comprehensive evidence review analysing bycatch across sensitive marine species (cetaceans, seabirds, seals, elasmobranchs); and developing a seabird bycatch mitigation action plan for England. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) monitors discards and catches from all commercially licensed vessels in England. MMO collects this data alongside undertaking regular inspections of vessels. The Landing Obligation, introduced under the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, has not met its goals; illegal discarding still happens, and discard patterns in the English fleet haven’t changed. To improve discards management and move away from the landing obligation in England, Defra and the MMO are conducting a paper trial of ‘catch accounting’. This is a new approach that accounts for the total removal of stock compared to the current system which only logs landings.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding the Marine Management Organisation has received in each of the last five years; what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the funding on the enforcement of fishing regulations; and what assessment she has made of the value for money of this funding for taxpayers.

As set out in the Annual Report and Accounts of the Marine Management Organisation, total expenditure was £36.1 million in FY20/21, £42 million in FY21/22, £42.7 million in FY22/23, and £54 million in FY23/24. Defra works closely with the Marine Management Organisation and other organisations to make sure the appropriate arrangements to enforce fisheries regulations are in place to protect our waters. This funding enables the organisation to operate an enforcement regime of fishing regulations amongst their other duties and is provided in line with the principles of managing public money, including the Accounting Officer’s duty to ensure spending decisions represent good value for money through the accountability and assurance processes Defra has in place.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of implementing a comprehensive redress scheme for consumers (a) installing and (b) retrofitting low carbon technologies.

This government’s main priority is protecting consumers and the homes they live in, and we will continue to fight for reform of a system which is clearly not fit for purpose. The reform will involve rapidly changing the landscape of regulation, spanning from how installers working in people’s homes are certified and monitored, to where homeowners turn to for rapid action and enforcement if things go wrong. This work is already underway, but we will set out plans for root and branch reform as part of the Warm Homes Plan, which will be published soon.

What steps he is taking to improve consumer confidence in low carbon home upgrades in the context of delivery issues in previous iterations of the ECO scheme.

Government is committed to protecting homeowners across the UK who receive energy efficiency upgrades. We are introducing a new system of consumer protections, with clear centralised oversight to ensure proper installer accountability as part of the Warm Homes Plan. Immediate actions taken include improved oversight of installations and installers, with a more robust suspension and reinstatement process, and enhanced contractor checks and restrictions to prevent installers from evading accountability if they operate through multiple certification bodies. Additionally, Government has increased oversight of TrustMark’s operations, and introduced site visits from retrofit co-ordinators to give an additional layer of on-site assurance.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing (a) independent and (b) impartial statutory advice for consumers undertaking (i) retrofit and (ii) low carbon technology installations.

The Government recognises that access to trusted and impartial information is an important enabler to consumers, when making choices about how to retrofit their homes. This is why the Government is working to enhance our digital consumer advice offer, creating a single access point for all consumers (homeowners, landlords and tenants) at varying points in their retrofit journey. It will bring information on energy efficiency and clean heating solutions like heat pumps and solar, sources of funding and links to trusted installers together for the first time. The digital service is also backed up with a national phoneline for those needing additional support in accessing advice on how to upgrade their homes.We will set out additional steps towards improving the overall consumer journey in the Warm Homes Plan, which will be published soon.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a single accreditation scheme to protect households in upgrading to (a) more energy efficient and (b) low carbon technologies.

This government’s priority is ensuring that all consumers are protected when undertaking home retrofit work, as well as improving the overall consumer journey regardless of housing tenure or how installation work is funded. Currently any installations under government energy efficiency schemes must be carried out by TrustMark registered and PAS 2030 or MCS certified businesses, in accordance with PAS 2035. As the only government endorsed quality scheme, TrustMark oversees compliance with the overarching PAS 2035 process.

What steps his Department is taking with the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure that the UK’s workforce has the skills required to meet its targets for heat pump installations.

Government recently published the Clean Energy Jobs Plan which sets out cross-Government actions to deliver more skilled workers. Today’s heat pump workforce is large enough to meet current demand and training rates are on track to meet future demand. The Government is delivering several policies to support the heat pump workforce and is working with industry to ensure training equips installers with the skills needed to provide high quality installs. The £10 million Heat Training Grant supports existing heating professionals in England to upskill and the Low Carbon Heating Technician apprenticeship is helping to bring new entrants into the sector.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Advanced Learner Loan scheme on tackling skills shortages in the low-carbon heating sector.

Skills England is working closely with The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, which has set up the Office for Clean Energy Jobs to meet the governments Clean Energy Superpower mission. The government published its clean energy jobs plan on 19 October in which heating installer was identified as a priority role. Under the construction skills package the government is committing £625 million in England over 4 years to deliver up to 60,000 additional skilled construction workers, supporting a range of clean energy occupations including heating installers.

If his Department will take steps to ensure that the Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy between the UK and the United States does not adversely impact nuclear (a) security and (b) safety.

The Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy between the UK and United States will support the government's effort to improve our energy security, drive economic growth, and underpin our efforts to deliver of Net Zero. The paramount importance placed on nuclear safety and security by government remains unchanged. All the nuclear projects announced as part of the Alliance will be subject to the scrutiny of an independent regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation, and will need to meet the robust standards safety and security standards demanded by government and the public.

What the (a) status and (b) timeline for completion of the (i) Greensands, South Cambridgeshire and (ii) Lime Academy, Fenland new special school is.

The department is working at pace through these decisions to try and give all local authorities updates as soon as possible. We continue to be committed to ensuring that all children with special educational needs and disabilities receive the support they need to achieve and thrive.

What recent steps he has taken to help improve access to NHS dentistry in South Cambridgeshire constituency.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For South Cambridgeshire constituency, this is Cambridgeshire & Peterborough ICB.We have asked ICBs to commission extra urgent dental appointments. ICBs have been making extra appointments available from 1 April 2025. Cambridgeshire & Peterborough ICB is expected to deliver 14,195 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.ICBs are recruiting posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years. As of 22 September 2025, in England there were 97 dentists in post with a further eight dentists who have been recruited but are yet to start in post under this scheme. A further 224 posts are currently being advertised.We are committed to reforming the dental contract, with a focus on matching resources to need, improving access, promoting prevention and rewarding dentists fairly, while enabling the whole dental team to work to the top of their capability. The Government is committed to achieving fundamental contract reform before the end of this Parliament.We recently held a full public consultation on a package of changes to improve access to, and the quality of NHS dentistry, which will deliver better care for the diverse oral health needs of people across England. The consultation closed on 19 August 2025. The Government is considering the outcomes of the consultation and will publish a response in due course.

With reference to United States' Department of the Interior's letter to Orsted North America Inc, dated 22 August 2025, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of that letter on international investor confidence in UK offshore wind projects.

The Government is aware of the US Department of the Interior’s 22 August 2025 letter to Ørsted North America. Overseas regulatory decisions are for those authorities; the UK is a separate market with our own regulatory framework. The Government remains confident in the UK’s ability to attract international investment in the clean energy mission. We will achieve this by driving investment certainty, delivering targeted catalytic public investment, investing alongside industry where necessary, and breaking down barriers to investment.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy on the Office for Nuclear Regulation’s (a) safety standards and (b) independence and impartiality.

The Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy builds on existing collaboration and will accelerate licensing and reactor design checks, provide certainty to industry and uphold safety standards, while making both the UK and US an attractive place to invest. The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), the UKs independent regulator, will need to be satisfied that any design to be deployed in the UK meets UK safety standards and complies with UK law. By working with the US the ONR will streamline processes, while continuing to maintain rigorous UK regulatory standards and its independent decision making.

What steps he plans to take to increase awareness of aerobic vaginitis.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build a National Health Service fit for the future.Professional bodies, including the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, are considering how to raise awareness and make more information available about aerobic vaginitis.Additionally, we have supported the system to improve access to more specialised and multidisciplinary teams in the community through the introduction of women’s health hubs. Women’s health hubs provide better integrated care for women with a range of different conditions.

What steps he plans to take to help increase awareness of irritable bowel syndrome.

We recognise the significant impact that irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can have on a person’s quality of life. We want a society where every person, including those with one or more long-term conditions, receives high-quality, compassionate continuity of care.To support early diagnosis and effective management of IBS, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced guidance, which is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg61To raise awareness of IBS among general practitioners and other primary care staff, the Royal College of General Practitioners has produced an e-learning module on the IBS pathway. The course covers the investigation of patients who present with lower gastrointestinal symptoms that are likely to be IBS, the red flags to look out for, how to make a confident diagnosis in primary care, and how to manage patients in line with NICE guidance.

Whether he plans to take steps to raise awareness on the potential impact of self-swab rape kits being used to collect DNA on criminal prosecutions.

The Ministry of Justice is aware of self-swab kits being marketed to the public as a means of collecting DNA following sexual violence. These kits are in no way associated with any government department or criminal justice agency, or the Government’s wider VAWG mission. We recommend that victims of sexual violence attend a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), where trained clinicians can provide holistic care and forensic evidence can be collected in accordance with established standards. We are also aware of concerns raised about the promotion of self-swab kits, including those outlined in position statements by the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine and Rape Crisis England & Wales. Support is available for victims of rape through SARCs and the 24-7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line. We are committed to tackling sexual violence and achieving the best outcome for all victims, in line with our goal to halve VAWG within a decade.

Whether his Department plans to take steps to prevent the closure of The Clink Restaurant in HMP Brixton.

We value the Clink’s longstanding partnership with His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service.The current contract at HMP Brixton will terminate on 30 September 2026, and in line with public procurement regulations a tendering process for the new contract is now in progress. Recommissioning this service provides an opportunity to update the specification that reflects the changing needs of the prison population at Brixton since the original contract was agreed over a decade ago.As the incumbent supplier, the Clink has direct experience of operating this service and will be able to draw on this in its bid to operate the new contract. It is important that all government opportunities are subject to fair and open competition to ensure value for money.The specification for the new contract continues to require delivery of independently accredited training, with a defined programme of learning that prepares prisoners for work after release. Prisoners will be able to acquire accredited and non-accredited qualifications that are relevant to the current needs of the labour market.