Every parliamentary written question tabled by Ruth Jones this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 413 · this parliament
What assessment he has made of whether reliance on tissue stabilisers could limit patients’ future access to a) precision diagnostics, b) whole genome sequencing, c) clinical trials or d) research using fresh frozen tissue.
Awaiting answer.
With reference to the Answer of 13 April 2026 to Question 122869 on Employment: Pets, what consideration he has given to measuring (a) companion animal ownership and (b) its impact on the UK labour market.
Awaiting answer.
Food and Rural Affairs, when she will bring forward legislation to ban the use of enriched cages for laying hens.
Awaiting answer.
What steps are being taken to ensure tissue stabilisers do not reduce the need for equitable access to tissue freezing across the NHS.
Awaiting answer.
What assessment she has made of the use of informal hierarchies of animal sentience by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit in discharging its duties under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 19
Awaiting answer.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) extracting and b) burning of coal extracted from coal tips on the level of carbon emissions.
Awaiting answer.
What steps is she taking to (a) reduce the numbers of decapod crustaceans used in scientific procedures and (b) strengthen expertise of these creatures within the Animals in Science Regulation Unit.
Awaiting answer.
What discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on reducing the number of young people not in employment, education or training in a) Newport West and Islwyn constituency and b) South Wales.
Awaiting answer.
How many people aged 16 - 24 years were not in education, employment or training in Newport West and Islwyn constituency in each of the last six years.
Awaiting answer.
What consideration he has given to banning the extraction of coal from coal tips.
Awaiting answer.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking, in the context of the UK–EU SPS negotiations, to pursue animal welfare measures, including a ban on foie gras imports, in the context of representations made by foie gras industry interests to EU institutions.
Awaiting answer.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Government of India on the protection of Christian communities and other religious minorities; and what steps her Department is taking to promote freedom of religion or belief in India.
Awaiting answer.
What progress her Department has made on implementing the new station at Newport West announced in Spending Review 2025.
Awaiting answer.
Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to introduce legislation to create a closed hunting season for hares.
This Government committed to consider how to bring forward and introduce a close season for hares in England in its Animal Welfare Strategy, published in December 2025. In short, a close season should reduce the number of adult hares being shot in the breeding season, which runs from February to October, meaning that fewer leverets (infant hares) are left motherless and vulnerable to starvation and predation. A close season is also consistent with Natural England's advice on wildlife management that controlling species in their peak breeding season should be avoided unless genuinely essential and unavoidable. A suitable primary legislative vehicle is required to deliver this change, and this Government is actively looking for suitable opportunities to take this measure forward.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of a lack of access to (a) education, (b) employment and (c) public services on (a) the BaBaháʼí community and (b) other religious minorities in Iran.
Awaiting answer.
What steps the Government is taking, in the context of the UK–EU SPS negotiations, to pursue animal welfare measures, including a ban on foie gras imports, in the context of representations made by foie gras industry interests to EU institutions.
Awaiting answer.
What recent assessment her Department has made of the level of a) pain, b) suffering, c) distress and d) lasting harm caused to dogs covered by service licences under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
All project licence applications, including service licences which use specially protected species such as dogs and non-human primates, are subject to a rigorous harm-benefit analysis (HBA), required under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). The HBA ensures that a project is only granted where a Home Office Inspector is satisfied that the likely harms to animals, including pain, suffering, distress and any lasting harm, are justified by the expected benefits for humans, animals or the environment.Under ASPA, projects proposing the use of specially protected species may only be authorised where no animal of lower sentience can be used to achieve the scientific objectives. In all cases, the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement (the 3Rs) must be fully applied. This means that animal use is permitted only where no validated alternative exists, the minimum number of animals is used, and the most refined methods are used to minimise harm.The Home Office publishes annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals in Great Britain, which break down procedures by species, type of procedure, and actual severity experienced by animals. They are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-of-scientific-procedures-on-living-animals. Information on the severity of procedures involving NHPs and dogs is set out in Table 3.1, with severity categorised under ASPA as non-recovery, mild, moderate or severe.Additionally, the Home Office expects to respond to recommendations from the Animals in Science Committee on the use of NHPs in service licences, which is aimed at further strengthening protections for NHPs used in science for service licences.
What recent assessment her Department has made of the robustness of the harm-benefit analysis of service licences, under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, using a) non-human primates b) pregnant rabbits c) rats d) dogs e) mini-pigs.
All project licence applications, including service licences, are subject to a rigorous harm-benefit analysis (HBA), required under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). The HBA is carried out by a trained Home Office Inspector who is a member of the veterinary or medical profession, to ensure that any harm to animals is justified by the likely benefits for humans, animals or the environment.Under ASPA, projects proposing the use of specially protected species, including non‑human primates and dogs, may only be authorised where no animal of lower sentience can be used to achieve the scientific objectives. In all cases, the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement (the 3Rs) must be fully applied. This means that animal use is permitted only where no validated alternative exists, the minimum number of animals is used, and the most refined methods are used to minimise harm.
What recent assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of a) pain, b) suffering, c) distress and d) lasting harm caused to non-human primates recognised by service licences under Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
All project licence applications, including service licences which use specially protected species such as dogs and non-human primates, are subject to a rigorous harm-benefit analysis (HBA), required under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). The HBA ensures that a project is only granted where a Home Office Inspector is satisfied that the likely harms to animals, including pain, suffering, distress and any lasting harm, are justified by the expected benefits for humans, animals or the environment.Under ASPA, projects proposing the use of specially protected species may only be authorised where no animal of lower sentience can be used to achieve the scientific objectives. In all cases, the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement (the 3Rs) must be fully applied. This means that animal use is permitted only where no validated alternative exists, the minimum number of animals is used, and the most refined methods are used to minimise harm.The Home Office publishes annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals in Great Britain, which break down procedures by species, type of procedure, and actual severity experienced by animals. They are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-of-scientific-procedures-on-living-animals. Information on the severity of procedures involving NHPs and dogs is set out in Table 3.1, with severity categorised under ASPA as non-recovery, mild, moderate or severe.Additionally, the Home Office expects to respond to recommendations from the Animals in Science Committee on the use of NHPs in service licences, which is aimed at further strengthening protections for NHPs used in science for service licences.
Whether his Department plans to undertake research into the potential impact of companion animal ownership on a) labour market participation, b) productivity and c) flexible working.
I refer my Hon. friend to the answer I gave on 13th April to PQ 122869.