Written questions by Jones.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support the development of covered (a) tennis, (b) padel and (c) multi-sport facilities to help facilitate (i) year-round and (ii) all-weather participation.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK following the Spending Review. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need and will then set out further plans. I have met with the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis and padel, along with representatives from other sports, to discuss this.The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport in England through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment in the Lawn Tennis Association, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years from 2022 to 2027 to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives in England that will benefit as many people as possible.The majority of grassroots sport policy is devolved. The Secretary of State and I regularly meet with Welsh counterparts to discuss the importance of sport and tackling physical inactivity.

Media and Sport, what plans she has for funding (a) tennis and (b) padel facilities.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK following the Spending Review. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need and will then set out further plans. I have met with the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis and padel, along with representatives from other sports, to discuss this.The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport in England through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment in the Lawn Tennis Association, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years from 2022 to 2027 to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives in England that will benefit as many people as possible.The majority of grassroots sport policy is devolved. The Secretary of State and I regularly meet with Welsh counterparts to discuss the importance of sport and tackling physical inactivity.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Government about the (a) economic and (b) cultural contribution of indoor tennis to Wales.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK following the Spending Review. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need and will then set out further plans. I have met with the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis and padel, along with representatives from other sports, to discuss this.The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport in England through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment in the Lawn Tennis Association, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years from 2022 to 2027 to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives in England that will benefit as many people as possible.The majority of grassroots sport policy is devolved. The Secretary of State and I regularly meet with Welsh counterparts to discuss the importance of sport and tackling physical inactivity.

With reference to Naturewatch Foundation's report entitled Policing Wildlife Crime: Make Wildlife Count, published om 9 September 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of wildlife crimes being recorded under other miscellaneous crimes rather than according to its own dedicated recording standard on the (i) quality and (b) reliability of crime statistics.

To improve transparency around wildlife crime and to better identify these offences in national crime statistics the Home Office has already established a standalone classification which appears in the official statistics on crime published by the Office for National Statistics. These offences were previously hidden within the broader category of Miscellaneous Crimes against Society.There are no plans currently to make all wildlife crimes notifiable and include in the official crime statistics. Any non-notifiable wildlife crime reported to police can still be investigated where appropriate, as Chief Constables have operational independence to tackle the crimes that matter most to their communities.This Government recognises the importance of tackling wildlife crime, which is why, along with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Home Office directly funds the National Wildlife Crime Unit to help tackle these crimes.The National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) provides intelligence, analysis and investigative assistance to the police and other law enforcement agencies across the UK to support them in investigating wildlife crime. This includes supporting cases referred by Border Force to the National Crime Agency or to individual forces. The NWCU is also the UK policing focal point for EUROPOL and INTERPOL wildlife crime activity. The NWCU uses this information to produce strategic and tactical assessments of wildlife crime across the UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department plans to publish the results of the call for evidence on the fur market in Great Britain, which closed on 28 June 2021.

The call for evidence on the Fur Market in Great Britain was undertaken by the previous Government. A summary of responses will be published in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, when the results of the Animal Welfare Committee's review of the responsible sourcing of fur will be published.

Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) to produce a report on what constitutes responsible sourcing of fur. This is due to be completed in 2025 and will be published on GOV.UK thereafter. We are also aware that the European Food Safety Authority has published a report on the welfare of fur animals and are reviewing its findings.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress her Department has made on building the evidence base on the fur sector.

Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) to produce a report on what constitutes responsible sourcing of fur. This is due to be completed in 2025 and will be published on GOV.UK thereafter. We are also aware that the European Food Safety Authority has published a report on the welfare of fur animals and are reviewing its findings.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the European Food and Safety Authority's recent report on the welfare of American mink, red and arctic foxes, racoon dogs and chinchilla kept for fur production, published in July 2025.

Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) to produce a report on what constitutes responsible sourcing of fur. This is due to be completed in 2025 and will be published on GOV.UK thereafter. We are also aware that the European Food Safety Authority has published a report on the welfare of fur animals and are reviewing its findings.

What steps he is taking to help incentivise investment by venture capital into the photonics industry.

DBT's Strategic Technologies Team and OfI's Venture Capital Unit introduce UK photonics firms to major international venture capital investors at leading global photonics events every year. These demonstrations of the scale, breadth and quality of the UK photonics industry often incentivise leading photonics venture investors to expand their UK activities.OfI's Venture Capital Unit also works closely with a small number of UK Venture Capital firms who seek to raise capital to invest into photonics. The unit offers a bespoke and vital service of introducing these UK firms to carefully selected international Limited Partners for capital raising.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of wildlife legislation for (a) enforcing and (b) prosecuting wildlife crime.

Defra has no current plans to review wildlife legislation for (a) enforcing or (b) prosecuting wildlife crime while recognising there are obvious challenges for enforcement of such activity and successfully bringing prosecutions. For example, the crimes often occur in remote areas of our countryside where there may not be a witness. Wildlife crime, though, is unacceptable and significant sanctions are already available for judges to hand down to those convicted. Anyone who commits an offence under existing wildlife legislation can face up to a six-month custodial sentence and/or an unlimited fine. In terms of prosecutions, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) provides legal guidance on wildlife crime which is available to all its prosecutors to assist them in dealing with these cases. Defra also supports the valuable work of the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU). It is a principal funder of the Unit which helps prevent and detect wildlife crime by obtaining and disseminating intelligence, undertaking analysis, and directly assisting law enforcers in their investigations. The NWCU provides training to police officers across the UK. This reflects the National Police Chiefs' Council wildlife crime strategy and provides comprehensive training in UK wildlife crime priorities and emerging trends.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to consolidate wildlife legislation into a single statute that would provide equal protections to different forms of wildlife.

Defra recognises the view of many stakeholders that the complexity and disparate nature of wildlife legislation is a factor in the challenges experienced in successfully prosecuting wildlife offences. The overriding recommendation of the 2015 Law Commission report into wildlife legislation was that wildlife laws in this country need to be consolidated. While we have no immediate plans, we support the Commission’s call for consolidation. We will pursue opportunities to streamline legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows, to achieve more consistency and clarity.

Innovation and Technology, whether she has considered creating a dedicated photonics group within her Department.

Photonics is a major UK industry, generating £18.5 billion annually and employing over 84,800 people. It underpins quantum technologies, semiconductors, and telecoms, with government support through programmes like the National Quantum Technologies Programme and wider UKRI initiatives. The Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics in Glasgow plays a leading role in research and commercialisation, particularly in tying together the quantum and photonics clusters. Government supports the UK's photonics capabilities through targeted interventions that support individual sector needs, fostering innovation and growth across emerging technology areas.

Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment she has made of the potential contribution of the photonics industry to economic (a) strategy and (b) growth.

Photonics is a major UK industry, generating £18.5 billion annually and employing over 84,800 people. It underpins quantum technologies, semiconductors, and telecoms, with government support through programmes like the National Quantum Technologies Programme and wider UKRI initiatives. The Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics in Glasgow plays a leading role in research and commercialisation, particularly in tying together the quantum and photonics clusters. Government supports the UK's photonics capabilities through targeted interventions that support individual sector needs, fostering innovation and growth across emerging technology areas.

What steps his Department is taking to collaborate with (a) academic institutions, (b) industry, and (c) research charities in rolling out new diagnostic tools for pancreatic cancer across primary care pathways.

While cancer, including pancreatic cancer, is not diagnosed in primary care, there are initiatives to improve the identification of cancer symptoms in primary care. This includes ‘Jess’s Rule’, which supports clinicians to rethink their assessments when patients have presented three times with the same symptoms or concerns. Jess’s Rule was developed through a process of engagement with leading clinicians and charities.NHS England is working with Pancreatic Cancer UK to develop a public-facing Family History Checker, which enables people, and their families, affected by pancreatic cancer to self-assess if they have inherited risk. People identified of being at risk are referred directly to the European Registry of Hereditary Pancreatic Diseases research trail, which aims to understand inherited conditions of the pancreas. Referrals to the trail can be made by any healthcare professional across all health sectors, including primary care, or by individuals via self-referral.Research continues to play a vital role, with National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) infrastructure supporting dozens of studies annually in partnership with industry and charities. This is also a vital part of improving diagnosis and treatment for cancer. The NIHR has invested £4.4 million to directly funded pancreatic cancer research from 2018/19 to 2023/24. These investments are pivotal to informing efforts to improve cancer prevention, treatment and outcomes.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support the development of a roadmap for the application of photonics to emerging technologies beyond telecommunications.

Photonics is a major UK industry, generating £18.5 billion annually and employing over 84,800 people. It underpins quantum technologies, semiconductors, and telecoms, with government support through programmes like the National Quantum Technologies Programme and wider UKRI initiatives. The Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics in Glasgow plays a leading role in research and commercialisation, particularly in tying together the quantum and photonics clusters. Government supports the UK's photonics capabilities through targeted interventions that support individual sector needs, fostering innovation and growth across emerging technology areas.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the establishment of a National Centre for Photonics on technological development in the photonics industry.

Photonics is a major UK industry, generating £18.5 billion annually and employing over 84,800 people. It underpins quantum technologies, semiconductors, and telecoms, with government support through programmes like the National Quantum Technologies Programme and wider UKRI initiatives. The Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics in Glasgow plays a leading role in research and commercialisation, particularly in tying together the quantum and photonics clusters. Government supports the UK's photonics capabilities through targeted interventions that support individual sector needs, fostering innovation and growth across emerging technology areas.

Innovation and Technology, whether she has had recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding for the national semiconductor strategy.

Semiconductors have been confirmed by the UK government as one of six priority frontier technologies in the recently published Industrial Strategy Digital and Technologies sector plan. During the development of the Industrial Strategy, the Department met regularly with HM Treasury and the Department for Business and Trade to discuss how to best support the frontier technologies, including semiconductors.This led to several announcements including £19 million for a new UK Semiconductor Centre to coordinate the sector and act as a “front door” for international cooperation, £35 million towards a UK-wide skills programme to grow the talent pipeline, and £25 million for two new “Innovation and Knowledge Centres” that will enable researchers to work with industry to commercialise research in emerging semiconductor technologies.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help support local authority animal welfare inspectors.

Defra officials meet regularly with the National Animal Health and Welfare Panel which represents local authority inspectors to support inspectors to deliver their duties in relation to the health and welfare of farmed animals. Defra has also completed a post-implementation review (PIR) of the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 in line with the requirements of the regulations’ review clause. The Government is considering the findings and will be outlining more detail on next steps in due course. Any policy changes would be made with appropriate engagement with stakeholders.

What discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on encouraging inclusive growth in coalfield communities in Wales.

HM Treasury ministers regularly engage with Welsh Government counterparts, including through forums such as the Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee (F:ISC), to discuss a range of issues affecting Wales, including economic growth. The most recent F:ISC was on 17 October. The Welsh Government receives funding through the Barnett formula which it can spend across its devolved responsibilities as it sees fit to promote inclusive growth in Wales, including in coalfield communities. The Welsh Government are accountable to the Senedd for these decisions. Wales continues to receive targeted funding from UK Government designed to boost growth and opportunity, such as through the City and Growth deals covering all of Wales which the UK Government and the Welsh Government work in partnership to deliver. At the Spending Review in 2025, the UK Government announced a further investment of £143 million new spend over four years into a joint programme of work with the Welsh Government to maintain the safety of disused coal tips and drive local economic growth. The UK Government will continue to work in partnership with Welsh Government to ensure communities, including those with disused coal tips, are empowered to fulfil their economic potential and help spread prosperity across all parts of the UK.

What steps she is taking to help support economic growth in coalfield communities in Wales.

HM Treasury ministers regularly engage with Welsh Government counterparts, including through forums such as the Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee (F:ISC), to discuss a range of issues affecting Wales, including economic growth. The most recent F:ISC was on 17 October. The Welsh Government receives funding through the Barnett formula which it can spend across its devolved responsibilities as it sees fit to promote inclusive growth in Wales, including in coalfield communities. The Welsh Government are accountable to the Senedd for these decisions. Wales continues to receive targeted funding from UK Government designed to boost growth and opportunity, such as through the City and Growth deals covering all of Wales which the UK Government and the Welsh Government work in partnership to deliver. At the Spending Review in 2025, the UK Government announced a further investment of £143 million new spend over four years into a joint programme of work with the Welsh Government to maintain the safety of disused coal tips and drive local economic growth. The UK Government will continue to work in partnership with Welsh Government to ensure communities, including those with disused coal tips, are empowered to fulfil their economic potential and help spread prosperity across all parts of the UK.