Written questions by Jones.

Food and Rural Affairs, when she intends to bring forward legislation to outlaw the use of snare traps.

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation and this included a commitment to bring an end to the use of snare traps in England. This was recently reaffirmed in the Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy, published in December 2025. Defra is now actively looking to bring a ban on snares into force as swiftly as possible.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has her Department made in reviewing traps aside from snares used to catch wildlife.

In the Animal Welfare Strategy, published in December 2025, the Government committed to ban the use of snares in England and conduct a review of other traps used to catch wildlife in England for which welfare concerns have been raised. The Animal and Plant Health Agency has already been commissioned to conduct a review of the evidence relating to the spring traps listed on the Spring Trap Approval Order as it applies in England and work is underway.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions has she had with representatives from Welsh Government on the results of its automatic voter registration pilots.

The Welsh Government’s automatic voter registration pilots are discussed when Ministers from across the UK attend the regular meetings of the Interministerial Group (IMG) for Elections and Registration. The meetings are led by the ministers with election policy in their portfolios and meeting reports are then published by the government. Updates on the work relating to the Welsh pilots are a regular agenda item, with the most recent discussion taking place in February. UK Government and Welsh Government officials are also in regular contact on a range of electoral conduct and registration topics, including the Welsh Government’s pilots on automatic electoral registration.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with Welsh Government on (a) proposals to ban greyhound racing and (b) regulations to improve greyhound welfare.

Defra officials engage regularly with officials in the Welsh Government on a range of animal welfare issues.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of regulations on greyhound welfare in the racing industry.

The welfare of racing greyhounds in England is covered by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010 (the 2010 Regulations). The 2010 Regulations include a number of welfare requirements, such as requiring all greyhound tracks to have a veterinary surgeon in attendance to ensure that every greyhound is fit to run. In addition to these statutory protections, the sport’s main regulatory body – the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) enforces welfare standards (including those in the 2010 Regulations) at GBGB affiliated tracks, as well as at GBGB licensed trainers’ kennels. Independent, external oversight of GBGB’s regulatory work at tracks and trainers’ kennels is provided by the UK’s National Accreditation Body - the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). We will continue to monitor animal welfare conditions.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a ban on greyhound racing in England.

The Animal Welfare strategy published in December 2025 sets out Government priorities until 2030. The Government currently has no plans to ban greyhound racing. While the Government recognises the concerns some people have about greyhound racing, there is legislation in place to protect the welfare of racing greyhounds in England and a regulatory body – the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) – that has made many improvements to greyhound welfare. We will continue to monitor animal welfare conditions.

Innovation and Technology, what steps is she taking to end the use of the LD50 test for UK-only regulations.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 10 December 2025 to Question 96750.

How many animals were used in LD50 tests to evidence compliance with UK-only regulations in each of the last five years.

The Home Office publishes detailed annual statistics on the use of animals in science, including procedures for acute and subacute toxicity testing which covers tests such as LD50 (Lethal Dose 50) and LC50 (Lethal Concentration 50). These figures represent the total number of procedures carried out in this category each year.The Home Office does not collect information on whether individual procedures were conducted specifically to meet UK only regulatory requirements, so the data is not available in the form requested.Based on the published annual statistics, the total number of procedures in the acute and sub‑acute toxicity category (which includes LD50 and LC50 tests) in each of the last five years is as follows:2024: 11,9922023: 11,5192022: 12,6512021: 11,758Statistics for 2025 have not yet been published. Official statistics on the use of animals in science are released annually and are available here: www.gov.uk/government/collections/animals-in-science-statistics

What assessment has she made of the potential merits of opening a new station at Crumlin as part of proposals to re-open the Abertillery spur of the Ebbw Vale Line.

In February the Prime Minister and the First Minister endorsed Transport for Wales’ ‘Today, Tomorrow, Together’ vision for rail investment in Wales, confirming that it should form the basis of the Wales Rail Board’s future pipeline of projects. The vision document includes a proposed scheme to reinstate a spur from the Ebbw Valley Line to Abertillery. As part of its role in prioritising rail enhancements for Wales to inform future spending reviews, the Wales Rail Board will consider the timing and scope of this scheme, including any associated enhancement of the main Ebbw Valley branch line such as opening a station at Crumlin.

Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to bring forward legislation to ban the importation of hunting trophies.

The Government is committed to banning the import of hunting trophies from species of conservation concern. The department continues to engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure that we can implement a robust ban. Timeframes for introducing legislation will be provided once the Parliamentary timetable for future sessions is determined.

What assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the report entitled Tenure change: turning existing dwellings and buildings in social homes, published by the Bevan Foundation and Shelter Cymru in March 2026; and, in that context, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of VAT on a) general refurbishment works and b) renovation of empty dwellings on the number of empty properties being brought back into use for social housing in Wales.

To support the re-use of existing buildings for new homes, conversions of buildings from a commercial to residential use, the renovation of properties that have been empty for two or more years, and conversions from one residential use to another all benefit from a reduced 5% rate of VAT. General refurbishment works are subject to the standard 20% VAT rate, which applies to most goods services. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations. The Government is supporting the delivery of new social housing through the VAT system by preparing to consult on a zero rate of VAT for the sale of land intended for new social housing. This is specifically intended to simplify and accelerate the construction of social housing.

When he intends to announce the five technical excellence colleges linked to defence skills competition being run by his Department and the Department for Education.

As part of the Defence Industrial Strategy skills package, we announced the establishment of five Defence Technical Excellence Colleges in England. The competition to select these has now closed, and applications will now be assessed, with successful colleges announced thereafter.

Innovation and Technology, what steps is she taking to engage with technology platforms whose devices or services are used to facilitate illegal streaming; and what steps is she taking to reduce such misuse.

The Government is committed to protecting IP rights for UK businesses and safeguarding consumers from those who seek to profit from intellectual property infringement, including in the online environment. The UK addresses online IP infringement through a multi‑layered approach that brings together law enforcement, engagement with online platforms, and consumer education. This work is coordinated primarily by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO).The IPO has published user-friendly guidance on the tools available through online marketplaces and e-commerce platforms to address intellectual property infringement. It also engages regularly with e-commerce platforms to help ensure that robust policies and procedures are in place to tackle infringing activity. In addition, the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), hosted by the City of London Police and funded by the IPO in conjunction with DSIT, is one of the UK’s specialist units responsible for tackling online piracy and large‑scale counterfeiting.Alongside criminal enforcement, rights holders can pursue civil remedies for online infringement, including injunctions against infringing websites or intermediaries, website‑blocking orders and claims for damages

Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues from a) the Home Office, b) HM Treasury and c) the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on coordinated action to tackle online piracy.

While the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has policy responsibility for protecting intellectual property (IP), IP crime and infringement, including online piracy, is a serious, cross-cutting issue that affects many sectors. Tackling this issue requires a co-ordinated approach which is why DSIT works closely with the Home Office, HM Treasury, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, as well as others across government to tackle online piracy

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of digital piracy and intellectual property infringement on UK businesses.

The UK Government recognises the challenges that digital piracy creates for intellectual property (IP) owners, creators and businesses. We work closely with law enforcement partners, rights holders, consumers, and industry to understand where and how this is taking place.The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has conducted research into the scale of digital piracy, and IP infringement more broadly across multiple sectors. For example, two IPO consumer surveys published in 2025 demonstrated that digital piracy continues to be a challenge in the UK. In 2024, 29% of UK residents aged 12+ (around 17.2 million) had recently accessed online content that infringed IP rights. This activity can have a negative impact on businesses. These impacts include, but are not limited to, lost sales and the costs related to monitoring and enforcement.This information is used, along with other data we collect on online infringement (e.g., use of counterfeit goods) to help design measures that can affect consumer behaviour and provide cost-effective, targeted enforcement procedures.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of digital piracy and intellectual property infringement on the creative industries.

The UK Government recognises the challenges that digital piracy creates for intellectual property (IP) owners, creators and businesses within the creative industries. We work closely with law enforcement partners, rights holders, consumers, and industry to understand where and how this is taking place.The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has conducted research into the scale of digital piracy, and IP infringement more broadly across multiple sectors. For example, two IPO consumer surveys published in 2025 demonstrated that digital piracy continues to be a challenge in the UK. In 2024, 29% of UK residents aged 12+ (around 17.2 million) had recently accessed online content that infringed IP rights. This activity can have a negative impact on businesses, including the creative industries. These impacts include, but are not limited to, lost sales and the costs related to monitoring and enforcement.This information is used, along with other data we collect on online infringement (e.g., use of counterfeit goods) to help design measures that can affect consumer behaviour and provide cost-effective, targeted enforcement procedures

What steps he is taking to support semiconductor research relevant to defence.

The Ministry of Defence is working closely with Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, The Department for Business and Trade and the Ministerial chaired Semiconductor Advisory Panel, alongside UK industry and allied partners, to ensure assured long-term access to both commercial and specialist semiconductor technologies essential to defence capability. In addition to this, the Department is strengthening the resilience and sovereignty of semiconductor supply by improving visibility of lower tier dependencies and strengthening our ability to understand and influence the supply chain, supported by strong lifecycle and diversification measures.

What steps is his Department taking to support a resilient supply of semiconductors to support sovereign defence capabilities.

The Ministry of Defence is working closely with Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, The Department for Business and Trade and the Ministerial chaired Semiconductor Advisory Panel, alongside UK industry and allied partners, to ensure assured long-term access to both commercial and specialist semiconductor technologies essential to defence capability. In addition to this, the Department is strengthening the resilience and sovereignty of semiconductor supply by improving visibility of lower tier dependencies and strengthening our ability to understand and influence the supply chain, supported by strong lifecycle and diversification measures.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has plans to introduce a ban on the import of foie gras produced by force-feeding.

The Government shares the British public's high regard for animal welfare and has made clear that the production of foie gras from ducks or geese using force feeding raises serious welfare concerns. Foie gras production using force feeding has been banned in the UK for nearly 20 years as it is not compatible with our animal welfare legislation. The Government is committed to delivering the most ambitious animal welfare programme in a generation. As part of this, Defra will continue to consider the evidence and options in relation to foie gras.

Innovation and Technology, whether she has undertaken analysis of financial losses to UK consumers arising from engagement with illegal streaming services; and whether he is taking steps to mitigate those losses.

The UK Government recognises the challenges that illegal streaming services creates for intellectual property (IP) owners, creators, businesses and consumers. We work closely with law enforcement partners, rights holders, consumers, and industry to understand where and how this is taking place. The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has conducted research into the scale of digital piracy, and IP infringement more broadly across multiple sectors. For example, two IPO consumer surveys published in 2025 demonstrated that digital piracy continues to be a challenge in the UK. In 2024, 29% of UK residents aged 12+ (around 17.2 million) had recently accessed online content that infringed IP rights. This activity can have a negative impact on businesses. These impacts include, but are not limited to, lost sales and the costs related to monitoring and enforcement. This information is used, along with other data we collect on online infringement (e.g., use of counterfeit goods) to help design measures that can affect consumer behaviour and provide cost-effective, targeted enforcement procedures.