Every parliamentary written question tabled by Tim Farron this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 221–240 of 430 · this parliament
What steps her Department is taking to support (a) refugees and (b) displaced Ukrainians with leave to remain in the UK to (i) secure decent employment and (ii) improve their English language skills.
In the recently published Immigration White Paper, we committed to increase English Language proficiency across the immigration system. This change will support migrants to integrate and be active participants in their local communities.
What assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing targeted business rates relief for food and drink wholesalers.
To deliver our manifesto pledge, from April 2026, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for high street retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values (RVs) below £500,000. This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so we also intend to introduce a higher rate on the most valuable properties from April 2026 - those with RVs of £500,000 and above. These represent less than one per cent of all properties. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has published data on properties with RVs above £500,000 based on the previous valuation, broken down by sector online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-domestic-rating-property-counts-and-rateable-value-rv-for-properties-in-england-with-rv-over-500000 Every three years, all commercial properties are revalued by the VOA. The 2026 revaluation, which will take effect from April 2026, will update RVs and may, therefore, affect which businesses are within scope of the new higher rate. The revaluation process is ongoing. The VOA are required to publish a draft of all properties’ new RVs this year. The rates for these new business rate multipliers will be set at Budget 2025 so that the Government can take into account the upcoming revaluation outcomes as well as the economic and fiscal context. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the expected effects of the new multiplier arrangements.
What estimate she has made of the potential impact of her Department's plan to introduce a higher multiplier on properties with rateable value of £500,000 and above on the food and drink wholesale sector.
To deliver our manifesto pledge, from April 2026, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for high street retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values (RVs) below £500,000. This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so we also intend to introduce a higher rate on the most valuable properties from April 2026 - those with RVs of £500,000 and above. These represent less than one per cent of all properties. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has published data on properties with RVs above £500,000 based on the previous valuation, broken down by sector online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-domestic-rating-property-counts-and-rateable-value-rv-for-properties-in-england-with-rv-over-500000 Every three years, all commercial properties are revalued by the VOA. The 2026 revaluation, which will take effect from April 2026, will update RVs and may, therefore, affect which businesses are within scope of the new higher rate. The revaluation process is ongoing. The VOA are required to publish a draft of all properties’ new RVs this year. The rates for these new business rate multipliers will be set at Budget 2025 so that the Government can take into account the upcoming revaluation outcomes as well as the economic and fiscal context. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the expected effects of the new multiplier arrangements.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department publishes information on the (a) Joint Air Quality Unit, (b) nitrogen dioxide programme and (c) nitrogen dioxide programme’s Central Evaluation.
The Joint Air Quality Unit has been established to deliver the actions set out in the published Air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in UK (2017) and the Supplement to the UK plan for tackling roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations (2018). The Clean Air Zone Framework sets out the principles for the operation of clean air zones in England, one of the air quality measures used in seven local authorities. These publications set out how local authorities with the worst air pollution concentrations must take robust action to improve air quality. The NO2 programme’s accounting officer assessment is also published and shows assessments of regularity, propriety, value for money, feasibility and affordability. The Evaluation of Local NO2 Plans is publicly available on the DEFRA website at the following link: Evaluation of Local NO2 Plans - AQ0851 (defra.gov.uk).
Food and Rural Affairs, which (a) local authorities and (b) metro mayors have published local plans to achieve compliance with legal limits for nitrogen dioxide.
Responsibility for developing plans to address nitrogen dioxide exceedances rests with local authorities, rather than metro mayors. We have agreed plans with the following local authorities: Basingstoke and Deane Borough CouncilBasildon Borough Council, Essex County Council and Rochford District Council (joint plan)Bath and North East Somerset CouncilBirmingham City CouncilBlackwater Valley (joint plan by Surrey Heath Borough Council, Guildford Borough Council, Rushmoor District Council and Hampshire County Council)Bolsover District CouncilBradford Metropolitan District CouncilBristol City CouncilBroxbourne Borough CouncilCoventry City CouncilDerby City CouncilDudley Metropolitan Borough CouncilFareham Borough Council and Hampshire County Council (joint plan)Greater Manchester (joint plan by Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council, Bury Metropolitan Borough Council, Manchester City Council, Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, Rochdale Borough Council, Salford City Council, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council, Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council, and Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council)Leeds City CouncilLeicester City CouncilLiverpool City CouncilNottingham City CouncilPortsmouth City CouncilReading Borough CouncilSandwell Metropolitan Borough CouncilSouthampton City CouncilSheffield City Council and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (joint plan)Solihull Metropolitan Borough CouncilTyneside (joint plan by Newcastle City Council, South Tyneside Council and Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council)City of Wolverhampton Council
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2025 to Question 45552 on Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control, whether he has had discussions with the Office for Environmental Protection on exceedances of nitrogen dioxide limit values.
Defra has regular discussions with the Office for Environmental Protection on a range of issues.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department will comply with the National Emission Ceiling Regulations emission reduction commitments for (a) NH3, (b) NOx, (c) SO2, (d) NMVOCs and (e) PM2.5 in each year until 2030.
The UK is projected to meet the emission reduction commitments for NH3, NOx, SO2, NMVOCs and PM2.5 for each year to 2029 and to meet tighter commitments for 2030 and beyond for NOx, SO2, NMVOCs and PM2.5. Projections published in March 2025 show a risk to the 2030 target for NH3. UK Governments are considering further policies and measures to tackle NH3 emissions that will help to reduce that risk.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2025 to Questions 45557, 45558 and 45559 on Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control, whether Stoke on Trent is the only (a) city and (b) town in The Potteries reporting zone delaying compliance until 2032.
Stoke on Trent is the only city in the Potteries delaying compliance with the NO2 limit value.
Food and Rural Affairs, which (a) local authorities and (b) metro mayors have not published local plans to achieve compliance with legal limits for nitrogen dioxide.
Responsibility for developing plans to address nitrogen dioxide exceedances rests with local authorities, rather than metro mayors. We have agreed plans with the following local authorities: Basingstoke and Deane Borough CouncilBasildon Borough Council, Essex County Council and Rochford District Council (joint plan)Bath and North East Somerset CouncilBirmingham City CouncilBlackwater Valley (joint plan by Surrey Heath Borough Council, Guildford Borough Council, Rushmoor District Council and Hampshire County Council)Bolsover District CouncilBradford Metropolitan District CouncilBristol City CouncilBroxbourne Borough CouncilCoventry City CouncilDerby City CouncilDudley Metropolitan Borough CouncilFareham Borough Council and Hampshire County Council (joint plan)Greater Manchester (joint plan by Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council, Bury Metropolitan Borough Council, Manchester City Council, Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, Rochdale Borough Council, Salford City Council, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council, Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council, and Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council)Leeds City CouncilLeicester City CouncilLiverpool City CouncilNottingham City CouncilPortsmouth City CouncilReading Borough CouncilSandwell Metropolitan Borough CouncilSouthampton City CouncilSheffield City Council and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (joint plan)Solihull Metropolitan Borough CouncilTyneside (joint plan by Newcastle City Council, South Tyneside Council and Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council)City of Wolverhampton Council
What steps his Department has taken to increase availability of Megestrol 160mg tablets for surgery based pharmacies.
We are aware of supply issues affecting Megestrol Acetate 160 milligram tablets, for which we issued comprehensive management guidance to the National Health Service. This supply issue should start being resolved the week commencing 14 July 2025. We continue to work with the supplier to ensure full resolution.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential reasons for the level of availability of Megestrol 160mg tablets.
We are aware of supply issues affecting Megestrol Acetate 160 milligram tablets, for which we issued comprehensive management guidance to the National Health Service. This supply issue should start being resolved the week commencing 14 July 2025. We continue to work with the supplier to ensure full resolution.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April to Question 45559 on Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control, which towns in the South East reporting zone are delaying compliance until 2028.
All NO2 exceedances delaying compliance in the Coventry and Bedworth zone are in the city of Coventry. Bradford is the only city, and Keighley is the only town, in the West Yorkshire Urban Area delaying compliance with the NO2 limit value. All NO2 exceedances delaying compliance in the Eastern zone are in the town of Basildon. The 2023 compliance assessment reported one exceedance of the annual mean limit value for NO2 in the South East reporting zone - on the A34 in the Vale of White Horse. This road link is part of the Strategic Road Network (SRN) which is managed by National Highways.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April to Question 45559 on Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control, which localised hotspot in the West Midlands Urban Area reporting zone is delaying compliance until 2032.
The localised hotspots that inform our estimates of when each reporting zone is predicted to become compliant are set out in the following table. The predicted years of compliance in Question 45559 were based on 2023 data. For each zone, the hotspot location with the highest 2023 annual average NO2 concentration has been given, as that site drives the predicted compliance year. This data is based on data gathered under the previous Government. Reporting ZoneEstimated Compliance YearHotspot LocationMeasured 2023 Concentration µg/m3Bristol Urban Area2031Colston Avenue, Bristol48.9Coventry and Bedworth2026Holyhead Road, Coventry45.9Eastern2026Southend Arterial Road, Basildon48.9Greater London Urban Area2024A201 (City of London), A501 (Westminster)41.9; 41.6 (modelled value) Liverpool Urban Area2029Pembroke Place, Liverpool49.7Nottingham Urban Area2024Ilkeston Road, Nottingham41.1Portsmouth Urban Area2026Alred Road, Portsmouth43.7Reading and Wokingham Urban Area2024Malcolm Place, Reading42.6Sheffield Urban Area2031Brightside Lane, Sheffield48.8The Potteries2032Etruria Road, Stoke-on-Trent58.4West Midlands Urban Area2032Moor Street Queensway, Birmingham. Priory Queensway, Birmingham51.5, 51.5West Yorkshire Urban Area2029Shipley Airedale Rd, Bradford47.8
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April to Question 45559 on Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control, whether Bradford is the only (a) city and (b) town in the West Yorkshire Urban Area reporting zone delaying compliance until 2029.
All NO2 exceedances delaying compliance in the Coventry and Bedworth zone are in the city of Coventry. Bradford is the only city, and Keighley is the only town, in the West Yorkshire Urban Area delaying compliance with the NO2 limit value. All NO2 exceedances delaying compliance in the Eastern zone are in the town of Basildon. The 2023 compliance assessment reported one exceedance of the annual mean limit value for NO2 in the South East reporting zone - on the A34 in the Vale of White Horse. This road link is part of the Strategic Road Network (SRN) which is managed by National Highways.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2025 to Question 45557 on Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control, in which year she expects the Eastern reporting zone to become compliant.
The localised hotspots that inform our estimates of when each reporting zone is predicted to become compliant are set out in the following table. The predicted years of compliance in Question 45559 were based on 2023 data. For each zone, the hotspot location with the highest 2023 annual average NO2 concentration has been given, as that site drives the predicted compliance year. This data is based on data gathered under the previous Government. Reporting ZoneEstimated Compliance YearHotspot LocationMeasured 2023 Concentration µg/m3Bristol Urban Area2031Colston Avenue, Bristol48.9Coventry and Bedworth2026Holyhead Road, Coventry45.9Eastern2026Southend Arterial Road, Basildon48.9Greater London Urban Area2024A201 (City of London), A501 (Westminster)41.9; 41.6 (modelled value) Liverpool Urban Area2029Pembroke Place, Liverpool49.7Nottingham Urban Area2024Ilkeston Road, Nottingham41.1Portsmouth Urban Area2026Alred Road, Portsmouth43.7Reading and Wokingham Urban Area2024Malcolm Place, Reading42.6Sheffield Urban Area2031Brightside Lane, Sheffield48.8The Potteries2032Etruria Road, Stoke-on-Trent58.4West Midlands Urban Area2032Moor Street Queensway, Birmingham. Priory Queensway, Birmingham51.5, 51.5West Yorkshire Urban Area2029Shipley Airedale Rd, Bradford47.8
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April to Question 45559 on Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control, which (a) cities and (b) towns in the Eastern reporting zone are delaying compliance.
All NO2 exceedances delaying compliance in the Coventry and Bedworth zone are in the city of Coventry. Bradford is the only city, and Keighley is the only town, in the West Yorkshire Urban Area delaying compliance with the NO2 limit value. All NO2 exceedances delaying compliance in the Eastern zone are in the town of Basildon. The 2023 compliance assessment reported one exceedance of the annual mean limit value for NO2 in the South East reporting zone - on the A34 in the Vale of White Horse. This road link is part of the Strategic Road Network (SRN) which is managed by National Highways.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April to Question 45559 on Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control, which localised hotspot in the Coventry and Bedworth reporting zone is delaying compliance until 2026.
The localised hotspots that inform our estimates of when each reporting zone is predicted to become compliant are set out in the following table. The predicted years of compliance in Question 45559 were based on 2023 data. For each zone, the hotspot location with the highest 2023 annual average NO2 concentration has been given, as that site drives the predicted compliance year. This data is based on data gathered under the previous Government. Reporting ZoneEstimated Compliance YearHotspot LocationMeasured 2023 Concentration µg/m3Bristol Urban Area2031Colston Avenue, Bristol48.9Coventry and Bedworth2026Holyhead Road, Coventry45.9Eastern2026Southend Arterial Road, Basildon48.9Greater London Urban Area2024A201 (City of London), A501 (Westminster)41.9; 41.6 (modelled value) Liverpool Urban Area2029Pembroke Place, Liverpool49.7Nottingham Urban Area2024Ilkeston Road, Nottingham41.1Portsmouth Urban Area2026Alred Road, Portsmouth43.7Reading and Wokingham Urban Area2024Malcolm Place, Reading42.6Sheffield Urban Area2031Brightside Lane, Sheffield48.8The Potteries2032Etruria Road, Stoke-on-Trent58.4West Midlands Urban Area2032Moor Street Queensway, Birmingham. Priory Queensway, Birmingham51.5, 51.5West Yorkshire Urban Area2029Shipley Airedale Rd, Bradford47.8
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April to Question 45559 on Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control, which localised hotspot in The Potteries reporting zone is delaying compliance until 2032.
The localised hotspots that inform our estimates of when each reporting zone is predicted to become compliant are set out in the following table. The predicted years of compliance in Question 45559 were based on 2023 data. For each zone, the hotspot location with the highest 2023 annual average NO2 concentration has been given, as that site drives the predicted compliance year. This data is based on data gathered under the previous Government. Reporting ZoneEstimated Compliance YearHotspot LocationMeasured 2023 Concentration µg/m3Bristol Urban Area2031Colston Avenue, Bristol48.9Coventry and Bedworth2026Holyhead Road, Coventry45.9Eastern2026Southend Arterial Road, Basildon48.9Greater London Urban Area2024A201 (City of London), A501 (Westminster)41.9; 41.6 (modelled value) Liverpool Urban Area2029Pembroke Place, Liverpool49.7Nottingham Urban Area2024Ilkeston Road, Nottingham41.1Portsmouth Urban Area2026Alred Road, Portsmouth43.7Reading and Wokingham Urban Area2024Malcolm Place, Reading42.6Sheffield Urban Area2031Brightside Lane, Sheffield48.8The Potteries2032Etruria Road, Stoke-on-Trent58.4West Midlands Urban Area2032Moor Street Queensway, Birmingham. Priory Queensway, Birmingham51.5, 51.5West Yorkshire Urban Area2029Shipley Airedale Rd, Bradford47.8
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April to Question 45559 on Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control, which localised hotspot in the Greater Manchester Urban Area reporting zone is delaying compliance until 2026.
The Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan is currently being implemented. Greater Manchester’s modelling identifies localised hotspots in 2026 at A34 Bridge St, A34 Quay St, A664 Shudehill, Lever St in Manchester and A49 Chapel Lane and King St West in Wigan. These sites are expected to become compliant in 2026 once measures are implemented.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April to Question 45559 on Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control, which localised hotspot in the Portsmouth Urban Area reporting zone is delaying compliance until 2026.
The localised hotspots that inform our estimates of when each reporting zone is predicted to become compliant are set out in the following table. The predicted years of compliance in Question 45559 were based on 2023 data. For each zone, the hotspot location with the highest 2023 annual average NO2 concentration has been given, as that site drives the predicted compliance year. This data is based on data gathered under the previous Government. Reporting ZoneEstimated Compliance YearHotspot LocationMeasured 2023 Concentration µg/m3Bristol Urban Area2031Colston Avenue, Bristol48.9Coventry and Bedworth2026Holyhead Road, Coventry45.9Eastern2026Southend Arterial Road, Basildon48.9Greater London Urban Area2024A201 (City of London), A501 (Westminster)41.9; 41.6 (modelled value) Liverpool Urban Area2029Pembroke Place, Liverpool49.7Nottingham Urban Area2024Ilkeston Road, Nottingham41.1Portsmouth Urban Area2026Alred Road, Portsmouth43.7Reading and Wokingham Urban Area2024Malcolm Place, Reading42.6Sheffield Urban Area2031Brightside Lane, Sheffield48.8The Potteries2032Etruria Road, Stoke-on-Trent58.4West Midlands Urban Area2032Moor Street Queensway, Birmingham. Priory Queensway, Birmingham51.5, 51.5West Yorkshire Urban Area2029Shipley Airedale Rd, Bradford47.8