Written questions by Morton.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to HCWS1281 of 28 January 2026 on reform to the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, what assessment the Government has made of the potential impact of allowing veterinary nurses and allied veterinary professionals to practise more independently; what safeguards will be introduced to maintain animal welfare and clinical standards; how accountability will be enforced under a licence-to-practise model; and what steps will be taken to ensure public confidence in the regulatory framework.

Registered Veterinary Nurses are highly qualified and are regulated by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Any work they do will remain within their competencies though some tasks that veterinary nurses regularly do now, may no longer need a veterinary surgeon to be present; this opens up the ability to undertake district nursing. Allied veterinary professionals (AVPs) are currently unregulated and work independently of vets; regulating them will protect animal health and welfare. Like veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses, under our proposals, all AVPs will need the correct training, and be licensed and accountable to the regulating body. If they do not meet the required standards, they can be reported, and subject to the fitness to practise procedures (similar to the current RCVS disciplinary framework). Defra is additionally proposing an oversight body to review the actions of the regulator– ensuring further accountability.

With reference to HCWS1271 of 26 January 2026t on Improving Cancer Care and Early Diagnosis, when the National Cancer Plan will be published; what interim milestones have been set ahead of publication; what engagement has taken place with NHS England, Cancer Alliances and patient groups; and what mechanisms will be used to ensure delivery against the Plan’s commitments.

The National Cancer Plan was published on the 4 February 2026.The Department received more than 11,000 responses to a Call for Evidence alongside significant engagement with patients, families, carers, clinicians, researchers, cancer charities and voluntary groups.Now that the National Cancer Plan is published, the Department, NHS England and the Cancer Alliances will continue to work together with partners across the healthcare landscape to ensure it is delivered, to transform cancer care and save lives.The Government has committed to a clear accountability structure for the plan, where Cancer Alliances play a leading role to deliver it, working with local systems. A reformed National Cancer Board, jointly chaired by the Department and an independent representative, will track progress against the Plans commitments and provide regular updates to ministers. The plan includes tables at the end of each chapter, setting out when commitments should be delivered and which organisation will be responsible.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of prolonged disruption to waste collection services in Birmingham on public health.

Commissioners were appointed in October 2023 to provide oversight and support the Council on their wider improvement journey. The Secretary of State receives regular six-monthly reports from Commissioners outlining the progress made by the Council in complying with the Best Value Duty and the Department regularly engages with Commissioners as is normal for all interventions. The Commissioners’ third report was published on gov.uk on 1 December 2025 alongside a Written Ministerial Statement. Throughout the dispute, this government’s priority has been the residents of Birmingham. During the acute phase of the waste dispute in the spring, the government took decisive action in lock step with the Council to ensure waste in the city can be safely and sustainably managed. The result was to establish a regular, reliable waste collection service despite industrial action. The government remains in close contact with Commissioners and the Council as we continue to monitor the situation and the associated impact of the bin strike on local communities. We cannot allow a return to the levels of disruption seen last spring. The Council are moving towards financial sustainability, and they have recently announced proposals for a balanced revenue budget in 2026/27 without Exceptional Financial Support. This is possible because of the government’s funding reforms – which will increase Birmingham’s Core Spending Power by 45% from 2024-25 to 2028-29.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to Written Ministerial Statement HCWS1278 of 27 January 2026 on commonhold and leasehold reform, what assessment the Department has made of why commonhold has not gained traction since 2004; what targets have been set for commonhold take-up over the next five and ten years; what engagement has taken place with mortgage lenders, developers and conveyancers to ensure market readiness; and what mechanisms will be used to monitor adoption and prevent disruption to housing delivery.

The Commonhold White Paper published on 3 March 2025 set out both the legal and market barriers to the widespread adoption of the original commonhold system, as well as the government’s approach to resolving these.On 27 January 2026, we published the Draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill, which will reinvigorate commonhold through a comprehensive new legal framework, make it easier for leaseholders to convert their homes to commonhold and ensure commonhold becomes the default tenure by banning new leasehold flats. No numerical targets for the take-up of commonhold have been set.Alongside the publication of the draft Bill, we launched a consultation ‘Moving to Commonhold’ on banning new leasehold flats, where we are seeking views from industry and consumers on key issues including the timing of the ban, any necessary exemptions, and the transitional arrangements needed to minimise disruption to delivery of new housing supply. The consultation also invites specific feedback on questions of market readiness, and we would encourage all of those operating across the housing market to take part. As part of our commitment to ensuring effective monitoring and evaluation of the government’s leasehold and commonhold reforms, we will publish the evaluation findings in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Written Ministerial Statement HCWS1281 of 28 January 2026 on reform to the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, what timeline the Government has set for the consultation, response and any subsequent legislation; what engagement is taking place with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, veterinary nurses, allied veterinary professionals and animal welfare organisations; and what interim measures are being considered to address workforce shortages while reforms are developed.

The consultation on reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 opened on 28 January and is due to close on 25 March. Defra will analyse the responses and aim to reply within 12 weeks of the consultation closing, with subsequent legislation depending on parliamentary time. Defra has co-designed the consultation with numerous stakeholders including the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the British Veterinary Association, the British Veterinary Nursing Association and the Vet Schools Council. Key stakeholders for allied veterinary professions, including animal welfare organisations, have also worked with officials on how they would fit into any new legislation. Defra is working across Government to address the shortfall in vets including the UK Government manifesto commitment to prioritise UK-EU recognition of professional qualifications (RPQ). Defra welcomes the fact that the number of homegrown vet students continues to rise with four new vet schools opening in the last six years.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what arrangements are in place to support UK travellers and airlines when Gibraltar-bound flights are diverted to Schengen territory and passengers are refused entry.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 June 2025 to Question 60853, and I look forward to going over the detail of the new arrangements with her when the final text of the treaty is brought before the House for scrutiny in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what aspects of the implementation of the UK-EU Gibraltar treaty she considers non-negotiable; and how this negotiating position will protect UK citizens and Gibraltar residents.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 June 2025 to Question 60853, and I look forward to going over the detail of the new arrangements with her when the final text of the treaty is brought before the House for scrutiny in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has issued guidance to (a) airlines and (b) British travellers on Schengen entry requirements for flights to Gibraltar that may be diverted into the Schengen zone.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 June 2025 to Question 60853, and I look forward to going over the detail of the new arrangements with her when the final text of the treaty is brought before the House for scrutiny in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her (a) Spanish and (b) European Union counterparts on the application of Schengen entry rules to passengers travelling to Gibraltar.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 June 2025 to Question 60853, and I look forward to going over the detail of the new arrangements with her when the final text of the treaty is brought before the House for scrutiny in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what interim arrangements are in place to manage border and entry for Gibraltar pending the implementation of the UK-EU Gibraltar treaty.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 June 2025 to Question 60853, and I look forward to going over the detail of the new arrangements with her when the final text of the treaty is brought before the House for scrutiny in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help protect British citizens from detention or refusal of entry following flight diversions into the Schengen area.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 June 2025 to Question 60853, and I look forward to going over the detail of the new arrangements with her when the final text of the treaty is brought before the House for scrutiny in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made representations to her Spanish counterpart on the detention and return of British nationals at Málaga Airport following flight diversions.

I am aware of a recent incident in which a flight to Gibraltar was diverted to Malaga due to bad weather and some passengers were subsequently returned to the UK. Border control in Spain, as in all Schengen states, is the responsibility of the national (in this case Spanish) authorities. Passengers who arrive in Malaga, Spain become subject to Schengen entry rules. For British citizens travelling on a full British passport, these rules include requirements on passport validity, the 90/180 day limit for visa‑free stays, and the checks applied under the Schengen Entry/Exit System. Travellers who do not hold a full British citizen passport, including those with other categories of British nationality, may require a Schengen visa to enter Spain.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether UK citizens will retain unrestricted access to Gibraltar once the UK-EU Gibraltar treaty and associated border arrangements are fully implemented.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 June 2025 to Question 60853, and I look forward to going over the detail of the new arrangements with her when the final text of the treaty is brought before the House for scrutiny in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which authorities are responsible for controlling Schengen entry checks at Gibraltar’s airport and ports, and how the Government ensures UK travellers are not subject to improper enforcement.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 June 2025 to Question 60853, and I look forward to going over the detail of the new arrangements with her when the final text of the treaty is brought before the House for scrutiny in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has reviewed the legal and regulatory frameworks governing Gibraltar’s aviation, immigration and border arrangements.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 June 2025 to Question 60853, and I look forward to going over the detail of the new arrangements with her when the final text of the treaty is brought before the House for scrutiny in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Government of Gibraltar on the functioning of border arrangements.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 June 2025 to Question 60853, and I look forward to going over the detail of the new arrangements with her when the final text of the treaty is brought before the House for scrutiny in due course.

Media and Sport, with reference to the Written Statement of 22 January 2026 on Launch of new capital fund for places of worship, HCWS1268, and the evaluation of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, what evidence her Department has used to support the determination that 80% of respondents would have undertaken works without the rebate; and what steps her Department took to assess whether those works would have been delayed, scaled back, or funded through additional fundraising and debt.

The Department conducted an evaluation of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. The evaluation included an extensive survey of current and past scheme users and is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-the-listed-places-of-worship-scheme-final-report. Our evaluation showed that while it had many benefits, 80% of respondents said that they would still have carried out the work without the rebate.

Media and Sport, with reference to the Written Statement of 22 January 2026 on Launch of new capital fund for places of worship, HCWS1268, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of ending the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on the financial sustainability of (a) historic churches and (b) other faith buildings; what estimate she has made of the potential number of repairs likely to be (i) delayed and (ii) cancelled as a result; and what estimate she has made of the additional financial burden placed on congregations and local communities.

The Department conducted an evaluation of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. The evaluation included an extensive survey of current and past scheme users and is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-the-listed-places-of-worship-scheme-final-report. The evaluation did not assess the impact of ending the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on the financial sustainability of places of worship. Our evaluation showed that while it had many benefits, 80% of respondents said that they would still have carried out the work without the rebate. As we look towards a new fiscal period and the evolving needs of our community, it is essential that government support is deployed to the areas where it can have the greatest impact and where it is needed most. Over the next four years, the Places of Worship Renewal Fund will invest £92 million capital funding into listed places of worship and is designed to ensure that taxpayer funding is targeted more effectively toward the preservation of our heritage assets.

Media and Sport, with reference to the Written Statement of 22 January 2026 on Launch of new capital fund for places of worship, HCWS1268, what reporting requirements will apply to Historic England in administering the Places of Worship Renewal Fund; if her Department will publish annual data on applications, approvals, refusals and regional allocation; and how Ministers will assess whether the scheme represents an improvement on the previous grant system.

Further details on the Places of Worship Renewal Fund specific criteria, application process and funding allocation will be announced in due course, along with details on monitoring and evaluation.

Media and Sport, with reference to the Written Statement of 22 January 2026 on Launch of new capital fund for places of worship, HCWS1268, what assessment she has made of the wider community role of places of worship when designing the new funding scheme; and if she will prioritise funding for buildings that provide essential community services beyond worship.

Many places of worship also provide essential community services beyond worship and will consider this as we develop criteria, however we also acknowledge that not all religions use places of worship in this way. We are currently designing the specific criteria for the new scheme.