Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the publication of their food strategy for England on 15 July, what steps they plan to take to boost domestic fruit and vegetable production.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government is committed to our horticulture sector and the vital role it plays in strengthening food security by ensuring a reliable and sustainable supply of fresh home-grown produce.

The Good Food Cycle, published as part of our food strategy gives the food sector a blueprint for an economically successful and innovative domestic food sector, including horticulture. It will work alongside the Farming Roadmap, the Land Use Framework, the Circular Economy Strategy and the Environmental Improvement Plan to deliver a resilient and healthy food system, that works with nature and supports farmers, growers and food producers.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to enact species-specific slaughter legislation to protect farmed fish.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any protected animal, including fish, or to fail to provide for the welfare needs of a protected animal, for which that person is responsible. Legislation on the protection of animals at the time of killing also requires that farmed fish are spared avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ban the use of the chemical trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide in gel nail polish, following the decision of the EU to do so.

Answered by Lord Leong - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide (TPO) was added to the GB Mandatory Classification List (GB MCL) under the GB Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation in February 2025. As per the requirements of Article 15 of the UK Cosmetic Regulation, Government is taking steps to prohibit the use of TPO in cosmetic products in Great Britain. Full details of the amendments to the Cosmetic Regulation, including any transitional provisions, will be prepared in due course. The first stage will be to ensure no new cosmetic products containing TPO are placed on the market from August 2026.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they have provided to the NHS to ensure that spending on privately owned health apps does not interfere with the operation of the NHS app.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Privately owned health apps do not interfere with the operation of the NHS App because they are separate systems that do not share data directly or integrate with the NHS App's core functionalities.

These apps offer different services and information, and some patients might use both to supplement the core functionalities of the NHS App, such as managing personal health data or accessing private healthcare providers.

Found: Baroness Grey-Thompson, Lord Young of Cookham, Lord Holmes of Richmond, Lord Liddle, Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle