Baroness Redfern Portrait

Baroness Redfern

Conservative - Life peer

Became Member: 7th October 2015


Baroness Redfern is not an officer of any APPGs
3 APPG Memberships
Australia and New Zealand (ANZAC) and the Pacific Islands, Dentistry and Oral Health, Pharmacy
4 Former APPG Officer Positions
Apprenticeships, Serbia, Taiwan, Young People's Health
Common Frameworks Scrutiny Committee
17th Sep 2020 - 31st Dec 2023
Integration of Primary and Community Care Committee
31st Jan 2023 - 27th Nov 2023
Land Use in England Committee
19th Jan 2022 - 28th Nov 2022
Food, Poverty, Health and Environment Committee
13th Jun 2019 - 21st Jan 2020
SLSC Sub-Committee B
4th Sep 2018 - 30th Apr 2019
Citizenship and Civic Engagement Committee
29th Jun 2017 - 28th Mar 2018
Long-Term Sustainability of the NHS Committee
25th May 2016 - 5th Apr 2017


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Baroness Redfern has voted in 117 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
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Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill (Labour)
Minister of State (Department for Transport)
(2 debate interactions)
Lord Khan of Burnley (Labour)
(2 debate interactions)
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Department Debates
Department for Business and Trade
(2 debate contributions)
Ministry of Justice
(2 debate contributions)
Department of Health and Social Care
(2 debate contributions)
HM Treasury
(1 debate contributions)
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Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Baroness Redfern, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


Baroness Redfern has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Baroness Redfern has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
17th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to improve the quality and consistency of sorted scrap metal to meet future demand for electric arc furnace steelmaking in the UK.

The Government recognises that the UK steel industry's shift towards electric arc furnaces will significantly elevate the importance of high-quality scrap as a material for UK steelmaking. Consequently, the Government is committed to securing an ample supply of high-quality scrap, while also ensuring the market remains fair and beneficial for all stakeholders. We are actively listening to the perspectives of all involved parties and will be exploring various options to address this issue.

Lord Leong
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
26th Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to support the steel industry by reducing their electricity costs.

Government is committed to tackling high industrial electricity prices in the UK. This is why Government has taken action to mitigate high electricity costs for energy intensive industries by continuing the Energy Intensive Industries compensation scheme and implementing the British Industry Supercharger.

The Plan for Steel, which will be published in Spring, will address electricity prices for steelmakers. We are committed to providing up to £2.5bn to rebuild steel industry which will be available through the National Wealth Fund and other routes.

2nd Dec 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the role of Groceries Code Adjudicator and whether it should be a full-time appointment.

The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) is appointed by the Secretary of State and holds and vacates office as the Adjudicator in accordance with the terms of their appointment.

The government will undertake the fourth statutory review of the GCA in 2025. The review must consider how much the Adjudicator’s powers have been exercised and assess how effective the Adjudicator has been in enforcing the Groceries Supply Code of Practice over the review period. The government will give all interested parties the opportunity to contribute to this review.

17th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to introducing a two-way contract for difference to provide competitive wholesale electricity prices to the steel industry.

We recognise the importance of competitive electricity prices in enabling the UK steel sector to thrive.

We are developing a comprehensive steel strategy, to be published this year, which will set out the conditions needed to create a competitive business environment in the UK. This strategy aims to attract new private investment and expand UK steelmaking capability in alignment with our Net Zero goals. As part of this, we launched the Plan for Steel Consultation in March to examine long-term challenges facing the industry, including how domestic producers can meet more UK demand.

To support decarbonisation and growth, the Government will renew the Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy, providing long-term confidence for industry to invest in low-carbon technologies. We remain committed to our manifesto pledge to invest up to £2.5 billion in steel through the National Wealth Fund and other routes.

The UK steel industry has a long-term future under this Government. We are determined to work towards a bright future for steel—protecting jobs, driving growth, and ensuring our industrial heartlands remain at the forefront of a competitive, low-carbon economy.

Lord Wilson of Sedgefield
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
7th Jul 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to classify onshore wind farms as critical infrastructure to combat the theft of copper cabling from wind turbines.

On 9 June 2025, the Government made legislation to reintroduce onshore wind into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) regime. Government has concluded that low carbon infrastructure entering the NSIP regime, including renewables such as onshore wind, should be deemed as critical national priority infrastructure. Security arrangements for onshore wind farms are a matter for individual developers.

Lord Wilson of Sedgefield
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
2nd Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to preserve productive farmland by encouraging the installation of solar panels on buildings and car parks rather than such farmland.

The deployment of rooftop solar is a top priority. Permitted development rights mean most rooftop projects do not require an application for planning permission, including non-domestic arrays of any size, and solar canopies on car parks. New buildings standards will ensure that all newly built houses and commercial buildings are fit for a net zero future. We expect these standards to encourage the installation of solar panels.

Ground mount solar is also needed to meet our 2030 clean power ambitions. Planning guidance makes clear that, wherever possible, projects should utilise previously developed land. Where the development of farmland is judged necessary, lower-quality land should be preferred.

3rd Dec 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote the development of green jobs; and what is their assessment of the consequences for delivery of a low-carbon built environment.

The Office for Clean Energy Jobs (OCEJ) has been created to ensure that clean energy jobs are abundant, high quality, paid fairly, and have favourable terms and good working conditions.

The OCEJ is engaging widely with industry, experts, and trade unions for a clear assessment of the skills opportunities and challenges. It is working closely with Skills England to ensure that skills systems reforms support the clean energy transition.

10th Dec 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the costs of ending the National Citizen Service.

This Government is committed to delivering an orderly transition following the decision to wind down the NCS programme from March 2025 and close the NCS Trust when parliamentary time allows.

DCMS is currently working closely with the NCS Trust to agree the full costs of winding down the programme, and closing the NCS Trust.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
10th Dec 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government how long they estimate it will be before money for both existing and new youth projects is made available as part of the National Youth Strategy; and what are the timescales projected for new youth projects to be up and running.

The Government will publish the National Youth Strategy in 2025. In the interim, in 2025/26 we are increasing the total funding for other DCMS youth programmes, excluding the National Citizen Service programmes which we will be winding down from March 2025. Funding allocations for specific programmes will be communicated in due course.

This will include allocating over £85m of capital funding to create fit-for-purpose, welcoming spaces for young people, with the new Better Youth Spaces fund allocating at least £26m for youth clubs to buy new equipment and do renovations. This capital funding also allows for the completion of the Youth Investment Fund programme.

We will also launch the Local Youth Transformation pilot, which will test a new way of working and supporting local authorities, providing a package of support to assess, improve and invest in impactful local youth offers to build back lost capacity and sow the seeds for a much-needed rejuvenation of local youth services.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
23rd Jul 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to review further the apprenticeship levy arrangements, particularly the requirement that funds can be split equally between (1) apprenticeships, and (2) other, flexible training opportunities.

This government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will deliver greater flexibility to employers and learners in England and support the industrial strategy.

At this stage, the government has not put targets or limits on the level of flexibility in the growth and skills offer. This will be informed by the result of Skills England’s analysis and engagement, including on where flexibilities will be most helpful for employers.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
24th Jun 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a single unique identifier for children in care.

The single unique identifier for children which the government promised in its manifesto is intended to apply to all children, including those in care, and is part of the solution to improve data sharing to stop children falling through the cracks. The legislation to enable its designation and use is currently before Parliament as part of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
24th Jun 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that mental health support is available in all primary and secondary schools.

This government is committed to improving mental health support for all children and young people. This is critical to high and rising standards in schools and breaking down barriers to opportunity, helping pupils to achieve and thrive in education.

The government will provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school by expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), so every child and young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. By April 2026, the department estimates that 60% of pupils in schools and learners in further education in England will be covered by an MHST, up from 52% in April 2025.

The government will also recruit 8,500 mental health staff to treat children and adults, and open new Young Futures Hubs with access to mental health support.

To support education staff, the department provides a range of guidance and practical resources on promoting and supporting pupils’ mental health and wellbeing, such as a resource hub for mental health leads and a toolkit to help schools choose evidence-based early support for pupils.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
17th Jun 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of pre-school intervention in ensuring that children start school with adequate literacy, communication and language skills.

The government is committed to improving early literacy and ensuring children have the best start in life. Strong early foundations are essential for school readiness and long-term educational success. That is why we are focused on strengthening the home learning environment and supporting families from pregnancy through the early years, as part of our wider ambition under the Plan for Change. This includes the national target for 75% of children to achieve a Good Level of Development by 2028.

Family Hubs are central to this ambition, providing joined-up support for families across health, education and early years services.

In 2025/26, we are investing £10.7 million in home learning environment services through Family Hubs to help parents create language-rich, nurturing settings that support early communication and confidence.

On 11 June, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer confirmed that the government will continue to invest in and expand the Family Hubs programme as part of the Spending Review 2025. Through our ‘Little Moments Together’ campaign and partnerships with the voluntary sector, we continue to support parents to chat, play and read with their children, simple, everyday actions that make a lasting difference to early literacy and school readiness.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
17th Jun 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish family hubs to ensure adequate literacy skills across the country.

The government is committed to improving early literacy and ensuring children have the best start in life. Strong early foundations are essential for school readiness and long-term educational success. That is why we are focused on strengthening the home learning environment and supporting families from pregnancy through the early years, as part of our wider ambition under the Plan for Change. This includes the national target for 75% of children to achieve a Good Level of Development by 2028.

Family Hubs are central to this ambition, providing joined-up support for families across health, education and early years services.

In 2025/26, we are investing £10.7 million in home learning environment services through Family Hubs to help parents create language-rich, nurturing settings that support early communication and confidence.

On 11 June, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer confirmed that the government will continue to invest in and expand the Family Hubs programme as part of the Spending Review 2025. Through our ‘Little Moments Together’ campaign and partnerships with the voluntary sector, we continue to support parents to chat, play and read with their children, simple, everyday actions that make a lasting difference to early literacy and school readiness.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
11th Jun 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that pupils in rural areas have the same access to musical education as those in urban areas.

This government believes that music is an important part of the well-rounded and enriching education that every child deserves, including those in rural areas. We will therefore give parents certainty over their children’s education, including music teaching.

Music is already included in the national curriculum for pupils aged 5 to 14 for maintained schools. The government is legislating so that academies will be required to teach the reformed national curriculum, following the outcomes of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, due to report in the autumn.

To support music education in schools, the government provides £76 million per year grant directly to 43 Music Hubs partnerships across England. Each Music Hub Local Plan has an inclusion strategy that should set out how to respond to barriers based on their geographic area, including location and socio-economic challenges.

On 18 March, the department announced our intention to launch a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education, to help meet the government's ambitions for improved and more equitable arts education, including music. The National Centre will become the national delivery partner for Music Hubs. It will also support schools in the delivery of high quality arts education in schools across England, in both rural and urban areas, including through online training, local partnership and better information for teachers, parents and young people.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
29th Jan 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of library provision in primary schools.

I refer the noble Lady to the answer of 28 January 2025 to Question 25143.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
29th Jan 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage reading in schools.

I refer the noble Lady to the answer of 28 January 2025 to Question 25144.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
10th Dec 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of apprentices who are studying for vocational qualifications.

An apprenticeship is a job with training. Through a combination of on and off the job training, an apprenticeship will enable an apprentice to be competent in a specific occupation. Not all apprenticeships will include a mandatory qualification, but some will, such as a degree or a professional accreditation.

This government is reforming the apprenticeships offer into a new levy-funded growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners and align with the industrial strategy. It will feature shorter duration apprenticeships and new foundation apprenticeships for young people in targeted, growing sectors. These will help more people learn high-quality skills at work and fuel innovation in businesses across the country. The department will take the time to work closely with employers and providers to design new training that offers young people a route into good, skilled work and meets the needs of the industrial strategy.

The department continues to pay additional funding to employers and training providers to support them to take on young apprentices, apprentices with learning difficulties and disabilities, and care leavers.

The department is continuing outreach work in schools and colleges through the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge programme and targeting young people through the Skills for Life campaign.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
15th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that waste collected for recycling is recycled rather than exported.

This Government is committed to transitioning towards a circular economy where resources are kept in use for longer and waste is designed out. The Government has convened a Circular Economy Taskforce of experts to help develop the first ever Circular Economy Strategy for England, which we plan to publish for consultation in the coming months.

The Simpler Recycling reforms will ensure that across England, people will be able to recycle the same materials, whether at home, work or school, putting an end to confusion over what can and cannot be recycled in different parts of the country.

Waste collected from households and workplaces must be collected separately from other waste for recycling or composting.

This policy will make recycling easier and ensure there is a comprehensive, consistent service across England. This will reduce confusion with recycling to improve recycling rates, ensuring there is more recycled material in the products we buy, and that the UK recycling industry will grow.

Where the UK cannot currently recycle materials economically, exports can help ensure those materials are recycled. The export of waste is subject to strict controls and exporters are required to ensure that the waste they ship is managed in an environmentally sound manner. Any UK operators found to be illegally exporting waste can face a two-year jail term and an unlimited fine.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
15th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what further steps they are taking to increase the speed with which businesses reduce their use of plastic packaging and eliminate unnecessary waste.

This Government is committed to moving to a circular economy – a future where we keep our resources in use for longer, waste is reduced, we accelerate the path to net zero, we see investment in critical infrastructure and green jobs, our economy prospers, and nature thrives.

Alongside the delivery of the Collection and Packaging Reforms, this Government is currently considering further actions that can be taken to address the challenges associated with plastic packaging. As we develop our Circular Economy Strategy for England, we will consider the evidence for action from right across the economy and evaluate what interventions may be needed.

The Government also funds the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), who run the UK Plastics Pact. Pact members cover the entire plastics value chain and are responsible for the majority of plastic packaging sold through UK supermarkets, and approximately two thirds of the total plastic packaging placed on the UK market. Since 2018, members of the Pact have increased the average recycled content in their packaging from 8.5% to 26%.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
2nd Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they can confirm that the mandatory use of closed-circuit television cameras in slaughterhouses, which came into effect on 5 November 2018, has been implemented and complied with in full.

The Mandatory Use of Closed Circuit Television in Slaughterhouses (England) Regulations 2018 came into force in May 2018, with a transition period of six months for implementation. Since November 2018 all slaughterhouses in England have been required to have CCTV recording in all areas where live animals are present.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) monitor and enforce animal welfare legislation in approved slaughterhouses and confirmed that all slaughterhouses in England were fully compliant with the CCTV Regulations early in 2019.

Official Veterinarians of the FSA carry out daily reviews of CCTV footage and monitor compliance with the CCTV Regulations. If non-compliances are identified, appropriate and proportionate enforcement action is taken. The FSA also carries out a rigorous programme of audits in approved slaughterhouses which include examining CCTV systems.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
16th Jul 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to require cigarette manufacturers to switch to producing biodegradable butts.

Whilst the plastic component of filters is of concern, the chemicals, toxins and heavy metals contained within a littered cigarette butt also pose a danger to the environment. For this reason, Defra does not support a move to plastic-free or biodegradable filters which would likely contain the same pollutants and have not been shown to break down quicker if littered in the environment.

Tobacco litter remains a concern for Defra, with cigarette filters consistently scoring as the most littered item in surveys. Local authorities already have powers to punish those who litter them including through prosecution. They can also create smoke free areas through the use of Public Space Protection Orders.

Defra believes the best way to tackle littering of filters is through reductions in smoking rates. We therefore continue to support all initiatives designed to encourage people to quit smoking or prevent them from starting smoking. Indeed, through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, the Government is committed to creating a smoke-free generation, gradually ending the sale of tobacco products across the country and breaking the cycle of addiction and disadvantage.

We will continue to monitor the available evidence on the prevalence of littered cigarette filters before considering further action.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
1st Jul 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the 43 per cent decline in the number of hen harrier chicks fledging in 2024 compared to 2023, what steps they are taking to introduce licensing of grouse shooting in England.

The Government recognises well-managed grouse shooting can be an important part of a local rural economy, providing direct and indirect employment. It also appreciates that many people hold strong views on the issue of grouse shooting and there is evidence to suggest a link between it and crimes against birds of prey. While Defra has not yet made any formal assessment of the potential merits of the licensing of grouse shooting in England, it will continue to work to ensure a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship between grouse shooting and conservation.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jun 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they are considering to protect hares and their young during the breeding season; and what assessment they have made of the introduction of a close season for the killing of hares.

Defra Ministers support the ambition to introduce a close season for hares in England. The hare is a much-loved species, and we fail to give it the protection we should. England and Wales stand out as being among the few European countries not to have a close season for their hares. A close season should reduce the number of adult hares being shot in the breeding season, which runs from February to October, meaning that fewer leverets (infant hares) are left motherless and vulnerable to starvation and predation. A close season is also consistent with Natural England's advice on wildlife management that controlling species in their peak breeding season should be avoided unless genuinely essential and unavoidable.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
20th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to support farmers to implement crate-free farrowing for pigs.

We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway supports farmers to improve their animals’ health and welfare through funded vet visits as well as targeted grants. We continue to work with the industry on how the Pathway can encourage improvements in indoor pigs’ welfare.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
14th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the levels of phosphates and nitrates in England's waterways; and whether they intend to extend safety protections to people involved in water sports on those waterways.

The level of water pollution is unacceptable. That is why cleaning up our rivers, lakes and seas is a priority for the government. Working with farmers and the wider industry is key to delivering against this priority.

Under the Environment Act 2021, a legally binding target was set to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment from agriculture entering the water environment by 40% by 2038.  A suite of proportionate and effective regulations, advice and incentives are in place to support delivery of this target and reduce pollution. We are focused on working with farmers to improve compliance to meet their obligations and make improvements to their businesses.

UK Health Security Agency and the Environment Agency offer advice in their ‘Swim Healthy’ guidance on swimming in open waters: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/swim-healthy-leaflet/swim-healthy.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
7th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of male chick culling in the UK egg industry; and what steps they are taking to support producers to reduce that practice.

The legislation sets out strict requirements to protect the welfare of animals at the time of killing, including male chicks from the egg production sector.

Permitted killing methods for chicks, such as gas stunning and maceration, are based on scientific research and assessment to ensure birds are spared any avoidable pain, distress, or suffering. All laying hen hatcheries in the UK use argon gas mixtures as their stunning method.

We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. In recent years there has been rapid global progress in the development of technologies that allow chicks to be sexed in-ovo (within the egg). We welcome the UK egg industry’s interest in the development of day zero sexing technology.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
28th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they will give to flooding, drought, healthy soil, and clean water in their 25-year farming roadmap.

The food and farming sector is operating in an increasingly complex environment. Climate change is causing weather variability leading to more floods, droughts and other extreme events. These challenges are contributing to declining biodiversity, soil degradation, water quality pressures and increasing risks to land productivity.

The Farming Roadmap will be a long-term strategy setting out this Government’s vision for a thriving sector that delivers for the economy, nature, food security and the environment. It will provide a vision for our farming sector and set the direction for how we get there, with a focus on delivering our food security and environmental objectives, whilst supporting farms to be resilient and profitable. The roadmap will be published later this year.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
28th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of mandatory animal welfare labelling on consumer purchasing decisions.

A public consultation on fairer food labelling was undertaken last year by the previous Government. The consultation sought views on proposals to improve and extend current mandatory method of production labelling and was accompanied by an impact assessment which assessed the potential costs and benefits. Research was also commissioned to explore animal welfare considerations in consumer purchasing decisions, which will be published in due course.

We are now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps and will respond to this consultation in due course.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
26th Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish the key performance indicators of the Sustainable Farming Incentive, and how these have been met.

Defra is monitoring the Sustainable Farming Incentive and tracking contributions to outcomes. We recently published statistics on the area within agri-environment schemes, which showed that 64% of England’s farmed area is in a scheme. 3.3 million hectares are in SFI 2023 and over 380,000 hectares are in the SFI expanded offer.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
19th Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the announcement on 25 February that they will invest £208 million in a new national biosecurity centre, whether those funds were previously committed to go directly to farmers as payments for 'public goods'.

The National Biosecurity Centre is the new name for the facility delivered at APHA Weybridge, previously known as the Science Capability in Animal Health programme. This funding has not been previously committed to other purposes.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
18th Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure any veterinary agreement with the EU includes a carve-out protecting the UK's ability to implement mandatory method-of-production animal welfare labelling, including imports.

The Government was elected on a mandate to improve animal welfare.

The Government is committed to resetting our EU relationship, including by seeking to negotiate an SPS agreement. We have been clear that an SPS agreement could boost trade and deliver significant benefits on both sides. It’s too early to discuss any specific areas in detail and we will not be providing a running commentary on discussions with the EU.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
4th Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the speech by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to the National Farmers Union on 25 February, when the requirements to favour high-welfare products in government catering contracts will come into effect, and what sectors other than hospitals and schools are being targeted.

As announced at the National Farmers Union Conference, the National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS), which sets out the Government’s strategic priorities for public procurement, came into effect alongside the Procurement Act on 24 February. The NPPS underscores the Government's commitment to increasing the procurement of food that meets higher environmental standards, supporting local suppliers and upholding ethical sourcing practises across public sector contracts, including catering contracts. Defra officials are currently exploring the options for any future changes to public sector food and catering policy.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
4th Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government how many licences to release beavers they have granted since beavers were classified as a native species in October 2022.

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

Since October 2022 Natural England has issued 13 beaver enclosure licences, 1 genetic reinforcement licence, and 1 wild release licence.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
12th Feb 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to begin phasing out the use of cages for hens and pigs; and if so, when.

We remain firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards.

The use of cages and other closed confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which we are currently considering very carefully.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
12th Feb 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to take forward proposals from the Fairer food labelling consultation, which ran from 12 March to 7 May 2024.

A public consultation on fairer food labelling was undertaken between March and May 2024 by the previous Government. We are now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps and will respond to this consultation in due course.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
9th Jan 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the announcement by Ofwat that water bills will increase over the next five years, what proportion of storm overflows resulting in harmful nutrients entering rivers they expect to be reduced over this period; and what financial consequences will be applied to water companies who do not meet overflow targets.

For Price Review 24, which runs from 2025 – 2030, water companies are investing almost £12 billion to improve 2,800 storm overflows. This expenditure has a price control deliverable (PCD), which sets out Ofwat’s expectations for delivery.

Ofwat also sets specific performance targets for water companies. Ofwat is expanding these performance commitments for Price Review 24 to include an ambitious storm spill reduction target. If achieved, this would see average spills per storm overflow reducing by 45% by 2029 compared to 2021 levels across the industry.

Where required outcomes are not met, companies must reimburse customers, thereby holding water companies to account to deliver the investment.

Beyond storm overflows, £6 billion will be invested to reduce harmful nutrients, including phosphorous, by 28% over 2025-30, through upgrading treatment works and promoting sustainable farming.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
2nd Dec 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the proportion of food grown in the UK which is never eaten; and what steps they are taking significantly to reduce this figure with a particular emphasis on full contracts.

We acknowledge that more can be done to reduce food waste in the primary production stage.

Conversations with industry have suggested that a potentially significant cause of food waste on farm are unfair business practices at the point of first sale, where the specification requirements can lead to produce being left unharvested or rotting in the field.

We have taken powers to clamp down on these kinds of unfair contractual practices through the ‘fair dealings’ powers contained in the Agriculture Act 2020 and intend to work with stakeholders to explore how these powers could be exercised to address such concerns.

Total UK food waste arisings are 10.7 million tonnes with approximately 1.6 million tonnes (15%) occurring on farm.

The amount of food we waste is a stain on our country. This Government will work with business to drive down food waste and make sure food is put on the plates of those in greatest need.

We continue to support WRAP and their work to drive down food surplus and waste in homes and businesses. This includes work to ensure surplus food is redistributed to charities and other organisations who can use it and on programmes to help citizens reduce their food waste.

We thank food producers, charities and retailers in the sector for tackling the problem of food waste.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
28th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to respond to the fairer food labelling consultation, which closed on 7 May, and what plans, if any, they have to implement the proposals therein to improve transparency in method-of-production welfare labelling for pork, chicken, and eggs.

A public consultation on fairer food labelling was undertaken between March and May 2024 by the previous government. This sought views on proposals to improve and extend current mandatory method of production labelling. We are now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps and will publish a response to this consultation in due course.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
22nd Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to introduce legislation to ban the import of hunting trophies.

The government committed in its manifesto to banning the import of hunting trophies.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
22nd Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish the results of the consultation on the fur market in Great Britain, which closed on 28 June 2021.

Ministers are reviewing policies, which will be announced in due course, including the consultation on the Fur Market in Great Britain. Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee on what constitutes responsible sourcing of fur. The report that they produce will support our understanding of the fur industry and help inform our next steps.

We have some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world and this Labour Government will introduce the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
22nd Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to banning the use of pig farrowing crates, and whether they will hold a public consultation on such a ban.

We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards.

The use of farrowing crates for pigs is an issue we will want to fully consider in due course.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
7th Jul 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, in considering options for future welfare reform, what steps they are taking to ensure that their policies on welfare, employment support and health services are aligned.

At the heart of our reforms is the principle that those who can work should work. If you need help into work the government should support you and those who can’t work should be supported to live with dignity.

The Pathways to Work Green Paper set out reforms to both benefits and employment support. Underpinning the changes to benefits, such as rebalancing Universal Credit rates, is our new guarantee of Pathways to Work employment, health and skills support for disabled people and those with health conditions. This brings our total investment for this group to £3.8 billion over this Parliament.

We understand that welfare, employment and health are connected – and that is why we are taking a cross-government approach as we deliver and develop our Plan for Change.

The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department of Health and Social Care have worked together on the 10 Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Health Plan will ensure a better health service for everyone, by setting out the vision for what good joined-up care looks like for people with a combination of health and care needs, including for disabled people. Furthermore, it outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work.

We will continue to work closely with the Department of Health and Social Care, alongside other departments, as we develop our package of reforms in further detail and to ensure policies are aligned.

Baroness Sherlock
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
10th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to require a mandatory women's heath rotation in GP training, to improve awareness and management of women's health conditions including polycystic ovary syndrome.

General practitioners (GPs) are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge, including on polycystic ovary syndrome, remains up-to-date and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. This activity should include taking account of new research and developments in guidance, such as that produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, to ensure that they can continue to provide high quality care to all patients.

All United Kingdom-registered doctors are expected to meet the professional standards set out in the General Medical Council’s (GMC) Good Medical Practice. The training curriculum for postgraduate trainee doctors is set by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and must meet the standards set by the GMC. Women's health, including the topic of polycystic ovary syndrome, is included in the RCGP curriculum for trainee GPs. This also includes gynaecology, menopause, sexual health, and breast health.

The Government has committed to training thousands more GPs. GP training takes place across a variety of settings, which may include a rotation in women’s health. The arrangements of training rotations are a local matter for the organisers of postgraduate education to enable delivery of the RCGP curriculum.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
8th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of research showing that the rate of suicides among male prisoners is higher than that in the male general population, and what steps they are taking to reduce the rate of suicide of male prisoners.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Wes Streeting MP) and the Lord Chancellor (David Lammy MP) have jointly commissioned the Chief Medical Officer to produce a report into the health and health care for those in prisons and on probation. The report, which will include a chapter on custodial prison mental health services, the impact of imprisonment on mental wellbeing and the increased risk of suicide, is due to be published later this year. We will consider the recommendations and what further action may be needed.

We are committed to delivering the Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, which aims to reduce suicide rates and address the risk factors contributing to suicide. The Strategy highlights the need to provide tailored, targeted support to priority groups, including those at higher risk such as people in contact with the justice system.

NHS England strives to learn from preventable deaths in prisons through the NHS England Health and Justice Delivery Oversight Group, a senior leadership forum which holds responsibility for the oversight of delivery and continuous improvement in health and justice commissioned services. All health and justice-related Prevention of Future Deaths reports are shared and discussed at the Oversight Group and assurance is sought from regions where learning and action is identified. All reports received are also discussed by the Regulation 28 Working Group, comprising Regional Medical Directors and other clinical and quality colleagues from across the regions. This ensures key learning and insight around preventable deaths are shared across the National Health Service at both a national and regional level. This helps NHS England pay close attention to any emerging trends that may require further review and action.

This learning has led to the creation of the Assessment, Care in Custody and Case Management Training workstream where commissioners work with prison healthcare provider organisations and His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service. This ensures all staff have timely access to all joint training necessary for them to undertake their role effectively within the prison environment. Additionally, the Mental Health Triggers workstream, engages providers to ensure prisoners are asked about any significant/trigger dates at the initial healthcare screen when they arrive at prison and again at their seven-day health check.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
24th Jul 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish a workforce research plan focused on the improvement of clinical research delivery in the National Health Service.

The Department is working with key stakeholders and devolved administrations to develop a UK Research Workforce Strategy to be published in the Autumn 2025. This strategy outlines a vision for embedding research and innovation in routine practice within the National Health Service, primary care, social care, and the public health system over the next 10 years. The strategy aims to build and sustain a strong research environment across all health and social care settings. This will be achieved through a diverse workforce, highly skilled in research and innovation, capable of producing and delivering high-quality research. Following the publication of the United Kingdom-wide strategy, nation-specific implementation plans will be developed. Work has started to develop the implementation plan for England, which will be underpinned by appropriate metrics and allocated to delivery partners.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
24th Jul 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reduce set-up times for delivery of clinical trials in England and Wales.

The Government is committed to cutting the current time it takes to get a clinical trial set up to 150 days by March 2026. England and Wales are streamlining the set-up and delivery of clinical research through a four nation UK Clinical Research Delivery (UKCRD) programme.

The UKCRD programme brings together delivery partners and key stakeholders from across the clinical research sector to achieve the common aim of making the United Kingdom a world leader in clinical trials.

The UKCRD programme has implemented a Study Set-Up Plan, led by the Department on behalf of all four nations. The second and final phase Study Set-Up Plan delivered through the UKCRD was completed in June 2025.

The plan aims to rapidly address the delays affecting clinical research set-up through reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, by standardising commercial contracts, and by removing duplicative steps at sites to create a standardised pathway for pharmacy set-up, to free up workforce capacity.

The Study Set-Up Plan will be supported by a wider suite of complementary activities and designed to support longer-term developments to streamline and reform clinical trials.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
24th Jul 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in streamlining and integrating the clinical trials environment in England and Wales to reduce siloisation.

The Government is committed to cutting the current time it takes to get a clinical trial set up to 150 days by March 2026. England and Wales are streamlining the set-up and delivery of clinical research through a four nation UK Clinical Research Delivery (UKCRD) programme.

The UKCRD programme brings together delivery partners and key stakeholders from across the clinical research sector to achieve the common aim of making the United Kingdom a world leader in clinical trials.

The UKCRD programme has implemented a Study Set-Up Plan, led by the Department on behalf of all four nations. The second and final phase Study Set-Up Plan delivered through the UKCRD was completed in June 2025.

The plan aims to rapidly address the delays affecting clinical research set-up through reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, by standardising commercial contracts, and by removing duplicative steps at sites to create a standardised pathway for pharmacy set-up, to free up workforce capacity.

The Study Set-Up Plan will be supported by a wider suite of complementary activities and designed to support longer-term developments to streamline and reform clinical trials.

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