Baroness Redfern

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.

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.

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

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.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments, and to recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to National Health Service dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists. There are no perfect payment models and careful consideration needs to be given to any potential changes to the complex dental system, so that we deliver genuine improvements for patients and the profession.

We are continuing to work with the British Dental Association and other representatives of the dental sector to deliver our shared ambition to improve access to treatments for NHS dental patients.

Food labelling legislation means that food, including sauces and condiments, needs to include back of pack nutritional information, which includes total sugar content.

In addition, Front of Pack Nutrition Labelling is intended to support healthier choices by communicating complex nutritional information to consumers in a way that is easy and quick to understand. The United Kingdom was one of the first to introduce a national Front of Pack Nutrition Labelling system, and the voluntary Multiple Traffic Light scheme has been in place across the UK since 2013. It is widely used by consumers and some businesses.

In 2020, the Government and the devolved governments at the time held an evidence-gathering consultation on Front of Pack Nutrition Labelling. This considered whether improvements were needed to the UK’s Front of Pack Nutrition Labelling scheme and invited views on international examples of labelling, including the use of warning labels.

If changes to Front of Pack Nutrition Labelling are required in future, we will publish findings and consult again on the proposed policy changes.

We are working at pace to introduce a supervised toothbrushing scheme for three to five-year-olds, targeting the areas of highest need. We are currently reviewing the Dental Recovery Plan, including proposals to deliver fluoride varnish treatments to more than 165,000 children in under-served areas, and what elements of the plan can be taken forward effectively. Further information on the timing of implementation will follow the budget on 30 October 2024, as well as the ongoing Spending Review process.

We are increasing cyber resilience across the National Health Service. Over £338 million has been invested to date, and in March 2023 the Cyber security strategy for health and social care: 2023 to 2030 was published, outlining ambition in this area. The new Government are delivering the Cyber Improvement Programme, from 2022/23 to 2024/25, that addresses the changing cyber risk landscape, expands protection and services, and reduces the risk of a successful attack across the healthcare sector.

Health and care providers continue to demonstrate alignment to the cyber resilience standards through the Data Security Protection Toolkit submission, supported by the Cyber Improvement Programme.

Work continues to be delivered to meet the 2030 target, including a suite of work to develop and grow the cyber workforce in an evolving threat environment. The programme is looking to further strengthen existing national cyber security controls for health and care, which already includes continuous cyber monitoring through NHS England’s Cyber Security Operations Centre, national-scale defences from cyberattack, such as Secure Boundary, and nationally provided cyber incident response contracts in the event of a cyber incident.

The Government is committed to supporting local government and recognises the challenges it faces. To give councils the stability and certainty they need to plan for the long-term, and flexibility to spend their funding where it’s needed most, we will provide multi-year funding settlements and end wasteful competitive bidding. We will share further detail on our plans in due course.

The Government is committed to supporting local government and recognises the challenges it faces. To give councils the stability and certainty they need to plan for the long-term, and flexibility to spend their funding where it’s needed most, we will provide multi-year funding settlements and end wasteful competitive bidding. We will share further detail on our plans in due course.

Oasis Restore, the provider of the UK’s first secure school, has developed a comprehensive package of continuing support for children as they leave the school, and for their families. Its Family Strategy – a live document, which will be developed iteratively, with the voices of children and families – outlines how the school intends to support and engage families and carers.

Children returning to the community will be supported by the school and their Youth Offending Teams to ensure that key provisions, such as education and training, health provision, housing, and finance, are in place for release. Where appropriate, the school will use the temporary release scheme to prepare a child for return to the community.

When children transition to alternative youth detention accommodation, Oasis Restore will work closely with the receiving establishment to share information, for effective planning and support. Staff will support children and families with the transition, particularly to understand the new setting and what support is available.

Through Oasis Community Learning, the school will be able to access education and training opportunities, as well as housing and mentorship, for children returning to the community.