Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the NHS capital estate, and according to what timeframe.

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

The Government is committed to delivering a National Health Service fit through the future through our 10-Year Health Plan. The first step in the process was Lord Darzi’s independent review of the NHS in England, which highlighted the undercapitalisation across the NHS. We are committed to reversing this trend and are due to publish an updated Capital Strategy in Autumn 2025.

The updated strategy will include clear funding assumptions for the NHS estate, accounting for the Government’s 10-Year National Infrastructure Strategy and the outcome of the 10-Year Health Plan.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve and update the regulation of fertility services.

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

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 provides the legislative framework for regulating fertility treatments, and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is the United Kingdom’s independent regulator of fertility treatments.

The HFEA published Modernising Fertility Law in November 2023, which outlines 15 recommendations under four key themes to reform the current fertility legislative framework. Additional analysis has been requested from the HFEA and will inform the Government’s position on how we might move forwards to improve the regulatory regime. Any law reform will need to be considered within the context of the Government’s broader legislative programme.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan for fixed recoverable costs for claimant legal costs in dental clinical negligence claims to come into effect.

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

Currently, the Government is considering the way forward on a wide range of matters, including clinical negligence costs reform, and we will announce our position in due course.