Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has considered introducing a cap on veterinary prescription fees.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have been conducting a full market investigation into the supply of veterinary services for household pets in the UK since 23 May 2024. On 15 October 2025, the CMA released its Provisional Decision Report (PDR). The remedies raised in this report are subject to the CMAs final report which is due to be release in the Spring. One of the remedies being considered is a cap on the price of written veterinary prescriptions.
Defra welcomes the CMA’s market investigation into the veterinary sector and looks forward to continuing to engage with the CMA throughout this process. Defra will consider any remedies from the CMAs final report.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what comparative estimate her Department has made of the cost of (a) veterinary medicines and (b) equivalent human medicines.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Veterinary medicine is a private service, including the prescription and supply of veterinary medicines. The Government does not regulate the cost of medicines and pricing structures are not subject to legislative controls. The costs of veterinary medicines are controlled by market forces.
The Government is not informed of the prices of individual products and has not estimated the comparative costs of veterinary medicines and human medicines.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2026 to Question 107126 on Road Signs and Markings, if she will make that assessment.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department has no plans to make such assessment.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of withdrawing funding for Level 7 apprenticeships for most learners aged 22 and over who are unable to self-fund postgraduate study on social mobility.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57823.