Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of publishing the (a) data security systems and (b) policies used by (i) ISO Certification and (ii) other public services.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and its associated certifications are not owned by the UK Government. We therefore cannot comment on the policies and data security systems they recommend.
All cross government security and data policies are published on gov.uk and security.gov.uk . Each government organisation will have its own local policies on how to protect data and systems for realising this goal. This is not information held centrally by DSIT.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report by the National Audit Office entitled Resilience to Animal Diseases, published on 4 June 2025, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the existing (a) contingency plans and (b) preparedness for a bluetongue virus outbreak.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has published the Contingency plan for exotic notifiable diseases of animals in England which provides an overarching framework for response to all exotic disease and defines the roles, responsibilities, and command structures employed. The Plan is updated annually; the 2025 version is undergoing extensive due diligence before it is laid with parliament this autumn.
Defra’s published Bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) Control Framework for England sets out our approach to disease control, aiming to limit the spread of BTV infection through proportionate and evidence-based control measures. The Framework aims to balance the burdens of controls against the benefits of eradication of bluetongue, whilst minimising the cost of any outbreak both to government and farmers. Defra will keep the approach to bluetongue control under review in 2025 and is grateful for the continued engagement of Devolved Governments and industry stakeholders.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Common Market Organisation Regulation for sugar in ensuring British Sugar negotiates sugar beet contracts with the grower’s mandated representative NFU Sugar.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of sugar beet farmers who are vital to UK sugar production. Also, that sugar beet itself, used in crop rotations, is beneficial to soil and crop health and allows arable farms a season of “rest” from cereal production.
We are committed to promoting fairness across the food supply chain. That includes seeing a price agreed for sugar beet that benefits both growers and processors, in the context of the global market. There is a well-established process in place to agree the sugar beet price; designed to be independent between both parties. An Inter Professional Agreement is agreed each year between both parties and sets out the process for negotiating and agreeing price, terms and conditions for the upcoming crop year, as well as any dispute resolution process.
This process has been effective over many years, and we are committed to this process.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure that British Sugar agrees the (a) price and (b) terms of future sugar beet contracts with NFU Sugar as per the terms of the Common Market Organisation Regulation.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of sugar beet farmers who are vital to UK sugar production. Also, that sugar beet itself, used in crop rotations, is beneficial to soil and crop health and allows arable farms a season of “rest” from cereal production.
We are committed to promoting fairness across the food supply chain. That includes seeing a price agreed for sugar beet that benefits both growers and processors, in the context of the global market. There is a well-established process in place to agree the sugar beet price; designed to be independent between both parties. An Inter Professional Agreement is agreed each year between both parties and sets out the process for negotiating and agreeing price, terms and conditions for the upcoming crop year, as well as any dispute resolution process.
This process has been effective over many years, and we are committed to this process.