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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the current period of prolonged frost and frozen ground on the ability of woodcock to feed; and whether she intends to exercise existing powers to introduce a temporary suspension of woodcock shooting during this period.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Managed by JNCC, the Severe Weather Scheme is designed to help with the conservation of birds listed at Schedule 2 Part 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, including woodcock, by reducing disturbance during periods of prolonged cold weather through voluntary restraint and then statutory suspension of shooting.

The threshold for the minimum number of days of freezing weather which would trigger voluntary restraint in England has not been met this winter. However, JNCC remains in regular discussion with Defra, the British Association of Shooting and Conservation, and environmental organisations on the impact to birds of the current and forecast cold weather.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Prime Minister shared with the Planning Casework Unit a written record of his discussions on 23 August 2024 and 18 December 2024 with the President of the People's Republic of China on the proposed new Chinese Embassy.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As has been the case under successive administrations, government does not normally disclose details of internal discussions.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Guidance on planning propriety: planning casework decisions, published on 16 December 2021, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the Government's compliance with that guidance in the context of discussions between the Prime Minister the Chinese President in (a) August and (b) December 2024.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

In dealing with any application, Ministers and officials will act in accordance with published propriety guidance on planning casework decisions. More information can be found on gov.uk here.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the report on the Southport attack by the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a new offence of planning a mass casualty attack.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Government accepts and strongly supports the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation’s (IRTL) recommendation to consider creating a new offence to capture individuals intending to kill multiple people and planning for such attacks. As recognised by the IRTL, this is a complex area of law and will require working through difficult legal and ethical issues to avoid unintended consequences. We are considering carefully the best way to close the gap in the legislation.

Found: Members present: Chris Bloore; Sorcha Eastwood; Claire Hanna; Simon Hoare; Adam Jogee; Mike Kane; Alicia Kearns

Found: Members present: Tonia Antoniazzi (Chair); Chris Bloore; Sorcha Eastwood; Claire Hanna; Mike Kane; Alicia Kearns

Found: Alicia Kearns, the shadow national security minister, claimed that granting approval would hand China