Asked by: Ben Goldsborough (Labour - South Norfolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has considered the potential merits of legislating to ensure that the (a) historic and (b) cultural value of heritage metal is considered in prosecutions for metal theft.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government recognises the distress and disruption that heritage theft can cause to local communities.
That is why the sentencing guidelines on theft were amended in 2016 to highlight that where theft is of heritage assets or causes disruption to infrastructure, this should be taken into account when assessing the level of harm caused.
Asked by: Ben Goldsborough (Labour - South Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, What steps his Department is taking to support businesses to create well-paid jobs.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Through our modern industrial strategy, we’re backing businesses to create well-paid jobs across the UK. We’re investing in skills through apprenticeships, technical colleges and regional training programmes to help every area grow. Our global partnerships are delivering real results - the recent US State Visit will create over 15,000 jobs, our renewed India partnership nearly 7,000 and the Regional Investment Summit has unlocked £10 billion and 1,000 new jobs driving prosperity nationwide.
Asked by: Ben Goldsborough (Labour - South Norfolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of making training on the theft of heritage metal a mandatory requirement for acquiring a scrap metal dealer licence.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government recognises the distress and disruption that heritage theft can cause to local communities.
The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 was introduced to reduce metal theft by strengthening regulation of the scrap metal industry. The Act requires scrap metal dealers to obtain a licence from their local authority and to verify the identity of those selling the scrap metal.
We do not currently plan to introduce a mandatory requirement for training. However, our supplementary guidance makes clear that scrap metal dealers must understand the legal obligations of holding a scrap metal dealer’s licence, and may wish to undertake training to ensure they understand the requirements they must comply with under the Act. The licensing authority may take training into account when considering whether an applicant is a suitable person to hold a licence.
More broadly, we have supported the work of Historic England which leads on a number of initiatives to tackle heritage crime, particularly theft of metal from church roofs and other buildings primarily in rural locations. Historic England also works with the National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership to provide training to scrap metal dealers on how to identify heritage metal which may have potentially been stolen, and provides guidance to assist in the identification of specialist metals.
Asked by: Ben Goldsborough (Labour - South Norfolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has considered the potential merits of legislating to ensure that all crimes committed (a) on and (b) against a designated heritage site are provided with a single heritage crime recording code.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Legislation is not required to introduce a specific crime recording code within the Home Office Counting Rules for police recorded crime.
At present, one offence relating to designated heritage sites damage to certain ancient monuments under Section 28 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 is recorded within the broader category of criminal damage.
There are no plans to introduce a separate recording code to disaggregate ‘heritage crime’ from the broader range of offences which may be committed at designated heritage sites in addition to damage, including crimes such as theft. This is because, in introducing new categories, consideration needs to be given to the insight such additional data will yield when compared to the additional administrative burden it will place on police forces. Unless such incidents are investigated by specialist heritage crime officers, it is unlikely that most investigating officers will know whether a damaged site is a scheduled heritage site or be aware of the need to record such incidents under such specific codes.
Asked by: Ben Goldsborough (Labour - South Norfolk)
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 plans to produce a National Bluetongue Strategy.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Disease control is a devolved matter. Defra works closely with the Devolved Governments to provide, where possible, a consistent and coordinated response across the UK.
The disease control measures we deploy for incidents of bluetongue in Great Britain are set out in the ‘GB Bluetongue Virus Disease Control Strategy’.
Defra’s bluetongue disease control measures aim to limit the spread of BTV infection through proportionate and evidence-based control measures, whilst balancing the burdens of controls against the benefits of slowing the spread of bluetongue and minimising the cost of any outbreak both to Government and farmers. Our control framework, which was developed with a wide range of sector representatives, recognises that BTV control via movement restrictions was not a long-term solution, noting keepers and businesses can be affected not only by the impacts of disease on animals, but by disease control measures as well.
Asked by: Ben Goldsborough (Labour - South Norfolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the Hong Kong BNO immigration pathway on diplomatic relations with (a) China, (b) NATO allies and (c) Ukraine.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 22 September to Question 76322.
Asked by: Ben Goldsborough (Labour - South Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff working days have been lost to sick leave in the Child Maintenance Service in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information is not available for the whole period requested. The data is only available from October 2023. This is due to changes in departmental reporting hierarchies.
Asked by: Ben Goldsborough (Labour - South Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average length of time was that staff had been employed in the Child Maintenance Service in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested for the average length of time in service is not held at Child Maintenance Service level. It is only available at Department for Work and Pension level.
Asked by: Ben Goldsborough (Labour - South Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to estimate the amount of illegal meat that enters Great Britain.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Animal and Plant Health Agency has a project aiming to improve estimates of illegal meat imports. Defra is considering the recommendations in the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s report on meat smuggling.
Asked by: Ben Goldsborough (Labour - South Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to increase the uptake of bluetongue vaccinations.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In response to emerging disease, Defra’s Secretary of State permitted the use of 3 bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) vaccines within the United Kingdom in September 2024, subject to licence. By working closely with manufacturers, Defra has ensured that safe and effective vaccine is available for use in the UK and helped overcome supply challenges.
Animal keepers are strongly encouraged to discuss vaccination with their vet to determine if it is right for their animals. Defra works closely with stakeholders to explore options and to develop recommendations for livestock vaccination as a preventative measure against BTV-3 in the UK. Defra also supports nationwide information and awareness campaigns such as the industry-led Battle Bluetongue campaign launched in 2025.