Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether mandatory testing of seized illegal meat imports includes testing for infectious agents such as foot-and-mouth disease, African swine fever, and antimicrobial resistance genes.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra does not test seized illegal meat imports for infectious agents. Border Force and local authorities seize illegal meat imports, which must be safely disposed of in accordance with animal by-products rules.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how his Department calculated the cost of additional spending on medicines over the spending review period.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In relation to the recently announced plans to increase the standard cost-effectiveness threshold used by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), costs will start smaller but will increase over time as NICE approves more life improving and life-saving medicines. Total costs over the Spending Review period are expected to be approximately £1 billion. The final costs will depend on which medicines NICE recommends and the actual uptake of these.
We have no plans to publish an impact assessment or details of the modelling which led to this estimated figure. This deal is a vital investment that builds on the strength of our National Health Service and world leading life sciences without taking essential funding from our frontline NHS services.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with the US ambassador on the potential summoning of Jonathan Benger.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Ministers, officials and executives from a wide range of UK departments and agencies are in regular dialogue with US interlocutors on an equally wide range of issues. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not hold records of all such discussions.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department instructed Jonathan Benger to meet with the United States Ambassador.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Ministers, officials and executives from a wide range of UK departments and agencies are in regular dialogue with US interlocutors on an equally wide range of issues. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not hold records of all such discussions.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will have discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on adding chalk streams to the list of irreplaceable habitats in the National Planning Policy Framework.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Chalk streams are a large source of national pride. As one of Britain’s most nature-rich habitats, they support some of our rarest wildlife.
During the passage of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill last year, the Government committed to consulting on National Planning Policy Framework to give explicit recognition to chalk streams in the new suite of planning policies for decision making and seek to ensure that chalk streams are explicitly recognised as features of high environmental value. Also, Local Nature Recovery Strategies statutory guidance will be amended to encourage chalk streams to feature prominently.
The Government has has also set out clearer expectations for development proposals to assess and mitigate adverse impacts to water quality on these sensitive waterbodies.
The consultation on changes to the NPPF is available here: National Planning Policy Framework: proposed reforms and other changes to the planning system - GOV.UK and will remain open for responses until 10th March 2026.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to develop a national infection strategy.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government already has evidence-based policies in place to embed system-wide infection prevention and control measures to mitigate the impact of infection.
For example, the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual (NIPCM) for England provides guidance on infection control for National Health Service healthcare staff of all disciplines in all care settings. The NIPCM, last updated in July 2025, is a live document that is updated in line with new evidence and lessons learned.
More broadly, the UK 5-year action plan for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) 2024 to 2029 contains targets and commitments to address rises in both infection and in antimicrobial prescribing that could arise as a consequence of infection. Further information on the UK 5-year action plan for AMR is available at the following link:
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she is taking to support the sovereignty of NATO allies.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is steadfast in its commitment to NATO. For over 75 years, NATO has kept us safe, prosperous and united.
Last week, the Foreign Secretary visited the Arctic Circle, where she emphasised that Arctic security is a critical transatlantic partnership issue for the security of the UK and NATO, and that we will tackle this emerging threat as an alliance.
We are committed to upholding the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the inviolability of borders.
Europeans continue to take greater responsibility for their own security, including through historic increases in defence spending.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent progress her Department has made on introducing an artificial intelligence bill; what timetable has been set for its publication; and what interim regulatory steps are being taken to help tackle risks relating to artificial intelligence.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government does not speculate on legislation ahead of future parliamentary sessions.
A range of existing rules already apply to Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, such as data protection, competition, equality legislation and other forms of sectoral regulation.
AI is a general-purpose technology with a wide range of applications, which is why the UK believes that the vast majority of AI systems should be regulated at the point of use. In response to the AI Action Plan, the Government committed to work with regulators to boost their capabilities.
This is complemented by the work of the AI Security Institute which has deepened our understanding of the critical security risks posed by frontier.
However, the government will not hesitate to act where evidence suggests that further action is necessary.
On 3 December 2025, the DSIT Secretary of State confirmed in Parliament that the government is exploring how emerging services, such as AI chatbots, interact with the Online Safety Act and what further measures may be required. Further to this, we are signing the commencement order to urgently bring powers to criminalise the creation of intimate images without consent into force.
We will also legislate to criminalise nudification apps. This new criminal offence will make it illegal for companies to supply tools specifically designed to create non-consensual intimate images.
The government remains committed to ensuring the UK is prepared for the changes AI will bring.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to prevent software companies from releasing artificial intelligence tools that enable the creation of sexually explicit images, in particular of women and children.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Under the Online Safety Act, sharing, or threatening to share, a deepfake intimate image without consent is a criminal offence. The government will also urgently bring into force a new offence which criminalises the creation of intimate images without consent.
We will also legislate to criminalise nudification apps. This new criminal offence will make it illegal for companies to supply tools specifically designed to create non-consensual intimate images.
Ofcom is the enforcement regulator for the Online Safety Act and it has confirmed it is opening a formal investigation into X due to concerns over non consensual intimate images.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what fines, sanctions or enforcement measures her Department is applying to technology companies that make available artificial intelligence tools capable of generating sexually explicit images, in particular of women and children.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Under the Online Safety Act, sharing, or threatening to share, a deepfake intimate image without consent is a criminal offence. The government will also urgently bring into force a new offence which criminalises the creation of intimate images without consent.
We will also legislate to criminalise nudification apps. This new criminal offence will make it illegal for companies to supply tools specifically designed to create non-consensual intimate images.
Ofcom is the enforcement regulator for the Online Safety Act and it has confirmed it is opening a formal investigation into X due to concerns over non consensual intimate images.