David Smith

Ministers have not had direct discussions with Ukrainian egg farmers or with Ukrainian counterparts on egg production standards. However, as set out in the UK’s Trade Strategy, the Government will not lower food standards and will uphold high animal welfare standards. All agri-food products must comply with our import requirements in order to be placed on the UK market.

Government officials regularly meet with Ukraine counterparts to discuss trade as part of the Political, Free Trade and Strategic Partnership Agreement.

Under our Free Trade Agreement with Ukraine, tariffs on all goods are temporarily removed until March 2029, except for poultry and eggs, where the liberalisation is due to end on 31 March 2026.

We consistently consider the views and impact on our domestic industry, and this is reflected in our approach to tariff liberalisation support for Ukraine. We will continue to take these views into account as part of our policy development process.

The UK government is committed to ensuring that no-one is left behind in the transition to Net Zero, supplying solutions that work for all buildings regardless of age or location.

Therefore, research was commissioned by the Department to develop a definition for housing stock for which the presence, and combination, of attributes and contextual factors can add complexity to improving energy efficiency and utilising low carbon heating solutions.

The government is currently carefully considering the findings of the research, which can be found at: (www.gov.uk/government/publications/defining-and-identifying-complex-to-decarbonise-homes.)

For tailored recommendations on home upgrades consumers should visit the government’s home retrofit tool on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) is currently reflected in the domestic Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating, which is based on energy costs. Electricity generated by PV is assigned a value and deducted from the property’s energy cost, improving the EPC Rating.

Government is reforming EPCs to better align them with our Clean Power and Net Zero objectives. Our December 2024 consultation proposed moving from one metric to four complementary metrics, together highlighting the main aspects of a home’s energy performance. Alongside retaining an energy cost metric, this includes a Smart Readiness metric that would reflect a home’s ability to generate electricity, such as from solar PV. A response to the consultation will be published in due course.

This government is investing £13.2 billion in the Warm Homes Plan to upgrade up to 5 million homes, including £500 million to be delivered from 2025-28 through the Warm Homes: Local Grant. The WH:LG provides energy performance measures to low-income homes with EPCs band D-G on or off the gas grid across England.

For most rural homes, decarbonising heat will involve installing a heat pump. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants offer £7,500 for heat pumps, and £5,000 for biomass boilers in specific rural cases.

For tailored recommendations on home upgrades consumers should visit the government’s home retrofit tool on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency

The £13.2 billion investment in the Warm Homes Plan includes funding for the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) and the Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) with more information at www.gov.uk/government/collections/find-energy-grants-for-you-home-help-to-heat. For example WH:LG allows private landlords to claim 100% grant fundings towards energy performance upgrades for one eligible privately rented home, with subsequent eligible homes in their portfolio requiring a 50% cost contribution.

Landlords can access support and guidance through the Gov.UK page ‘Find Ways to Save Energy in your Home’ (www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency), which provides users with tailored recommendations for home improvements to increase energy efficiency and clean heat.

The Government commissioned research to gather data on the costs of different approaches to decarbonising the most complex housing archetypes, including the use of alternative low-carbon heating solutions where appropriate.

The results of this research are expected to be received by the end of the year, and we aim to publish findings by Spring/Summer 2026. This research supports the Warm Homes Plan which will be published by the end of the year. We are working across government on a comprehensive plan which aims to upgrade up to five million homes by accelerating the installation of efficient new heat technologies.

In North Northumberland, there are four government funded Home Office masts that are due to be upgraded as part of the Shared Rural Network. The first of these upgrades at Herdlaw Farm should be activated in July and we will write to you with the details once the mast is delivering new coverage. The remaining masts in Mindrum, Bell Hill and The Ladyship Field will be activated no later than by the end of next year in line with the overall programme’s delivery timescales.

The Independent Review announced by the previous Government and conducted by Malcom Sheehan KC made a number of recommendations for the Gambling Commission and Financial Conduct Authority, both of which are independent of Government. All recommendations of the report have since been implemented.

As an MP representing a mining community and previous member of the Coalfields Communities APPG, I understand the concerns raised about the performance of the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation (CISWO). As a constituency MP I have spoken to both ex-miners and stakeholders about the practices of CISWO. I would strongly encourage CISWO to strengthen its engagement with the coalfield communities that it was established to support.

As the Minister for Civil Society, I have met with the Charity Commission to discuss CISWO’s support for coal mining communities, and I know that the Charity Commission is in contact with CISWO directly. CISWO is an independent charity that does not receive direct government funding. It is for the charity trustees to make decisions about how it should deliver its charitable purpose. If the trustees are acting within the law, fulfilling their duties and furthering their charitable purpose, the Charity Commission cannot become involved in the internal decision making of a charity.

As an MP representing a mining community and previous member of the Coalfields Communities APPG, I understand the concerns raised about the performance of the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation (CISWO). As a constituency MP I have spoken to both ex-miners and stakeholders about the practices of CISWO. I would strongly encourage CISWO to strengthen its engagement with the coalfield communities that it was established to support.

As the Minister for Civil Society, I have met with the Charity Commission to discuss CISWO’s support for coal mining communities, and I know that the Charity Commission is in contact with CISWO directly. CISWO is an independent charity that does not receive direct government funding. It is for the charity trustees to make decisions about how it should deliver its charitable purpose. If the trustees are acting within the law, fulfilling their duties and furthering their charitable purpose, the Charity Commission cannot become involved in the internal decision making of a charity.

The government is committed to offering every primary aged child a free breakfast club and is currently working with 750 early adopter schools to test how best to implement this policy ahead of national rollout. Transport will be considered as part of this.

Free breakfast clubs should be at least 30 minutes immediately before the start of the compulsory school day. Further information is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/breakfast-clubs-early-adopter-guidance-for-schools-and-trusts-in-england/breakfast-clubs-early-adopter-guidance-for-schools-and-trusts-in-england.

Local authorities’ statutory duty requires them to arrange free travel to enable an eligible child to travel to school for the beginning of the school day, and to return home at the end of the school day. While local authorities are not required to make travel arrangements to enable eligible children to attend breakfast clubs, we encourage them to work with schools to find solutions wherever possible.

School funding will increase by £4.2 billion over the Spending Review period, meaning core school funding will total £65.9 billion by 2028/29. This additional funding will provide an above real terms per pupil increase on the core schools budget.

The majority of school funding is allocated on a per pupil basis through the National Funding Formula (NFF) on a lagged funding system, where schools are funded on the basis of their pupil numbers in the previous October census. This arrangement helps to give schools more certainty over funding levels and is particularly important in giving individual schools time to adjust to demographic change before experiencing the funding impact.

Local authorities are also allocated funding through the NFF for growth and falling rolls, which they can use to support schools experiencing significant growth in pupil numbers, to support schools facing a temporary drop in pupil numbers, or to help meet the revenue costs of removing or repurposing surplus places.

​​This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty, which is why the department is taking action to expand access to free breakfasts and lunches in schools.

Free breakfast club places are already being offered in six early adopter schools in North Northumberland.

Furthermore, Department for Work and Pensions data shows that 3,690 children in North Northumberland will be eligible to receive free school meals when provision is extended to all household in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026. Overall, this measure will lift 100,000 children out of poverty.

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School buildings are integral to high and rising standards and need to be fit for the future.

The government has announced almost £20 billion of investment for the School Rebuilding Programme through to 2034/35, delivering rebuilding projects at over 500 schools across England within the existing programme, with a further 250 schools to be selected within the next two years. We plan to set out further details about the selection process later this year.

At the 2025/26 budget, the government increased capital investment to improve the condition of school buildings across England to £2.1 billion, almost £300 million more than 2024/25. More information on allocations and successful Condition Improvement Fund bids for 2025/26 can be found on GOV.UK.

£31 billion of capital funding for the education estate was announced at the Spending Review in June 2025 for the period the 2026/27 financial year to the 2029/30 financial year. As part of the 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy, the government also committed to increase annual capital maintenance investment per year through to 2034/35. Further details on funding commitments and any application processes for capital funding will be announced on GOV.UK in due course.

Berwick Academy is the body responsible for the school buildings and has not put forward a nomination for the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP). The department is aware that Northumberland County Council has plans to invest in Berwick Academy as part of a wider school reorganisation in the area but we are yet to receive a business case or further detail.

The government has given a long-term commitment for capital investment through to 2034/35 to improve the condition of schools and colleges across England. We are investing almost £3 billion per year by 2034/35 in capital maintenance and renewal of the school and college estate, rising from £2.4 billion in 2025/26.

This is in addition to investment of almost £20 billion in the SRP through to 2034/35, delivering rebuilding projects at over 500 schools across England within the existing programme, with a further 250 schools to be selected within the next two years.

The department plans to set out further details on the process for selecting additional schools for the rebuilding programme later this year.

The Rural Payments Agency RPA) are supporting Defra as they continue to develop the reformed Sustainable Farming Incentive. This includes fully considering deliverability and opportunities to simplify scheme administration.

The RPA administers a wide range of services, including applications for Grants and subsequent payments, applications for cattle documentation to support animal traceability requirements and applications for licences.

Performance is reported each year within the RPA Annual Report and Accounts within the Performance Overview section. This provides the most recent public information across all areas of the Agency’s delivery.

The table below shows the number of complaints received by the RPA over the last 5 years.

*Between 01/04 and 31/03 of each year.

The Government is taking several steps to incentivise the use of use or recyclable packaging by supermarkets and other producers.

Under the UK wide Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) scheme, which came into effect on 1 January 2025, producers are incentivised to reduce their material footprint and use easier to recycle packaging by being required to bear the end-of-life costs associated with packaging that they place on the market. The Scheme Administrator, PackUK, can modulate (increase or decrease) the household packaging waste disposal fees for each category of packaging a producer supplies. This will reflect the environmental sustainability of the packaging and provide an incentive to the producer to use more environmentally sustainable packaging.

Additionally, under Simpler Recycling, every household and workplace (such as businesses, schools, and hospitals) across England will be able to recycle the same materials in the following core groups: metal; glass; plastic: paper and card; food waste; garden waste (household only). This includes cartons (as part of the plastics recyclable waste stream). More consistent collections will help reduce contamination, improve material quality and boost recycling rates.

All diagnostic testing for bluetongue virus is conducted at the bluetongue national reference laboratory at The Pirbright Institute. Current testing capacity is sufficient to meet the demands for disease control and movement testing. Nevertheless, Pirbright has the provisions to expand its testing capacity, if required, to meet higher demand.

The Official Laboratory in Weybridge is also designated by Defra for the purpose of surveillance and post-movement tests for bluetongue if required which provides additional capacity.

The Pirbright Institute is the UK national reference laboratory and provides a commercial testing service five days a week. Results from submissions from private vets are reported within three working days from the time samples are received at the lab, as stated on Pirbright’s website.

All pre-movement tests for bluetongue virus performed at Pirbright are reported within three working days of receipt, with no prioritisation given to particular samples. Pirbright has the provisions to expand its testing capacity, if required, to meet higher demand.