Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the impact of levels of Local Housing Allowance on the ability of Universal Credit claimants to secure housing in North Northumberland.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) determines the maximum financial support available for renters receiving housing support in the private rented sector. LHA rates are not intended to meet all rents in all areas.

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions reviewed LHA at the 2025 Autumn Budget and announced that rates would be maintained at their current levels for 2026/27. A range of factors, such as rent levels across the country were considered against the fiscal context and the level of housing support that Government provides overall.

Renters receiving housing support who face a shortfall in meeting their rent costs can apply for a Crisis and Resilience Fund Housing Payment from local authorities in England.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of housing and welfare conditions for dogs kept at MBR Acres, including the effectiveness of heat mitigation measures during periods of high temperature; and how many inspections of the establishment have been undertaken by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit in the last three years.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 sets a rigorous and robust framework for protecting the welfare of animals used in science, including dogs. The framework establishes minimum standards for the care and accommodation of animals, including environmental conditions and arrangements to safeguard animal welfare. The delivery of this framework is the responsibility of the Regulator, who has conducted three audits of MBR Acres in the last three years.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support is being given to schools to enable them to enforce phone bans.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government has published strengthened statutory guidance on mobile phones in schools, available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mobile-phones-in-schools/mobile-phones-in-schools.

This guidance states that all schools should be mobile phone-free environments by default, with no access during lessons, between lessons, at breaktimes or at lunchtime.

To support implementation, the department has published case studies alongside the guidance which demonstrate a range of effective approaches and best practice. We have also published resources to help schools communicate their mobile phone policy to parents and pupils.

The government has committed to review the guidance and make any necessary revisions by September 2027.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria is used by the Home Office when considering whether to review, vary, suspend or revoke an establishment licence under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986; and whether concerns raised regarding MBR Acres have been assessed against that criteria.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA), the Home Office may review an establishment licence where information raises concerns about compliance or animal welfare. In deciding whether to vary, suspend or revoke a licence, it considers the available evidence, the nature and seriousness of any breach, its actual or potential impact on animal welfare, the licence holder’s compliance history and whether the proposed action is necessary and proportionate. A licence may be suspended urgently where this is necessary to safeguard animal welfare. Decisions are taken case by case in accordance with ASPA and the published Animals in Science Regulation Unit compliance framework.

Concerns raised about MBR Acres have been assessed through these established regulatory processes. Published inspection reports found no evidence of non-compliance with the requirements of ASPA, associated licence conditions, or the statutory Code of Practice for the Housing and Care of Animals Bred, Supplied or Used for Scientific Purposes. The Regulator also carried out an announced audit on 10 July 2026, following a period of high temperatures in Great Britain. No immediate animal welfare concerns were identified by inspectors on the day of the visit.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure rigorous application of section 5(5)(b) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 during the assessment of project licence applications involving the use of dogs; and what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of current procedures in ensuring that protected animals are not used where a scientifically satisfactory non-animal alternative is available.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government has interpreted the question as referring to section 5B(3) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, as the Act does not contain a section 5(5)(b).

Before granting a project licence, the Home Office must evaluate the proposed programme of work. This includes assessing whether the applicant has demonstrated that the purpose of the work cannot be achieved by a scientifically satisfactory method or testing strategy that does not involve protected animals. Where such an alternative is available, the use of animals cannot be authorised.

Qualified Home Office inspectors scrutinise the evidence provided by applicants, including the scientific justification for the work, compliance with the principles of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement, and the proposed use of any specially protected species. As with all species, dogs may be used only where their use is specifically justified and the relevant statutory criteria are met. A licence cannot be granted unless the expected benefits of the programme are judged to justify the likely harms to the animals.

These statutory requirements and the independent scrutiny applied during licence assessment provide safeguards against the use of protected animals where a scientifically satisfactory non-animal alternative is available. The Home Office has also commissioned the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research to review the project licence application process, including how information on the 3Rs is provided and assessed. Its recommendations are expected later this year and will inform consideration of any further improvements to the process.

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