Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the costs associated with legal processes required to access Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs for disabled young people.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Disability refers to a range of conditions, many of which do not prevent holders of Child Trust Funds and JISAs accessing them in the usual way. Where parents and carers need to engage with provisions under the Mental Capacity Act to manage the finances of a child, the Ministry of Justice has provided a guide, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-how-to-guide-to-help-families-access-trust-funds-of-disabled-young-adults
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to enable disabled young people to access funds held in Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs when they turn 18.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Disability refers to a range of conditions, many of which do not prevent holders of Child Trust Funds and JISAs accessing them in the usual way. Where parents and carers need to engage with provisions under the Mental Capacity Act to manage the finances of a child, the Ministry of Justice has provided a guide, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-how-to-guide-to-help-families-access-trust-funds-of-disabled-young-adults
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to simplify the process for families seeking access to Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs for disabled young people.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Disability refers to a range of conditions, many of which do not prevent holders of Child Trust Funds and JISAs accessing them in the usual way. Where parents and carers need to engage with provisions under the Mental Capacity Act to manage the finances of a child, the Ministry of Justice has provided a guide, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-how-to-guide-to-help-families-access-trust-funds-of-disabled-young-adults
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
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 ensure long-term resilience in fertiliser supply chains.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK Government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive have launched a joint consultation and call for evidence on proposals to modernise UK fertilisers legislation. The consultation and call for evidence set out plans to help support innovation in the fertiliser sector, diversify supply, and strengthen the UK’s resilience to global market shocks. Current fertiliser regulations are widely seen as outdated and could do more to support fertiliser supply resilience and protect the environment, as well as being more agile to enable new products to enter the market.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
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 fertiliser price increases on food prices.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are aware that increased input costs from fertiliser and energy have the potential to increase food prices in the medium to long term. Given this concern, we are closely monitoring the impacts of the conflict on food businesses and working with stakeholders to understand the implications for consumer prices.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what contingency plans her Department has in place to secure fertiliser supply in the event of disruption to global trade routes.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The United Kingdom is not heavily dependent on direct nitrogen fertiliser imports from the Middle East, but like other countries we are exposed to global benchmark prices and international competition. Recent market volatility has seen an increase in fertiliser prices, reflecting global conditions rather than any immediate supply disruption to the UK.
We will continue to monitor emerging evidence on UK supply and demand for ammonia and other fertilisers to understand potential pressures and options to mitigate any risks.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
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 support farmers in West Dorset constituency with fertiliser costs.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The current situation and impacts on farmers in particular, and industry more widely, of current rising fertiliser prices are being monitored closely. Defra will continue to engage with industry and farmers to understand potential pressures and options to mitigate any risks.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
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 disruption in the Strait of Hormuz on fertiliser supply.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The fertiliser market is a global market, and while there is no immediate risk to UK supply, the market price in the UK is strongly influenced by international prices for fertiliser and by the value of the pound.
The Government is aware of the current price increase for fertiliser that has occurred because of the conflict in the Gulf. Defra is in close contact with domestic fertiliser suppliers and is monitoring overall supply to the UK.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs for young people who lack mental capacity.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Where a young adult lacks mental capacity, the law requires parents or guardians to have legal authority to make decisions on their behalf about their financial assets or property. This longstanding safeguard helps protect vulnerable people from potential financial abuse, and applies to funds held in a Child Trust Fund or Junior ISA.
On 9 June 2023, the Ministry of Justice published the “Making Financial Decisions For Young People: Parent and Carer Toolkit”. This explains how parents and guardians of disabled children who lack capacity can obtain legal authority where none is in place, including applying to the Court of Protection to access funds in a Child Trust Fund or Junior ISA. The toolkit is available on GOV.UK, along with guidance on completing the necessary court forms: How to apply to make property and finance decisions on someone’s behalf (including Child Trust Funds) - GOV.UK
We understand that concerns remain. The Ministry of Justice continues to engage with key stakeholders to better understand the challenges and identify potential improvements in a way that balances access with safeguards.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps his Department is taking to reduce sewage discharges affecting chalk streams such as the River Wriggle.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Over £10 billion will be invested to improve about 2,500 storm overflows in England by 2030, with upgrades prioritised at high priority sites including chalk streams.
In 2024 and 2025, the Environment Agency carried out compliance inspections at three of the four Wessex Water sites in the River Wriggle catchment area. One non-compliance was identified and a warning was issued. For 2025/26, attendance to lower category water industry related incidents was increased. Inspections will continue to be prioritised where spill data suggests frequent or prolonged discharges, or where other intelligence suggests risk of environmental harm.