Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing targeted (a) visa and (b) relocation support for American scientists seeking to work in the UK in the fields of (i) cancer and (ii) Alzheimer’s research.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Immigration White Paper and Modern Industrial Strategy emphasised the importance of enabling high-skilled international researchers to come to the UK with ease, and committed to improvements to key visa routes, including the Global Talent Visa.

The £54 million Global Talent Fund will attract around 60-80 leading researchers across Industrial Strategy sectors including Life Sciences to UK institutions. The Fund includes targeted visa and relocation cost support, and complements existing funding and talent schemes from UKRI, the National Academies and NIHR.

The new Global Talent Taskforce will promote UK strengths and opportunities to exceptional talent, including international Life Sciences talent.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has made an assessment of the potential economic impact of attracting American research scientists in (a) cancer and (b) Alzheimer's on UK research.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Immigration White Paper and Modern Industrial Strategy emphasised the importance of enabling high-skilled international researchers to come to the UK with ease, and committed to improvements to key visa routes, including the Global Talent Visa.

The £54 million Global Talent Fund will attract around 60-80 leading researchers across Industrial Strategy sectors including Life Sciences to UK institutions. The Fund includes targeted visa and relocation cost support, and complements existing funding and talent schemes from UKRI, the National Academies and NIHR.

The new Global Talent Taskforce will promote UK strengths and opportunities to exceptional talent, including international Life Sciences talent.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to provide funding support to support UK research institutions to recruit American scientists from US universities.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Immigration White Paper and Modern Industrial Strategy emphasised the importance of enabling high-skilled international researchers to come to the UK with ease, and committed to improvements to key visa routes, including the Global Talent Visa.

The £54 million Global Talent Fund will attract around 60-80 leading researchers across Industrial Strategy sectors including Life Sciences to UK institutions. The Fund includes targeted visa and relocation cost support, and complements existing funding and talent schemes from UKRI, the National Academies and NIHR.

The new Global Talent Taskforce will promote UK strengths and opportunities to exceptional talent, including international Life Sciences talent.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has held discussions with UK research bodies on opportunities to recruit American scientists impacted by US budget cuts.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Immigration White Paper and Modern Industrial Strategy emphasised the importance of enabling high-skilled international researchers to come to the UK with ease, and committed to improvements to key visa routes, including the Global Talent Visa.

The £54 million Global Talent Fund will attract around 60-80 leading researchers across Industrial Strategy sectors including Life Sciences to UK institutions. The Fund includes targeted visa and relocation cost support, and complements existing funding and talent schemes from UKRI, the National Academies and NIHR.

The new Global Talent Taskforce will promote UK strengths and opportunities to exceptional talent, including international Life Sciences talent.

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 attract US Alzheimer’s research scientists to UK institutions.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Immigration White Paper and Modern Industrial Strategy emphasised the importance of enabling high-skilled international researchers to come to the UK with ease, and committed to improvements to key visa routes, including the Global Talent Visa.

The £54 million Global Talent Fund will attract around 60-80 leading researchers across Industrial Strategy sectors including Life Sciences to UK institutions. The Fund includes targeted visa and relocation cost support, and complements existing funding and talent schemes from UKRI, the National Academies and NIHR.

The new Global Talent Taskforce will promote UK strengths and opportunities to exceptional talent, including international Life Sciences talent.

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 attract US cancer research scientists to UK institutions.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Immigration White Paper and Modern Industrial Strategy emphasised the importance of enabling high-skilled international researchers to come to the UK with ease, and committed to improvements to key visa routes, including the Global Talent Visa.

The £54 million Global Talent Fund will attract around 60-80 leading researchers across Industrial Strategy sectors including Life Sciences to UK institutions. The Fund includes targeted visa and relocation cost support, and complements existing funding and talent schemes from UKRI, the National Academies and NIHR.

The new Global Talent Taskforce will promote UK strengths and opportunities to exceptional talent, including international Life Sciences talent.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to support the scale-up of technologies needed to achieve 23 million tonnes of engineered carbon removals per year by 2035.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGRs) will be important to Net Zero - balancing residual emissions from hard-to-abate sectors whilst providing economic opportunities. In August Government published details of the GGR Business Model and published the Carbon Capture and Storage HyNet Track-1 expansion Project Negotiation List, which includes two GGR projects. To support demand, Government published a response to the consultation on the integration of GGRs into the UK Emissions Trading Scheme and consulted on options to ensure integrity of the Voluntary Carbon and Nature Market. To ensure removals are measurable and verifiable, in July the British Standards Institution, commissioned by Government, published interim methodologies for Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage and Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage. The Government has also invested £100 million in research and innovation for GGRs, including the GGRs Innovation Programme.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the progress made towards delivering 5 million tonnes of engineered carbon removals by 2030.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

We remain committed to developing and deploying Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGRs) at scale in the UK, recognising the important role they play in achieving net zero. The Government will deliver an updated plan that sets out the policy package out to the end of Carbon Budget 6 in 2037 for all sectors of the economy, including GGRs, by October 2025. The Government will also set Carbon Budget 7 by June 2026, in line with our statutory duties.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to require Natural Landscapes to be statutory consultees for housing developments in (a) all areas with high levels of natural landscapes and (b) West Dorset constituency.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government is clear that the bar for being a statutory consultee in the planning system, and therefore having to be consulted on planning applications by law, should be high.

In January 2025 the government declared a moratorium on any new statutory consultees, along with a review of the existing statutory consultee arrangements to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth. Further details can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).

The government has not had discussions with Natural Landscapes about their engagement with the planning system.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to introduce a statutory duty to consult Natural Landscapes on all development proposals.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government is clear that the bar for being a statutory consultee in the planning system, and therefore having to be consulted on planning applications by law, should be high.

In January 2025 the government declared a moratorium on any new statutory consultees, along with a review of the existing statutory consultee arrangements to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth. Further details can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).

The government has not had discussions with Natural Landscapes about their engagement with the planning system.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has had discussions with Natural Landscapes on their role in planning consultations in relation to new housing developments.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government is clear that the bar for being a statutory consultee in the planning system, and therefore having to be consulted on planning applications by law, should be high.

In January 2025 the government declared a moratorium on any new statutory consultees, along with a review of the existing statutory consultee arrangements to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth. Further details can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).

The government has not had discussions with Natural Landscapes about their engagement with the planning system.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of making Natural Landscapes statutory consultees in the housing planning system.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government is clear that the bar for being a statutory consultee in the planning system, and therefore having to be consulted on planning applications by law, should be high.

In January 2025 the government declared a moratorium on any new statutory consultees, along with a review of the existing statutory consultee arrangements to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth. Further details can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).

The government has not had discussions with Natural Landscapes about their engagement with the planning system.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she will make an assessment of the potential merits of automatic planning permission for extending helipad operation hours at major trauma hospitals.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Operating hours are usually set locally, by condition, following the grant of planning permission. If there are conditions restricting operating hours, these can be varied or removed through a section 73 application following local consideration of the benefits and any local impacts.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with (a) public landowners, (b) the National Trust and (c) Forestry England on the potential impact of cashless-only car parking systems on (i) older people and (ii) people without mobile phones.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

No such discussions have taken place. Car parking charges for publicly-owned car parks are primarily a matter for local authorities.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that communities in (a) rural constituencies and (b) West Dorset constituency can easily access the SAFE European defence funds.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

We are committed to ensuring defence is an engine for growth in all regions across the UK, including West Dorset. Our new Defence Industrial Strategy will be a truly nationwide effort, ensuring that the benefits of every pound spent on defence will be felt across the UK.

Recognising the potential opportunities SAFE could provide for UK industry, we have set out our ambition to explore the potential for enhanced cooperation through the proposed SAFE instrument, as soon as the EU’s necessary processes are complete.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to support organisations in West Dorset to access the SAFE European defence funds.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

We are committed to ensuring defence is an engine for growth in all regions across the UK, including West Dorset. Our new Defence Industrial Strategy will be a truly nationwide effort, ensuring that the benefits of every pound spent on defence will be felt across the UK.

Recognising the potential opportunities SAFE could provide for UK industry, we have set out our ambition to explore the potential for enhanced cooperation through the proposed SAFE instrument, as soon as the EU’s necessary processes are complete.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the UK has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) to Ukraine as part of its military support package.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The UK and its partners remain committed to equipping Ukraine with the capabilities it needs to defend its sovereign territory, in line with its priority requirements. This includes the provision of Uncrewed Ground Vehicles (UGVs).

We continue to work closely with the Government of Ukraine to ensure that the support we provide aligns with the evolving tactical demands of the conflict.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with private providers on patient protection from rapid increases in the cost of weight loss drugs.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

As we shift the focus from treatment to prevention through our 10 Year Health Plan, we are determined to bring revolutionary modern treatments to everyone who needs them, not just those who can afford to pay.

NHS England has worked with Eli Lilly to ensure that the list price increase will not affect National Health Service commissioning of tirzepatide in England as a treatment for eligible patients, and we remain committed to the rollout of this medicine as a weight loss treatment based on clinical priority. This will enable 220,000 eligible people to access the medication over the first three years. Not everyone who wants tirzepatide will be able to access it at first, and the initial eligibility criteria will be for people with a body mass index of 40 or more in addition to four or more qualifying comorbidities.

Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have also entered equivalent agreements to maintain their current commissioning approaches.

Pricing in the private market is a matter for Eli Lilly and for private providers. Private patients who are impacted by price increases should discuss any concerns with their private provider. This includes their options regarding payment plans, alternative treatments, and/or stopping or tapering off their current medication. Eli Lilly is working with private providers to support continued patient access.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to regulate sudden price increases in privately purchased weight loss drugs.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

As we shift the focus from treatment to prevention through our 10 Year Health Plan, we are determined to bring revolutionary modern treatments to everyone who needs them, not just those who can afford to pay.

NHS England has worked with Eli Lilly to ensure that the list price increase will not affect National Health Service commissioning of tirzepatide in England as a treatment for eligible patients, and we remain committed to the rollout of this medicine as a weight loss treatment based on clinical priority. This will enable 220,000 eligible people to access the medication over the first three years. Not everyone who wants tirzepatide will be able to access it at first, and the initial eligibility criteria will be for people with a body mass index of 40 or more in addition to four or more qualifying comorbidities.

Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have also entered equivalent agreements to maintain their current commissioning approaches.

Pricing in the private market is a matter for Eli Lilly and for private providers. Private patients who are impacted by price increases should discuss any concerns with their private provider. This includes their options regarding payment plans, alternative treatments, and/or stopping or tapering off their current medication. Eli Lilly is working with private providers to support continued patient access.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to exempt domestic wine producers from wine duty rates.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The wine industry makes a vital contribution to our economy and society. However, an exemption from alcohol duty that applied only to domestic wine producers is likely to be inconsistent with the UK’s legal obligations. 

Any cut, or even a freeze, to alcohol duty represents a cost to the Exchequer. The baseline assumption is that alcohol duty will be increased annually, so that it does not fall in real terms

As with all taxes, the Government welcomes representations from stakeholders to inform policy development.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of private providers increasing the cost of weight loss drugs by 170% with two weeks’ notice on patients.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

As we shift the focus from treatment to prevention through our 10 Year Health Plan, we are determined to bring revolutionary modern treatments to everyone who needs them, not just those who can afford to pay.

NHS England has worked with Eli Lilly to ensure that the list price increase will not affect National Health Service commissioning of tirzepatide in England as a treatment for eligible patients, and we remain committed to the rollout of this medicine as a weight loss treatment based on clinical priority. This will enable 220,000 eligible people to access the medication over the first three years. Not everyone who wants tirzepatide will be able to access it at first, and the initial eligibility criteria will be for people with a body mass index of 40 or more in addition to four or more qualifying comorbidities.

Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have also entered equivalent agreements to maintain their current commissioning approaches.

Pricing in the private market is a matter for Eli Lilly and for private providers. Private patients who are impacted by price increases should discuss any concerns with their private provider. This includes their options regarding payment plans, alternative treatments, and/or stopping or tapering off their current medication. Eli Lilly is working with private providers to support continued patient access.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of costs of (a) energy, (b) water and (c) business rates on the viability of pubs in West Dorset constituency.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government recognises the significant pressures facing the hospitality sector, including pubs in West Dorset, due to rising costs and the Government is providing support through various measures to help ease these pressures.

We aim to permanently reduce business rates for RHL properties with a rateable value of less than 500,000 and we have announced a new Zero Carbon Services Hospitality trial which aims for Pubs, cafes, restaurants and hotels to receive free energy and carbon cutting advice to slash their energy bills as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

Additionally, the Department will continue to engage with the sector, including through the Hospitality Sector Council with an aim to co-create solutions to the issues impacting business performance.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to implement the recommendations of the Independent review of the physician associate and anaesthesia associate roles, published on 16 July 2025.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Leng Review’s recommendations are far reaching and require cross-system partnership working to be considered, planned, and delivered effectively.

The Department, alongside NHS England, royal colleges, and other stakeholders including representatives of doctors, physician assistants, and physician assistants in anaesthesia, will develop a detailed implementation plan to address the review’s 18 recommendations. Further information on implementation will be set out in due course.

The Government intends to commence consultation on a modernised legislative framework for the General Medical Council by the end of this year. These proposals will include the change in role titles. Subject to parliamentary time, our expectation is that these changes will be put before the Westminster and Scottish Parliaments during 2026.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to consult with stakeholders before implementing changes to the (a) role and (b) title of Physician Associates.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Leng Review’s recommendations are far reaching and require cross-system partnership working to be considered, planned, and delivered effectively.

The Department, alongside NHS England, royal colleges, and other stakeholders including representatives of doctors, physician assistants, and physician assistants in anaesthesia, will develop a detailed implementation plan to address the review’s 18 recommendations. Further information on implementation will be set out in due course.

The Government intends to commence consultation on a modernised legislative framework for the General Medical Council by the end of this year. These proposals will include the change in role titles. Subject to parliamentary time, our expectation is that these changes will be put before the Westminster and Scottish Parliaments during 2026.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent steps his Department has taken to support the development of carbon removal technologies ahead of the Autumn Budget.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGRs) will be important to Net Zero - balancing residual emissions from hard-to-abate sectors whilst providing economic opportunities. In August Government published details of the GGR Business Model and published the Carbon Capture and Storage HyNet Track-1 expansion Project Negotiation List, which includes two GGR projects. To support demand, Government published a response to the consultation on the integration of GGRs into the UK Emissions Trading Scheme and have consulted on options to ensure integrity of the Voluntary Carbon and Nature Market. To ensure removals are measurable and verifiable, the British Standards Institution, commissioned by Government, published in July interim methodologies for Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage and Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage. The Government has also invested £100 million in research and innovation for GGRs, including the GGRs Innovation Programme.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of increasing the level of carbon removal on the UK's ability to meet it's net zero targets by (a) 2030 and (b) 2050.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government will deliver an updated plan that sets out the policy package out to the end of Carbon Budget 6 in 2037 for all sectors of the economy, including Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGRs), by October 2025. The Government will also set Carbon Budget 7 by June 2026, in line with our statutory duties. Under the Climate Change Act, the UK has a legally binding commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. GGR technologies will be important for reaching net zero – balancing residual emissions from hard-to-decarbonise sectors while providing new economic opportunities.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board on improving (a) dementia diagnosis and (b) care pathways in West Dorset constituency.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department of Health and Social Care engages regularly with integrated care boards (ICBs) on a number of matters, including dementia.

Through such engagement, we are aware that GPs and frailty teams are being supported by the ICB and Memory Assessment Services (MAS) to start using the Diagnosing Advanced Dementia Mandate (DiADeM) diagnostic tool within the care home population. Patients and their carers are referred to the support offered by partner charity Help and Care’s wider community services on acceptance to the MAS, so they can be matched with appropriate support and information while they wait for an assessment and possible diagnosis.

The post-diagnosis Dementia Coordinator service is then made directly available when the person receives a dementia diagnosis for more long-term coordinated support response and information around living well with the condition. This is and will be a pan-Dorset service, providing equity across the county.

Under the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan, those living with dementia will benefit from improved care planning and better services. We will deliver the first ever Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has has local stakeholders in response to Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s findings on WASPI women in West Dorset.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

No discussions have taken place in West Dorset. After careful consideration of the Ombudsman’s findings, we made our decision which was fair and based on the evidence. There is now live litigation on this matter.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to provide alternative financial support to communities in West Dorset constituency following reductions in Government funding for neighbourhood plans.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 59114 on the 19 June 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reductions in Government funding for neighbourhood plans on rural communities in West Dorset constituency.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 59114 on the 19 June 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on the development of unmanned ground vehicles for (a) logistics and (b) casualty evacuation.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 recommended a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence within the UK’s conventional force.

It stated a common digital foundation of data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), synthetic environments, and networks should connect people and platforms across all domains, and with allies and partners. This gives the Integrated Force agility, speed of manoeuvre, and effective targeting to outmatch adversaries.

The merits of military use of AI assisted drones are widely acknowledged in several roles and environments, most notably in Ukraine. The availability of extensive suites of sensors designed to operate across the electromagnetic spectrum have removed many of the traditional barriers associated with operations at night or in restricted visibility. Furthermore, the utility for AI enabled drones to exploit these sensors, including during periods of rest for, or absence of, human surveillance teams, is a fundamental consideration for UK Defence’s capability development.

Consequently, the SDR stated that uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years. They will be networked with crewed fifth- and sixth-generation assets as part of a ‘high-low’ mix of capabilities, while these systems’ design will be tailored to the conditions in which they will operate, day or night; whether undersea, at sea, on land, or in the air.

The development of UGV and drone capabilities remains a dynamic and evolving area. While specific projects are underway, detailed information cannot be provided whilst the projects are in their Concept Phase.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on the development of unmanned ground vehicles for engineering support.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 recommended a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence within the UK’s conventional force.

It stated a common digital foundation of data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), synthetic environments, and networks should connect people and platforms across all domains, and with allies and partners. This gives the Integrated Force agility, speed of manoeuvre, and effective targeting to outmatch adversaries.

The merits of military use of AI assisted drones are widely acknowledged in several roles and environments, most notably in Ukraine. The availability of extensive suites of sensors designed to operate across the electromagnetic spectrum have removed many of the traditional barriers associated with operations at night or in restricted visibility. Furthermore, the utility for AI enabled drones to exploit these sensors, including during periods of rest for, or absence of, human surveillance teams, is a fundamental consideration for UK Defence’s capability development.

Consequently, the SDR stated that uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years. They will be networked with crewed fifth- and sixth-generation assets as part of a ‘high-low’ mix of capabilities, while these systems’ design will be tailored to the conditions in which they will operate, day or night; whether undersea, at sea, on land, or in the air.

The development of UGV and drone capabilities remains a dynamic and evolving area. While specific projects are underway, detailed information cannot be provided whilst the projects are in their Concept Phase.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much funding his Department is providing for the development of unmanned ground vehicles.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 recommended a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence within the UK’s conventional force.

It stated a common digital foundation of data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), synthetic environments, and networks should connect people and platforms across all domains, and with allies and partners. This gives the Integrated Force agility, speed of manoeuvre, and effective targeting to outmatch adversaries.

The merits of military use of AI assisted drones are widely acknowledged in several roles and environments, most notably in Ukraine. The availability of extensive suites of sensors designed to operate across the electromagnetic spectrum have removed many of the traditional barriers associated with operations at night or in restricted visibility. Furthermore, the utility for AI enabled drones to exploit these sensors, including during periods of rest for, or absence of, human surveillance teams, is a fundamental consideration for UK Defence’s capability development.

Consequently, the SDR stated that uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years. They will be networked with crewed fifth- and sixth-generation assets as part of a ‘high-low’ mix of capabilities, while these systems’ design will be tailored to the conditions in which they will operate, day or night; whether undersea, at sea, on land, or in the air.

The development of UGV and drone capabilities remains a dynamic and evolving area. While specific projects are underway, detailed information cannot be provided whilst the projects are in their Concept Phase.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how his Department is increasing the integration of artificial intelligence into unmanned ground vehicles to counteract signal blocking.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 recommended a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence within the UK’s conventional force.

It stated a common digital foundation of data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), synthetic environments, and networks should connect people and platforms across all domains, and with allies and partners. This gives the Integrated Force agility, speed of manoeuvre, and effective targeting to outmatch adversaries.

The merits of military use of AI assisted drones are widely acknowledged in several roles and environments, most notably in Ukraine. The availability of extensive suites of sensors designed to operate across the electromagnetic spectrum have removed many of the traditional barriers associated with operations at night or in restricted visibility. Furthermore, the utility for AI enabled drones to exploit these sensors, including during periods of rest for, or absence of, human surveillance teams, is a fundamental consideration for UK Defence’s capability development.

Consequently, the SDR stated that uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years. They will be networked with crewed fifth- and sixth-generation assets as part of a ‘high-low’ mix of capabilities, while these systems’ design will be tailored to the conditions in which they will operate, day or night; whether undersea, at sea, on land, or in the air.

The development of UGV and drone capabilities remains a dynamic and evolving area. While specific projects are underway, detailed information cannot be provided whilst the projects are in their Concept Phase.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what comparative assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) unmanned ground vehicles and (b) quadcopter drones.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 recommended a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence within the UK’s conventional force.

It stated a common digital foundation of data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), synthetic environments, and networks should connect people and platforms across all domains, and with allies and partners. This gives the Integrated Force agility, speed of manoeuvre, and effective targeting to outmatch adversaries.

The merits of military use of AI assisted drones are widely acknowledged in several roles and environments, most notably in Ukraine. The availability of extensive suites of sensors designed to operate across the electromagnetic spectrum have removed many of the traditional barriers associated with operations at night or in restricted visibility. Furthermore, the utility for AI enabled drones to exploit these sensors, including during periods of rest for, or absence of, human surveillance teams, is a fundamental consideration for UK Defence’s capability development.

Consequently, the SDR stated that uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years. They will be networked with crewed fifth- and sixth-generation assets as part of a ‘high-low’ mix of capabilities, while these systems’ design will be tailored to the conditions in which they will operate, day or night; whether undersea, at sea, on land, or in the air.

The development of UGV and drone capabilities remains a dynamic and evolving area. While specific projects are underway, detailed information cannot be provided whilst the projects are in their Concept Phase.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to improve the communications capabilities of unmanned ground vehicles.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 recommended a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence within the UK’s conventional force.

It stated a common digital foundation of data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), synthetic environments, and networks should connect people and platforms across all domains, and with allies and partners. This gives the Integrated Force agility, speed of manoeuvre, and effective targeting to outmatch adversaries.

The merits of military use of AI assisted drones are widely acknowledged in several roles and environments, most notably in Ukraine. The availability of extensive suites of sensors designed to operate across the electromagnetic spectrum have removed many of the traditional barriers associated with operations at night or in restricted visibility. Furthermore, the utility for AI enabled drones to exploit these sensors, including during periods of rest for, or absence of, human surveillance teams, is a fundamental consideration for UK Defence’s capability development.

Consequently, the SDR stated that uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years. They will be networked with crewed fifth- and sixth-generation assets as part of a ‘high-low’ mix of capabilities, while these systems’ design will be tailored to the conditions in which they will operate, day or night; whether undersea, at sea, on land, or in the air.

The development of UGV and drone capabilities remains a dynamic and evolving area. While specific projects are underway, detailed information cannot be provided whilst the projects are in their Concept Phase.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on the development of unmanned ground vehicles for combat support.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 recommended a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence within the UK’s conventional force.

It stated a common digital foundation of data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), synthetic environments, and networks should connect people and platforms across all domains, and with allies and partners. This gives the Integrated Force agility, speed of manoeuvre, and effective targeting to outmatch adversaries.

The merits of military use of AI assisted drones are widely acknowledged in several roles and environments, most notably in Ukraine. The availability of extensive suites of sensors designed to operate across the electromagnetic spectrum have removed many of the traditional barriers associated with operations at night or in restricted visibility. Furthermore, the utility for AI enabled drones to exploit these sensors, including during periods of rest for, or absence of, human surveillance teams, is a fundamental consideration for UK Defence’s capability development.

Consequently, the SDR stated that uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years. They will be networked with crewed fifth- and sixth-generation assets as part of a ‘high-low’ mix of capabilities, while these systems’ design will be tailored to the conditions in which they will operate, day or night; whether undersea, at sea, on land, or in the air.

The development of UGV and drone capabilities remains a dynamic and evolving area. While specific projects are underway, detailed information cannot be provided whilst the projects are in their Concept Phase.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how his Department is increasing the integration of artificial intelligence into flying drones to help counteract signal blocking.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 recommended a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence within the UK’s conventional force.

It stated a common digital foundation of data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), synthetic environments, and networks should connect people and platforms across all domains, and with allies and partners. This gives the Integrated Force agility, speed of manoeuvre, and effective targeting to outmatch adversaries.

The merits of military use of AI assisted drones are widely acknowledged in several roles and environments, most notably in Ukraine. The availability of extensive suites of sensors designed to operate across the electromagnetic spectrum have removed many of the traditional barriers associated with operations at night or in restricted visibility. Furthermore, the utility for AI enabled drones to exploit these sensors, including during periods of rest for, or absence of, human surveillance teams, is a fundamental consideration for UK Defence’s capability development.

Consequently, the SDR stated that uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years. They will be networked with crewed fifth- and sixth-generation assets as part of a ‘high-low’ mix of capabilities, while these systems’ design will be tailored to the conditions in which they will operate, day or night; whether undersea, at sea, on land, or in the air.

The development of UGV and drone capabilities remains a dynamic and evolving area. While specific projects are underway, detailed information cannot be provided whilst the projects are in their Concept Phase.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress his Department has made on the development of UGVs for UK defence purposes.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 recommended a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence within the UK’s conventional force.

It stated a common digital foundation of data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), synthetic environments, and networks should connect people and platforms across all domains, and with allies and partners. This gives the Integrated Force agility, speed of manoeuvre, and effective targeting to outmatch adversaries.

The merits of military use of AI assisted drones are widely acknowledged in several roles and environments, most notably in Ukraine. The availability of extensive suites of sensors designed to operate across the electromagnetic spectrum have removed many of the traditional barriers associated with operations at night or in restricted visibility. Furthermore, the utility for AI enabled drones to exploit these sensors, including during periods of rest for, or absence of, human surveillance teams, is a fundamental consideration for UK Defence’s capability development.

Consequently, the SDR stated that uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years. They will be networked with crewed fifth- and sixth-generation assets as part of a ‘high-low’ mix of capabilities, while these systems’ design will be tailored to the conditions in which they will operate, day or night; whether undersea, at sea, on land, or in the air.

The development of UGV and drone capabilities remains a dynamic and evolving area. While specific projects are underway, detailed information cannot be provided whilst the projects are in their Concept Phase.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to take steps to amend the regulation of genome-edited crops.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government has been undertaking a programme of regulatory reform for precision breeding.

The Precision Breeding Act 2023 sets out a more proportionate and science-based regulatory framework for precision breeding that encourages innovation and enables products to be brought to market more easily. The secondary legislation needed to implement The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 for plants in England was passed into law on 13 May 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department issue updated guidance for rural local authorities as part of the proposed review of Contest.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The delivery of the UK’s counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST, is kept under constant review. Specific guidance will be considered at the point of publication of future iterations of the strategy.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department has taken since the Spending Review to improve online safety on social media platforms in rural areas.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Making the UK a safer place to be online is a priority for the government, including in rural areas. As such, the government is committed to implementing the Online Safety Act as quickly and effectively as possible to ensure that all UK users, particularly children, benefit from its wide-ranging protections.

The illegal content and child safety duties are already in force and we anticipate that adults and children will see a tangible and positive difference in their experiences online. Ofcom is already investigating services in relation to compliance, including with the recent requirements to introduce age checks for pornographic content.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of social media on children’s mental health in rural areas.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government is working to expand the evidence base on the impact of social media on children across the UK. In December 2024 DSIT commissioned a feasibility study into research to understand the impact of smartphones and social media on children. The report will be published in due course.

In addition, Ofcom has a large programme of work underway to help build further understanding of the impact of online services’ features and functionalities on children.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support (a) small and (b) independent hotels in West Dorset constituency during the off-peak season.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to supporting the hospitality sector as a valuable contributor to the UK economy and visitor offer. We are introducing permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with a rateable value under £500,000, alongside a new Licensing Taskforce to cut red tape. Targeted initiatives include a £1.5 million Hospitality Support Scheme and the Zero Carbon Hospitality Trial, helping over 600 SMEs cut costs and emissions. Through ongoing collaboration with the Hospitality Sector Council, we are strengthening productivity and resilience across the sector.

DCMS works closely with VisitEngland, Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) and industry to support small and independent accommodation providers, including hotels in West Dorset. Targeted marketing campaigns encourage off-peak domestic breaks, while LVEPs like Visit Dorset improve local coordination and promote year-round tourism. These efforts, alongside the upcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy, help sustain the competitiveness of hotels and hospitality businesses throughout the year.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure continuity of access to prescription medicines in towns where a single operator pharmacy fails to meet its contractual obligations.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

National Health Service pharmaceutical services, the staff who provide them, and the community pharmacies from which they are delivered are regulated. The entire system is laid out in legislation and is subject to assurance and inspection by both integrated care boards (ICBs) and the General Pharmaceutical Council.

ICBs are responsible for monitoring that contractors are adhering to their NHS terms of service, investigating and acting in cases of non-compliance. ICBs are also responsible for determining applications for new pharmacies including changes of ownership. The legislative framework is under constant review and is updated as required.

The Department does not make assessments of the suitability of individual pharmacy contractors. The Department also does not engage directly with individual pharmacy contractors to discuss matters like unpaid staff or suppliers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the criteria for approving operators to take over NHS community pharmacies is sufficiently robust to prevent service failures.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

National Health Service pharmaceutical services, the staff who provide them, and the community pharmacies from which they are delivered are regulated. The entire system is laid out in legislation and is subject to assurance and inspection by both integrated care boards (ICBs) and the General Pharmaceutical Council.

ICBs are responsible for monitoring that contractors are adhering to their NHS terms of service, investigating and acting in cases of non-compliance. ICBs are also responsible for determining applications for new pharmacies including changes of ownership. The legislative framework is under constant review and is updated as required.

The Department does not make assessments of the suitability of individual pharmacy contractors. The Department also does not engage directly with individual pharmacy contractors to discuss matters like unpaid staff or suppliers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the the suitability of Jhoots Pharmacy as a provider of NHS pharmacy services.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

National Health Service pharmaceutical services, the staff who provide them, and the community pharmacies from which they are delivered are regulated. The entire system is laid out in legislation and is subject to assurance and inspection by both integrated care boards (ICBs) and the General Pharmaceutical Council.

ICBs are responsible for monitoring that contractors are adhering to their NHS terms of service, investigating and acting in cases of non-compliance. ICBs are also responsible for determining applications for new pharmacies including changes of ownership. The legislative framework is under constant review and is updated as required.

The Department does not make assessments of the suitability of individual pharmacy contractors. The Department also does not engage directly with individual pharmacy contractors to discuss matters like unpaid staff or suppliers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has had discussions with Jhoots Pharmacy on unpaid (a) staff wages and (b) suppliers.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

National Health Service pharmaceutical services, the staff who provide them, and the community pharmacies from which they are delivered are regulated. The entire system is laid out in legislation and is subject to assurance and inspection by both integrated care boards (ICBs) and the General Pharmaceutical Council.

ICBs are responsible for monitoring that contractors are adhering to their NHS terms of service, investigating and acting in cases of non-compliance. ICBs are also responsible for determining applications for new pharmacies including changes of ownership. The legislative framework is under constant review and is updated as required.

The Department does not make assessments of the suitability of individual pharmacy contractors. The Department also does not engage directly with individual pharmacy contractors to discuss matters like unpaid staff or suppliers.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with the hospitality industry in West Dorset constituency on staffing levels in the hotel sector.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

DCMS regularly engages with representatives of the hospitality industry, both nationally and regionally, to understand current challenges and opportunities in the sector, including staffing levels.

While we have not had discussions specifically with businesses in the West Dorset constituency, we work closely with industry bodies such as UKHospitality, which represent employers across the country (including those in West Dorset). Through these forums, the Government has listened to concerns about recruitment and retention, and continues to respond through a range of measures.

We will also set out our vision and ambition for the sector in our forthcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy later this year.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of national landscapes on levels of tourism in (a) West Dorset constituency and (b) other rural constituencies.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises that our National Landscapes, such as the Dorset National Landscape, are among our nation's greatest assets and are significant drivers of domestic and international tourism for rural communities.

No assessment has been made on the impact of national landscapes on levels of tourism. The Office for National Statistics has published data sets on business activity including tourism, Enterprises in National Landscapes, Trails and Parks, which can be found at Enterprises in National Landscapes, Trails and Parks 2023 - Office for National Statistics

Details of tourism and visitor management undertaken by Dorset National Landscape in the West Dorset constituency can be found at Tourism and Visitor Management | Dorset National Landscape

We continue to work with VisitEngland to promote rural and coastal destinations and support the work of Local Visitor Economy Partnerships, such as the Visit Dorset Business Support Hub, in developing and marketing their local visitor offer, in which National Landscapes play a crucial role.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with international partners on mitigating the potential threat from former British nationals in (a) al-Hol and (b) al-Roj prison camps, following recent instability in Syria.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We continue to work closely with partners to regularly assess and monitor any threats from within al-Hol and al-Roj camps in North East Syria, including through our role in the Global Coalition Against Daesh's military mission.

We do not comment on individual cases, operational intelligence, or security matters, but we will not hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to protect the UK from those who pose a threat to our security.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential security risk posed to the UK by former British nationals from al-Roj prison camp in Syria, following recent instability in Syria.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We continue to work closely with partners to regularly assess and monitor any threats from within al-Hol and al-Roj camps in North East Syria, including through our role in the Global Coalition Against Daesh's military mission.

We do not comment on individual cases, operational intelligence, or security matters, but we will not hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to protect the UK from those who pose a threat to our security.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential security risk posed to the UK by former British nationals from al-Hol prison camp in Syria, following recent instability in Syria.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We continue to work closely with partners to regularly assess and monitor any threats from within al-Hol and al-Roj camps in North East Syria, including through our role in the Global Coalition Against Daesh's military mission.

We do not comment on individual cases, operational intelligence, or security matters, but we will not hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to protect the UK from those who pose a threat to our security.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to monitor former British nationals returning to the UK from (a) al-Hol and (b) al-Roj prison camps, following recent instability in Syria.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We continue to work closely with partners to regularly assess and monitor any threats from within al-Hol and al-Roj camps in North East Syria, including through our role in the Global Coalition Against Daesh's military mission.

We do not comment on individual cases, operational intelligence, or security matters, but we will not hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to protect the UK from those who pose a threat to our security.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of hotels in West Dorset constituency on the local tourism economy.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

DCMS works closely with VisitEngland and local authorities to understand the contribution of tourism assets across England, including accommodation providers such as hotels. While we have not carried out a constituency-specific economic assessment for West Dorset, DCMS recognises that hotels provide direct employment and support local supply chains, and they enable visitor spending across the local economy, including restaurants, attractions, shops, and transport.

In Dorset, hotels play an important role in supporting domestic and international tourism, particularly linked to coastal and countryside destinations such as the Jurassic Coast, which help to sustain year-round economic activity in local communities. DCMS, in partnership with VisitEngland, works with Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (such as Visit Dorset) to promote destinations and develop initiatives to maximise the economic impact of tourism throughout the county.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make it her policy to require train operating companies to guarantee that rail replacement services will be accessible for disabled passengers.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Rail replacement services operated by train operating companies must meet the needs of disabled passengers. This includes using vehicles compliant with the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR). The train operators can only use non-PSVAR compliant vehicles when no compliant vehicle is available under the current exemption which will expire in July 2026. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) collects data on the levels of compliance with the PSVAR from the train operators. The ORR’s Annual Consumer Report for 2024/2025 showed that 96 per cent of rail replacement vehicles met required standards.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that South Western Railway rail replacement bus services are fully wheelchair accessible.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Regulatory requirements apply to South Western Railway (SWR) to ensure rail replacement buses meet the necessary standards on accessibility. SWR works with its rail replacement providers to ensure services are accessible as far as possible, but if accessible options are not available, SWR will arrange alternative accessible transport.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, he will make it is his policy to introduce measures to ensure that supermarket contracts support (a) traditional and (b) vertical farmers.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

It would not be appropriate for Government to comment on, or intervene in, matters relating to contracts between producers and retailers. These are driven by commercial interests, based on supply and demand.

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Found: Slough)Bill Esterson (Labour; Sefton Central) Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat; Tunbridge Wells) Edward Morello

Found: Alex Ballinger; Aphra Brandreth; Phil Brickell; Richard Foord; Uma Kumaran; Abtisam Mohamed; Edward Morello

Found: Alex Ballinger; Aphra Brandreth; Phil Brickell; Richard Foord; Uma Kumaran; Abtisam Mohamed; Edward Morello

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