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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to reduce the use of snares and prevent unnecessary suffering to wildlife in West Dorset.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy sets out its clear ambition for all animals to experience good welfare and not be subjected to suffering. The strategy reiterates the manifesto commitment to end the use of snare traps in England, and the Government will do this as swiftly as possible.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to strengthen regulations governing the use of snares in England.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy sets out its clear ambition for all animals to experience good welfare and not be subjected to suffering. The strategy reiterates the manifesto commitment to end the use of snare traps in England, and the Government will do this as swiftly as possible.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of current timescales in confirming bluetongue cases on farmers in West Dorset.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Since 11 September 2026, private vets in England can diagnose cases of bluetongue based on clinical signs, with cases then formally confirmed by APHA. This is supported by a new online reporting system, which reduces the time taken to both notify and confirm cases. It also frees up laboratory capacity for movement testing and surveillance. Defra continues to work with industry representatives to consider further measures to support farmers.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to reduce delays in confirming cases of bluetongue disease in the South West.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Since 11 September 2026, private vets in England can diagnose cases of bluetongue based on clinical signs, with cases then formally confirmed by APHA. This is supported by a new online reporting system, which reduces the time taken to both notify and confirm cases. It also frees up laboratory capacity for movement testing and surveillance. Defra continues to work with industry representatives to consider further measures to support farmers.

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 potential impact of charging receiving parents for the collection of child maintenance on the financial support received by children.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Evidence gathered by the Department has highlighted significant shortcomings with Direct Pay. Under Direct Pay, the CMS is unable to routinely monitor whether payments are being made in full or on time, meaning non-compliance can go undetected until a parent reports a problem. Research tells us that only 60% of receiving parents in Direct Pay reported getting all of the child maintenance they are owed, and only 40% of them reported receiving it always on time. This places the burden on receiving parents to chase payments. The current arrangement can also create opportunities for economic abuse, including situations where maintenance is withheld, paid late or manipulated as a means of exerting control over a former partner. In many cases, parents may also need to maintain contact with an ex-partner to resolve payment issues, which can be distressing and particularly harmful for victims and survivors of domestic abuse.

However, moving to a single service where the CMS monitors and transfers payments will address these longstanding issues.

Our proposals for the new service will be underpinned by a fairer fee structure. Fees offset the investment needed to make the reforms and contribute to the cost of using enforcement powers to re-establish compliance and reduce the burden on the taxpayer.

We considered how best to address the shortcomings of Direct Pay and concluded that a single service model, with CMS oversight of all maintenance payments, would provide greater transparency, improve compliance and better support children to receive regular maintenance.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the rationale is for the proposed abolition of Direct Pay arrangements within the Child Maintenance Service.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Evidence gathered by the Department has highlighted significant shortcomings with Direct Pay. Under Direct Pay, the CMS is unable to routinely monitor whether payments are being made in full or on time, meaning non-compliance can go undetected until a parent reports a problem. Research tells us that only 60% of receiving parents in Direct Pay reported getting all of the child maintenance they are owed, and only 40% of them reported receiving it always on time. This places the burden on receiving parents to chase payments. The current arrangement can also create opportunities for economic abuse, including situations where maintenance is withheld, paid late or manipulated as a means of exerting control over a former partner. In many cases, parents may also need to maintain contact with an ex-partner to resolve payment issues, which can be distressing and particularly harmful for victims and survivors of domestic abuse.

However, moving to a single service where the CMS monitors and transfers payments will address these longstanding issues.

Our proposals for the new service will be underpinned by a fairer fee structure. Fees offset the investment needed to make the reforms and contribute to the cost of using enforcement powers to re-establish compliance and reduce the burden on the taxpayer.

We considered how best to address the shortcomings of Direct Pay and concluded that a single service model, with CMS oversight of all maintenance payments, would provide greater transparency, improve compliance and better support children to receive regular maintenance.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to help ensure that school admissions arrangements can better support schools in West Dorset experiencing falling pupil numbers and prevent significant declines in pupil numbers.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Schools’ admission authorities are responsible for setting their admission arrangements in the local context. Admission authorities can make changes to their published admission number (PAN) and oversubscription criteria, in line with the statutory School Admissions Code, to respond to changing local circumstances.

Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act, the government has introduced new duties on schools and local authorities to co-operate on admissions and place planning matters. The Act will also enable the adjudicator to specify changes to a school‘s PAN where they uphold an objection to that PAN. The department intends to update the School Admissions Code and associated regulations to implement this change, which will help ensure decisions about the number of places offered by schools take account of local circumstances, demand for places and the impact on the wider local school system, as well as school quality and parental choice.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure that school admissions arrangements can better support schools experiencing falling pupil numbers and prevent significant declines in pupil numbers.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Schools’ admission authorities are responsible for setting their admission arrangements in the local context. Admission authorities can make changes to their published admission number (PAN) and oversubscription criteria, in line with the statutory School Admissions Code, to respond to changing local circumstances.

Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act, the government has introduced new duties on schools and local authorities to co-operate on admissions and place planning matters. The Act will also enable the adjudicator to specify changes to a school‘s PAN where they uphold an objection to that PAN. The department intends to update the School Admissions Code and associated regulations to implement this change, which will help ensure decisions about the number of places offered by schools take account of local circumstances, demand for places and the impact on the wider local school system, as well as school quality and parental choice.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what alternative approaches to reforming Direct Pay have been considered, and how his Department will ensure that children do not lose out financially as a result of any changes.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Evidence gathered by the Department has highlighted significant shortcomings with Direct Pay. Under Direct Pay, the CMS is unable to routinely monitor whether payments are being made in full or on time, meaning non-compliance can go undetected until a parent reports a problem. Research tells us that only 60% of receiving parents in Direct Pay reported getting all of the child maintenance they are owed, and only 40% of them reported receiving it always on time. This places the burden on receiving parents to chase payments. The current arrangement can also create opportunities for economic abuse, including situations where maintenance is withheld, paid late or manipulated as a means of exerting control over a former partner. In many cases, parents may also need to maintain contact with an ex-partner to resolve payment issues, which can be distressing and particularly harmful for victims and survivors of domestic abuse.

However, moving to a single service where the CMS monitors and transfers payments will address these longstanding issues.

Our proposals for the new service will be underpinned by a fairer fee structure. Fees offset the investment needed to make the reforms and contribute to the cost of using enforcement powers to re-establish compliance and reduce the burden on the taxpayer.

We considered how best to address the shortcomings of Direct Pay and concluded that a single service model, with CMS oversight of all maintenance payments, would provide greater transparency, improve compliance and better support children to receive regular maintenance.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what flexibility is available to maintained and church schools in West Dorset to develop alternative educational models that meet local needs while remaining financially sustainable.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The government wants all schools to benefit from strong and effective partnerships, enabling them to collaborate with other schools and local partners to improve outcomes for children and young people.

Schools have a range of opportunities to work with other schools and organisations in ways that reflect circumstances and community needs. The department is supporting local authorities, dioceses and trusts through area planning to develop sustainable and geographically-coherent arrangements that reflect local circumstances.

This approach helps schools access shared expertise, leadership and support, while continuing to serve their local communities. High-quality partnerships can also help schools build capacity, improve financial resilience and respond effectively to local challenges.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what flexibility is available to maintained and church schools to develop alternative educational models that meet local needs while remaining financially sustainable.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The government wants all schools to benefit from strong and effective partnerships, enabling them to collaborate with other schools and local partners to improve outcomes for children and young people.

Schools have a range of opportunities to work with other schools and organisations in ways that reflect circumstances and community needs. The department is supporting local authorities, dioceses and trusts through area planning to develop sustainable and geographically-coherent arrangements that reflect local circumstances.

This approach helps schools access shared expertise, leadership and support, while continuing to serve their local communities. High-quality partnerships can also help schools build capacity, improve financial resilience and respond effectively to local challenges.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will review whether current school funding arrangements adequately recognise the strategic importance of small rural schools in West Dorset where pupil numbers are low.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department recognises the pressures caused by demographic changes in some areas. We have allocated £155 million in Growth and Falling Rolls funding to local authorities in the 2026/27 financial year through the Dedicated Schools Grant.

Furthermore, the lagged funding system, where schools are funded on the basis of their pupil numbers in the previous October census, helps to give schools more certainty over funding levels to aid their planning. Additionally, we are working with the sector to develop a decision-making framework to support local areas to plan school places strategically through demographic change.

The government recognises the essential role that small schools play in their communities, many of which are in rural areas. The schools national funding formula accounts for the challenges faced by small schools in rural areas through the lump sum and sparsity factor. In Dorset, 34.5% of schools attract sparsity funding, reflecting the significant number of schools serving rural communities.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will review whether current school funding arrangements adequately recognise the strategic importance of small rural schools where pupil numbers are low.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department recognises the pressures caused by demographic changes in some areas. We have allocated £155 million in Growth and Falling Rolls funding to local authorities in the 2026/27 financial year through the Dedicated Schools Grant.

Furthermore, the lagged funding system, where schools are funded on the basis of their pupil numbers in the previous October census, helps to give schools more certainty over funding levels to aid their planning. Additionally, we are working with the sector to develop a decision-making framework to support local areas to plan school places strategically through demographic change.

The government recognises the essential role that small schools play in their communities, many of which are in rural areas. The schools national funding formula accounts for the challenges faced by small schools in rural areas through the lump sum and sparsity factor. In Dorset, 34.5% of schools attract sparsity funding, reflecting the significant number of schools serving rural communities.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made in developing a national strategy for funding schools affected by falling pupil numbers.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department recognises the pressures caused by demographic changes in some areas. We have allocated £155 million in Growth and Falling Rolls funding to local authorities in the 2026/27 financial year through the Dedicated Schools Grant.

Furthermore, the lagged funding system, where schools are funded on the basis of their pupil numbers in the previous October census, helps to give schools more certainty over funding levels to aid their planning. Additionally, we are working with the sector to develop a decision-making framework to support local areas to plan school places strategically through demographic change.

The government recognises the essential role that small schools play in their communities, many of which are in rural areas. The schools national funding formula accounts for the challenges faced by small schools in rural areas through the lump sum and sparsity factor. In Dorset, 34.5% of schools attract sparsity funding, reflecting the significant number of schools serving rural communities.

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 consider requiring supermarkets and private parking operators to make clear that the availability of 24-hour electric vehicle charging does not necessarily mean that unrestricted parking is permitted outside store opening hours.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Consumer protection legislation requires parking terms and charges to be displayed clearly, prominently and in a manner that enables motorists to understand the contractual terms before deciding to park.

While the government did not consult on issues relating specifically to electric vehicle charging points in 2025, when it consulted on proposals to raise standards in the private parking industry, this is an area that we intend to keep under review.

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 introduce minimum standards for the size, location and clarity of signs setting out parking restrictions and penalty charges at supermarket car parks with 24-hour electric vehicle charging facilities.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Consumer protection legislation requires parking terms and charges to be displayed clearly, prominently and in a manner that enables motorists to understand the contractual terms before deciding to park.

While the government did not consult on issues relating specifically to electric vehicle charging points in 2025, when it consulted on proposals to raise standards in the private parking industry, this is an area that we intend to keep under review.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she is taking steps to protect motorists from disproportionate parking charges where they have used supermarket facilities in good faith, including electric vehicle chargers or parcel collection services.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Consumer protection legislation requires parking terms and charges to be displayed clearly, prominently and in a manner that enables motorists to understand the contractual terms before deciding to park.

While the government did not consult on issues relating specifically to electric vehicle charging points in 2025, when it consulted on proposals to raise standards in the private parking industry, this is an area that we intend to keep under review.

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 adequacy of signage informing motorists of parking restrictions at supermarket electric vehicle charging points.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Consumer protection legislation requires parking terms and charges to be displayed clearly, prominently and in a manner that enables motorists to understand the contractual terms before deciding to park.

While the government did not consult on issues relating specifically to electric vehicle charging points in 2025, when it consulted on proposals to raise standards in the private parking industry, this is an area that we intend to keep under review.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to raise public awareness of the fire risks associated with disposable barbecues.

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

This Government is raising awareness of the fire risks associated with disposable barbecues and encouraging responsible public behaviour.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to improve defence procurement.

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

The procurement system we inherited was broken. Defence procurement was slow, expensive and not fit for a period of war fighting readiness.

Through our Procurement Segmentation and new Commercial Pathways, we are making procurement more agile, opening up opportunities for SMEs and innovators, and ensuring every pound of defence spending delivers stronger military capability and better value for the taxpayer.

Appointment of Russian diplomat to lead United Nations' mine-action work

Prosecution of parents of children with SEND for school absence

Administration of PAPYRUS

World Suicide Prevention Day 2026

English Wine Week 2026

Civil Service pensions

Found: Thornberry (Chair); Fleur Anderson; Alex Ballinger; Aphra Brandreth; Dan Carden; Abtisam Mohamed; and Edward Morello