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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2025 to UIN 62951, what progress she has made on incorporating method-of-production labelling reform into the development of animal welfare and food strategies; and if she will publish a timetable for implementation.

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

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. In the food strategy we identified 10 priority outcomes, including ensuring that food supply is environmentally sustainable with high animal welfare standards.

The Prime Minister announced that we will be publishing an animal welfare strategy this year. We have considered key priorities for animal welfare in the development of the strategy and will set these out in the strategy upon publication.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support she is providing to adoptive families when attempting to return a child to care.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Returning a child to care should only ever be a last resort. We recognise the significant emotional and practical strain adoptive parents can face, particularly when managing complex needs and trauma. Our priority is to keep families together wherever possible by providing timely tailored support for parents in crisis.

We are investing £50 million into the adoption and special guardianship support fund this year to provide therapeutic services to support children with complex needs to help prevent families reaching crisis. In addition, we have provided Adoption England with £8.8 million so that families can access high quality support provision at all stages of their adoption journey.

When a child must return to care, adoption agencies should maintain a non-judgemental approach and remain actively involved to ensure the process is handled with sensitivity and support. This includes working closely with the adoptive parents to understand the circumstances, providing emotional and practical assistance, and facilitating access to therapeutic services when appropriate.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support adoptive families from being subject to legal action when attempting to return a child to care.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department knows that some adoptive families do not get the support they need when in crisis. Rather than being supported, they experience blame and criticism of their parenting approach.

Adoption England are working with their local authority partner safeguarding teams to improve the support families receive when they are in crisis. The aim of this work is to develop a national protocol which can be used for all adoption support service teams and local authority front door safeguarding services. This will help ensure that parents are supported when they need it most.

We are also investing £50 million into the adoption and special guardianship support fund this year to provide therapeutic services to support children with complex needs to help prevent families reaching crisis, and £8.8 million into Adoption England so that families can access high quality support provision at all stages of their adoption journey.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether British International Investment’s Reporting & Complaints Mechanism is currently engaged regarding Kenya’s Menengai geothermal project; what steps she is taking to ensure access to remedy for affected communities; and what role the High Commission in Nairobi is playing to facilitate dialogue between the parties.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I believe the Hon Member is referring to complaints regarding geothermal exploration activities in specific areas of Nakuru County, Kenya. British International Investment have made clear that they have no investment in any company undertaking geothermal exploration in the relevant areas, and therefore have no basis to consider any complaints.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to organise the next session of the Association Council for the UK-Morocco Association Agreement.

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

The most recent ministerial meeting of the UK-Morocco Association Council took place in London on 12 November and reaffirmed our commitment to deepening cooperation on trade, investment, education, renewable energy, and security, in line with the step-change in relations following June's bilateral strategic dialogue. The next meeting has not yet been scheduled, but we will confirm the details in the usual way in due course.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of eliminating tariff rates quotas on Moroccan fresh produce at times of the year when the produce is not in season in the UK.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK and Morocco are currently undertaking a review of tariffs on Agriculture goods, of which greater access to the UK market for tomatoes is a priority for Morocco. Tomatoes are amongst a number of products which are being considered as part of the negotiation. Any final agreement will need to benefit UK business and consumers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will review the November 2025 decrease to the Agenda for Change mileage payments for community staff.

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

As set out in NHS Terms and Conditions of Service (TCS) Handbook, which is ratified by the NHS Staff Council, mileage reimbursement rates are reviewed twice a year in April and November.

The outcome of the November 2025 review resulted in a reduction of reimbursement rates due to sustained decreases in fuel prices for the 12-month period ending in October 2025. Reimbursement rates will drop to 56 pence per mile up to 3,500 miles claimed before dropping to 21 pence per mile thereafter. The revised rates will apply to mileage incurred from 1 January 2026.

These changes apply to all staff directly employed under Agenda for Change terms and conditions and Resident Doctors. There are no specific rates for community staff.

The NHS Staff Council, which is responsible for maintaining the NHS TCS, is currently negotiating a new mechanism that will determine a fair reimbursement rate for miles incurred by these staff. Further updates on their work will be made in due course.