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 publish a call to evidence for the NHS 10-Year Plan.

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

The use of data and evidence is embedded throughout our development of the 10-Year Health Plan and we will undertake intensive engagement with the public and workforce to gain insights into experiences, priorities and ideas for change.

We will invite stakeholders to submit evidence to the plan in a variety of ways, as well as using evidence collected as part of Lord Darzi’s Independent Investigation of the National Health Service in England, to make sure the plan is based on the most reliable available evidence.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he is taking steps to tackle (a) unethical cat breeding and (b) kitten farming.

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

Under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, anyone in the business of breeding and selling cats as pets needs to have a valid licence issued by their local authority. Licensees must meet strict statutory minimum welfare standards which are enforced by local authorities who have powers to issue, refuse, vary or revoke licences. Anyone carrying on a licensable activity without a licence faces up to 6 months’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both.

Defra has been working on a post-implementation review of the Regulations. This review considers whether the Regulations have met their objectives, and where there could be scope to further improve the protections they provide.

Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly elections

UN’s resolution on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine and sanctions