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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she can confirm that the forthcoming consultation on phasing out farrowing crates will be based on a transition to free farrowing systems rather than permitting the continued use of temporary crating.

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

The recently published animal welfare strategy sets out that ending the use of farrowing crates is a key priority for this Government. We want to work with the industry to help them transition away from the use of farrowing crates to alternative systems: either flexible farrowing where the sow is confined for the crucial few days around farrowing, or free farrowing where there is no confinement during farrowing or lactation.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she intends to publish the consultation on phasing out the use of farrowing crates for sows.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given the hon. Member for Bolton South and Walkden on 10 July 2026, PQ UIN 15938.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any inspections were undertaken by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit following reports concerning the welfare of dogs during the recent period of extreme temperatures at MBR Acres.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

On 10 July 2026, the Animals in Science Regulation Unit carried out an announced visit to MBR Acres to inspect compliance with the requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) following the recent period of high temperatures in Great Britain. No immediate animal welfare concerns were identified by inspectors on the day of the visit.

Under ASPA, licensed establishments are responsible for ensuring the welfare of animals in their care at all times, including during extreme temperatures. All such establishments must comply with ASPA, the Code of Practice for the Housing and Care of Animals Bred, Supplied or Used for Scientific Purposes, and relevant licence conditions. This includes requirements for daily checks of animal welfare and environmental conditions, and for breaches or potential breaches of licence conditions to be reported to the Secretary of State.

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 potential merits of increasing the level of workforce understanding of endometriosis.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

The Government acknowledges the challenges faced by women with endometriosis and the impact it can have on their lives, relationships, education, and participation in the workforce. We also recognise the importance of ensuring healthcare professionals are appropriately trained and informed about women’s health conditions, including endometriosis.

The General Medical Council has introduced the Medical Licensing Assessment to encourage a better understanding of common women’s health problems among doctors as they start their careers in the United Kingdom. The content for this assessment includes topics relating to women’s health, including endometriosis.

Women’s health is also included within the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) curriculum for trainee general practitioners (GPs), including gynaecology, sexual health, and breast health. The curriculum also covers the health care needs of women across all diseases seen in primary care as it is important women are treated holistically. This ensures that all future GPs receive education on women’s health.

The RCGP has also published a Women’s Health Library which brings together educational resources and guidance on women’s health from the RCGP, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and the College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, supporting healthcare professionals to provide up-to-date care for their patients. The RCGP has worked with partners, including Endometriosis UK, to develop educational resources relating to endometriosis to support GPs and other healthcare professionals to deliver the best possible care for women, based on the latest evidence.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has developed a women’s and reproductive health topic suite, and updated guidelines on endometriosis in 2024 to make firmer recommendations for healthcare professionals on referral and investigations for women with a suspected diagnosis. These clinical guidelines support healthcare professionals in providing care for women with endometriosis.

Generally, employers in the health system are responsible for ensuring that their staff are trained to the required standards to deliver appropriate treatment for patients.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of strengthening statutory guidance to local authorities on accepting existing assessments and plans when Service children with special or additional educations needs move areas.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

We recognise that Armed Forces life may present particular challenges for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families, particularly because of the need to move regularly. As part of our consultation on reforms of the SEND system, I attended a roundtable hosted by the Armed Forces Community All-Party Parliamentary Group, to hear first-hand from armed forces families their powerful testimony about these challenges.

Our proposed SEND reforms aim to end the postcode lottery and improve quality of support for Service children with SEND, for example, through new National Inclusion Standards, a nationally consistent set of Specialist Provision Packages and digital Individual Support and education, health and care plans that support transitions between settings. Updating the SEND Code of Practice will be essential to ensure children’s needs are met early and flexibly.

We are carefully reviewing and taking into account all responses submitted to the consultation, alongside feedback from over 200 engagement events we held over 12 weeks. We will set out our response in due course.

Local authorities are required, in line with the Armed Forces Covenant 'due regard' duty, to consider the needs of Service personnel, veterans and their families in planning and delivering aspects of education provision. Some local authorities have proactively decided to deliver this through appointing a lead officer for children from Armed Forces families.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her department has considered the potential merits of introducing a statutory requirement for all local authorities to appoint a lead officer for children from Armed Forces families, including those with special educational needs or disabilities.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

We recognise that Armed Forces life may present particular challenges for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families, particularly because of the need to move regularly. As part of our consultation on reforms of the SEND system, I attended a roundtable hosted by the Armed Forces Community All-Party Parliamentary Group, to hear first-hand from armed forces families their powerful testimony about these challenges.

Our proposed SEND reforms aim to end the postcode lottery and improve quality of support for Service children with SEND, for example, through new National Inclusion Standards, a nationally consistent set of Specialist Provision Packages and digital Individual Support and education, health and care plans that support transitions between settings. Updating the SEND Code of Practice will be essential to ensure children’s needs are met early and flexibly.

We are carefully reviewing and taking into account all responses submitted to the consultation, alongside feedback from over 200 engagement events we held over 12 weeks. We will set out our response in due course.

Local authorities are required, in line with the Armed Forces Covenant 'due regard' duty, to consider the needs of Service personnel, veterans and their families in planning and delivering aspects of education provision. Some local authorities have proactively decided to deliver this through appointing a lead officer for children from Armed Forces families.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what is the latest assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of access to special educational needs or disabilities provision on a) Armed Forces family satisfaction and b) personnel retention.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

We recognise that Armed Forces life may present particular challenges for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families, particularly because of the need to move regularly. As part of our consultation on reforms of the SEND system, I attended a roundtable hosted by the Armed Forces Community All-Party Parliamentary Group, to hear first-hand from armed forces families their powerful testimony about these challenges.

Our proposed SEND reforms aim to end the postcode lottery and improve quality of support for Service children with SEND, for example, through new National Inclusion Standards, a nationally consistent set of Specialist Provision Packages and digital Individual Support and education, health and care plans that support transitions between settings. Updating the SEND Code of Practice will be essential to ensure children’s needs are met early and flexibly.

We are carefully reviewing and taking into account all responses submitted to the consultation, alongside feedback from over 200 engagement events we held over 12 weeks. We will set out our response in due course.

Local authorities are required, in line with the Armed Forces Covenant 'due regard' duty, to consider the needs of Service personnel, veterans and their families in planning and delivering aspects of education provision. Some local authorities have proactively decided to deliver this through appointing a lead officer for children from Armed Forces families.

Found: Beccy Cooper; Jen Craft; Josh Fenton-Glynn; Andrew George; Paulette Hamilton; Alex McIntyre; Gregory Stafford

Found: Erdington) Alex McIntyre (Labour; Gloucester) Joe Robertson (Conservative; Isle of Wight East) Gregory Stafford