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 help protect hedgerows.

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

The Hedgerows Regulations 1997 set legal protections for hedgerows in England and Wales. These existing regulations prohibit the removal of most countryside hedgerows (or parts of them) without first seeking approval from the local planning authority.

In June 2023, the Government launched a consultation on how hedgerows should be further protected in England. The responses to the consultation supported bringing hedgerow management rules into regulation and this is what the Government will do as soon as parliamentary time allows. The regulations will require a 2-metre buffer strip, measured from the centre of the hedge, where no cultivation or application of pesticides or fertilisers must take place, and will ban the cutting of hedges between 1 March and 31 August. The regulations will support other Government actions and incentives, including over 90,000 km of hedgerows being managed through 16,000 agreements in the Government’s Countryside Stewardship and Sustainable Farming Incentive schemes.

Defra is also working with stakeholders and other Government departments to understand how to support the creation and maintenance of hedgerows in non-agricultural contexts, to maximise the benefits they provide.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to help ensure access (a) into Gaza and (b) across the Strip.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

An immediate humanitarian pause is the most effective way of increasing the flow of much-needed aid into Gaza and securing the safe release of hostages. Crucially, it would also allow for progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life.

We have been clear about the steps which are needed to get more aid into Gaza. All parties must take immediate action to ensure unhindered humanitarian access, ease restrictions on humanitarian supplies and ensure the UN and aid agencies can reach civilians in need throughout Gaza. We are focussed on five key humanitarian needs in our engagements with Israel:

1. An effective de-confliction mechanism to enable safe distribution of aid through that extended humanitarian pause.

2. Increased capacity inside of Gaza, enabling the humanitarian system and private sector to scale up the provision of goods.

3. Increased access for aid through land and sea routes.

4. An expansion of humanitarian assistance for Gaza, including fuel, shelter and public health items, as well as items critical for infrastructure repair.

5. The provision of electricity, water and telecommunications.

We have trebled our aid commitment this financial year and we are doing everything we can to get more aid in and open more crossings. The Foreign Secretary has appointed his Representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Mark Bryson-Richardson. He is based in the region and is working intensively to address the blockages preventing more aid reaching Gaza.

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 prevent the illegal smuggling of cats and kittens into the UK.

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

The Government takes the illegal importation of pets seriously. It is an abhorrent trade which causes suffering to animals.

We operate one of the most rigorous and robust pet travel checking regimes in Europe. The Animal and Plant Health Agency works collaboratively with Border Force and other operational partners at ports, airports and inland, sharing intelligence to enforce the Pet Travel rules, disrupt illegal imports, safeguard the welfare of animals and seize non-compliant animals.

We are aware that Selaine Saxby MP has introduced a Private Members’ Bill on restricting the importation and non-commercial movement of dogs, cats and ferrets. In accordance with Parliamentary convention, the Government will set out its formal position on this Bill when it receives its Second Reading.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) guidance and (b) support his Department provides to (i) veterinarians and (ii) other animal welfare professionals on cats and kittens illegally smuggled into the UK.

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

The Government takes the illegal importation of pets seriously. It is an abhorrent trade which causes suffering to animals.

Defra regularly engages with stakeholders, including veterinary and animal welfare professionals, on a range of animal welfare issues, including the illegal smuggling of pets into the UK.

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what information his Department holds on how many Disabled people were evicted thorough section 21 no-fault evictions in the private rented sector in 2023.

Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 14713 on 22 February 2024.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to provide additional funding to the NHS for (a) diagnostic tools and (b) the workforce to help prepare for the potential arrival of new dementia treatments.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England has established a dedicated national programme team, which is working in partnership with other national agencies and with local health systems to co-ordinate the preparations for the potential roll out of new treatments.

The team at NHS England are assessing the additional scanning, treating and monitoring capacity which would be required if potential new Alzheimer’s treatments are approved and determined to be clinically and cost-effective. This includes securing additional diagnostic capacity including magnetic resonance imaging, lumbar puncture, and positron emission tomography and computed tomography.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of geographical disparities in access to specialist dementia diagnostics on the (a) accuracy and (b) timeliness of diagnoses across regions.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities’ Dementia Intelligence Network has been commissioned by NHS England to develop a resource to support investigation of the underlying variation in dementia diagnosis rates. The aim of this work is to provide context for variation and enable targeted investigation and provision of support at a local level, to enhance diagnosis rates. The tool has been released and is available via the NHS Futures Collaboration platform.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the impact of factory farming on (a) rivers and (b) other waterways.

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

The Government is committed to minimising pollution from all types of farming, including production systems where animals are housed indoors for some or all of the year and which accumulate manures and slurries.

Our legal standards, including the Nitrates and Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil regulations, all require manure produced in livestock housing (including slurry) to be stored responsibly and for a long enough time to ensure it is spread in a way that minimises water pollution. The Farming Rules for Water and Nitrates regulations require these manures to be spread according to appropriate volumes, locations and timescales to minimise pollution.

In addition, our farming schemes provide revenue and capital funding to help farmers build the infrastructure necessary to manage manures to reduce pollution. For example a dairy farmer is able to utilise Sustainable Farming Incentive Funding for measures to reduce soil erosion and runoff from their fields, and Slurry Infrastructure Grant funding to expand and cover their slurry store according to best practice.

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 4 December 2023 to Question 4004 on Furs: Imports, what criteria he is using to determine when to publish a summary of responses to his Department’s 2021 Fur Market consultation.

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

At this stage we do not have a confirmed date for publication of a summary of responses to the call for evidence on the fur market in Great Britain.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he expects the Food Data Transparency Partnership Eco Working Group to produce its report detailing proposals to measure and communicate carbon emissions in the food system.

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

The Food Data Transparency Partnership (FDTP) was established in early 2023, as a means to work jointly across Defra, the Food Standards Agency, the Department of Health and Social Care, industry, academia and civil society. The FDTP aims to drive positive change in the food system through better and more transparent food data. On environmental sustainability, the FDTP has focused on the approach needed to deliver consistent, accurate and accessible data on quantifying and communicating the environmental impact of food across the agri-food system. This will support our agri-food industry to remain internationally competitive in the context of global growing demand for data on environmental impacts associated with products or services sold.

The FDTP Eco Working Group continues to develop the detail of proposals to measure and communicate greenhouse gas emissions in the food system. The group has identified several interim priorities for the short and medium term. These will be communicated to industry as part of the FDTP's continued programme of engagement.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2024 to Question 14388 on Horticulture: Seasonal Workers, whether the requirement for seasonal workers to receive a minimum of 32 hours pay for each week of their stay in the UK regardless of whether work is available was included in any (a) rules and (b) guidance published by his Department.

Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)

The Scheme Operators are responsible for monitoring pay, conditions, and worker’s general welfare whilst they are in the UK.

The Home Office works closely with DEFRA to monitor the scheme to ensure Scheme Operators adhere to the stringent requirements set for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the seasonal workers. This includes ongoing monitoring of the route’s performance, regular communication with Scheme Operators and ongoing compliance monitoring which is underpinned by compliance visits to both Scheme Operators and growers which are carried out by UKVI. Action is taken if concerns are identified during sponsor visits, with sponsor licences being suspended while UKVI investigate further.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2024 to Question 14388 on Horticulture: Seasonal Workers, who is responsible for payments to seasonal workers in line with the requirement that they must receive a minimum of 32 hours pay for each week of their stay in the UK, regardless of whether work is available.

Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)

The Scheme Operators are responsible for monitoring pay, conditions, and worker’s general welfare whilst they are in the UK.

The Home Office works closely with DEFRA to monitor the scheme to ensure Scheme Operators adhere to the stringent requirements set for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the seasonal workers. This includes ongoing monitoring of the route’s performance, regular communication with Scheme Operators and ongoing compliance monitoring which is underpinned by compliance visits to both Scheme Operators and growers which are carried out by UKVI. Action is taken if concerns are identified during sponsor visits, with sponsor licences being suspended while UKVI investigate further.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2024 to Question 14388 on Horticulture: Seasonal Workers, whether his Department (a) monitors and (b) enforces payments to seasonal workers to ensure they receive a minimum of 32 hours pay for each week of their stay in the UK regardless of whether work is available.

Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)

The Scheme Operators are responsible for monitoring pay, conditions, and worker’s general welfare whilst they are in the UK.

The Home Office works closely with DEFRA to monitor the scheme to ensure Scheme Operators adhere to the stringent requirements set for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the seasonal workers. This includes ongoing monitoring of the route’s performance, regular communication with Scheme Operators and ongoing compliance monitoring which is underpinned by compliance visits to both Scheme Operators and growers which are carried out by UKVI. Action is taken if concerns are identified during sponsor visits, with sponsor licences being suspended while UKVI investigate further.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Colombia on the recent ceasefire with the ELN.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As penholder at the UN Security Council, the UK helped coordinate international support to expand the mandate of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia to verify the implementation of the ceasefire between the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN). The ceasefire agreed between the Colombian Government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) and its extension following recent talks in Havana is a welcome step. During my visit to Colombia earlier this month, I [Minister Rutley] was able to convey our hope that the ceasefire will contribute to improving security and alleviate the suffering of conflict-affected communities.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to reduce the average time taken for an endometriosis diagnosis.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

Care for menstrual problems including endometriosis is a 2024 priority for implementing the Women’s Health Strategy. We are investing £25 million in establishing women’s health hubs, which will play a key role in improving access to care for menstrual problems including suspected endometriosis.

Through the NHS Delivery Plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care, we are increasing activity through dedicated and protected surgical hubs that conduct planned procedures only. Surgical hubs are focusing on providing high-volume low-complexity surgery such as laparoscopies for suspected endometriosis. As of March 2024, 48 surgical hubs conduct gynaecological procedures.

Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are playing an important part in tackling the backlogs of people waiting for diagnostic tests, which includes checks, tests, and scans for patients on gynaecological pathways, including those with endometriosis. As of March 2024, there are 155 CDCs open already, and up to 160 set to open by March 2025.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is currently updating its guideline on diagnosing and managing endometriosis, which will provide healthcare professionals with evidence-based recommendations on diagnosing and treating endometriosis. NHS England is also updating the service specification for severe endometriosis, which sets the standards of care expected from National Health Service organisations.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Women's Health Strategy for England, updated on 30 August 2022, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of progress on the 10-year ambition that women and girls with severe endometriosis experience better care.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

No specific assessment has been made. Care for menstrual problems including endometriosis is a 2024 priority for implementing the Women’s Health Strategy. We are investing £25 million in women’s health hubs, so that women can get better access to care for menstrual problems, including women with suspected or diagnosed endometriosis.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is in the process of updating its recommendations on diagnosing endometriosis, and surgical management of endometriosis if fertility is a priority. The NICE will provide information on the expected publication date of its final guidance in due course.

Additionally, NHS England is updating the service specification for severe endometriosis, which defines the expected standards of care. This update will ensure that specialist endometriosis services have access to the most up-to-date evidence and advice, and will improve standards of care for women with severe endometriosis.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions she has had with (a) BT and (b) Ofcom on the adequacy of the provision of public phone boxes.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Ofcom, the UK’s telecommunications regulator, is responsible for the regulation of public call boxes (PCBs). Under the telephony universal service obligation (USO), providers such as BT and KCOM are required to provide telephony services throughout the UK, including PCBs. BT is required to ensure the adequate provision, repair and maintenance of PCBs. Ofcom’s rules and regulations regarding PCBs can be found on Ofcom’s website.

As Ofcom is responsible for monitoring this requirement of telecoms companies, DSIT has not had recent discussions on this matter.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions she has had with (a) BT and (b) Ofcom on the maintenance of public phone boxes.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Ofcom, the UK’s telecommunications regulator, is responsible for the regulation of public call boxes (PCBs). Under the telephony universal service obligation (USO), providers such as BT and KCOM are required to provide telephony services throughout the UK, including PCBs. BT is required to ensure the adequate provision, repair and maintenance of PCBs. Ofcom’s rules and regulations regarding PCBs can be found on Ofcom’s website.

As Ofcom is responsible for monitoring this requirement of telecoms companies, DSIT has not had recent discussions on this matter.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions she has had with (a) BT and (b) Ofcom on the adequacy of the provision of public phone boxes in Liverpool.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Ofcom, the UK’s telecommunications regulator, is responsible for the regulation of public call boxes (PCBs). Under the telephony universal service obligation (USO), providers such as BT and KCOM are required to provide telephony services throughout the UK, including PCBs. BT is required to ensure the adequate provision, repair and maintenance of PCBs. Ofcom’s rules and regulations regarding PCBs can be found on Ofcom’s website.

As Ofcom is responsible for monitoring this requirement of telecoms companies, DSIT has not had recent discussions on this matter.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of funding for the ambitions in the Women's Health Strategy for England, updated on 30 August 2022.

Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)

The Women’s Health Strategy sets out our plans for boosting the health and wellbeing of women and girls, and for improving how the health and care system engages and listens to all women. The funding confirmed at the last Spending Review was on top of the historic long-term National Health Service settlement announced in 2018. Taken together with funding announced at subsequent fiscal events, it means the NHS resource budget in England will increase in cash terms to £164.9 billion in 2024/25, up from £121.7 billion in 2019/20.

We are also investing in a number of specific programmes within the strategy. For example, we are investing £25 million in the expansion of women’s health hubs over 2023/2024 and 2024/2025, and recently announced a £35 million investment to further improve maternity safety across England over 2024/2025 to 2026/2027.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many and what proportion of public phone boxes were removed in (a) Liverpool and (b) England in (i) 2023, (ii) 2022, (ii) 2021, (iv) 2020 and (v) 2019.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Ofcom, the UK’s telecommunications regulator, is responsible for the regulation of public call boxes (PCBs). Under the telephony universal service obligation (USO), communication providers (CPs) such as BT and KCOM are required to provide telephony services throughout the UK, including PCBs. Ofcom have told us that they do not hold data on the number of PCBs removed by city or country.

In June 2022, Ofcom amended the rules regarding the removal of PCBs. Ofcom removed the local veto process and replaced it with a set of strengthened criteria which would ensure PCBs that are still needed are protected from removal. In this way, the removal of PCBs would become more efficient, while protecting the public’s needs. These criteria protect PCBs where:

• they do not have coverage from all four mobile network providers; or
• are located in an area with a high frequency of accidents or suicides; or
• they have made 52 or more calls over the past 12 months (i.e. the equivalent of one call per week); or
• there is other evidence of a reasonable need for the PCB, for example, if it is likely to be relied upon in the event of a local emergency, such as flooding, or if it is used to call helplines.

If a public call box that is the last at a site does not meet any of these four criteria, CPs can consult with the relevant local authority on removing it. CPs must still take account of any views and evidence received from this consultation before deciding whether to remove the box.

Public call boxes that are not the last at a site can be removed by BT and KCOM without consultation.

Civil Service Pay

Teachers’ Pension Scheme and universities

Trapped podcast on IPP sentences

Office of National Statistics and mandatory attendance at workplaces

Government legal advice on Israeli Government actions and international law

Palestinian family visa scheme

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership

Detention of Frenchie Mae Cumpio

Alleged comments by Frank Hester

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Found: and Whitby ) (Chair) Steven Bonnar MP (Scottish National Party, Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill ) Ian

Found: Clive Betts MP (Labour, Sheffield South East) (Chair) Bob Blackman MP (Conservative, Harrow East) Ian

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Found: Kim Johnson Mrs Sharon Hodgson Valerie Vaz Richard Burgon Dr Rupa Huq Matthew Pennycook Ian

Found: Byrne Derek Thomas Ben Lake To move the following Clause— “Implementation of section 81 of

Found: Byrne Derek Thomas Ben Lake To move the following Clause— “Implementation of section 81 of

Found: Byrne Derek Thomas Ben Lake To move the following Clause— “Implementation of section 81 of

Found: Byrne Derek Thomas Ben Lake To move the following Clause— “Implementation of section 81 of

Found: Byrne Derek Thomas Ben Lake To move the following Clause— “Implementation of section 81 of

Found: Byrne Derek Thomas Ben Lake To move the following Clause— “Implementation of section 81 of

Found: Byrne Derek Thomas Ben Lake To move the following Clause— “Implementation of section 81 of

Found: Roberts John Penrose Damian Green Mick Whitley Mary Kelly Foy Kate Hollern Alex Sobel Ian

This cross-party inquiry will examine the transaction process, the information available to buyers, and the role of conveyancers and estate agents.