Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help (a) prevent and (b) increase the early detection of chronic kidney disease through the 10-year health plan.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts the National Health Service needs to be fit for the future, namely from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving the prevention and detection of chronic kidney disease in all parts of the country.

The 10-Year Health Plan will build on the NHS Health Check which aims to prevent heart disease, stroke and kidney disease among adults aged between 40 and 74 years old, and engages over 1.4 million people a year.

Earlier diagnosis will help people manage their conditions, prevent deterioration and improve survival rates. More tests and scans delivered in the community, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all support the early detection of many long-term conditions such as chronic kidney disease.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help farmers recruit people on Seasonal Worker visas.

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

We know how important securing the right workforce is to the agri-food chain, for both skilled (such as butchers and vets) and temporary (such as seasonal horticulture harvesting) jobs.

The Government has confirmed the Seasonal Worker visa route for 2025, with a total of 43,000 Seasonal Worker visas available for horticulture and 2,000 for poultry. At the NFU conference, the Government announced a five-year extension to the Seasonal Worker visa route, until the end of 2030, giving farms a pipeline of workers and certainty to grow their businesses. Annual quota reviews will ensure we strike the right balance – supporting farms while gradually transitioning away from seasonal migrant labour. This will help secure the labour and skills needed to bring high quality British produce, such as strawberries, rhubarb and daffodils to market.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to help support farming businesses in West Yorkshire.

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

This Government wants to improve profitability for farmers, including for those in West Yorkshire, to make their businesses viable for the future. That is why we were pleased to announce £5 billion for the farming budget over 2024/25 and 2025/26.

The farming budget will be £2.4 billion in 2025/26. This will include the largest ever budget directed at sustainable food production and nature’s recovery in our country’s history: £1.8 billion for environmental land management schemes to boost Britain’s food security and accelerate the transition to a more resilient and sustainable farming sector.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle fraud in the welfare system by serious and organised criminal gangs.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

DWP works collaboratively across Government Departments and Law Enforcement Agencies on investigations into benefit fraud carried out by organised crime gangs.

New powers in the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill will strengthen our capability to tackle organised crime by modernising and enhancing our investigation powers and ensuring those defrauding the public sector face appropriate consequences.