Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what steps he is taking with his international counterparts to help secure peace between Israel and Palestine in the Holy Land.

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

The fastest way to end the conflict is to secure a deal which gets the hostages out and allows for a pause in the fighting in Gaza. We must then work with our international partners to turn that pause into a sustainable, permanent ceasefire.

The UK is doing all it can to reach a long-term solution to this crisis by: calling for the immediate release of all hostages; continuing to support a deal which would secure a pause in the fighting; pushing as hard as we can to get aid to Palestinian civilians; working with partners to deescalate the situation in the region; and building momentum towards a lasting peace.

Building momentum towards a lasting peace will require the release of all hostages; removing Hamas's capacity to launch attacks against Israel; Hamas no longer being in charge of Gaza; the formation of a new Palestinian Government for the West Bank and Gaza, accompanied by an international support package; and a political horizon for the Palestinians, providing a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution.

We have played an active role in discussions at the UN. The passing of UN Security Council Resolution 2728 on 25 March reflected international consensus behind the UK's position We continue to use public and private diplomatic channels as well as multilateral fora.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing guidance for (a) food manufacturers and (b) hospitality venues serving food on the definition of vegetarianism.

Answered by Mark Spencer

The terms ‘Vegetarian’ and ‘Vegan’ do not currently have legal definitions in the UK, but the use of these and indeed any term on food, whether retailed from a shop or on a menu for out-of-home sale, must not be misleading to consumers.

The term ‘suitable for Vegetarians’, is used voluntarily by the food industry. There is no legal requirement to describe a product as either suitable or unsuitable for vegetarians.

There are no current plans to produce guidance specifically for food business operators on the definition of vegetarianism.

However, Defra and the FSA will continue to work with businesses and consumers to ensure everyone can make safe and informed choices when purchasing items labelled as vegan or vegetarian.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how his Department defines vegetarian food; and whether restaurants using the same gloves to prepare food for (a) vegetarians and (b) non-vegetarians are defined as vegetarian.

Answered by Mark Spencer

The terms ‘Vegetarian’ and ‘Vegan’ do not currently have legal definitions in the UK, but the use of these and indeed any term on food, whether retailed from a shop or on a menu for out-of-home sale, must not be misleading to consumers.

In order not to mislead, manufacturers, retailers and caterers should be able to demonstrate that where foods are presented as 'vegetarian' reasonable steps have been taken to avoid cross-contamination with non-vegetarian foods during storage, preparation, cooking or display. Food law provides a robust framework that protects public health and consumer interests and requires food businesses that produce, process, and distribute food to apply food safety controls that ensure food they place on the market is safe and is what it says it is. This includes avoiding cross contamination of foods including ensuring that work areas, surfaces and equipment used for raw and ready-to-eat food are adequately separated.

While it may not be possible to avoid cross-contamination in a busy kitchen, it is incumbent on a food business to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to avoid cross-contamination and where appropriate, to inform customers where there is a risk

Trading standards officers attached to the Local Authority are responsible for checking compliance with the food information requirements.

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 bovine tuberculosis vaccine to be deployed.

Answered by Mark Spencer

Developing a vaccine against TB in cattle is one of the Government’s top priorities. Defra aims to have a deployable cattle TB vaccine (‘CattleBCG’) and a new companion DIVA skin test (to detect infected among vaccinated animals) in the next few years. Field trials of the CattleBCG vaccine and the DIVA skin test started in 2021 and are ongoing.

Final deployment will rely on the success of the ongoing field trials, achieving UK Marketing Authorisations from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) (for both CattleBCG and the companion DIVA skin test), gaining international recognition through the World Organisation of Animal Health (WOAH) and our trading partners for both products, an IT system to record and trace vaccinated cattle, and acceptance of vaccination from stakeholders across the supply chain.

Information on the development of a bovine TB cattle vaccine can be found on the TB Hub at https://tbhub.co.uk/resources/frequently-asked-questions/development-of-a-deployable-tuberculosis-vaccine-for-cattle/.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a legal definition of vegetarianism.

Answered by Mark Spencer

There are no current plans to introduce a legal definition of the term ‘vegetarianism’, but the use of this and indeed any term on food, whether retailed from a shop or on a menu for out-of-home sale, must not be misleading to consumers.

The term ‘suitable for vegetarians’ is used voluntarily by the food industry. There is no legal requirement to describe a product as either suitable or unsuitable for vegetarians.

The fundamental principle of food labelling rules is that information provided to the consumer must not mislead and must enable the safe use of food. These rules mean that manufacturers, retailers and caterers should be able to demonstrate that where foods are presented as 'vegetarian' reasonable steps have been taken to avoid cross-contamination with non-vegetarian foods during storage, preparation, cooking or display.

Defra and the FSA will continue to work with businesses and consumers to ensure everyone can make safe and informed choices when purchasing items labelled as ‘vegetarian’.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the short-term pause in the determination of applications for environmental permits for certain types of waste incineration facilities in England beyond 24 May 2024.

Answered by Mark Spencer

We have put in place a temporary, short-term pause in the determination of certain environmental permits for new waste incineration facilities. During the pause period, Defra officials are leading a scoping exercise to consider the need for a review of the role of further waste incineration facilities giving regard to Defra’s resources and waste objectives and wider government environmental and decarbonisation objectives and obligations. The work being led by Defra officials is ongoing and it would be wrong to pre-judge the outcome of this scoping exercise. Next steps will be announced in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of lowering the eligibility age for a free bus pass to 60.

Answered by Guy Opperman

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those who have reached state pension age, currently aged sixty-six. ENCTS costs around £1 billion annually and any changes to the minimum statutory scheme, such as lowering the age of eligibility, would need to be carefully considered for their impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

Local authorities in England have the power to go beyond their statutory obligations and extend free bus travel to those not eligible for ENCTS, however, these additional concessions are not funded by central government but by local authorities from local resources, such as council tax. Since 2010/11 almost all of the travel concession authorities in England have offered some form of discretionary concession.

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Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Liam Byrne (Chair); Douglas Chapman; Jane Hunt; Ian Lavery; Julie

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Liam Byrne (Chair); Douglas Chapman; Jane Hunt; Ian Lavery; Julie

Found: Jonathan Gullis MP (Conservative, Stoke-on-Trent North ) Antony Higginbotham MP (Conservative, Burnley ) Jane

Found: 1 (0.0%) Antony Higginbotham (Conservative, Burnley) (added 12 Jun 2023) 1 of 1 (100.0%) Jane

Found: Wilson Dame Harriett Baldwin Fiona Bruce Stephen Crabb Jo Gideon Mark Garnier Damian Green Jane

Found: Wilson Dame Harriett Baldwin Fiona Bruce Stephen Crabb Jo Gideon Mark Garnier Damian Green Jane

Found: Wilson Dame Harriett Baldwin Fiona Bruce Stephen Crabb Jo Gideon Mark Garnier Damian Green Jane

Found: Wilson Dame Harriett Baldwin Fiona Bruce Stephen Crabb Jo Gideon Mark Garnier Damian Green Jane

Found: Wilson Dame Harriett Baldwin Fiona Bruce Stephen Crabb Jo Gideon Mark Garnier Damian Green Jane

Found: Wilson Dame Harriett Baldwin Fiona Bruce Stephen Crabb Jo Gideon Mark Garnier Damian Green Jane

Found: Wilson Dame Harriett Baldwin Fiona Bruce Stephen Crabb Jo Gideon Mark Garnier Damian Green Jane

Found: Kearns Miriam Cates Dame Caroline Dinenage Jess Phillips Nickie Aiken Miss Sarah Dines Jane

Found: Kearns Miriam Cates Dame Caroline Dinenage Jess Phillips Nickie Aiken Miss Sarah Dines Jane

Found: Kearns Miriam Cates Dame Caroline Dinenage Jess Phillips Nickie Aiken Miss Sarah Dines Jane

Found: Kearns Miriam Cates Dame Caroline Dinenage Jess Phillips Nickie Aiken Miss Sarah Dines Jane

Found: Kearns Miriam Cates Dame Caroline Dinenage Jess Phillips Nickie Aiken Miss Sarah Dines Jane

Found: Kearns Miriam Cates Dame Caroline Dinenage Jess Phillips Nickie Aiken Miss Sarah Dines Jane

Found: Kearns Miriam Cates Dame Caroline Dinenage Jess Phillips Nickie Aiken Miss Sarah Dines Jane

Found: Kearns Miriam Cates Dame Caroline Dinenage Jess Phillips Nickie Aiken Miss Sarah Dines Jane

Found: Kearns Miriam Cates Dame Caroline Dinenage Jess Phillips Nickie Aiken Miss Sarah Dines Jane

Found: Empire Medallists of the Order of the British Empire Medal of the Order of the British Empire Susan Jane

Found: Society and to the community in Eglinton, County Londonderry (Londonderry, County Londonderry) Susan Jane

Submit Evidence (by 6 Dec 2024)

The newly re-formed Business and Trade Committee is launching its first call for evidence on the Government’s new flagship Employment Rights Bill.

Our role as the House of Commons Business and Trade Committee is to shine a light on issues in business and trade policy. This is an opportunity to inform our work and tell us where to look. 

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