Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many inspectors are in post in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is in the final stages of delivering a comprehensive programme of regulatory reform to strengthen the Animals in Science Regulation Unit and ensure robust compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). The reforms are designed to enhance protections for animals used in science whilst supporting a high performing, transparent regulatory environment.
As part of this programme the number of Inspectors is increasing from 17 at the end of 2023, to 22 by end of 2025. This expansion will improve the Regulator’s capability to provide oversight, conduct inspections and support licence holders in meeting their statutory obligations.
The reform programme includes a number of key elements: Enhanced governance through the establishment of a new governance board that will advise the Department on the Regulator’s performance; Specialist roles in the Regulator to focus on data, regulatory performance and quality monitoring to improve delivery of protections to animals; Improved Guidance to provide greater clarity and further revisions are in progress; and, Audit reform where a revised approach for the programme of audits of licensed establishments is under consideration which will allow the Regulator to better ensure compliance by effectively targeting resource in alignment with its objectives.
These reforms reflect the Government’s strong commitment to continuous improvement in regulation and assuring that the UK remains a global leader in science and innovation.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Change NHS Blog entitled Ensuring the Plan represents everyone, published on 21 January 2025, which groups are classified as inclusion health groups.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Throughout the 10-Year Health Plan’s engagement activity, we have engaged with over 1,600 stakeholders, non-governmental organisations, and patient groups to hear their ideas for change. We will shortly publish a list of organisations that made a submission to the Change NHS engagement portal and the organisations that were members of the 10-Year Health Plan Partners Council.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 July 2025 to Question 63741. The published list will include organisations from inclusion health groups who took part in the consultation.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which (a) stakeholders, (b) NGOs and (c) interest groups took part in the Change NHS consultation.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Throughout the 10-Year Health Plan’s engagement activity, we have engaged with over 1,600 stakeholders, non-governmental organisations, and patient groups to hear their ideas for change. We will shortly publish a list of organisations that made a submission to the Change NHS engagement portal and the organisations that were members of the 10-Year Health Plan Partners Council.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 July 2025 to Question 63741. The published list will include organisations from inclusion health groups who took part in the consultation.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Information Commission's Office case reference IC-385446-V5T5, if he will place in the Library a copy of the responses to the consultation on the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I will deposit the relevant document in the Commons library.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department monitors the time taken by the Environment Agency to (a) produce and (b) publish post-flood incident reports.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
On becoming aware of a flood in its area, a lead local flood authority (LLFA) must investigate to the extent it considers it necessary or appropriate. This duty comes under section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. When a LLFA undertakes an investigation, it must publish the results.
The Environment Agency (EA) supported Defra to produce their new national guidance for LLFAs on investigating a flood, published in April 2025. This includes guidance on:
· typical criteria for deciding whether to instigate an investigation
· engaging with communities and partner organisations
· understanding the event
· developing suitable recommendations
· timescales for publication
The EA may be asked to contribute evidence and information to support the investigation, but they are not responsible for instigating it or for its completion.
The EA is also investigating a flooding event at Ryde that occurred in October 2023, but this is not a Section 19 investigation. This report was sent to stakeholders, including the hon. member for Isle of Wight East, on Tuesday 08 July 2025.
A summary of significant flood events is published in the Environment Agency’s Flood and coastal erosion risk management annual report.