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 improve community support to help tackle the number of people with (a) a learning disability and (b) autism in inpatient units.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

National Health Service planning guidance, published on 30 January 2025, includes a focus on improving mental health and learning disability care and contains the objective to deliver a minimum 10% reduction in the use of mental health inpatient care for people with a learning disability and autistic people in 2025/26. Investment has been provided each year to enable local areas to develop community intensive support teams, community forensic teams, and 24/7 crisis response for people with a learning disability and autistic people. For the 2025/2026 financial year, there is continued funding within integrated care board (ICB) baselines for people with a learning disability and autistic people. ICBs should prioritise continuing to invest in reducing reliance on inpatient care for people with a learning disability and autistic people, in line with the 2025/26 NHS operating planning guidance.

The Mental Health Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 24 April 2025, following its recent passage through the House of Lords. Through the bill, we propose taking forward a package of measures to improve care and to keep people out of hospitals. Subject to Parliamentary agreement, measures around Dynamic Support Registers and Care (Education) and Treatment Reviews, and new duties on commissioners will help to ensure that there is an appropriate level of community support in future.

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 to ban bottom trawling within more English Marine Protected Areas.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Surrey Heath on 13 November 2024, PQ 13315.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to increase the number of highly protected marine areas in English waters.

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

Defra is undertaking a review of the English Marine Protected Area network to look at whether sites are in the right places with the right protection. The review will explore ways to update protection and management approaches to better address the nature crisis and improve climate change resilience, while supporting wider Government priorities. Highly Protected Marine Areas are part of the scope of this review and whilst we currently have no plans for designating additional HPMAs we will assess what we have learned so far from the first 3 sites designated in 2023.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether beverage industry manufacturers will be required to pay the Extended Producer Responsibility levy if they sell their products in the on-trade market with proof from the vendor of a non-council-funded recycling scheme.

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

The current regulations do not allow for this. This is because there are real challenges in effectively applying and compliance monitoring such an exemption across all sectors and producer types, resulting in a significant risk of misreporting and fraud. Government however recognises the strong views of stakeholders and is looking again at the household packaging definition. A new period of stakeholder engagement on this issue will commence shortly.

Mauritius Treaty

Found: Q183 Joe Robertson: Good morning.

Found: PQ HC 40772 2024-25, 1 Apr 2025 Joe Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate