Linsey Farnsworth

Plant health import requirements are kept under continuous review, through the UK Plant Health Risk Group. Following such a review, most imports of cut flowers into GB from the EU no longer require an accompanying phytosanitary certificate and notification by importers.

Where phytosanitary certificates are still required, we are transitioning to digital certification via the IPPC ePhyto solution, which is a faster, safer and more cost-effective option. Defra has prioritised securing ePhyto agreements with EU countries, with arrangements now agreed for a range of plant products, including cut flowers, from: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden. Several other EU countries are due to have the capacity to export using ePhyto rolled out during 2025.

The Trade Specialised Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, set up under the UK/EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, provides a platform for information sharing and discussion on each of the Parties’ import requirements and processes. It is at this forum that the UK has discussed with the European Union the development of the UK’s IPPC ePhyto solution.

Defra is also seeking to negotiate a SPS agreement to help boost trade and deliver benefits to businesses and consumers in the UK and the EU.

The UK and EU are like-minded partners with similarly high standards. We have been clear that a SPS agreement could boost trade and deliver significant benefits on both sides. A SPS agreement could reduce trade friction and deliver significant benefits to the EU and the UK, but delivering new agreements will take time.

Checks at Border Control Posts are handled by trained staff working to standard operating procedures, ensuring inspections are undertaken safely and efficiently. APHA’s plant health import inspection process is accredited to the ISO 17020 Inspection Standard which is subject to external audits from the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS).

Inspectors are rigorously trained and are equipped to ensure SPS goods are handled safely and with care.

GB plant health services have significantly increased the number of plant health inspection staff to service the demand for import checks in England and Wales of EU plants and plant products. Inspector levels are being monitored to ensure these meet demand and ensure minimal trade disruption.

The department does not recognise the assertation that there are routine delays. GB plant health services have significantly increased the number of plant health inspection staff to service the demand for import checks in England and Wales of EU plants and plant products and Inspector levels are being monitored to ensure these meet demand and ensure minimal trade disruption.

Communications & Our Digital Service

Through the Service Modernisation Programme, the CMS are ensuring customers have a greater choice of how they communicate access our service. The CMS has made improvements to customer communications, through more use of SMS text and email, and a full review of its letters making them easier for customer to understand. The online digital service 'Get Help Arranging Child Maintenance' through GOV.UK is open to any parent who needs unbiased advice and support to make an arrangement. My Child Maintenance Case (MCMC) offers customers the ability to update their information and request changes, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For those customers who need to contact the CMS by telephone, steps have been taken to update the service through efficient call routing. The CMS telephony opening hours are regularly reviewed based on the demand requirements. CMS have extended their telephony service to 6pm on weekdays to meet this demand.

The CMS has also recently introduced online messaging functionality to enable customers to respond to requests for information at a time that suits them. This is currently only available on a limited number of processes, but plans are in place to roll it out to all key processes.

Maintenance Calculation Review

The Government is conducting a review of the child maintenance calculation to make sure it is fit for purpose. This includes updating the underlying research and considering how to ensure the calculation reflects current and future societal trends.

Options for proposed reforms are currently being considered. Any changes made to the child maintenance calculation will be subject to extensive public consultation, and if made, will require amendments to legislation so would be subject to Parliamentary scrutiny.

Arrears & Compliance

The Government is dedicated to ensuring parents meet their responsibilities to provide their children with financial support and the Child Maintenance Service will do everything within its powers to make sure parents comply. Where parents fail to pay their child maintenance, the Service will not hesitate to use its enforcement powers, including deductions from earnings orders, removal of driving licences, disqualification from holding a passport, and committal to prison. The Service is committed to using these powers fairly and in the best interests of children and separated families.

The CMS has a low percentage of unpaid maintenance with 7% (£734.3 million) of the total maintenance due to be paid since the CMS began in 2012, still to be collected through Collect & Pay. This has steadily fallen since the 17% due to be paid in March 2015.

Commissioning decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards. We expect these organisations to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.

NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to National Health Service-funded treatment are still appropriate. A consultation on revised guidelines was published on 10 September 2025.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of their local populations and to determine the priorities for investment.

Differential Unit of Dental Activity (UDA) rates allow providers to use differing pay rates to reflect the local market rates. From April 2024 a new minimum UDA value of £28 was set to support practices with historically low UDA rates. ICBs can also influence the UDA rate locally, which may help to support local interventions.

The government is committed to strengthening the system of developer contributions to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure.

As part of this commitment, we are reviewing the planning practice guidance PPG on viability.

Further details will be set out in due course.

Every year, the Government and the Judiciary agree a number of sitting days and an overall budget in what is known as the Concordat process.

In June, the Judiciary reached an agreement with the former Lord Chancellor to sit 106,000 days in the Crown Court within a total budget of £275 million.

To support efforts to maximise capacity, the Lord Chancellor has since agreed to fund an additional 500 days.

But there has been over listing against this budget – with more trials scheduled than the funding allows.

As a result of that, approximately 1,600 sitting days had to be withdrawn. The level of impact will vary across regions and is being managed closely to ensure there is minimal disruption to all involved.