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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to address animal welfare concerns associated with the breeding of wildcat hybrids.

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

As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, which was published on 22 December 2025, the Government will take steps to improve our understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, drawing on expertise from the sector, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector.

The keeping of dangerous wild animals is regulated by the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976. Keepers of dangerous wild animals listed in the Schedule to the 1976 Act must get a Dangerous Wild Animals licence from their local authority. All cats are listed in the Schedule to the Act, although several species, such as the domestic cat, are exempted. Cat hybrids having a domestic cat, or other exempted species, as one parent and a non-exempted cat, such as a wildcat, as the other parent would require a Dangerous Wild Animals licence.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to help reduce levels of dependence on international fossil fuel markets.

Answered by Ed Miliband - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

Since coming to office this government has secured enough renewables in our two record breaking auctions to power the equivalent of 23 million homes and embarked on the biggest nuclear building programme in half a century.

Only by going further and faster in building clean homegrown power can we reduce our level of dependence on fossil fuel markets.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps to promote the adoption of standards such as BS 25700 to support organisations in meeting their obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

This Government is clear that no company in the UK should have forced labour in its supply chain and encourages businesses to monitor their supply chains with rigour, to uncover and remedy any instances of modern slavery they may find.

The Government published new transparency in supply chains statutory guidance in March 2025. This new guidance is more comprehensive, practical and ambitious – calling on businesses to go further and faster.

The Home Office worked with a wide group of stakeholders from business, academia and civil society to ensure the guidance reflects current best practice and international standards, including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Due Diligence Guidance.

This will support businesses to produce high quality statements, which are underpinned by effective measures to prevent and effectively respond to modern slavery.

The BSI standard on modern slavery (BSI25700) provides similar guidance to support businesses assess and monitor their supply chains. We encourage businesses to draw on all available guidance and standards to continue to improve their supply chain monitoring.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department has issued to further education providers on recognising participation in National Professional Qualification programmes as Continuing Professional Development; and whether staff are expected to undertake such training within paid working time.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) are part of a wider evidence-based national continuing professional development offer available to teachers and leaders throughout their career. They are designed for different types of leaders, from those in, or preparing to take up, formal leadership roles such as head teachers, to those taking on leadership responsibilities beyond their classroom. This includes leaders in the further education (FE) sector.

They are designed to be flexible and completed around existing commitments, with programme structure and delivery varying between providers.

The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper committed to refocusing NPQs and associated funding to better support FE teachers and leaders, as part of establishing professional development pathways for FE staff.

Updated guidance on how to apply for the courses will be available when registration opens for the next cohort.

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