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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using technology to encourage consumers to buy British produce.

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

This Government is committed to ensuring that everyone in Great Britain and Northern Ireland has access to nutritious and fairly priced food. Defra also regularly engages with supermarkets and food producers about a number of issues, including their partnership with British farmers in producing food for the nation, but the sourcing of food within supply chains is ultimately a commercial decision.

Our ambitious food strategy will set and deliver clear long-term outcomes that create a healthier, fairer, and more resilient food system. Making the most of technological innovations will be key to this. We will not be starting from scratch but will be building on analysis and work that already exists, including the Dimbleby report as we work together to develop a food strategy that delivers for everyone, and insights from leading organisations from across the food supply chain.

The food sector is seen as a world leader in quality, productivity and innovation and is an attractive destination for investment. We will join up work on food across government Missions on Health and Growth, and Industrial Strategy and the Child Poverty Taskforce. This will ensure policy coherence, amplify impacts, and create the conditions for partnership with industry.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the financial challenges facing leisure centres; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of providing funding to support their (a) operation, (b) expansion and (c) long-term sustainability.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to leisure facilities which are vital spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and which play an important role within communities.

The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level with funding levels set by MHCLG as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement.

The Government encourages local authorities to make investments which offer the right opportunities and facilities for the communities they serve, investing in sport and physical activity with a place-based approach, to meet the needs of individual communities.

Future funding of community sports facilities will be considered as part of the forthcoming Spending Review.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has assessed the potential merits of increasing the VAT registration threshold in line with inflation.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

At £90,000, the UK has a higher VAT registration threshold than any EU country and the joint highest in the OECD. This means the majority of UK businesses are kept out of the VAT system.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the Government plans to take steps to ensure safe spaces exist for (a) transgender and (b) non-binary people, in the context of forthcoming Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

Trans people should be able to live free from discrimination and harassment and be able to get on with their day to day lives. Dignity and respect for everyone runs through every sinew of this government. We unequivocally support safe spaces for everyone that needs them and this includes trans citizens. There are laws in place to protect trans people from discrimination and harassment, so they are able to feel safe at work, in public and at school.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has already committed to supporting organisations with its updated statutory Code of Practice for service providers. Ministers will consider the EHRC’s updated draft once they have submitted it to us and the final draft of the updated Code will be laid in Parliament for scrutiny and consideration by both Houses in due course. In the meantime, the Government is considering the implications of the Supreme Court’s recent judgment, including what this means for providers of trans-inclusive services.

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 has made an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring that access to the six to nautical nautical mile zone is preserved for British fishing vessels; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of foreign vessel access to that zone on local fishing communities.

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

We are committed to the long-term sustainability and prosperity of the UK fleet and work closely with the fishing industry and coastal communities to understand their concerns and the impacts of current fishing arrangements under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA).

Under the TCA the UK grants access to 154 EU registered vessels to fish in the 6-12 nautical mile zone for England and Wales. A list of EU vessels with access to the UK 6-12 nautical mile zone is published by the UK Single Issuing Authority (UKSIA).

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that the construction skills package creates (a) apprenticeships, (b) Technical Excellence Colleges and (c) Skills Bootcamps in (i) all parts of the UK and (ii) Cornwall.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 23 March 2025, the government announced a construction support package worth over £600 million to tackle the acute shortage of skilled workers in the construction sector. This investment is a key part of our wider strategy to support national infrastructure projects, meet ambitious housing targets, and enable the transition to a clean energy economy.

The package includes funding for a range of initiatives, such as expanding construction courses, launching additional skills bootcamps and foundation apprenticeships, providing more industry placements, and establishing ten new Technical Excellence Colleges.

Skills England will engage and work closely with the devolved administrations to ensure alignment and coherence in addressing skills needs across the UK.

The department are keen to work closely with Mayoral Combined Authorities and local leaders who will be essential to delivering the devolved elements of this package, including adult skills funding.

Additional information regarding allocations at regional and provider level will be shared in due course.

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 conduct a consultation on (a) modernising UK Waste Codes and (b) redefining (i) waste classifications and (ii) permitted (A) disposal and (B) recovery methods.

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

Prospective changes to the List of Waste in England will be considered as we develop proposals for our Circular Economy Strategy. Any specific regulatory changes should be subject to consultation.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in countries in the Minerals Security Partnership on aligning (a) environmental, (b) social and (c) governance guidelines on critical minerals.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The forthcoming Critical Minerals Strategy will help secure supplies of critical minerals vital to the UK’s economic growth and clean energy transition, promoting responsible and transparent supply chains. A more responsible supply chain is a more resilient and sustainable one.

Government puts responsible practice at the heart of our international approach, and we support partners to consolidate existing environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards. We promote best ESG practice through our bilateral agreements and multilateral engagements, including the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP). The MSP’s ESG Principles demonstrate members’ commitment to integrating ESG standards, guidance and support into MSP activity (MSP’s ESG Principles).

Found: Gilbert (Labour; Edinburgh North and Leith) Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat; Esher and Walton) Noah Law

Found: Gilbert (Labour; Edinburgh North and Leith) Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat; Esher and Walton) Noah Law

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: David Mundell (Chair); Tracy Gilbert; Noah Law; Alice Macdonald;

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: David Mundell (Chair); Tracy Gilbert; Noah Law; Alice Macdonald;

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sarah Champion (Chair); Tracy Gilbert; Monica Harding; Noah Law;

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sarah Champion (Chair); Tracy Gilbert; Monica Harding; Noah Law;