Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Special Protection Zone regulations on the ability of small towns to establish new burial grounds; and what assessment he has made of the merits of providing (a) guidance and (b) funding support for communities facing (i) environmental and (ii) planning barriers to cemetery provision.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Source Protection Zones are sensitive areas because the underlying groundwater contributes towards public drinking water supplies.
To protect those supplies from pollution, unless exempt, new cemeteries must operate under an environmental permit and the Environment Agency has published guidance on this, including information needed to support a planning application. The Environment Agency has recently consulted on a proposal to develop simpler, cheaper, permitting options for cemeteries, which could lead to cost-saving for eligible operators.
The Government has asked the Law Commission to review the legal framework governing burial and cremation, including concerns raised about the long-term availability of burial space. They anticipate publishing the report on their findings in late 2025. The Government will consider the Law Commission’s recommendations once these have been published and will respond in due course.”
For context, the Government does not have operational day-to-day responsibility for burial grounds, which are managed locally, and there is no statutory duty on local authorities to provide burial facilities. Although Government (DCA/MoJ) does provide Guidance for Burial Ground Managers (which includes issues to consider when planning burial space) and Guidance for Operators of Natural Burial Grounds neither address this specific issue.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to implement enhanced public awareness campaigns to educate the public on the importance of (a) HPV vaccination and (b) regular cervical screening.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) works alongside NHS England and the Department to promote the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination as part of a national programme to prevent cervical cancers caused by HPV.
Throughout the year, UKHSA's data and surveillance is used to create public and stakeholder communications, and to raise awareness of HPV and the importance of the vaccine. UKHSA also publishes and provides a range of supporting materials to health professionals on both the 12- and 13-year-old HPV offer, and the vaccine programme for those at higher risk.
The NHS Cervical Screening Programme, through NHS England, has a series of initiatives underway, including developing a digital-first approach.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
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 implement targeted outreach programmes in areas with low (a) HPV vaccination and (b) cervical screening rates to (i) help tackle health disparities and (ii) ensure equitable access to preventive services.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In March 2025, NHS England published the Cervical cancer elimination plan by 2040 – plan for England, setting out how the National Health Service will improve equitable uptake and coverage across human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and cervical screening to meet the goal to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040. Further information on the Cervical cancer elimination plan by 2040 – plan for England is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/cervical-cancer-elimination-by-2040-plan-for-england/
The plan builds on five cross-cutting themes:
- increasing access;
- raising awareness;
- reducing inequalities;
- improving digital capabilities; and
- strengthening workforce capacity.
NHS England has launched its first ever cervical cancer elimination creative campaign and communications toolkit for Cervical Screening Awareness Week, from 16 to 24 June 2025. The campaign will include digital resources that create a strong sense of shared responsibility and which aim to increase awareness of the elimination goal, educate the public about HPV, and build confidence in the HPV vaccine and cervical screening.
There are differences in vaccination and screening coverage between communities, and some groups face inequalities. Health inequalities must continue to be addressed. NHS England will continue:
- building their understanding of the barriers to and perceptions of HPV vaccination and cervical screening, and will share this with local systems to support the planning of culturally-sensitive, community-led engagements with low uptake groups;
- developing inclusive materials to better reach underserved communities through trusted voices;
- identifying groups using national and local level data who may be at higher risk of developing cervical cancer; and
- enabling trans men and non-binary people with a cervix to be routinely invited for cervical screening.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
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 adequacy of protections for non-designated but significant archaeological sites under current (a) heritage and (b) land management regulations; and if she will consider introducing new (i) powers and (ii) funding streams to support (A) geophysical surveys and (B) site preservation where landowner cooperation is not forthcoming.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
No such assessment has been undertaken recently.
The significance of non-designated heritage assets varies considerably. Measures to help conserve significant non-designated heritage assets through the planning and development control processes are included in national planning policy, while incentives for the positive management of some of those located in rural areas can be found in environmental land management schemes. Owners of such assets can also consider entering into related conservation covenants.
The protections conferred specifically by heritage legislation primarily relate to designated heritage assets, including Scheduled Monuments and Listed Buildings. Some non-designated heritage assets may benefit from a degree of legislative protection by being incidentally located on, in or under land that has been protected by non-heritage-related designations (such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest).
The Government has no plans at the present time to introduce further measures.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she plans to conduct an impact assessment for the Equality and Human Rights Commission's draft Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions, and Associations.
Answered by Nia Griffith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
On 20 May, the EHRC opened its consultation on the changes made to the draft updated statutory Code of Practice following the Supreme Court ruling. This consultation is open until 30 June. We will consider the EHRC's final draft Code of Practice once it has been submitted and engage with them to ensure it provides the clarity service providers need, in line with the Supreme Court ruling.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ban conversion practices.
Answered by Nia Griffith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
This Government’s position is that conversion practices are abuse. Such practices have no place in society and must be stopped.
We are committed to bringing forward a trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices. This is a complex issue, and it is imperative that we get this right. That is why, in collaboration with Cabinet colleagues, my officials and I are working hard to draft legislation that protects LGBT individuals from these harmful practices.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle hate crime against LGBTQ+ people.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
There is no excuse for violence or abuse driven by hatred and discrimination, and we support the police in taking strong action against those crimes.
We have a robust legislative framework in place to respond to hate crimes, including those which target sexual orientation and transgender identity.
The Government is carefully considering our next steps to tackle the full range of hate crime offences, and we have committed to ensuring parity of protection under aggravated offences.
The Government funds an online hate crime reporting portal called True Vision, designed so victims of all types of hate crime do not have to visit a police station to report. We are also continuing to fund the National Online Hate Crime Hub which supports individual local police forces in dealing specifically with online hate crime.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
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 impact of mandatory food waste reporting in Austria on (a) food waste reduction levels, (b) businesses and (c) food inflation.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has announced its plans to publish a Circular Economy Strategy for England and a series of roadmaps detailing the interventions the government and others will make on a sector-by-sector basis, one of which is agri-food.
As part of this work, evidence for action from right across the economy will be considered and evaluated in terms of what interventions may be needed, including introducing a mandatory food waste reporting requirement for large food businesses.
No assessment of the potential impact of mandatory food waste reporting in Austria has been made.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timeline is for mandating food waste reporting.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has announced its plans to publish a Circular Economy Strategy for England and a series of roadmaps detailing the interventions the government and others will make on a sector-by-sector basis, one of which is agri-food.
As part of this work, evidence for action from right across the economy will be considered and evaluated in terms of what interventions may be needed, including introducing a mandatory food waste reporting requirement for large food businesses.
No assessment of the potential impact of mandatory food waste reporting in Austria has been made.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure NHS GP surgeries process private medical paperwork in a timely manner; and whether his Department plans to issue updated guidance to prevent administrative delays that could adversely affect patient outcomes.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are working across Government to cut red tape and improve ways of working, including work to improve the patient experience, such as streamlining or removing the need to request unnecessary medical evidence and paperwork where possible.
Some medical paperwork is not included within the GP Contract and is therefore outside of core National Health Service work. It may attract charges in the same way some medical evidence letters, certificates, and reports are chargeable.
There are currently no plans to develop further guidance around handling private medical requests. The British Medical Association provides guidance to general practitioners on its website on fees for medical evidence, and on general practice responsibility in responding to private health care.