Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking, in the context of the UK–EU SPS negotiations, to pursue animal welfare measures, including a ban on foie gras imports, in the context of representations made by foie gras industry interests to EU institutions.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government shares the British public's high regard for animal welfare and is committed to delivering the most ambitious animal welfare programme in a generation as set out in the Animal Welfare Strategy. It has made clear that the production of foie gras from ducks or geese using force feeding raises serious welfare concerns.
As announced at the UK-EU Leaders' Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement. Negotiations with the EU on this are underway and Defra cannot comment on these ongoing discussions. However, this Government is clear about the importance of being able to set high animal welfare standards.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress her Department has made on implementing the new station at Newport West announced in Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
At least £445 million was set aside for rail improvements in Wales as part of the 2025 Spending Review and the UK's 10-year Infrastructure Strategy. This investment marks the beginning of a long-term UK Government commitment, announced by the Prime Minister in February this year, to modernise Welsh railways.
Following release commencement of this funding in April 2026, we are working in partnership with the Welsh Government, Network Rail, and Transport for Wales to deliver a range of investments across the Welsh rail network, including a new station at Newport West which forms part of a broader package of new stations and services in South Wales. We will engage further with local representatives to set out more detail of our plans in the near future.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Government of India on the protection of Christian communities and other religious minorities; and what steps her Department is taking to promote freedom of religion or belief in India.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 9 March in response to Question 116730.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to introduce legislation to create a closed hunting season for hares.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government committed to consider how to bring forward and introduce a close season for hares in England in its Animal Welfare Strategy, published in December 2025. In short, a close season should reduce the number of adult hares being shot in the breeding season, which runs from February to October, meaning that fewer leverets (infant hares) are left motherless and vulnerable to starvation and predation. A close season is also consistent with Natural England's advice on wildlife management that controlling species in their peak breeding season should be avoided unless genuinely essential and unavoidable.
A suitable primary legislative vehicle is required to deliver this change, and this Government is actively looking for suitable opportunities to take this measure forward.