Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - Chester North and Neston)
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 ensure that zoo conservation transfers are recognised and promoted as part of a future UK – EU SPS veterinary agreement.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK-EU SPS Agreement will reduce trade barriers and support the safe and efficient movement of goods and animals, including zoo animals and conservation transfers. It will cut certification and border-check costs and delays for zoos and aquariums. Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) controls are separate, and its rules will continue.
Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - Chester North and Neston)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with the Solicitors Regulation Authority following the collapse of PM Property Lawyers; and what steps he is taking to ensure continuity of service for clients when a law firm ceases trading.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The legal profession in England and Wales, together with its regulators, operates independently of Government. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is responsible for regulating the professional conduct of solicitors and most law firms in England and Wales, with oversight from the Legal Services Board (LSB). The SRA has powers to protect clients' interests when a regulated law firm ceases trading, including by intervening to secure client files and money and appointing an intervention agent.
The SRA intervened in PM Law Ltd and associated firms (including PM Property Lawyers) on 4 February 2026 and appointed Gordons LLP as intervention agent. Gordons has contacted affected clients, prioritised urgent requests and helped them access their files. The SRA has published guidance for affected clients (https://www.sra.org.uk/news/news/pm-law-intervention/) to help them find alternative representation and progress their cases. It has also taken steps to return client money, while eligible clients may apply to its discretionary Compensation Fund.
Following the closure of PM Law Ltd and associated firms, I met the Chief Executive of the SRA on 12 February to seek assurances on the steps being taken to protect affected clients, including the return of client money. My officials and I continue to engage with both the SRA and LSB on the action being taken in response, including on the lessons learnt and steps being taken to strengthen consumer protection and maintain public confidence in legal services regulation.
Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - Chester North and Neston)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will assess the potential merits of increasing places available on the educational psychology funded training (EPFT) scheme.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Educational psychologists play a key role in supporting children and young people, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities. The department is committed to growing the workforce of educational psychologists so that children and young people can access the support they need sooner.
As set out in the Schools White Paper, the government is investing £26 million to train at least 200 educational psychologists per year from 2026/27, with further investment to train more over the following three years, subject to future spending reviews. This is in addition to the £31 million already invested since 2023.
The department is also investing around £1.8 billion for local area partnerships, including local authorities and integrated care boards, to develop a new ‘Experts at Hand’ offer, which will provide access to support from key services, such as educational psychologists and trainees.
Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - Chester North and Neston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Health and Safety Executive plans to begin its consultation on the renewal of glyphosate approval; and whether that consultation will consider its use in home gardens, schools and playgrounds.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is currently undertaking a renewal assessment of the pesticide active substance glyphosate to determine whether it continues to meet the strict approval criteria for use in pesticide products in Great Britain.
As part of this, HSE is planning to launch a 60-day public consultation on its draft scientific assessment of glyphosate in due course.
The uses that HSE is considering as part of this renewal assessment include the use of products containing glyphosate by professionals only in home gardens, schools and playgrounds. Other uses not assessed under the renewal assessment would be determined under individual product renewal assessments at a future date.
Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - Chester North and Neston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Health and Safety Executive is considering extending the approval of glyphosate beyond 15 December 2026 for use in home gardens, schools and playgrounds.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is currently undertaking a renewal assessment of the pesticide active substance, glyphosate, to determine whether it continues to meet the strict approval criteria for use in pesticide products in Great Britain (GB).
HSE is considering extending the approval of glyphosate beyond its current expiry date of 15 December 2026.
Any extension that is granted will be on the same basis as its current approval, so would not change products containing glyphosate authorised for use in GB, including those for use in home gardens, schools, and playgrounds.
Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - Chester North and Neston)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications of the proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement for the regulation of glyphosate use in home gardens, schools and playgrounds.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Health and Safety Executive is currently reassessing glyphosate to determine whether it continues to meet strict approval criteria.
Defra is working through the implications of the transition from the current pesticides regulatory system in Great Britain to a new one defined by the UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement under negotiation. The department cannot comment further on the SPS agreement as negotiations are ongoing.
Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - Chester North and Neston)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consideration his Department has made to utilise digital technology to allow the DVLA to tax vehicles by the day, rather than the month.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The requirement to pay Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for complete calendar months is set out in law. VED is issued from the first of each month and refunds are issued for only the full months remaining on a vehicle licence. Licensing and refunding vehicles from a date other than the first of the month would add a large amount of administrative complexity to the vehicle tax system, increasing costs to the taxpayer.
The government has no plans to change how VED payments are administered in this way, but we welcome representations from stakeholders about how the tax system can be improved. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.
Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - Chester North and Neston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding her Department has allocated to the Thirlwall Inquiry.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Decisions about the budget for the inquiry will be confirmed in due course.
Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - Chester North and Neston)
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 impact of flooding on food production in the last four months.
Answered by Mark Spencer
We recognise that the recent period of wet weather has impacted UK agriculture. While the current market assessment is that this will impact the domestic production of certain foods, it is too early to predict the impact on overall consumer supply at this stage. However, the UK has a highly resilient food supply chain which allows us to use international trade to supplement any fluctuations in domestic food supply and maintain overall food security.
Asked by: Samantha Dixon (Labour - Chester North and Neston)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of accommodating young female offenders in all-male young offender institutions on the wellbeing of those female offenders.
Answered by Edward Argar
The safety of all those in our custodial estate, including young female offenders is a key priority.
Girls currently make up less than 1% of children and young people within the youth estate which has a range of mixed gender settings. In HMYOI Wetherby, girls live separately from boys but attend education and activities together, as occurs in the community.
Girls in the youth estate can communicate trauma-related stress through internalising behaviours such as self-harming. Professionals work hard to deliver effective care.
The YCS is further developing gender-responsive guidance and training both at HMYOI Wetherby and for the wider youth estate.