Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the January 2026 Road Traffic Strategy, when she plans to publish the manual for streets.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department intends to publish an updated version of the Manual for Streets before the end of 2026.
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's document entitled Guidelines and guidance on the responsible use of veterinary medicines, updated on 8 October 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the inclusion of blanket flea and worming treatments in veterinary health plans on the responsible use of veterinary medicine and antimicrobials in animals.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Flea and tick products play an important role in protecting animal and human health; however, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) recognises increasing concerns about the environmental impacts of substances such as fipronil and imidacloprid. Monitoring in England has detected these substances in some watercourses at levels that may pose a risk to aquatic invertebrates.
The VMD is leading cross‑government work through the Pharmaceuticals in the Environment Group to support responsible use of these products. Recently published VMD‑funded studies (2024–25) have shown that spot‑on flea and tick products can contribute to environmental levels of imidacloprid and fipronil through wastewater pathways and when dogs swim. These findings strengthen the evidence base, but important gaps remain, including understanding the potential unintended consequences if usage patterns change. This is being considered as part of wider stewardship work to ensure future decisions remain proportionate, evidence based and protective of animal welfare.
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
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 answer Question 105030 on Farm Business Tenancy.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A response was published to Question 105030 on Wednesday 28 January here: PQ 105030. I apologise for the delay in doing so.
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, when she plans to answer Question 106240 tabled on 15 January 2026, on Church of England: LGBT+ People.
Answered by Marsha De Cordova
The answer to question UIN 106240 was issued by the Church Commissioners on the 27th January 2026 and can be found here: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-01-15/106240/
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research her Department is undertaking into developing alternative vehicle fuels, such as synthetic and bio fuels.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In recognition of their established carbon reduction benefits the Government supports the use of low carbon fuels in surface transport vehicles through the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) scheme. Under the scheme the supply of synthetic fuels and biofuels produced from renewable inputs is eligible for support, where these low carbon fuels meet stringent sustainability criteria.
Whilst my Department does not generally undertake its own research into developing alternative vehicle fuels, it does periodically fund specific research studies to inform policy development and the deployment of such fuels. A recent example is a study on higher bio content fuel deployment in heavy-duty transport, the outputs of which were published online in August 2025.
Additionally, the Department provides funding for latter stage development and deployment of hydrogen, a synthetic fuel, through the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) and the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) programmes.
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take to increase participation in the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In the newly released consultation regarding reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, Defra proposes to replace the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme with a mandatory licence for all veterinary and animal healthcare businesses. This will ensure they all meet the required standards, including the 30% of practices not currently engaged with the Practice Standards Scheme.
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
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 introduce statutory protection of the title “Registered Veterinary Nurse”.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As set out in the newly released consultation regarding reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, Defra is proposing statutory protection of the Veterinary Nurse title in line with Veterinary Surgeons.
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help tackle the potential impact of restrictive software licensing practices on businesses.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to supporting a competitive and innovative digital economy. This is why we prioritised the commencement of the Competition and Markets Authority’s (the CMA) new powers in digital markets.
These new powers are designed to boost competition and innovation in digital markets and promote fairer outcomes for both businesses and consumers. The CMA is independent of Government, and any decisions on which markets it next investigates is for its Board.
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what vetting procedures are in place to ensure care agencies providing non UK workers in the care industry ensure the safety of patients before allowing workers to commence a caring role.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Care agencies who carry out a regulated activity must be registered by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and are expected to comply with relevant regulations. Where a care agency does not carry out a regulated activity but supplies workers to a regulated care provider, the legal duty to comply with CQC regulations sits with the registered provider using the agency and the registered manager.
Regulation 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 sets out that it is the responsibility of the regulated provider to ensure robust and safe recruitment practices are in place, and to make sure that all staff, including agency staff, are suitably experienced, competent, and able to carry out their role. Further information on Regulation 19 is avaiable at the following link:
Registered providers are also expected to comply with Regulation 18: Staffing, which sets out a provider’s responsibility to deploy enough suitably qualified, competent, and experienced staff. Further information on Regulation 18 is avaiable at the following link:
The CQC can assess compliance with these regulations through assessment and monitoring activity. Where a breach of regulation or non-compliance is identified, the CQC can take regulatory action.
An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check must be undertaken prior to the recruitment of all care workers. In line with the CQC guidance for DBS checks, staff working with vulnerable adults can only start work before a DBS certificate is received if they have had a DBS Adult First Check, are appropriately supervised, and do not escort people away from the premises unless accompanied by someone with a DBS check.
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with NICE on its Final Draft Guidance which does not recommend CAR-T therapy for relapsed or refractory Mantle Cell Lymphoma.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Department officials regularly discuss a range of issues with colleagues in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), including in relation to the development of guidance on individual products.
NICE develops its recommendations on new medicines independently on the basis of a thorough assessment of the available evidence and through extensive engagement with interested parties. NICE is currently re-evaluating the CAR-T therapy brexucabtagene autoleucel (Tecartus) to determine whether it can be recommended for routine National Health Service use, taking into account real-world evidence generated through its use in the Cancer Drugs Fund.