Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to work with the UK’s zoos and aquariums to provide opportunities for conservation translocations and the reintroduction of native species as set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Zoo Licensing Act 1981 requires zoos in Great Britain to undertake conservation work which can include where appropriate, the repopulation of an area with, or the reintroduction into the wild of, wild animals. Defra is committed to providing opportunities for the reintroduction of formerly native species where the benefits for the environment and people are clear.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has put processes in place to prioritise UK produced steel in procurement for small modular nuclear reactor projects.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Great British Energy – Nuclear (GBE-N) has selected Rolls-Royce SMR as its preferred bidder to partner with to develop the SMR project, subject to final government approvals.
GBE-N’s ambition is to ensure that 70% of supply chain products are British built across the SMR fleet, creating thousands more jobs across the supply chain.
The government will continue to engage with industry to address barriers to entry in the nuclear sector so that UK companies are well placed to take advantage of the opportunities created.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to extend the scope of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to include decapod crustaceans; and what the timeline is for any work required prior to the decision.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022 recognises decapod crustaceans as sentient beings. The Government is committed to an evidence-based and proportionate approach to setting welfare standards for decapod crustaceans, both for those caught for human consumption and those used in scientific research.
The Home Office is carefully considering next steps, in collaboration with other relevant departments, on whether decapod crustaceans should be regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. No timeline has yet been set and decisions will follow further evidence gathering.
The Government is committed to non-animal alternatives in science and has published a strategy to support their development, validation and adoption. The strategy is available at:
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the assurance processes are under which the Post Opening Project Evaluation (POPE) of Major Schemes are conducted.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
National Highways follows its established “Analytical Assurance Framework” for assuring POPE reports, which includes fourth line independent external expert analytical assurance from DfT.
As these are complex reports it is right that my officials take the time to provide summary advice of these reports in the round and undertake wider assurance to advise me on the quality of collective findings.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government will be represented at the Gaza Reconstruction Conference in Egypt and at what ministerial level the UK will be represented; and whether the Government will make financial commitments at that Conference.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The level of attendance and nature of UK commitments at any future conference will be decided in due course once the timing and objectives of that conference have been decided.