Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to deliver devolution to councils that are not part of the Devolution Priority Programme.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We want to see all of England access devolved powers by establishing Strategic Authorities that can make the key decisions to drive economic growth. Our ultimate goal is to have all of England represented by a mayor who can take their seat at the Council of Nations and Regions.
That is why the government is currently delivering the Devolution Priority Programme, intending to see a new wave of Mayoral Strategic Authorities established in May 2026. Beyond that, our intention remains to continue to fill the map, extending devolution to all corners of England as soon as possible. The timings and process for future waves beyond the Devolution Priority Programme will be subject to further decisions, including at the upcoming Spending Review.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade to require the (a) import and (b) sale of (i) eggs, (ii) pork and (ii) fur to meet UK animal welfare standards.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ministers and officials meet regularly to address these important topics. The Government shares the public’s high regard for the UK’s environmental protections, food standards and animal welfare. We will promote robust standards nationally and internationally and will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage.
All agri-food products must comply with our import requirements in order to be placed on the UK market. This includes ensuring imported meat products have been slaughtered to animal welfare standards equivalent to our domestic standards.
The Government recognises the concerns about imports produced using methods not permitted in the UK. We have been clear that we will use our Trade Strategy to support economic growth and promote the highest standards of food production.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
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 the European Commission's document entitled Vision for Agriculture and Food, published on 19 February 2025, if he will hold discussions with animal welfare organisations on the potential merits of implementing the same regulations as proposed in the EU on (a) the phasing out the use of cages for farmed animals and (b) extending UK animal welfare standards to imported products.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Department is engaging with key animal welfare stakeholders as part of the development of our overarching approach to animal welfare. We will be outlining more details in due course.
The use of cages and other close confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which we are currently considering very carefully.
The Government shares the public’s high regard for the UK’s environmental protections, food standards and animal welfare. We will promote robust standards nationally and internationally and we have been clear we will protect farmers from being undercut by low welfare and low standards in trade deals.
We await the EU Commission proposals with interest.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of a sales ban on imported (a) eggs and (b) egg products produced on farms that use battery cages.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ministers and officials meet regularly to address these important topics. The Government shares the public’s high regard for the UK’s environmental protections, food standards and animal welfare. We will promote robust standards nationally and internationally and will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage.
All agri-food products must comply with our import requirements in order to be placed on the UK market. This includes ensuring imported meat products have been slaughtered to animal welfare standards equivalent to our domestic standards.
The Government recognises the concerns about imports produced using methods not permitted in the UK. We have been clear that we will use our Trade Strategy to support economic growth and promote the highest standards of food production.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether consumer standards set by the Regulator for Social Housing apply to socially rented residential pitches on local authority (a) owned and (b) managed Gypsy and Traveller sites.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
All registered providers of social housing, including local authorities, are required to deliver the outcomes of the consumer standards set by the independent Regulator of Social Housing (‘the regulator’).
The regulatory standards apply to social housing as defined by the Housing and Regeneration Act (2008). The Act defines low-cost rental accommodation as accommodation rented below market rate and made available to those whose needs may not be adequately served by the commercial market.
Socially rented residential homes on local authority owned or managed Gypsy and Traveller sites will be subject to the regulator’s consumer standards if they meet the definition of social housing under the Act.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support his Department is providing those impacted by flooding following Storm Herminia.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency surged support at strategic, tactical and operational levels and worked with Local Resilience Forums to manage flood impacts in areas affected by Storm Hermina. There were approximately 160 properties flooded and 6000 protected.
The Environment Agency routinely provides flood warning and information and maintains 250 mobile pumps, including 17 ultra-high-volume pumps which can assist with flood recovery across England. There was no activation of the flood recovery framework or Defra led support schemes as a result of flooding caused by Storm Hermina.
We recognise the devastation the storms this winter have caused to those affected. The role of any Government is to protect its citizens which is why, under our Plan for Change, a record £2.65 billion will be invested over two years in better protecting 52,000 properties by March 2026.
Around 1,000 projects will receive funding in 24/25 and 25/26. This Government inherited flood assets in their poorest condition on record, so we are also prioritising maintenance of existing flood defences, ensuring an additional 14,500 properties will have their expected level of protection maintained or restored.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools have a place on the breakfast clubs pilot programme.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
From summer term 2025, 750 state funded primary schools will be funded as early adopter schools to provide access to a free, universal breakfast club lasting at least 30 minutes that includes food.
The department aims to test and learn with as many different types of schools as possible.
On 24 February 2025, the department published the list of early adopter schools here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/breakfast-clubs-early-adopters-schools-in-the-scheme.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle LGBT discrimination in care homes.
Answered by Nia Griffith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
It is essential that everyone living in a care home is kept safe, including those who may be more likely to experience discrimination, such as LGBT+ people. They must be treated with dignity, listened to and have their needs understood and met by their local authority.
The Government recently launched a new Adult Social Care Qualification to provide those working in care with the skills and knowledge they need to support people well. This includes guidance on how to provide appropriate care which covers being sensitive to an individual's sexuality or gender identity.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle digital exclusion.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
It is shocking that the last government published no digital inclusion strategy for 10 years. This Government is determined to remedy that and I hope to be able to say more soon.
Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve access to electric vehicle charging for disabled people.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
To address the specific barriers disabled EV drivers face when using public chargepoints, the Government co-sponsored the publication of the Publically Available Specification (PAS) 1899:2022 standard, which provides specifications on designing and installing accessible public EV chargepoints and considers chargepoints in the context of their wider built environment. The Government continues to work with industry and other parties to ensure effective implementation of PAS1899 and to support the 24-month review of the PAS, which is being led by the British Standards Institution (BSI) and concludes early in 2025. The Government will continue to monitor progress to assess whether further intervention is needed on accessibility over time.