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 feasibility and cost implications of braille food labelling, including a) the pharmaceutical sector's mandatory braille implementation since 2005 and b) businesses that have voluntarily adopted braille labelling such as as the Co-operative.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The availability and accessibility of essential food information to all consumers is vitally important. All food sold on the UK market must comply with food labelling rules, which include the requirement for specific information to be presented in a specific way.

Defra has met with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to discuss options for improving accessible labelling on food products. Defra is also working with stakeholder groups, including the Business Expert Group on Food Standards and Labelling (BExG), which provides structured dialogue between government, industry and enforcement bodies on food labelling, and with GS1 as they progress work on the transition from traditional barcodes to QR codes. This transition has the potential to support consumers with visual impairments to access not only the basics, but the full range of information available on the label, as well as additional information provided via the App or QR code.

We are aware that some retailers are beginning to offer braille on food products. Through the Food Compositional Standards and Labelling (FCSL) Common Framework, officials across the four nations are coordinating on the accessibility of food labelling, including QR codes and braille. Food Standards Scotland (FSS) regularly provide updates on its work exploring the use of braille for key information such as product name and use‑by date. The Government is interested in the findings of this work, including how it may impact businesses, associated costs and potential alternative approaches to accessibility labelling to aid all consumers.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with Food Standards Scotland and the Food Standards Agency on braille food labelling under the UK Food Compositional Standards and Labelling Common Framework; and what steps she is taking to ensure coordination in approaches across the four nations.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The availability and accessibility of essential food information to all consumers is vitally important. All food sold on the UK market must comply with food labelling rules, which include the requirement for specific information to be presented in a specific way.

Defra has met with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to discuss options for improving accessible labelling on food products. Defra is also working with stakeholder groups, including the Business Expert Group on Food Standards and Labelling (BExG), which provides structured dialogue between government, industry and enforcement bodies on food labelling, and with GS1 as they progress work on the transition from traditional barcodes to QR codes. This transition has the potential to support consumers with visual impairments to access not only the basics, but the full range of information available on the label, as well as additional information provided via the App or QR code.

We are aware that some retailers are beginning to offer braille on food products. Through the Food Compositional Standards and Labelling (FCSL) Common Framework, officials across the four nations are coordinating on the accessibility of food labelling, including QR codes and braille. Food Standards Scotland (FSS) regularly provide updates on its work exploring the use of braille for key information such as product name and use‑by date. The Government is interested in the findings of this work, including how it may impact businesses, associated costs and potential alternative approaches to accessibility labelling to aid all consumers.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what evidence her Department is gathering on braille food labelling in England; and what discussions her Department has had with a) vision impaired consumers, b) braille users and c) disability organisations on braille food labelling.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The availability and accessibility of essential food information to all consumers is vitally important. All food sold on the UK market must comply with food labelling rules, which include the requirement for specific information to be presented in a specific way.

Defra has met with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to discuss options for improving accessible labelling on food products. Defra is also working with stakeholder groups, including the Business Expert Group on Food Standards and Labelling (BExG), which provides structured dialogue between government, industry and enforcement bodies on food labelling, and with GS1 as they progress work on the transition from traditional barcodes to QR codes. This transition has the potential to support consumers with visual impairments to access not only the basics, but the full range of information available on the label, as well as additional information provided via the App or QR code.

We are aware that some retailers are beginning to offer braille on food products. Through the Food Compositional Standards and Labelling (FCSL) Common Framework, officials across the four nations are coordinating on the accessibility of food labelling, including QR codes and braille. Food Standards Scotland (FSS) regularly provide updates on its work exploring the use of braille for key information such as product name and use‑by date. The Government is interested in the findings of this work, including how it may impact businesses, associated costs and potential alternative approaches to accessibility labelling to aid all consumers.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to undertake similar evidence gathering to Food Standards Scotland's Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment on braille food labelling in England.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The availability and accessibility of essential food information to all consumers is vitally important. All food sold on the UK market must comply with food labelling rules, which include the requirement for specific information to be presented in a specific way.

Defra has met with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to discuss options for improving accessible labelling on food products. Defra is also working with stakeholder groups, including the Business Expert Group on Food Standards and Labelling (BExG), which provides structured dialogue between government, industry and enforcement bodies on food labelling, and with GS1 as they progress work on the transition from traditional barcodes to QR codes. This transition has the potential to support consumers with visual impairments to access not only the basics, but the full range of information available on the label, as well as additional information provided via the App or QR code.

We are aware that some retailers are beginning to offer braille on food products. Through the Food Compositional Standards and Labelling (FCSL) Common Framework, officials across the four nations are coordinating on the accessibility of food labelling, including QR codes and braille. Food Standards Scotland (FSS) regularly provide updates on its work exploring the use of braille for key information such as product name and use‑by date. The Government is interested in the findings of this work, including how it may impact businesses, associated costs and potential alternative approaches to accessibility labelling to aid all consumers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made on the potential impact of the expiry of the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant on riders in the gig-economy, the use of illegal e-bikes, and road safety.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Plug in Motorcycle Grant has supported almost 16,000 vehicle purchases since 2016 and will close at the end of the 2025/26 financial year or when budgets have been exhausted, whichever comes first. The grant is currently available for L3 motorcycles costing under £10,000 with a range of at least 31 miles. There is no evidence to suggest a link between the grant’s closure and wider road safety risks.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of informed consent guidance in protecting NHS clinicians from subsequent legal challenge where animal-derived ingredients are used in medicines or treatments without explicit disclosure.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

No assessment has been made of the adequacy of informed consent guidance in protecting National Health Service clinicians from subsequent legal challenge where animal-derived ingredients are used in medicines or treatments without explicit disclosure.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with counterparts in the European Union regarding regulatory alignment on battery passports for electric vehicles.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Secretary of State has not had discussions with counterparts in the European Union regarding regulatory alignment on battery passports for electric vehicles.

Defra is currently reviewing the producer responsibility legislation for batteries. This review will explore potential alignment with the requirements of the European Union Batteries Regulation which applies in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework, and which includes provisions on digital battery passports. We are in the process of engaging further with industry and other stakeholders on the review.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many driving tests (a) took place, (b) were cancelled and (c) went unused at the Currie Driving Test Centre in each month of 2025; and what the pass rate was in the same period.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The attached Excel spreadsheet shows how many practical car driving tests were conducted and cancelled, including pass rates at Currie driving test centre in each month for 2025. Also included is the number of practical car driving test slots that were available to book during this period but were not used. It is not possible to include data on the number of tests cancelled that then go on to be unused.

Please note this data is up to 31 March 2025. Data for individual driving test centres is updated annually. The next update to this information will be published in June/July.

DVSA publishes some of this data which is available on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how his Department plans to support endoscopy services to ensure the increased test sensitivity in the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme to 80ug/g is rolled out by 2028 without impacting on colonoscopy waiting times.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England has undertaken detailed modelling to understand the diagnostic and workforce capacity required to support a reduction in the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) threshold within the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme in England. NHS England has worked with early adopter sites to test the operational impact of lowering the FIT threshold in real‑world settings. These sites have provided evidence on changes in referral volumes, colonoscopy demand, cancer and polyp detection rates, and the implications for endoscopy services. The findings are being formally evaluated and are informing assumptions within the national capacity modelling. The timing of wider roll‑out is directly linked to the outcomes of this modelling and evaluation work, as well as the availability of trained endoscopy staff.

NHS England continues to develop the endoscopy workforce, including the expansion of the screening colonoscopist workforce through Advanced Training Skills Module.

Alongside this, NHS England is progressing a wider programme of endoscopy transformation focused on releasing capacity and improving productivity. This includes the intelligent use of FIT testing, including coloFIT, to support more effective risk stratification, reduce unnecessary colonoscopies, and ensure that available endoscopy capacity is targeted towards those at highest risk. Embedding FIT‑led pathways supports earlier reassurance for lower‑risk individuals while prioritising timely investigation for those most likely to benefit.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the diagnostic and workforce capacity required to increase the test sensitivity threshold in the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme to 80ug/g by 2028.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England has undertaken detailed modelling to understand the diagnostic and workforce capacity required to support a reduction in the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) threshold within the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme in England. NHS England has worked with early adopter sites to test the operational impact of lowering the FIT threshold in real‑world settings. These sites have provided evidence on changes in referral volumes, colonoscopy demand, cancer and polyp detection rates, and the implications for endoscopy services. The findings are being formally evaluated and are informing assumptions within the national capacity modelling. The timing of wider roll‑out is directly linked to the outcomes of this modelling and evaluation work, as well as the availability of trained endoscopy staff.

NHS England continues to develop the endoscopy workforce, including the expansion of the screening colonoscopist workforce through Advanced Training Skills Module.

Alongside this, NHS England is progressing a wider programme of endoscopy transformation focused on releasing capacity and improving productivity. This includes the intelligent use of FIT testing, including coloFIT, to support more effective risk stratification, reduce unnecessary colonoscopies, and ensure that available endoscopy capacity is targeted towards those at highest risk. Embedding FIT‑led pathways supports earlier reassurance for lower‑risk individuals while prioritising timely investigation for those most likely to benefit.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to impact assessment 13013 published by his Department on 25 May 2021, whether his Department still plans to publish a review of the advertising and promotional restrictions within the first 5 years of enforcement.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Our 10-Year Health Plan for England set out the decisive action we are taking on the obesity crisis, to ease the strain on our National Health Service and to create the healthiest generation of children ever. As part of this, we implemented United Kingdom-wide restrictions on the advertising of less healthy food and drinks on television and online from 5 January 2026. We also implemented restrictions on volume price promotions for less healthy food and drinks, such as three for two offers, in stores and their online equivalents across England from 1 October 2025. These are in addition to the restrictions that have already been in place since 2022 on the promotion by location of less healthy food and drink products in stores and their equivalent places online.

We will monitor the effectiveness of these advertising and promotions restrictions with a Post Implementation Review within five years of them taking legal effect.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of retailers withdrawing from the Better Chicken Commitment on her Department's Animal Welfare Strategy.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

As set out in the animal welfare strategy, the Government remains committed to supporting a move away from the use of fast-growing breeds of meat chickens. The Government welcomes the fact that those supermarkets who made Better Chicken Commitment pledges have fulfilled them, but it is disappointing to hear of the decision of various restaurant groups to withdraw their commitments to improve animal welfare in this way.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will provide support to The Art Works facility in Granton.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Arts and culture in Scotland is a devolved matter.

The UK Government provides the Scottish Government with a settlement through the Barnett Formula which they can spend on cultural activities and priorities across Scotland. The Scottish Government also has substantial revenue raising capability. Support for the National Galleries Scotland’s project The Art Works in North Edinburgh is best directed to the Scottish Government who make the decisions about how to prioritise cultural funding.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an estimate of the potential impact on the revenue differential to the Treasury if Class 1 National Insurance Contributions calculations matched those of income tax.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

This would be a significant change, as National Insurance contributions (NICs) and Income Tax work quite differently at present.

NICs are charged on earnings on a per-employment, per-pay period basis, whereas Income Tax is an annual tax, and takes into account an individual’s total, cumulative earnings over the year. NICs also come with specific benefits e.g. State Pension, Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Maternity Allowance, and Bereavement benefits. This is in line with NICs’ role as a social security contribution, into which contributions are made from people’s earnings while in work to support them when they are out of work. NICs are currently not payable by those over State Pension age. As such, amalgamating NICs into, or even bringing them closer into line with, income tax would come with major transitional costs and considerations

The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) considered this in 2016 in its report on 'Closer alignment of Income Tax and National Insurance', which sets out their analysis on the range of challenges that would need to be taken into consideration before proceeding with such a radical reform as well as indications of potential winners and losers from closer alignment.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of aligning National Insurance Contributions (NICs) earnings periods with those of income tax.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

This would be a significant change, as National Insurance contributions (NICs) and Income Tax work quite differently at present.

NICs are charged on earnings on a per-employment, per-pay period basis, whereas Income Tax is an annual tax, and takes into account an individual’s total, cumulative earnings over the year. NICs also come with specific benefits e.g. State Pension, Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Maternity Allowance, and Bereavement benefits. This is in line with NICs’ role as a social security contribution, into which contributions are made from people’s earnings while in work to support them when they are out of work. NICs are currently not payable by those over State Pension age. As such, amalgamating NICs into, or even bringing them closer into line with, income tax would come with major transitional costs and considerations

The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) considered this in 2016 in its report on 'Closer alignment of Income Tax and National Insurance', which sets out their analysis on the range of challenges that would need to be taken into consideration before proceeding with such a radical reform as well as indications of potential winners and losers from closer alignment.

Edinburgh mural marking the deaths of protestors in Iran

Found: Members present: Ruth Cadbury (Chair); Steff Aquarone; Dr Scott Arthur; Jacob Collier; Alex Mayer; Baggy