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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed closure of Smithfield Market on (a) Scottish farmers and (b) UK meat producers.

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

Defra is aware of the proposed changes to Smithfield Market and is engaging with the City of London Corporation.

The City of London Corporation’s Court of Common Council on 26 November 2024 ratified a decision to end its interest in co-locating the wholesale food markets of Smithfield and Billingsgate to a new site at Dagenham Dock.

A private bill was deposited in Parliament on 27 November 2024, which would end the City of London Corporation’s responsibilities to operate a market at these sites.

While the Market will cease to trade at the Smithfield site, it is not closing. The City of London Corporation is working with tenants to help them re-locate, together, to purpose-built facilities within the M25 and ensure continuity of trade.

Defra has not undertaken an assessment of the impact of the closure on Scottish farmers and UK meat producers but notes the valuable research on this matter undertaken by the City of London Corporation. This independent food security study found that the relocation is unlikely to pose significant risks to food supply. The Department recognises the importance of Smithfield as a distribution hub for meat products across the UK and will continue to monitor the transition closely.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with international counterparts on the case of Iranian singer Amir Tataloo.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We continue to engage in dialogue with international partners regarding the human rights situation in Iran. We have repeatedly called on Iran to establish a moratorium on the death penalty in multilateral fora, including at the UN Third Committee and Human Rights Council. The UK is opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We were integral to the delivery of a new Iran human rights resolution, adopted by the Human Rights Council on 3 April, which renewed the mandates of the Special Rapporteur and Fact-Finding Mission. These mandates are essential for shedding light on Iran's abhorrent use of the death penalty and wider human rights violations.

Madleen Freedom Flotilla Ship

Scottish Rugby and the British and Irish Lions

Carers Week 2025

Reform of NHS dentistry services

Gaza (No. 2)

Climate and Nature Bill

Found: Members in attendance: • Patricia Ferguson MP (Chair) • Stephen Flynn MP2 • Lillian Jones MP • Susan Murray

Found: Patricia Ferguson (Chair); Harriet Cross; Stephen Flynn; Mr Angus MacDonald; Douglas McAllister; Susan Murray

Found: MacDonald Liz Jarvis Marie Goldman Monica Harding Mr Lee Dillon Graham Stringer Zöe Franklin Susan Murray

Found: Martin Wrigley Kim Johnson Naz Shah Andrew Cooper Ruth Cadbury Tom Gordon Dr Al Pinkerton Susan Murray

Found: MacDonald Liz Jarvis Marie Goldman Monica Harding Mr Lee Dillon Graham Stringer Zöe Franklin Susan Murray

Found: Natalie Fleet Calum Miller Luke Murphy Victoria Collins Steve Race Tom Gordon Dr Al Pinkerton Susan Murray

Found: MacDonald Liz Jarvis Marie Goldman Monica Harding Mr Lee Dillon Graham Stringer Zöe Franklin Susan Murray

Found: Sollom Dr Marie Tidball Natalie Fleet Calum Miller Luke Murphy Tom Gordon Dr Al Pinkerton Susan Murray

Found: MacDonald Liz Jarvis Marie Goldman Monica Harding Mr Lee Dillon Graham Stringer Zöe Franklin Susan Murray

Found: Martin Ian Sollom Dr Marie Tidball Natalie Fleet Calum Miller Tom Gordon Dr Al Pinkerton Susan Murray

Found: Collier Josh Newbury Mike Martin Ian Sollom Dr Marie Tidball Tom Gordon Dr Al Pinkerton Susan Murray

Found: Robertson Jacob Collier Josh Newbury Mike Martin Ian Sollom Tom Gordon Dr Al Pinkerton Susan Murray

Found: Gardner Dave Robertson Jacob Collier Josh Newbury Mike Martin Tom Gordon Dr Al Pinkerton Susan Murray