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 introduce the activity regulations for the Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023.

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

The Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023 provides a framework for the introduction of future bans on the advertising and offering for sale, in England and Northern Ireland, of low-welfare animal activities abroad.

We continue to engage with stakeholders including the tourism industry and animal welfare groups to explore both legislative and non-legislative options to stop the advertising of low-welfare animal activities abroad and will be setting out next steps in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on the proportion of concert ticketing companies that allow disabled customers who are using accessible seating to have one accompanying person with them.

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

The Department does not hold information on the proportion of concert ticketing companies that allow disabled customers who are using accessible seating to have one accompanying person with them.

However this Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of ability or location, can access the creative industries and cultural opportunities. We are continuing to support Arts Council England’s (ACE’s) Supporting Grassroots Music Fund (SGMF), which as well as aiming to bolster the grassroots music ecosystem, aims to promote inclusivity within the sector. For example, through support from the SGMF, a music venue in Bristol has become the first grassroots music venue in the country to secure an Attitude is Everything Gold Award, a widely-coveted Industry award, given only to those that show a significant and ongoing commitment to improving accessibility.

The Government also supports the Arts Councils of each UK nation and Ireland working together with partners, such as the British Film Institute, in launching All In, a free, UK wide arts access scheme. This scheme will help remove barriers for disabled, deaf and neurodivergent people in music venues, festivals, theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and more. This initiative introduces the UK and Ireland’s first set of industry standards to improve access to arts and culture as well as launch new digital tools to support accessible ticket booking.

The Office for Equality and Opportunity has also appointed David Stanley as Disability and Access Ambassador for arts and culture - to drive improvements in the accessibility and quality of services and facilities in the sector for disabled people, helping to ensure businesses are doing all they can to support disabled customers.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce farming payments to help support animal welfare outcomes.

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

Since 2023, farmers in England have been able to access funding through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway to improve livestock health and welfare while supporting farm productivity and sustainability. This support covers annual veterinary reviews, disease testing, and capital grants, including the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (which provides animal welfare grants) and the Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare Grant. To date, we have funded more than 10,000 vet visits. Full details of available support are published on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, for what reason an official hold to all PV battery installations have been held under the Warm Homes: Local Grant Scheme; and whether his Department plans for this to be lifted.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

PV battery installations under the Warm Homes: Local Grant Scheme have been temporarily paused while the Department carries out necessary assurance. Although PV batteries were announced as an eligible measure in June 2025, there is currently no MCS Product Standard, which is required under scheme guidance. As the Department remains focused on consumer protection, Grant Recipients have therefore been asked to pause any plans to install PV batteries across the schemes. The Department have been updating Grant Recipients this week (commencing 8^th December) and will continue to work at pace to resolve this issue.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will take steps to stop the expansion of low-welfare farms.

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

All farms, regardless of size and type of production system, must comply with comprehensive animal welfare legislation.

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 ending the routine culling of day-old male chicks in the UK egg industry; and whether she plans to encourage the use of in-ovo sexing technology through the development of an animal welfare strategy.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 9 July 2025 to the hon. Member for Stockport, PQ UIN 64121.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to provide universal, 24/7 thrombectomy access across England by April 2026.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England is working to increase the size of the workforce trained to deliver thrombectomy so that 24/7 access is available across England by April 2026.

To achieve this, NHS England is working with the General Medical Council in approving a credential to support neuroradiologists to conduct thrombectomy and increase the number of thrombectomies that can be delivered.

In addition, NHS England’s National Medical Director and National Clinical Director for Stroke have supported comprehensive stroke centers in England to improve quality and reduce variation in thrombectomy delivery.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what financial support his Department plans to provide to help farmers transition to higher-welfare, lower-input systems that are resilient to market shocks.

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

Defra offers financial support to farmers through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, which pays for health and welfare enhancements that will boost productivity, including funded vet visits.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of nurses graduating from nursing degree courses in the UK find employment within the NHS during the first year after qualifying.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not hold the data requested. Nurses upon graduation may take up registered nursing roles in a range of organisations such as local authorities, social care providers, charities, or private sector providers as well as in the National Health Service.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's blog post entitled Coverage of our over £1 billion investment to support victims of domestic abuse, published on 15 December 2025, how much and what proportion of the additional funding for the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Duty will be allocated to local authorities in Norfolk.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government is committed to ensuring that victims of domestic abuse have access to the support they need within safe accommodation.

On 20 November, the government announced at least £480 million to support delivery of the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Duty, followed by an announcement on 15 December of a £19 million uplift. This is part of the government’s action to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls with better support for victims, as set out in the Strategy (Freedom from violence and abuse: a cross-government strategy - GOV.UK ) published on 18 December.

Provisional allocations for all relevant local authorities, including those in Norfolk, can be found in the government’s published allocation table for the provisional local government finance settlement on gov.uk here. These figures represent minimum allocations for the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Duty, based on the flat cash value of £480 million. Final allocations, including the £19 million uplift, will be confirmed in the final Local Government Finance Settlement in February.

Found: Members present: Mr Alistair Carmichael (Chair); Juliet Campbell; Charlie Dewhirst; Sarah Dyke; Terry Jermy

Found: Members present: Mr Alistair Carmichael (Chair); Juliet Campbell; Charlie Dewhirst; Sarah Dyke; Terry Jermy

Found: present: Mr Alistair Carmichael (Chair); Sarah Bool; Juliet Campbell; Charlie Dewhirst; Sarah Dyke; Terry Jermy

Found: present: Mr Alistair Carmichael (Chair); Sarah Bool; Juliet Campbell; Charlie Dewhirst; Sarah Dyke; Terry Jermy

Found: present: Mr Alistair Carmichael (Chair); Sarah Bool; Juliet Campbell; Charlie Dewhirst; Sarah Dyke; Terry Jermy

Found: Q43 Terry Jermy: I am aware, Minister, that you chair the Food Strategy Advisory Board.

Found: present: Mr Alistair Carmichael (Chair); Sarah Bool; Juliet Campbell; Charlie Dewhirst; Sarah Dyke; Terry Jermy