Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of broadening the range of circumstances under which a recall petition takes place.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government believes that the Recall of MPs Act 2015 is operating well and as intended. There are no plans to increase the number of conditions that can trigger a recall petition.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support small businesses with their provision of (a) barbering and (b) hairdressing apprenticeships.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 21 January 2026 to Question 105881.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she plans to take to help support UK (a) farmers and (b) fishers where (i) animal welfare standards and (ii) climate and nature policies contribute to higher farming costs, in the context of the cost of imported produce.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has been clear that it will protect farmers in trade deals. The Government will not lower food standards and will uphold high animal welfare standards. It will create new export opportunities for our high-quality British produce.
Supporting British farmers and boosting the nation’s food security are key priorities for the Government. The Government allocated £11.8 billion this Parliament to sustainable farming and food production, targeting public money where it delivers most value.
In terms of wider support to the fishing industry, the Government is committed to the industry’s long-term prosperity and sustainability, which is why we launched the £360 million Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of negotiating with his EU counterparts to secure an exemption for professional drivers from the 90 in 180 day Schengen rule.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Schengen 90/180-day immigration rule has applied since 2021 to all UK nationals (including professional drivers of heavy goods vehicles (HGV) and coaches) undertaking short stays for leisure and work in the Schengen area. The Schengen 90/180 limit is a fundamental part of the EU’s conditions of entry for third country nationals to its territory. As such, it is not UK Government policy.
The Government will continue to listen to concerns raised by sectors affected by these rules and will advocate for British citizens abroad. Ultimately any exemptions or amendments to Schengen rules are a matter for Member States and the EU.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to take steps to negotiate an agreement with her EU counterparts to permit British HGV drivers to register biometric details away from the UK/EU border under the Entry/Exit System.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) is being implemented by the EU to improve border security. Whilst the UK Government continues to actively engage with the EU as they continue EES implementation, it is not a UK Government initiative.
It is for individual Member States to determine how to register biometric details. The pre-registration of details does not replace checks by the border authorities.
The UK Government is working closely with the EU as they roll out their EES checks to encourage a streamlined registration process that will minimise disruption for travellers. This is in addition to close engagement that the Department has had with travel operators and hauliers to support their preparation for EES and to reiterate travel requirements for the Schengen area.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
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 Department's policy paper entitled Animal Welfare Strategy for England, published on 22 December 2025, whether her Department plans to publish a timetable for the introduction of dog licences for dog breeders.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, anyone in the business of breeding and selling dogs and/or who breeds three or more litters in a twelve-month period needs to have a valid licence from their local authority.
The Government is committed to ending puppy farming and the low welfare breeding of dogs. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government has committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. Next steps will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data his Department holds on the (a) uptake and (b) drop-out rates in (i) barbering and (ii) hairdressing apprenticeships over the last 7 years.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Statistics on apprenticeships are published in the Apprenticeships accredited official statistics publication: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships.
Apprenticeship starts on barbering and hairdressing apprenticeships can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/ccfd7de7-48a4-4913-19a0-08de58cbc7ae
Apprenticeship achievement rates can be found here:
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changing the rules which prevent families from bidding for social houses that have too few bedrooms on waiting times for social housing.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government expects registered providers of social housing to develop solutions that make best use of their stock.
When framing the rules which determine the size of property to allocate to different households and in different circumstances, local housing authorities are free to set their own criteria, provided they do not result in a household being statutorily overcrowded.
As announced in our National Plan to End Homelessness in December last year, we will work with stakeholders to review and update statutory guidance on social housing allocations to ensure that allocations reflect local need and effectively support vulnerable households.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 56135, on Motor Insurance, what recent progress the cross-Government taskforce on motor insurance has made.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The cross-government Motor Insurance Taskforce published its final report in December 2025, setting out actions being taken by government, regulators and industry to help reduce premium costs. Departments and regulators are now taking forward the relevant actions.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade of the adequacy of the accessibility of the Government Gateway for small business owners.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Government Gateway is a service managed and operated by HM Revenue and Customs. HMRC keeps the accessibility of the service under ongoing review in line with statutory requirements for public sector digital services.
While no formal joint assessment has been undertaken with the Department for Business and Trade specifically on the accessibility of Government Gateway for small business owners, HMRC routinely engages with user groups, including small businesses, to identify barriers and improve the service experience.
The latest accessibility statement, updated on 8 April 2024, sets out the current level of compliance, known issues, and planned improvements. It is available here:
https://www.access.service.gov.uk/accessibility