Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will provide £20 million of funding for research for the Lobular Moon Shot Project.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The Department invests in health research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR invests in research, clinical expertise, specialist facilities, workforce and support services across a range of clinical areas. NIHR expenditure on cancer research was £121.8 million in 2022/23.
The Department and NIHR are aware of lobular breast cancer and issues in detection and treatment. Lobular breast cancers can be hard to detect through screening. Relevant research includes a £1.3 million NIHR research project to determine whether an abbreviated form of breast magnetic resonance imaging can detect breast cancers missed by screening mammography. We would urge researchers working on lobular breast cancer to submit research bids for NIHR funding, including applications to fund the United Kingdom arm of international studies. Details on eligibility and how to apply for Departmental research funding through the NIHR is available and updated on the NIHR website.
Since 2021/22, there have been five research grant bids for NIHR funding into lobular breast cancer. The above project was a successful research bid, while there were four unsuccessful applications judged by a scientific panel of peers during the same period. NIHR also supports research on lobular breast cancer through its research infrastructure including Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs). Researchers at NIHR Manchester BRC have shown that women at increased risk of breast cancer who were offered enhanced screening were more likely to survive in the long-term. In addition, NIHR supports breast cancer research funded by research partners in the charity and public sectors through the NIHR’s Clinical Research Network (CRN). Over the last five years the CRN has supported 10 lobular breast cancer-related studies.
The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including lobular breast cancer. The Department also continues to work closely with research funding partners such as Cancer Research UK and cancer charities, who fund research into new scientific discoveries.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he is taking steps to help ensure that abattoirs are appropriately staffed; and whether he is taking steps to help ensure the resilience of the carbon dioxide supply required for the slaughter of pigs and poultry.
Answered by Mark Spencer
The UK benefits from having a resilient and successful meat processing sector. However, we recognise the challenges it continues to face with the recruitment of skilled labour. The Government supports the industry in its recruitment and training of more domestic workers including through apprenticeship schemes, and in utilising the benefits that automation can bring. Defra also works closely with stakeholders across the food industry, including the meat processing sector, to encourage CO2 contingency planning and resilience. The recent tightness in the supply of CO2 has eased with the market now more stable. The industry has also taken steps to make efficiencies and to use alternative CO2 sources where possible.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has had recent discussions with representatives of Fujitsu on compensation for subpostmasters affected by the Horizon case.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
Whilst DBT Ministers have not met Fujitsu, officials in this and other Government Departments have done so. The subject of those discussions is commercially confidential.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps is he taking to support the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
Answered by Mark Spencer
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is a critical delivery partner for the UK, Welsh, and Scottish Governments, helping to safeguard animal and plant health for the benefit of people, the environment, and the economy.
APHA’s achievements and financial position for 2022/23 are set out in its latest Annual Report and Accounts, published in July 2023. Recognising the impact of persistent incursions of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 into the UK over the last two years, additional funding has been made available this year to APHA to ensure it has the resources needed to meet the increased demands of HPAI without affecting other vital biosecurity work. The Government continues to invest substantially, including £200m across the current spending review, in the Science Capability in Animal Health (SCAH) Programme that oversees major re-development of APHA’s Weybridge labs, safeguarding its long-term future as a centre for scientific excellence in tackling high-risk diseases.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support the hospitality industry; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing VAT for that industry.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston
At Autumn Statement 2023, the Government announced a package of business rates changes and tax cuts, including extending the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief scheme at 75 per cent, up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business for 2024-2025. This is tax cut worth almost £2.4 billion for around 230,000 properties.
VAT is the UK's third largest tax forecast to raise £173 billion in 2023/24, helping to fund key spending priorities such as important public services, including the NHS, education and defence. The previous VAT relief for tourism and hospitality cost over £8 billion and reintroducing it would come at a significant further cost.
While there are no plans to reduce the rate of VAT paid by hospitality businesses, the Government keeps all taxes under review.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to help protect farmers from competition from countries with lower animal welfare standards; and what steps she is taking to help ensure that food labelling accurately reflects the origin of produce.
Answered by Greg Hands
HM Government is committed to uphold our high standards of food in any trade deal. All food and drink products imported into the UK must comply with our import requirements and regulatory standards for food safety.
Country of origin information is already required for a range of fresh and frozen meat products, as well as for uncut fresh fruit and vegetables, honey, olive oil and wine.
At the Oxford Farming Conference, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced a rapid consultation to gather views on how we can make packaging information clearer. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will announce more details on this in due course.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has had recent discussions with Ofgem on reducing standing charges.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
Minsters and Officials have regular meetings with Ofgem to discuss a wide range of issues, including standing charges.
Ofgem is currently seeking views on standing charges as the first stage of engaging in a debate on whether changes are required. Further information is available at https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/standing-charges-call-input.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Answer of 17 October 2023 to Question 200502 on Clinical Trials, whether she is taking steps to support the pharmaceutical industry in the (a) development and (b) use of human-specific technologies.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The government is committed to supporting the growth of technologies that support human-specific research, including stem cell research, cell culture systems, imaging and computer modelling. UK Research & Innovation funds the development of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs) through the National Centre for 3Rs (NC3Rs). Since it was established the NC3Rs has invested £89.3 million in research and £27 million in contracts through its CRACK IT Challenges scheme, mainly focusing on new approaches for the safety assessment of pharmaceuticals and chemicals that reduce the use of animals.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she is taking steps to support the growth of the human-specific technology sector.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The government is committed to supporting the growth of technologies that support human-specific research, including stem cell research, cell culture systems, imaging and computer modelling. The UK has a world leading reputation for the delivery of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (3Rs). UK Research & Innovation funds the development of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs) through the National Centre for 3Rs (NC3Rs) which works to drive the uptake of 3Rs technologies.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
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 is taking steps to control the number of grey squirrels; whether she is using technology to (a) assess and (b) control the numbers of grey squirrels; and whether she has had discussions with the Welsh Government on implementing a UK-wide strategy on the control of grey squirrels.
Answered by Robbie Moore
The management of grey squirrel populations is a devolved matter.
In England, Defra is committed to doing more to tackle the impact of grey squirrels by updating the Grey Squirrel Action Plan. The Grey Squirrel Management Action Plan for Wales and the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project include similar management objectives. A refreshed GB Invasive Non-Native Species Strategy was published this year, setting out the high-level vision and key actions for invasive species management in England, Scotland, and Wales. The Forestry Commission works informally with colleagues in Natural Resources Wales and Welsh government to facilitate a common approach where possible.
Defra contributes funding to innovative fertility control research led by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and the UK Squirrel Accord, a UK-wide partnership that includes the Welsh and Scottish governments as well as Defra. If successful, this novel management method will complement the actions set out at the level of individual governments, such as maintaining the grey squirrel eradication that partners have carried out on Anglesey.