Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 consider a universal restriction on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government published a PFAS Plan on 3 February 2026, which sets out our approach towards protecting human health and the environment from risks posed by PFAS. In the recently revised Environmental Improvement Plan, we have committed to reforming UK REACH. This will enable protections to be applied more quickly, more efficiently and more closely aligned with our closest trading partner the EU.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to align apprenticeship standards, T Levels, and other vocational qualifications with future food system needs.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is strengthening technical education so that young people can gain practical skills in areas such as regenerative farming, agroecology, and sustainable horticulture. This includes a range of apprenticeships in agriculture, environmental and animal care sector such as crop technician.
Land-based colleges and institutes of technology offer applied learning experience with employer designed standards increasingly embedding regenerative and agroecological practices. Land based T Levels and technical qualifications include opportunities for hands on learning in soil health, sustainable crop production, biodiversity, and low-impact land management.
Skills England works with employers to embed real world regenerative and agroecological practices in relevant occupational and apprenticeship standards to ensure they meet ongoing skills needs.
Local Skills Improvement Plans help guide providers to match training with the priority skills needs, which include those related to agriculture and land-based industries.
Together, these measures create a strong pipeline of young people equipped for careers in regenerative, low carbon land-based sectors.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of changing the national curriculum to increase awareness of cancer prevention amongst pupils in Yeovil constituency.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
It is important to educate people about causes and symptoms of cancer, and we are supportive of efforts to do this at an early age.
Revised relationships, sex and health education statutory guidance was published on 15 July 2025. Cancer awareness and other specific cancer-related content is included. At secondary school, as part of their studies on health protection and prevention and understanding the healthcare system, pupils will be taught the importance of taking responsibility for their own health, including regular self-examination and screening.
Schools may teach about cancer awareness in other areas of the current national curriculum. The secondary science curriculum ensures pupils are taught about non-communicable diseases, such as cancer, and the impact of lifestyle factors. In design and food technology, schools should highlight the importance of nutrition. We are developing a new national curriculum with teachers, curriculum experts, pupils and parents, which schools will start teaching from September 2028.
Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has assessed the potential merits of asking the VMD to reduce the unrestricted use of spot-on pet treatments by re-classifying them from general sales to POM-V.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is responsible for setting legal distribution categories for veterinary medicines and must balance animal health and welfare, public health, environmental protection and access to treatment. Many flea and tick products containing fipronil and imidacloprid are currently classified as AVM‑GSL, allowing supply without professional advice.
In light of environmental evidence, the VMD is undertaking an evidence‑based review of the distribution categories for these products. This includes considering whether requiring professional advice at the point of sale, through a minimum classification of NFA‑VPS, could help reduce environmental risk while maintaining access for pet owners.
Further details on this review will be available in early 2026. Any future regulatory decisions will follow a transparent, consultative process and will be based on robust scientific evidence, with animal welfare remaining paramount.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of improving a) research, b) monitoring and c) labelling of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government published a PFAS Plan on 3 February 2026, which sets out its approach towards protecting human health and the environment from risks posed by PFAS.
Research is being commissioned and coordinated across the Government, regulators, academia and industry to close key evidence-gaps on PFAS health, environmental impacts and innovation of alternatives.
Defra has funded the Environmental Agency to develop one of the most capable PFAS monitoring programmes globally. Using improved analytical methods and data from a range of sources, it covers water, wildlife, soil and industrial emissions.
A number of the most harmful PFAS already have a mandatory classification and labelling for carcinogenicity under the GB Classification, Labelling and Packaging regime.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
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 to empower local community initiatives, farms, and schools to implement practical food and nature education; and how her Department is measuring their impact.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The food strategy recognises the key role that regional and local food systems can play in supporting delivery of the growth, health, sustainability, and food security/ resilience outcomes. Defra wants to create an environment that champions UK food cultures and celebrates British food. Connecting local communities can be a key vehicle for achieving this outcome and for harnessing a stronger food culture. As we develop the food strategy, we will be considering how we can better support local and place-based initiatives, to deliver the changes needed to deliver our outcomes. The Government will consider the approach to monitoring and evaluation as we develop the outcomes and delivery mechanisms.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what her planned timetable is for disbursing the humanitarian assistance package for El Fasher.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In response to the humanitarian crisis in El Fasher, the Foreign Secretary announced on 1 November a £5 million uplift to UK humanitarian support, including £3 million to the UN-led Sudan Humanitarian Fund and £2 million to the International Rescue Committee. We also mobilised £23 million in existing UK humanitarian aid to further support the emergency response in North Darfur. In total, the UK has provided £146 million in this financial year.
The distribution of our funding is ongoing and we continue to work through a combination of multilateral organisations, international non-governmental organisations, and local responders to ensure that our support reaches those most in need, including people in hard-to-reach areas such as El Fasher, delivering life-saving food and health assistance, as well as support for survivors of sexual violence through partners such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Sudan Humanitarian Fund, and Cash Consortium Sudan.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what comparative assessment she has made of his Department's (a) targets, (b) requirements and (c) performance standards for ambient air pollution and the World Health Organisation's Air Quality Guidelines.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The World Health Organisation’s Air Quality Guidelines inform our approach to improving public health. We remain committed to continuous improvement and the WHO guidelines will continue to inform our evidence when considering next steps.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 28 January (HL Deb col 923) indicating that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will shortly publish a perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) plan, (1) whether they plan to consult health experts and campaigners in addition to industry, (2) whether they are using the precautionary principle in considering the use and environmental presence of PFAS, and (3) when the plan will be published.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government published the PFAS Plan on 3 February 2026.
The plan will serve as a platform to engage further with industry, other bodies, and the public on PFAS. This will include engagement with health experts and campaigners.
In addressing the risks posed by PFAS, the Government has given due regard to the environmental principles policy statement, pursuant to the Environment Act 2021. This includes the integration, prevention, rectification at source, ‘polluter pays’ principle, and the precautionary principles.
Asked by: Julia Buckley (Labour - Shrewsbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what mechanisms are in place to help protect farmers from fluctuations in milk prices following the removal of the Basic Payment Scheme.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK dairy industry is a resilient and dynamic sector which operates in an open market where the value of dairy commodities, including farmgate milk prices, is established by those in supply chains including farmers, processors, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers. Price fluctuations are a normal part of how the dairy market operates as it seeks to balance supply with demand.
The Government paid more than £2.6 billion to British farmers in 2024-25, the most funding in a single financial year since we left the EU. This included funding toward Environmental Land Management schemes, improving animal health and welfare on farm and grants to drive innovation in agriculture and food production across England.