Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Netflix on the UK cinema exhibition sector.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is aware that Netflix has submitted a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery's studio and streaming assets as part of an ongoing acquisition process. Given the legal and commercial sensitivities involved, it would not be appropriate to comment on live discussions regarding this or any other potential merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.
As set out in our Creative Industries Sector Plan, the Government is aware of the evolving nature of the TV and streaming landscape. Should any merger progress, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) would be responsible for examining implications for competition and consumers, provided that the relevant jurisdiction criteria are met. The Government has committed to asking the CMA, working with Ofcom, to set out how changes in the sector could be taken into account as part of any future assessment of the television and advertising markets.
We recognise the importance of cinemas to our high streets and our communities, and we will remain in regular contact with stakeholders including the British Film Institute and the UK Cinema Association on how best to support the UK film and cinema sectors.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with representatives of the UK film and cinema sectors regarding the proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Netflix.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is aware that Netflix has submitted a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery's studio and streaming assets as part of an ongoing acquisition process. Given the legal and commercial sensitivities involved, it would not be appropriate to comment on live discussions regarding this or any other potential merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.
As set out in our Creative Industries Sector Plan, the Government is aware of the evolving nature of the TV and streaming landscape. Should any merger progress, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) would be responsible for examining implications for competition and consumers, provided that the relevant jurisdiction criteria are met. The Government has committed to asking the CMA, working with Ofcom, to set out how changes in the sector could be taken into account as part of any future assessment of the television and advertising markets.
We recognise the importance of cinemas to our high streets and our communities, and we will remain in regular contact with stakeholders including the British Film Institute and the UK Cinema Association on how best to support the UK film and cinema sectors.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of bringing forward proposals for a national safeguarding framework for historic burial grounds linked to former (a) psychiatric and (b) Poor Law institutions.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Government recognises the sensitivities surrounding burial grounds linked to former psychiatric institutions, including Horton Cemetery, and is committed to upholding the dignity of these sites and the memory of those interred within them.
The Law Commission is currently reviewing burial legislation, including the legal framework for the management of burial grounds, as part of its Burial, Cremation and New Funerary Methods project (Burial, cremation, and new funerary methods – Law Commission).
The project includes an assessment of the existing legal safeguards for burial and disinterment, the options for improved regulation and oversight of burial sites taking into account their nature and context, and potential reforms to ensure appropriate protection for private burial grounds.
The Government welcomes the Law Commission’s consideration of these issues and will respond in due course to its report, which is expected to be published in early 2026.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of giving local authorities the power to introduce a temporary Blue Badge scheme.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Currently, local authorities, in their capacity as the traffic authority for their area, are already free to consider setting up locally determined temporary parking concessions that could assist the recovery of residents who have recently undergone major surgery or suffered serious illness. LAs already have powers under Part IV of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to mark out bays for specific purposes, issue local parking permits, and use Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) to reserve spaces for specific purposes. This can be a voluntary local scheme, and the cost and nature of the concession would be for the local authority to decide.
Whilst the primary focus of the Blue Badge on-street parking scheme is to help people who have an enduring and substantial disability that affects their mobility park closer to their destinations, goods, and services, the Department routinely monitors the scheme to see how it may be improved, to ensure that it continues to serve those who need it most.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to ensure that temporary conditions are properly considered under the Blue Badge application process.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Local authorities (LAs), in their capacity as the traffic authority for their area, are already free to consider setting up locally determined temporary parking concessions that could assist the recovery of residents who have recently undergone major surgery or suffered serious illness. The cost and nature of any concession would be for the local authority to decide.
LAs already have powers under Part IV of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to mark out bays for specific purposes, issue local parking permits, and use Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) to reserve spaces for specific purposes.
The primary focus of the Blue Badge on-street parking scheme is to help people who have an enduring and substantial disability that affects their mobility to park closer to their destinations, goods, and services. The Department routinely monitors the scheme to see how it may be improved, to ensure that it continues to serve those who need it most.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate the Department has made of the total cost of river restoration projects undertaken in the last financial year.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Water Restoration Fund was launched in April 2024. It is reinvesting funding based on water company environmental fines and penalties into projects to improve the water environment.
Natural England supports and advises the Rural Payments Agency and the Environment Agency on administration of funds for river restoration, ensuring we get the greatest value for money in terms of nature recovery and wider societal benefits.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to work with the UK’s zoos and aquariums to provide opportunities for conservation translocations and the reintroduction of native species as set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Zoo Licensing Act 1981 requires zoos in Great Britain to undertake conservation work which can include where appropriate, the repopulation of an area with, or the reintroduction into the wild of, wild animals. Defra is committed to providing opportunities for the reintroduction of formerly native species where the benefits for the environment and people are clear.
Asked by: Chris Hinchliff (Labour - North East Hertfordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish a cross-government nature strategy, including requiring all departments to have a duty to consider nature.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra plans to publish the Cross Government Nature Strategy (CGNS) in March 2026.
Under the Environment Act 2021, the Biodiversity Duty established in s40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 was strengthened. This requires all government departments to identify and implement actions to conserve and enhance biodiversity, consistent with the exercise of their function.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Department holds complete archived referral, assessment, prescribing, and safeguarding data from the former Tavistock Gender Identity Development Service; and whether the Department will publish an aggregated historical summary.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England, as the responsible commissioner of the service at the time, will hold some relevant data, of the type and nature that would routinely be reported through the commissioning process. This would not include patient identifiable information.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing the speed of the roll out of the Environmental Land Management Scheme.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes remain at the centre of our offer for farmers and nature, putting us on the path to a more resilient and sustainable farming sector.
The Department now has more than half of farmers in an ELM scheme, including over 44,500 Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) agreements. It is our ambition to reopen SFI in the first half of 2026. Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier opened for applications in September 2025 through a controlled rollout. Two pioneering Landscape Recovery projects have now started long-term delivery on the ground.
We are on track to spend the committed £1.8bn, the largest figure ever, on ELM schemes in 2025/26.