Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the reported massacre of of mourners in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on 8 September 2025.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 13 October to Question 77022.
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 her Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the European Food and Safety Authority's recent report on the welfare of American mink, red and arctic foxes, racoon dogs and chinchilla kept for fur production, published in July 2025.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) to produce a report on what constitutes responsible sourcing of fur. This is due to be completed in 2025 and will be published on GOV.UK thereafter.
We are also aware that the European Food Safety Authority has published a report on the welfare of fur animals and are reviewing its findings.
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, when the results of the Animal Welfare Committee's review of the responsible sourcing of fur will be published.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) to produce a report on what constitutes responsible sourcing of fur. This is due to be completed in 2025 and will be published on GOV.UK thereafter.
We are also aware that the European Food Safety Authority has published a report on the welfare of fur animals and are reviewing its findings.
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, what recent progress her Department has made on building the evidence base on the fur sector.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) to produce a report on what constitutes responsible sourcing of fur. This is due to be completed in 2025 and will be published on GOV.UK thereafter.
We are also aware that the European Food Safety Authority has published a report on the welfare of fur animals and are reviewing its findings.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 collaborate with (a) academic institutions, (b) industry, and (c) research charities in rolling out new diagnostic tools for pancreatic cancer across primary care pathways.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
While cancer, including pancreatic cancer, is not diagnosed in primary care, there are initiatives to improve the identification of cancer symptoms in primary care. This includes ‘Jess’s Rule’, which supports clinicians to rethink their assessments when patients have presented three times with the same symptoms or concerns. Jess’s Rule was developed through a process of engagement with leading clinicians and charities.
NHS England is working with Pancreatic Cancer UK to develop a public-facing Family History Checker, which enables people, and their families, affected by pancreatic cancer to self-assess if they have inherited risk. People identified of being at risk are referred directly to the European Registry of Hereditary Pancreatic Diseases research trail, which aims to understand inherited conditions of the pancreas. Referrals to the trail can be made by any healthcare professional across all health sectors, including primary care, or by individuals via self-referral.
Research continues to play a vital role, with National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) infrastructure supporting dozens of studies annually in partnership with industry and charities. This is also a vital part of improving diagnosis and treatment for cancer. The NIHR has invested £4.4 million to directly funded pancreatic cancer research from 2018/19 to 2023/24. These investments are pivotal to informing efforts to improve cancer prevention, treatment and outcomes.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment she has made of the potential contribution of the photonics industry to economic (a) strategy and (b) growth.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Photonics is a major UK industry, generating £18.5 billion annually and employing over 84,800 people. It underpins quantum technologies, semiconductors, and telecoms, with government support through programmes like the National Quantum Technologies Programme and wider UKRI initiatives. The Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics in Glasgow plays a leading role in research and commercialisation, particularly in tying together the quantum and photonics clusters. Government supports the UK's photonics capabilities through targeted interventions that support individual sector needs, fostering innovation and growth across emerging technology areas.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has considered creating a dedicated photonics group within her Department.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Photonics is a major UK industry, generating £18.5 billion annually and employing over 84,800 people. It underpins quantum technologies, semiconductors, and telecoms, with government support through programmes like the National Quantum Technologies Programme and wider UKRI initiatives. The Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics in Glasgow plays a leading role in research and commercialisation, particularly in tying together the quantum and photonics clusters. Government supports the UK's photonics capabilities through targeted interventions that support individual sector needs, fostering innovation and growth across emerging technology areas.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the establishment of a National Centre for Photonics on technological development in the photonics industry.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Photonics is a major UK industry, generating £18.5 billion annually and employing over 84,800 people. It underpins quantum technologies, semiconductors, and telecoms, with government support through programmes like the National Quantum Technologies Programme and wider UKRI initiatives. The Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics in Glasgow plays a leading role in research and commercialisation, particularly in tying together the quantum and photonics clusters. Government supports the UK's photonics capabilities through targeted interventions that support individual sector needs, fostering innovation and growth across emerging technology areas.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support the development of a roadmap for the application of photonics to emerging technologies beyond telecommunications.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Photonics is a major UK industry, generating £18.5 billion annually and employing over 84,800 people. It underpins quantum technologies, semiconductors, and telecoms, with government support through programmes like the National Quantum Technologies Programme and wider UKRI initiatives. The Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics in Glasgow plays a leading role in research and commercialisation, particularly in tying together the quantum and photonics clusters. Government supports the UK's photonics capabilities through targeted interventions that support individual sector needs, fostering innovation and growth across emerging technology areas.
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, when her Department plans to publish the results of the call for evidence on the fur market in Great Britain, which closed on 28 June 2021.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The call for evidence on the Fur Market in Great Britain was undertaken by the previous Government. A summary of responses will be published in due course.