Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether funding for a new laboratory at Porton Down for research into protection against biological threats, as announced in The Defence Investment Plan, will fund, support or increase the use of animals in testing or research.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Dstl is committed to the principles of Reduction, Replacement and Refinement (‘the 3Rs’) in its use of laboratory animals. The possibility of using alternative methodologies is considered as part of the initial planning of every proposed project, and Home Office licences for animal experimentation are only granted under ASPA if significant benefits will be gained from the research, and all alternative approaches have been carefully considered and implemented where scientifically feasible.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to ensure that the new laboratory at DSTL Porton Down, as announced in The Defence Investment Plan, utilises human-relevant new approach technologies, rather than the use of animals.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Dstl is committed to the principles of Reduction, Replacement and Refinement (‘the 3Rs’) in its use of laboratory animals. The possibility of using alternative methodologies is considered as part of the initial planning of every proposed project, and Home Office licences for animal experimentation are only granted under ASPA if significant benefits will be gained from the research, and all alternative approaches have been carefully considered and implemented where scientifically feasible.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when will the fourth National Adaptation Plan be presented to Parliament.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Under the Climate Change Act 2008, the Government must complete a Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) every five years, followed by a National Adaptation Programme (NAP) outlining how identified risks will be addressed.

The Government intends to publish the Fourth National Adaptation Programme (NAP4) in 2028.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to ensure that the revised Approved Document B includes an evidence-based route for demonstrating compliance for building-integrated green infrastructure, including living walls and green roofs, through whole-system fire performance assessment where appropriate.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government consulted on proposed changes to Approved Document B and no final decisions have been taken. The Building Safety Regulator is currently analysing consultation responses and supporting evidence, including views relating to living walls, green roofs and other forms of green infrastructure on non-residential buildings of all heights. The Government will consider the advice of the Building Safety Regulator and the evidence received through the consultation before making any decisions on changes to the guidance, including consideration of evidence relating to approaches for demonstrating compliance with the Building Regulations. The Government has no plans to update the impact assessment for the proposed changes to Approved Document B.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will update the impact assessment for the proposed revisions to Approved Document B to include the potential effects on (a) urban greening in England, (b) biodiversity delivery, (c) project viability and (d) the green infrastructure supply chain.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government consulted on proposed changes to Approved Document B and no final decisions have been taken. The Building Safety Regulator is currently analysing consultation responses and supporting evidence, including views relating to living walls, green roofs and other forms of green infrastructure on non-residential buildings of all heights. The Government will consider the advice of the Building Safety Regulator and the evidence received through the consultation before making any decisions on changes to the guidance, including consideration of evidence relating to approaches for demonstrating compliance with the Building Regulations. The Government has no plans to update the impact assessment for the proposed changes to Approved Document B.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed revisions to Approved Document B on the installation of living walls and green roofs on non-residential buildings with a storey at least 18 metres above ground level.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government consulted on proposed changes to Approved Document B and no final decisions have been taken. The Building Safety Regulator is currently analysing consultation responses and supporting evidence, including views relating to living walls, green roofs and other forms of green infrastructure on non-residential buildings of all heights. The Government will consider the advice of the Building Safety Regulator and the evidence received through the consultation before making any decisions on changes to the guidance, including consideration of evidence relating to approaches for demonstrating compliance with the Building Regulations. The Government has no plans to update the impact assessment for the proposed changes to Approved Document B.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department's timetable is on making a decision on whether to introduce a ban on the importation of foie gras.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government shares the British public's high regard for animal welfare and is committed to delivering the most ambitious animal welfare programme in a generation, as set out in the Animal Welfare Strategy.

It has made clear that the production of foie gras from ducks or geese using force feeding raises serious welfare concerns. Production using force feeding has been banned in the UK for nearly 20 years as it is not compatible with our animal welfare legislation.

This Government remains committed to maintaining and enhancing animal welfare standards and recognises the strength of public feeling on this issue.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's document entitled Annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals: Great Britain 2025, updated on 9 July 2026, for what reason harms arising from transportation are excluded from severity assessments, including for cynomolgus monkeys born in Africa or Asia used in procedures; and whether she plans to revise the severity assessment framework to include such harms in future.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, severity assessments measure harms to an animal during a regulated procedure and reflect the highest severity experienced during that procedure, including any cumulative procedural effects. Harms arising from non-procedural events, such as transport and housing, are therefore not within the scope of the severity assessment framework. These matters are instead addressed through separate welfare, transport, licensing and care requirements.

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 commitment in the Animal Welfare Strategy for England to introduce humane slaughter requirements for farmed fish, when the Government plans to launch its consultation; whether the consultation will cover recommendations 96, 98 to 101, 106 and 107 of the Animal Welfare Committee’s updated opinion on farmed fish at the time of killing; and by what date she expects legislation to be in force.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

As laid out in the Animal Welfare Strategy, and following the Animal Welfare Committee’s report on the topic, we will consult on introducing humane slaughter requirements for farmed fish into legislation. Further details will be set out in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference her Department's document entitled Annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals: Great Britain 2025, updated on 9 July 2026, what assessment she has made of the reasons for (a) the increase in procedures for the routine production of monoclonal antibodies compared with 2024 and (b) the use of horses in 14 such procedures in 2025.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office identified an error in the data tables accompanying the 2025 Annual Statistics relating to the number of procedures reported for the routine production of monoclonal antibodies. The figures published in the data tables did not accurately reflect the activity undertaken, and an unscheduled revision has now been issued. The Annual Statistics report itself was unaffected and correctly stated that no procedures for the routine production of monoclonal antibodies were carried out in 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment she has made of the potential relationship between environmental criteria in the Social Value Model and the Government's commitment that 50% of publicly procured food should be local or produced to higher environmental standards.

Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The government remains committed to its ambition of 50% local or higher environmental product standards.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether public bodies will continue to be able to take account of environmental outcomes when evaluating bids for food procurement contracts under the revised Social Value Model.

Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The government remains committed to its ambition of 50% local or higher environmental product standards.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the (a) availability and (b) geographical distribution of clinicians with specialist expertise in (i) Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, (ii) Corticobasal Degeneration and (iii) other atypical parkinsonian conditions.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

All consultant neurologists are trained to recognise, diagnose, and initiate management of atypical parkinsonian conditions, including Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Corticobasal Degeneration. Patients across England access specialist expertise through established networked care arrangements. District general hospitals have referral pathways to movement disorder specialists, and all specialised neurology centres provide dedicated movement disorder services, ensuring complex cases can be assessed by clinicians with appropriate expertise regardless of geographical location.

The Department does not collect condition‑specific data on referrals, waiting times, or diagnosis for progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, or other atypical parkinsonian conditions, as outpatient diagnoses are not routinely coded within National Health Service datasets. NHS England continues to strengthen pathways for timely recognition and referral of complex movement disorders through the specialised neurology service specification and integrated neurology networks, although condition‑specific diagnostic and waiting‑time data are not currently available. The specialised neurology service specification is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/specialised-neurology-services-adults-service-specification-august-2025.pdf

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department plans to improve the collection of condition-specific data on (a) referrals, (b) waiting times and (c) diagnosis for (i) Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, (ii) Corticobasal Degeneration and (c) other atypical parkinsonian conditions.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

All consultant neurologists are trained to recognise, diagnose, and initiate management of atypical parkinsonian conditions, including Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Corticobasal Degeneration. Patients across England access specialist expertise through established networked care arrangements. District general hospitals have referral pathways to movement disorder specialists, and all specialised neurology centres provide dedicated movement disorder services, ensuring complex cases can be assessed by clinicians with appropriate expertise regardless of geographical location.

The Department does not collect condition‑specific data on referrals, waiting times, or diagnosis for progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, or other atypical parkinsonian conditions, as outpatient diagnoses are not routinely coded within National Health Service datasets. NHS England continues to strengthen pathways for timely recognition and referral of complex movement disorders through the specialised neurology service specification and integrated neurology networks, although condition‑specific diagnostic and waiting‑time data are not currently available. The specialised neurology service specification is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/specialised-neurology-services-adults-service-specification-august-2025.pdf

Modern Service Framework for neurological conditions

Killing of Mohamed Fawaz al-Wahidi

Estate management charges

Right to independent advocacy for care home residents

Funding of Jodrell Bank Observatory

56th anniversary of the election of Salvador Allende

Miscarriage care

Furniture poverty and access to essential household goods

Multilateral funding for education

Review of Personal Independence Payment

Firefighters from the West Midlands

Support for hospices

Air Ambulance Week 2026

National Suicide Memorial Day for Health and Care Workers

National strategy for fertility

150th anniversary of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876

Baby Loss Awareness Week

Independent Office for Police Conduct findings on Norman Bettison

Found: Perkins (Chair); Julia Buckley; Jonathan Davies; Barry Gardiner; Sojan Joseph; Manuela Perteghella; Adrian Ramsay

Found: Perkins (Chair); Julia Buckley; Jonathan Davies; Barry Gardiner; Sojan Joseph; Manuela Perteghella; Adrian Ramsay

Found: Jonathan Davies; Barry Gardiner; Sarah Gibson; Chris Hinchliff; Sojan Joseph; Manuela Perteghella; Adrian Ramsay

Found: A few days ago, a Member of this Parliament, Adrian Ramsay, said in a UK Select Committee meeting that

Found: A few days ago, a Member of this Parliament, Adrian Ramsay, said in a UK Select Committee meeting that

Found: A few days ago, a Member of this Parliament, Adrian Ramsay, said in a UK Select Committee meeting that

Submit Evidence (by 21 Oct 2026)

In its latest advice to the government, the CCC said that climate change is already disrupting life in the UK and said that the UK’s national approach to climate adaption is “not fit for purpose”. It has also argued that the government’s third National Adaptation Plan (NAP3) is not adequately preparing the UK for climate change.