Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help reduce tensions within local communities arising from the use of (a) hotels and (b) military barracks to accommodate asylum seekers.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office works closely with local authorities, police, and health partners to ensure that military sites operate safely, with secure perimeters, on-site services and regular Multi-Agency Forums to address local concerns. This self-contained approach helps reduce pressures on local services and supports community cohesion.
The Home Office works closely with local authorities and statutory partners to ensure that all asylum accommodation sites operate safely with regular engagement to address local concerns, reduce pressure on local services and support community cohesion.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of relocating asylum seekers from hotel accommodation to Ministry of Defence sites in mitigating tensions with local communities.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office works closely with local authorities, police, and health partners to ensure that military sites operate safely, with secure perimeters, on-site services and regular Multi-Agency Forums to address local concerns. This self-contained approach helps reduce pressures on local services and supports community cohesion.
The Home Office works closely with local authorities and statutory partners to ensure that all asylum accommodation sites operate safely with regular engagement to address local concerns, reduce pressure on local services and support community cohesion.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of geographical variation in access to community care equipment in (a) general, (b) rural areas and (c) remote areas.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Local authorities in England have a statutory duty under various pieces of legislation, including the Care Act 2014, to make arrangements for the provision of disability aids and community equipment, to meet the assessed eligible needs of individuals who are resident in their area. Responsibility for managing the market for these services, including commissioning and oversight of delivery, rests with local authorities.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to hold discussions with the devolved Administrations on supporting local authorities to transition away from the use of glyphosate-based herbicides in public spaces.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In March 2025, Defra, alongside the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government, and the Northern Ireland Executive, published the UK Pesticides National Action Plan (NAP) 2025. The NAP sets out how we intend to increase the uptake of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) across all sectors, including in the amenity sector. Defra will continue to work with devolved administrations to encourage sustainable practices in public spaces.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of pesticide use in (a) urban and (b) public spaces on (i) public health and (ii) biodiversity.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government’s first priority with regard to pesticides is to ensure that they will not harm people or animal health or pose unacceptable effects to the environment.
Pesticides are subject to strict regulation in Great Britain (GB), and a pesticide is only approved in GB on the basis that it will not cause harm to human or animal health, and that there are no unacceptable effects to the environment. A pesticide may only be placed on the market in GB if the product has been authorised by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), GB’s pesticide regulator. This only happens following a thorough scientific risk assessment that concludes all safety standards are met.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
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 implications for her policies of the phasing out of pesticide use in public spaces in other European countries.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government’s first priority with regard to pesticides is to ensure that they will not harm people or animal health or pose unacceptable effects to the environment.
There is a legal requirement to minimise the use of pesticides along roads and in areas used by the public. It is for each Local Authority to decide the best way of delivering effective and cost-effective weed control in its operations while protecting people and the environment. We do of course continue to monitor action in other countries and learn from their experiences.