Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
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 considered the potential merits of including a screening for bluetongue virus at abattoirs within the National Disease Surveillance scheme.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is considering bluetongue monitoring enhancements for next season. Currently, official Veterinarians monitor for notifiable diseases including bluetongue at antemortem inspections across GB abattoirs. If notifiable disease is suspected APHA are contacted and reporting and appropriate testing procedures are followed. This data feeds into APHA disease scanning and the wider surveillance scheme.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what funding his Department is making available for small businesses in the a) hospitality and b) tourism sector in Cornwall.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to supporting hospitality and tourism businesses across the UK, including in Cornwall. Many businesses in the sector benefit from the Government’s new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £1 billion per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties. Small Business Rate Relief also means that around a third of properties already pay no business rates, with an additional 85,000 benefiting from reduced bills as this relief tapers.
We have more than doubled the Hospitality Support Fund, providing £10 million to support projects that improve productivity, develop skills and encourage business diversification. We have also ended upward-only rent review clauses and introduced a Community Right to Buy to help communities safeguard valued local assets
More widely, the Government is supporting high streets through its forthcoming cross-government High Streets Strategy and has an ambition to grow inbound tourism to 50 million annual visitors by 2030, supported by the development of a Visitor Economy Growth Strategy.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to driving licence renewals on medical grounds, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that drivers who must renew annually are notified of timescales ahead of deadlines to avoid interruptions to their entitlement to drive.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
So far in 2026/27, the average number of working days to make a licensing decision in medical cases is 62.3 working days.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) sends reminders for vocational licences and ten-year photocard licence renewals 56 days before the licence is due to expire. For those renewing their licence at the age of 70 and those renewing a short-period medical licence, reminders are sent 90 days before the licence is due to expire.
The DVLA is currently experiencing an increase in both the volume and complexity of driving licence applications from people with one or more medical conditions. Unfortunately, this has led to longer waiting times for some customers. Applications that require medical investigation can often take longer to process, as they depend on the nature of the condition(s) involved and whether further information is required from third parties, such as doctors or other healthcare professionals, before a licensing decision can be made.
To keep up with growing customer demand and to offer a better service, the DVLA is updating its driver’s medical function and has launched a new casework system which will deliver significant improvements to drivers with medical conditions. The DVLA has also launched a new digital medical services portal which supports applications relating to around 1,600 medical conditions. Further enhancements for customers applying for a provisional licence and those renewing at the age of 70 or over were made recently.
The DVLA will write to the driver or applicant to advise them of any action taken on their case, for example where medical information is required from the driver or their healthcare professional. As part of a project, the DVLA has recently begun trialling text messaging to drivers who have consented to receiving updates by that method.
These enhancements, alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with applications will deliver real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to driving licence renewals on medical grounds, what the current average waiting time is from submission of an application to the return of a licence.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
So far in 2026/27, the average number of working days to make a licensing decision in medical cases is 62.3 working days.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) sends reminders for vocational licences and ten-year photocard licence renewals 56 days before the licence is due to expire. For those renewing their licence at the age of 70 and those renewing a short-period medical licence, reminders are sent 90 days before the licence is due to expire.
The DVLA is currently experiencing an increase in both the volume and complexity of driving licence applications from people with one or more medical conditions. Unfortunately, this has led to longer waiting times for some customers. Applications that require medical investigation can often take longer to process, as they depend on the nature of the condition(s) involved and whether further information is required from third parties, such as doctors or other healthcare professionals, before a licensing decision can be made.
To keep up with growing customer demand and to offer a better service, the DVLA is updating its driver’s medical function and has launched a new casework system which will deliver significant improvements to drivers with medical conditions. The DVLA has also launched a new digital medical services portal which supports applications relating to around 1,600 medical conditions. Further enhancements for customers applying for a provisional licence and those renewing at the age of 70 or over were made recently.
The DVLA will write to the driver or applicant to advise them of any action taken on their case, for example where medical information is required from the driver or their healthcare professional. As part of a project, the DVLA has recently begun trialling text messaging to drivers who have consented to receiving updates by that method.
These enhancements, alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with applications will deliver real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to prevent increases in employment costs from discouraging small salon businesses from (i) employing, and (ii) training people.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
Our Plan to Make Work Pay is supporting good jobs and helping responsible businesses grow. We are phasing in reforms and rolling out an online resource offering practical guidance on what the changes mean so that uncertainty doesn’t hold back hiring.
Our analysis demonstrates that, by making work more attractive and accessible to a wider range of people, the Employment Rights Act is more likely to help more people into work than reduce employment.
Through the Business Growth Service and Business Academy, small businesses can access government-backed advice and free training resources to help them develop their workforce and grow.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that small hair salons can continue to train young people as apprentices.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
There are a number of apprenticeship standards available to support the hair and beauty sector, including the Level 2 Hairdressing Professional standard and the Level 2 Barbering Professional standard.
To support non-levy paying employers, typically SMEs, to meet the additional costs associated with employing young people as apprentices, we are introducing a new apprenticeship hiring payment of £2,000 when they take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees. Employers hiring apprentices aged 18-24 who have been on Universal Credit for over six months will also be eligible for the new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant.
We also provide £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged under 19, or 19-to-24-year-old apprentices who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in care.
These payments can be added together where the employer and/or apprentice are eligible.
Additionally, the government now fully funds apprenticeship training for all eligible under 25s at employers of all sizes, as we prioritise funding toward young people.
These measures are backed by £1 billion of additional funding for the Growth and Skills Levy to support our ambition for 50,000 more young people to start apprenticeships.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the reasons for the reported 70% decline in apprenticeships in the hairdressing sector.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
There are a number of apprenticeship standards available to support the hair and beauty sector, including the Level 2 Hairdressing Professional standard and the Level 2 Barbering Professional standard.
To support non-levy paying employers, typically SMEs, to meet the additional costs associated with employing young people as apprentices, we are introducing a new apprenticeship hiring payment of £2,000 when they take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees. Employers hiring apprentices aged 18-24 who have been on Universal Credit for over six months will also be eligible for the new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant.
We also provide £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged under 19, or 19-to-24-year-old apprentices who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in care.
These payments can be added together where the employer and/or apprentice are eligible.
Additionally, the government now fully funds apprenticeship training for all eligible under 25s at employers of all sizes, as we prioritise funding toward young people.
These measures are backed by £1 billion of additional funding for the Growth and Skills Levy to support our ambition for 50,000 more young people to start apprenticeships.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the cumulative impact of increases in the (i) National Minimum Wage, (ii) employer National Insurance contributions, (iii) business rates, and (iv) other employment costs, on small salon businesses.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
Small salon businesses will benefit from the new permanently lower multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new multipliers are worth nearly £1 billion per year and benefit over 750,000 properties.
The Government has also published a range of analytical documents covering the policies referenced, which set out their likely impacts on businesses of different sizes. Each Impact Assessment covering the Employment Rights Act 2025 and The National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations 2026 includes a small and micro business assessment.
A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was also published alongside the changes to employer NICs, which sets out the impacts on the Exchequer, the economy, individuals and businesses. The Government is supporting smaller employers through the increased Employment Allowance of £10,500.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will consider the potential merits of distributing monies left over in the the £75m LGBT Veterans Financial Recognition Scheme to eligible veterans, amended from the current cap of £50m earmarked for distribution.
Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)
To date, the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) has paid out over £58 million to applicants, exceeding the £50 million minimum payout commitment. Defence continues to maximise awareness of the FRS among eligible veterans and encourage applications before the Scheme’s closure on 12 December 2026. The allocation of any unspent funds against the £75 million budget will be considered once the FRS has closed and all applications have been assessed.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to support the implementation of Tommy's Graded Model of Miscarriage Care across all NHS trusts in England.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Miscarriage can have a devastating impact on women and their families, and we are determined that they receive the support they need.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, is chairing the Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce to develop a national action plan that will reform maternity and neonatal services to deliver lasting change for women, families, and their babies.
The taskforce will consider all aspects of those current services, including miscarriage care. Within this, we will carefully assess the findings from the Tommy’s Graded Model of Miscarriage Care pilot study as committed to in the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy.