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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made and assessment of the potential merits of re-auditing seabed habitats in Marine Protected Areas.

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

Defra is undertaking a review of the English Marine Protected Area network to look at whether sites are in the right places with the right protection. The review will explore ways to update protection and management approaches to better address the nature crisis and improve climate change resilience, while supporting wider Government priorities including food security and net zero. The review includes assessing sites that have been designated for seabed habitats.

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 (a) conducted a review of the reliability of its data on seabed habitats in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) before announcing proposed fisheries management measures in Stage 3 MPAs, and (b) will publish the review’s conclusions.

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

Drawing on the best scientific advice available, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has determined that management of fishing activities is required to protect our Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and to ensure compliance with our domestic and international legal obligations.

As part of the consultation on proposed byelaws for stage 3 MPAs, fisheries assessments were published for each site based on scientific advice from Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and using evidence on the impacts of fishing gears on protected seabed habitats. This was supplemented by a call for evidence earlier in the process.

The consultation closed on 29 September and the MMO is now analysing the very large number of responses received, including any additional evidence on benthic habitats.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her department will conduct a full benthic audit of seabed habitats in the 41 Stage 3 Marine Protected Areas before designating new fisheries management measures.

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

Drawing on the best scientific advice available, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has determined that management of fishing activities is required to protect our Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and to ensure compliance with our domestic and international legal obligations.

As part of the consultation on proposed byelaws for stage 3 MPAs, fisheries assessments were published for each site based on scientific advice from Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and using evidence on the impacts of fishing gears on protected seabed habitats. This was supplemented by a call for evidence earlier in the process.

The consultation closed on 29 September and the MMO is now analysing the very large number of responses received, including any additional evidence on benthic habitats.

Found: Q65 Daniel Zeichner: Thank you, Chair. Good morning to you both.

Found: Darlington; George Freeman; Dr Allison Gardner; Kit Malthouse; Samantha Niblett; Martin Wrigley; Daniel Zeichner

Found: Darlington; George Freeman; Dr Allison Gardner; Kit Malthouse; Samantha Niblett; Martin Wrigley; Daniel Zeichner

Hair and beauty products (chemicals applied to the hair or body for cosmetic purposes) and treatments (cosmetic procedures typically performed by specialists) can cause harm to consumers if they contain unregulated ingredients or if they are improperly administered.  The inquiry will respond to recent research which has led to concerns about the current scientific evidence base and regulation for these products, as well as the required training and qualifications of specialists performing treatments.  The inquiry will also investigate the growing concern that certain products that are commonly used by marginalised groups, such as creams to ‘relax’ afro-type hair and synthetic hair, can contain harmful chemicals.

On 15 July 2025 the Defence Secretary told the House of Commons about a large-scale data breach that had taken place in 2022, when a Ministry of Defence official emailed a spreadsheet to an external contact, unaware that it contained details relating to 18,700 Afghan nationals applying for relocation.