Fleur Anderson

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Ely and East Cambridgeshire on 13 November 2025, PQ 88509.

While the Marine Management Organisation can record data on gear type in MPAs as it did for the 41 English offshore marine protected areas consulted on in summer 2025, this takes significant time to compile and quality‑check.

The Marine Management Organisation is following a four-stage process to consider necessary fisheries byelaws in our MPAs. Stages one and two are complete. A consultation on stage three which proposes further restrictions on bottom trawling in offshore MPAs closed on 29 September. The Marine Management Organisation is now carefully considering all responses received, and decisions will be made in due course. The stage four call for evidence has been completed, and any proposed byelaws will be subject to consultation in due course.

The Government recognises well-managed gamebird shooting can be an important part of a local rural economy, providing direct and indirect employment. It also appreciates that many people hold strong views on the issue of gamebird shooting and there is evidence to suggest a link between it and crimes against birds of prey. It is vital that wildlife and habitats are protected and that the law is respected by those involved in the activity. While Defra has not yet made any formal assessment of the potential merits of licensing gamebird shooting in England, it will continue to work to ensure a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship between gamebird shooting and conservation.

As set out in the Government’s animal welfare strategy, the department is committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, Defra will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare. The Government will set out next steps in due course.

As set out in the animal welfare strategy, the Government is committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, the department will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare. Defra will set out next steps in due course.

The Government will continue to review origin labelling and aim to use the outcomes of the Fairer Food Labelling consultation as supporting evidence for future labelling policy.

The Department engaged with a range of animal welfare stakeholders as part of the development of the animal welfare strategy, which was published in December 2025.

As set out in the strategy, Defra is committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, we will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare.

Defra is committed to upholding high standards across the food system, including in relation to animal welfare.

I was extremely concerned to see allegations and footage of animal welfare and environmental abuse at Cranswick farms. The film taken and shared by animal justice groups showed animal welfare treatment that was clearly unacceptable.

As such, I met with Tim Smith, chairman of Cranswick plc, to discuss these matters. I was reassured that Cranswick has taken swift and comprehensive remedial action in response to these incidents, including implementation of recommendations in an independent review into animal welfare and husbandry practices led by a senior veterinarian.

The Food Strategy Advisory Board is a small group of senior leaders who represent a wealth of experience and important elements within the food system and reflect the diversity of the sector. Members do not represent their business interests. Membership is kept under review.

The cost of any rail and road infrastructure associated with Heathrow Expansion will be developed and funded by the promoters of the scheme.

As part of the review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) the government will consider how any proposed scheme for Heathrow Expansion will meet the four clear tests on economic growth, climate, air quality, and noise and whether any metrics are needed to measure if these tests are being met.

To do this, during the review of the ANPS the Government will analyse the economic and environmental impacts of expansion at Heathrow, which will inform whether amendments are needed to the ANPS to meet the four tests. We expect any draft amendments to the ANPS will be ready for consultation by summer 2026.

It will be for promoters to apply for a development consent order. Applications for development consent will be examined by the Planning Inspectorate, and the Secretary of State for Transport will make a decision in line with the ANPS on whether to grant a development consent order.

The current Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) and its supporting documents provide an economic assessment of a new northwest runway at Heathrow.

On 22 October, the Secretary of State for Transport launched a review of the ANPS. As part of the review, the Department for Transport will develop updated analysis on the economic impacts of expansion at Heathrow, and the outputs will be published alongside any amends to the ANPS for consultation by summer 2026. Any promoter will then need to prepare and submit a development consent order, including their own analysis, for expansion for consideration by the Planning Inspectorate and the Secretary of State for Transport.

As part of the review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) the Government will develop updated assessments of the noise and air quality impacts of expansion at Heathrow and will review and update the existing appraisal of sustainability and health impact analysis in line with any amendments made to the ANPS.

We expect to publish any revisions to the ANPS for consultation by summer 2026, together with supporting assessments.

As part of the review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) the Government will develop updated assessments of the noise and air quality impacts of expansion at Heathrow and will review and update the existing appraisal of sustainability and health impact analysis in line with any amendments made to the ANPS.

We expect to publish any revisions to the ANPS for consultation by summer 2026, together with supporting assessments.

The government has been clear that any airport expansion proposals need to demonstrate that they can be delivered in line with the UK’s legally binding climate change commitments.

On 22 October, the Government formally commenced the review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS), which provides the primary basis for decision-making on whether to grant development consent for a new runway at Heathrow. The review will reflect changes in legislation, policy, and data and will set out how any scheme must meet the Government’s four tests on economic growth, climate, air quality and noise.

The Government also remains committed to engaging the Climate Change Committee on the ANPS review and will be seeking their independent advice on the relevant sections of the revised ANPS in due course.

We expect to publish any revisions to the ANPS for consultation by summer 2026.

Updated aviation forecasts are being developed to support the review of the ANPS and will be published alongside the outcome of the review.

The Government intends to convene a further meeting of the Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce in the near future.

We intend to convene a further meeting of the Taskforce in the near future to discuss next steps. DfT officials will be in touch to arrange the specifics of this in due course.

The Government recognises the important work of the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) and remains committed to addressing longstanding concerns around safety in the cosmetic sector.

We will issue the Government’s response to the WEC report on cosmetic procedures once the Department’s consultation on our proposed approach to introducing legal safeguards for high-risk cosmetic procedures is published. We intend to publish the consultation in the coming weeks.

The Government recognises the challenges faced by patients with hypermobile Ehlers‑Danlos syndromes (hEDS) and associated conditions, including suspected craniocervical instability (CCI), which can be complex to diagnose and manage.

In England, decisions about diagnosis, investigation, and treatment are made by clinicians based on individual clinical need and the best available evidence. In doing so they can access consensus-backed guidelines from the Ehlers-Danlos Society and Ehlers-Danlos Support UK, which can help differentiate benign joint hypermobility from true neurological instability, minimising misdiagnosis and ensuring safe, conservative management.

Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning services to meet the needs of their populations, including access to appropriate specialist services. Where clinically appropriate, patients can be referred across specialties, including neurology, rheumatology, pain management, and neurosurgery, to support a multidisciplinary approach to care.

We will continue to work with NHS England and stakeholders to improve awareness, coordination of care, and clinical understanding of complex multi‑system conditions such as hEDS and CCI.

The Department recognises that people with Ehlers‑Danlos syndromes (EDS), hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD), and related conditions such as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, mast cell activation disorders, myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, and Long Covid often experience complex, multisystem symptoms that require joined‑up care.

There is currently no single National Health Service service specification covering all these conditions collectively. However, care for people with EDS, HSD, and overlapping conditions is supported through a range of existing NHS service specifications, clinical guidelines, and frameworks. NHS England continues to keep service specifications and clinical frameworks under review to ensure they reflect emerging evidence and patient need.

The Department also recognises the concerns raised by patients and clinicians about craniocervical instability (CCI), particularly where it is suspected in people with EDS, HSD, and related conditions.

At present, the Department has not established a national multi‑disciplinary neurosurgical service for CCI. Neurosurgical services in England are commissioned by NHS England and are provided through established regional neuroscience centres, which already operate within multidisciplinary team arrangements to support complex spinal and neurological cases.

The evidence base for the diagnosis and surgical management of CCI remains limited and is an area of ongoing clinical debate. Decisions about service configuration, including whether to develop new national service models, must be informed by robust clinical evidence on effectiveness, safety, and patient outcomes, as well as by advice from NHS England and relevant clinical experts.

NHS England continues to keep specialised neurosurgical service arrangements under review, and patients with complex or rare presentations can be considered for assessment and management through existing specialist pathways. The Department will continue to work with NHS England and others to ensure that services for people with rare and complex conditions are safe, evidence‑based, and focused on improving patient outcomes.

The Department recognises that people with Ehlers‑Danlos syndromes (EDS), hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD), and related conditions such as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, mast cell activation disorders, myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, and Long Covid often experience complex, multisystem symptoms that require joined‑up care.

There is currently no single National Health Service service specification covering all these conditions collectively. However, care for people with EDS, HSD, and overlapping conditions is supported through a range of existing NHS service specifications, clinical guidelines, and frameworks. NHS England continues to keep service specifications and clinical frameworks under review to ensure they reflect emerging evidence and patient need.

The Department also recognises the concerns raised by patients and clinicians about craniocervical instability (CCI), particularly where it is suspected in people with EDS, HSD, and related conditions.

At present, the Department has not established a national multi‑disciplinary neurosurgical service for CCI. Neurosurgical services in England are commissioned by NHS England and are provided through established regional neuroscience centres, which already operate within multidisciplinary team arrangements to support complex spinal and neurological cases.

The evidence base for the diagnosis and surgical management of CCI remains limited and is an area of ongoing clinical debate. Decisions about service configuration, including whether to develop new national service models, must be informed by robust clinical evidence on effectiveness, safety, and patient outcomes, as well as by advice from NHS England and relevant clinical experts.

NHS England continues to keep specialised neurosurgical service arrangements under review, and patients with complex or rare presentations can be considered for assessment and management through existing specialist pathways. The Department will continue to work with NHS England and others to ensure that services for people with rare and complex conditions are safe, evidence‑based, and focused on improving patient outcomes.

Data is available for emergency Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The following table shows the number of FAEs where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’ for Putney and England, for activity in English National Health Service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector, for 2024/25 and provisionally for 2025/26:

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England.

Available data on trends in respiratory conditions can be found on the Department’s Fingertips dataset. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency. Data is available at regional, county, unitary authority, and integrated care board level. Information for Wandsworth can be found at the following link:

https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/Respiratory#page/1/gid/1/pat/15/par/E92000001/ati/502/are/E09000032/iid/90933/age/314/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1

Most integrated care boards (ICBs) who are clustering have provided combined plans. Where ICBs have provided individual plans, they have referenced their clustering arrangements to ensure that the strategies are aligned.

The National Cancer Plan, published on the 4 February, sets out several commitments and ambitions, to be delivered within the next 10 years. The plan sets out in tables at the end of each chapter what actions we will take and when we will implement them. There is no plan to publish an additional implementation plan, for this reason.

A reformed National Cancer Board will support and monitor the delivery of the commitments and ambitions and will be the forum for updating on progress, exposing issues, and for injecting scrutiny. The board will provide regular updates to ministers and support development of an annual progress report.

The National Cancer Plan, published on 4 February 2026, sets out several commitments and ambitions, to be delivered within the next 10 years. The role of the reformed National Cancer Board will be to support and monitor the delivery of the commitments and ambitions and to provide regular updates to ministers. The board will be co-chaired by the Director General for Planned Care in the Department, as well as an independent representative.

It is important to choose the most suitable appointment process for selecting an independent representative to co-chair the board. To ensure that the co-chair of the board is independent of the Government, officials from NHS England and the Department are carefully following the required appointments procedures. An appointment will be made following all required ministerial approvals. The position of co-chair is presently being advertised on the GOV.UK website, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care/about/recruitment

National clinical guidance, including guidance jointly issued by the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, explicitly instructs clinicians not to apply psychological explanations prematurely, and to conduct a full physical assessment before concluding that symptoms are medically unexplained or psychogenic. This principle applies in cases of suspected Ehlers Danlos syndrome (EDS) and craniocervical instability, because premature psychological labelling can delay the identification and subsequent treatment of structural instability.

Integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring that local pathways support timely access to relevant specialists, including neurology, rheumatology, and spinal services. Specialist centres are also expected to use multidisciplinary approaches, drawing on neurology, neurosurgery, pain, and physiotherapy expertise, to ensure accurate diagnosis and to avoid misattribution of symptoms. We continue to work with NHS England to improve consistency of assessment for people with complex, multi‑system conditions, including EDS, and to ensure that patients are referred to appropriate physical health services where clinically indicated.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend on 3 December to Question 95051.

The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19.

The JCVI has advised that population immunity to COVID-19 has been increasing due to a combination of naturally acquired immunity following recovery from infection and vaccine-derived immunity. COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.

The focus of the JCVI advised programme has moved towards targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are the oldest adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.

The Government has accepted the JCVI advice for autumn 2025 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to the following groups:

- adults aged 75 years old and over;

- residents in care homes for older adults; and

- individuals aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed, as defined in the ‘immunosuppression’ sections of tables 3 or 4 in the COVID-19 chapter of the UK Health Security Agency Green Book.

Although seasonal flu and COVID-19 can both cause severe disease, they differ in their epidemiology and pathology. As such, the population groups at higher risk of severe disease will not necessarily be the same for each pathogen and the JCVI has considered each programme individually.

The JCVI keeps all vaccination programmes under review.