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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a replacement to the Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Legislation was introduced in July 2023 that prevents English Producer Organisations submitting new operational programmes and the extension of existing programmes that would end on or after 1 January 2026. This effectively closed the scheme in England.

Our approach to future funding for horticulture will be considered alongside Defra’s work to simplify and rationalise agricultural grant funding, ensuring that grants deliver the most benefit for food security and nature, and we are going further to develop a 25-year farming roadmap to make the sector more profitable in the decades to come.

Horticulture will also be considered within our new food strategy, to develop a food system that unlocks the food sector’s economic potential, strengthens food security, tackles obesity so we can give our children the best start in life, and protects our planet for future generations.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) support and (b) incentivise the adoption of (i) lower impact and (ii) highly selective fishing methods in UK waters; and whether he plans to reform the gear approval process to reduce barriers to innovation.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We strongly support the use of gear that is more selective and which lowers the environmental impacts. We have been promoting this through a number of routes, including fisheries funding, measures introduced through annual consultations and negotiations with the EU and other coastal states, and through our Fisheries Management Plan programme. The Seafish Industry Authority (“Seafish”) are currently looking at how to overcome barriers to the adoption of new gear. In order to achieve maximum conservation benefits, and to be in line with international best practice, it is crucial that any approval processes are robust and are based on the best available scientific evidence.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase rates of cervical screening amongst women from (a) deprived areas, (b) ethnic minority backgrounds and those with limited access to health education.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England launched its first ever cervical cancer elimination creative campaign and communications toolkit for Cervical Screening Awareness Week, which took place between 16 and 24 June 2025. The campaign included digital resources that create a strong sense of shared responsibility and aim to increase awareness of the elimination goal, educate the public, and build confidence in cervical screening.

In March 2025, NHS England published its Cervical cancer elimination plan by 2040 – plan for England, setting out how the National Health Service will improve equitable uptake and coverage across cervical screening to meet the goal to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040. NHS England will build on what is already working well to drive vaccination and screening uptake and coverage, focussing on five cross-cutting themes: increasing access; raising awareness; reducing inequalities; improving digital capabilities; and strengthening workforce capacity. Further information on the Cervical cancer elimination plan by 2040 – plan for England is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/cervical-cancer-elimination-by-2040-plan-for-england/

From early 2026, screening providers in the NHS Cervical Screening Programme in England will be able to offer human papillomavirus self-sampling kits to women if they have not attended their appointment for six months or more following routine invitation.

Barriers to cervical screening for underserved communities and people who experience health inequalities must continue to be addressed. This will include identifying groups using national and local level data who may be at higher risk of developing cervical cancer, to inform national initiatives, such as tailored screening invitations, and support local service planning.

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 the potential impact of extending the intervals between cervical screenings on instances of cervical cancer.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Southport on 30 June 2025 to Question 60149.

Found: Q14 Jayne Kirkham: That would delay it more.

Found: Q14 Jayne Kirkham: That would delay it more.