Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to (a) improve support for Blue Badge holders and (b) ensure that applications are processed without delay across local authorities.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Whilst the Department for Transport (DfT) is responsible for the legislation that sets out the Blue Badge scheme framework, it is local authorities who are responsible for the day-to-day administration of the scheme. This includes implementing assessment and enforcement procedures which they believe are in accordance with the governing legislation. The DfT cannot intervene in the case of individual applications or eligibility decisions.

The DfT works closely with the organisations responsible for the delivery of the Blue Badge Digital Service (BBDS) and the Blue Badge printing facility to ensure local authorities have the support they need to process applications and ensure swift production of the Blue Badge once the assessment process is complete.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help protect consumers from exploitative practices in the (a) holiday park and (b) static caravan sector.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Consumers who purchase holiday and static caravans, often for significant sums, are protected under consumer legislation such as the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 strengthens consumer law enforcement by giving the CMA new administrative powers, and the CMA and courts the ability to impose significant monetary penalties.

It is crucial that consumers seek appropriate legal advice to clearly understand the terms and conditions of any caravan purchase, so they can make a fully informed decision.

My department is also engaging with enforcement bodies to understand more about exploitative practices taking place in the sector and how they can be tackled.

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 her Department has made of the effectiveness of regulations on dog breeding; and what steps she is taking to tackle illegal puppy farming.

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

Defra undertook a post-implementation review of The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, which was published in December 2024. The Government is considering the findings, as well, as the recommendations in the EFRA select committee’s report into pet welfare and abuse and the Animal Welfare Committee’s Opinion on canine breeding.

As outlined in our manifesto, the Government will bring an end to puppy farming. We are considering the most effective way to deliver this commitment and will be setting out next steps in due course.

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 plans to bring forward legislative proposals to (a) improve the welfare of farmed animals and (b) restrict the use of cages.

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

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Prime Minister announced that we will be publishing an animal welfare strategy later this year.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when the consultation on the renewable liquid heating fuel obligation will be launched.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government recognises that renewable liquid heating fuels (RLHF) could play a role in heating. As it is a limited resource, the Government expect sustainable biomass to be prioritised where there are limited alternatives for decarbonisation. RLHFs are also much more expensive to use than other heating solutions.

Before taking decisions on whether to support the use of RLHFs, including the introduction of any obligation, the Government would require stronger evidence on their affordability for consumers, and the availability of sustainable feedstocks.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to require local planning authorities to consider the financial viability and track record of developers as part of the planning process.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

On 25 May, the government published a Planning Reform Working Paper: Speeding Up Build Out (which can be found on gov.uk here) which included proposals to implement a new power for authorities to decline to determine planning applications made by developers who fail to build out at a reasonable rate. The consultation closed on 7 July and we are currently considering all feedback received.

It would not be appropriate for local planning authorities to be required to assess the financial viability of a developer when determining a planning application. This is not a planning matter and would place undue burden on both applicant and local planning authority.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the highest welfare standards for greyhounds (a) during racing careers and (b) after retirement.

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

The welfare of racing greyhounds in England is covered by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010. The 2006 Act allows action to be taken where there is evidence of cruelty to an animal or a failure to provide for that animal’s welfare needs. This includes during greyhounds’ racing careers and after they have retired. Specific welfare standards at all greyhound racing tracks in England are also required by the 2010 Regulations, including having a vet present while dogs are running (with all greyhounds inspected by the vet before being allowed to run).

In addition to these statutory protections, the sport’s main regulatory body, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), enforces welfare standards (including those in the 2010 Regulations) at GBGB affiliated tracks, as well as at GBGB licensed trainers’ kennels. Independent, external oversight of GBGB’s regulatory work at tracks and trainers’ kennels is provided by the UK’s National Accreditation Body, the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).

The GBGB has also undertaken a number of welfare reforms, including publishing a long term, national welfare strategy – ‘A Good Life for Every Greyhound’. The strategy focuses not only on reducing risks of injury but also developing and implementing new management practices to improve the welfare of greyhounds throughout their lives, including after they have retired.

The Government is monitoring GBGB’s progress in delivering the strategy and should further measures be required the Government will consider options which are targeted, effective, and proportionate.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to publish draft legislative proposals to ban trail hunting.

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

Work is ongoing to determine the best approach to deliver the manifesto commitment to ban trail hunting. We have committed to running a consultation to ensure those with an interest can input. We will share further details in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that social workers receive specialist training to recognise signs of child sexual abuse connected to the production of online child pornography.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

It is vitally important that all professionals working with children, including social workers, can recognise and respond quickly to the signs of child sexual abuse.

While local authorities and other employers are responsible for the professional development of their workforces, we are supporting them to ensure that social workers are equipped to recognise and respond to signs of child sexual abuse, including those connected to online pornography.

The government recently launched a consultation on a new post-qualifying standards and training programme for child and family social workers, and we will be publishing our response shortly. This will support social workers new to the profession, including developing the knowledge and skills required to respond to cases of sexual abuse and exploitation.

In the future, we will expand on these post-qualifying standards to include those for advanced practice, which will look to increase social work expertise and leadership in child protection, including in relation to sexual abuse and exploitation.

The government has also committed, in the Home Office’s Progress Update on tackling child sexual abuse, to develop specialist child sexual abuse and exploitation training for all key members of the children’s services.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support communities that are affected by energy infrastructure projects.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

In the Clean Power Action Plan, we made it clear that where communities host clean energy infrastructure, they should feel tangible and enduring benefit of doing so.

The Government has already announced bill discounts for communities living nearest to new electricity transmission infrastructure and published guidance on community funds for electricity transmission infrastructure and onshore wind in England. Solar Energy UK is also expected to publish guidance this year.

In addition, in May, the Government published a working paper on mandatory community benefits and facilitating shared ownership and is in the process of reviewing responses.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the role of (a) parish and (b) town councils in the context of Local Government reorganisation; what assessment he has made of the potential merits in maintaining their statutory role in representing local communities on planning applications; and what steps he is taking to ensure parish councils remain integral to local democratic accountability.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Town and parish councils are not in scope for local government reorganisation and will continue to operate as they do now. Councils may wish to collaborate with their town and parish councils to determine how they can most effectively contribute to the delivery of services in future arrangements. In doing so, they may wish to consider the support town and parish councils will require to do so effectively.

We recognise the important role that parish and town councils play in the planning process. Planning law allows parish councils and neighbourhood fora to require local planning authorities to consult them on any relevant planning applications in their area, and notify them of the decision. This will not change in the context of LGR.

The government continues to value the role of town and parish councils in driving forward the priorities of their communities and delivering effective local services.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to encourage investment in on-farm (a) water storage and (b) irrigation infrastructure.

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

The Environment Agency’s National Framework for water resources highlights a number of actions that will help farmers and growers improve water supply resilience. These include:

• Promoting and facilitating the establishment of Water Abstractor Groups to enable a better understanding of future pressures and of business risks around access to water.

• Supporting farmers and growers with a Defra-funded programme of Local Resource Option studies to help them identify, screen and rank options to improve water supply resilience. These are costly investments, and we want to take time to make sure the support is targeted at the most effective solutions.

• Supporting the implementation of “smart farming”, where technology is used to:

o understand near-real time water availability, to enable abstractors to take water when it is there.

o improve irrigation scheduling and sensors to optimise water use.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of water shortages on food security.

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

Drought has caused an early harvest with reduced crop quality and yields. Livestock farmers face risks with forage and winter feed supplies.

The Environment Agency’s (EA) measures to support farmers include:

• Improving water access outside of licenced conditions

• Supporting Water Abstractor Groups to enable water rights and infrastructure sharing

• Local Resource Option studies driving scheme collaboration.
  

The EA’s upcoming Autumn prospects report will help inform farmers, improve resilience and planning for next year.

Defra assesses the potential impacts of water shortages on food supply as part of the National Risk Register (NRR) cycle. We work closely with Defra Water colleagues, the Cabinet Office (which leads on the NRR) and with the wider resilience and Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) community across Government to ensure that risks to food supply are fully considered in national risk assessments and contingency planning.

Found: Truro and Falmouth) Josh Newbury (Labour; Cannock Chase) Andrew Pakes (Labour; Peterborough) Jenny Riddell-Carpenter

Found: Charlie Dewhirst; Helena Dollimore; Sarah Dyke; Jayne Kirkham; Josh Newbury; Andrew Pakes; Jenny Riddell-Carpenter

Found: Charlie Dewhirst; Helena Dollimore; Sarah Dyke; Jayne Kirkham; Josh Newbury; Andrew Pakes; Jenny Riddell-Carpenter