Asked by: John Whitby (Labour - Derbyshire Dales)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to include capital grant options for improving on-farm water supply and storage infrastructure in the grant scheme that will incorporate elements of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund from 2027.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the significant challenges that drought conditions can pose for farmers and growers. As part of the drought support package announced on 14 August 2026, up to ÂŁ15 million has been made available to support on-farm reservoir construction.
FETF 2026 was the final round of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund in its current form; Defra is reviewing our wider grants offers to ensure they deliver the greatest benefit for farmers, food production and the environment. Decisions on the design and scope of any future offers have not yet been made.
Defra will continue to engage with farmers and industry stakeholders as we develop its future programme.
Asked by: John Whitby (Labour - Derbyshire Dales)
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 will include measures to improve farm water security when determining which items currently supported through the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund will be incorporated into Environmental Land Management Capital Grants from 2027.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
No decisions have been made on the scope of FETF inclusion in Capital Grants from 2027, we are still considering future support arrangements and will set out further details in due course.
Asked by: John Whitby (Labour - Derbyshire Dales)
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 adequacy of the capacity of laboratories in processing bluetongue tests in a timely manner during periods of increased transmission; what the current average turnaround time is for such testing, and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that delays in laboratory testing do not (a) impede disease control measures and (b) increase disruption to the movement of livestock.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is working with APHA and The Pirbright Institute to reduce delays in testing and reporting. Testing is being undertaken by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) at Weybridge alongside the National Reference Laboratory at The Pirbright Institute.
A new online reporting form was launched on Friday 11 September, which makes it easier and quicker for vets to report suspect cases and clinical signs directly to APHA. This will allow private vets to diagnose bluetongue after examining affected animals, with cases formally confirmed by APHA at a premises level. Where a vet cannot rule out suspicion of another notifiable disease, including foot and mouth, the usual reporting and laboratory testing arrangements will continue. This will support prioritising laboratory capacity for tests such as movement testing and surveillance in emerging areas in GB. Defra will monitor the impacts of these changes on turnaround time and capacity.
Asked by: John Whitby (Labour - Derbyshire Dales)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that sufficient supplies of vaccines against bluetongue virus are available to livestock keepers; and what steps she is taking to improve the availability and timely distribution of those vaccines.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) are working closely with manufacturers, wholesalers and veterinary bodies to monitor availability and support continuity of supply. Defra and VMD have taken proactive regulatory action to expedite the import of authorised Northern Ireland and European Union-authorised BTV-3 vaccines, helping to increase vaccine availability in Great Britain.
Asked by: John Whitby (Labour - Derbyshire Dales)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his department has made into the potential use of upright MRI scans to diagnose Craniocervical Instability, particularly as it relates to Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
Diagnostic investigations for suspected craniocervical instability in patients with Ehlers Danlos syndromes, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography, are available through existing National Health Service pathways. Access to more specialised imaging, such as upright or dynamic MRI, is determined locally and used in limited circumstances based on clinical need and the available of clinical evidence. There are no current plans to expand national provision. The commissioning of imaging services, including access to particular technologies, is the responsibility of local integrated care boards, informed by national guidance.
Asked by: John Whitby (Labour - Derbyshire Dales)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of policy measures adopted in Germany to improve energy efficiency and waste heat utilisation in data centres.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
To address the growing energy demands of AI, the AI Energy Council was established. The Council offers expert insights into preparing the UK’s energy system to manage AI’s energy footprint, as well as harnessing AI’s potential within a modern energy system - aligned with the Clean Power 2030 goals.
Heat network zoning will enable heat sources to be connected to a network. This will allow for strategic heat networks to be built across the country, making use of recoverable heat sources, including data centres, where available.
The department is undertaking research into best practice for connecting heat sources to heat networks. This includes learning from national and international case studies.
Asked by: John Whitby (Labour - Derbyshire Dales)
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 encourage the integration of data centres into local heat network zoning plans.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department is looking at how waste heat from data centres can be used to support the development of large scale, strategic heat networks.
Through heat network zoning, certain buildings and heat sources, including data centres, can be required to connect to a network within set timeframes.
Additionally, the Green Heat Network Fund provides £195m p.a. in capital grants up to 2029–30 for low carbon heat networks in England. One supported project is a major new network in North-West London that will utilise data centre heat, powering 10,000 new homes and 250,000m2 of commercial space.
Asked by: John Whitby (Labour - Derbyshire Dales)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to provide targeted support to businesses that use heating oil.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government recognises that many businesses across the country will see the global events and be concerned about the impact on their fuel bills. We are monitoring the situation closely and actively engaging with industry and trade associations to understand what support may be needed.
It is vital that consumers are treated fairly. Price gouging will not be tolerated. My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State has written to the heating oil industry setting out our expectations that they adhere to the industry’s Code of Practice.
We have also requested the CMA undertake a detailed examination of the heating oil market and we will work closely with the CMA to understand their findings and develop options to increase consumer protection.
Asked by: John Whitby (Labour - Derbyshire Dales)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the written statement of 2 March 2026 on Asylum changes, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the timeline for establishing a Named Community Sponsorship scheme.
Answered by Mike Tapp
In the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, published on 21 November 2025, the Government committed to transforming its approach to safe and legal routes. This included the creation of a named sponsorship scheme to enable community groups to sponsor refugees and displaced persons.
The delivery of the new named sponsorship scheme will support the Government’s overall objective of providing an orderly and controlled system of safe and legal routes that is aligned with community capacity to welcome refugees.
Work is underway to deliver the named community sponsorship route. Further details, including timeframes for the launch of the route, will be set out in due course.
Asked by: John Whitby (Labour - Derbyshire Dales)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to her written statement of 2 March 2026 on Asylum changes, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the proposed Named Community Sponsorship scheme.
Answered by Mike Tapp
In the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, published on 21 November 2025, the Government committed to transforming its approach to safe and legal routes. This included the creation of a named sponsorship scheme to enable community groups to sponsor refugees and displaced persons.
The delivery of the new named sponsorship scheme will support the Government’s overall objective of providing an orderly and controlled system of safe and legal routes that is aligned with community capacity to welcome refugees.
Work is underway to deliver the named community sponsorship route. Further details, including timeframes for the launch of the route, will be set out in due course.