Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to prevent the illegal sale of XL Bully dogs on online marketplaces.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Since 31 December 2023, it has been a criminal offence to breed, sell, rehome or transfer ownership of XL Bully breed type dogs in England and Wales, including through online marketplaces.
To help prevent illegal online sales, Defra endorses the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG), which works with major online platforms to identify and remove adverts that breach the law and promotes responsible and lawful pet advertising.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what legislative measures are being considered to regulate the operation of vape shops within grade-listed or historically significant buildings, including any statutory powers local councils may exercise to prevent occupancy by high-risk commercial tenants.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 120420 on 19 March 2026.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will use the Autumn Budget 2026 to provide long‑term, recurring revenue funding for hospices.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As with all fiscal matters, we cannot pre‑empt the Autumn Budget. Decisions on future funding will be taken through the usual Budget process and will be taken in the context of the wider public finances. The Government recognises the vital role that hospices play in supporting people at the end of life and their families.
Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission, including hospice services. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative care and end-of-life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.
In addition, the Government has provided significant financial support for the hospice sector, including £125 million of capital funding to improve adult and children and young people’s hospice facilities and £80 million of revenue funding for children and young people’s hospices for three years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29.
The Government is developing a Modern Service Framework (MSF) for Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care for England, with a planned publication date of Autumn 2026. Through our MSF, we will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end-of-life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality. We will also consider contracting and commissioning arrangements as part of our MSF.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support is provided, including through the British Council, to UK theatre companies touring Shakespeare productions internationally; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of those productions on the UK’s creative exports.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government provides support for international touring theatre, including Shakespeare productions, primarily through strategic funding delivered by Arts Council England (ACE).
ACE's core investment strengthens theatre resilience across England via the National Portfolio Investment Programme. In 2025/26, ACE provided over £112 million to nearly 200 theatres, while total funding to theatre organisations across all programmes reached £276.9 million, helping organisations such as the Royal Shakespeare Company remain globally competitive.
Recent sector analysis shows that theatre contributes around £2.39 billion in GVA and supports over 200,000 jobs, with international activity forming a key part of this footprint. Evidence from Arts Council England’s State of Touring demonstrates that while domestic touring is often loss-making, international touring can generate surplus income, supported by higher fees and guarantees overseas, which helps subsidise UK-based work.
Additional touring support includes the Incentivising Touring programme, which offers repayable grants, as well as National Lottery Project Grants for international partnerships.
My Department also seeks to address practical barriers for touring professionals through ongoing engagement with international partners.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking with the British Council to expand access to Shakespeare for young people in the UK and overseas, particularly through digital and outreach initiatives.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Shakespeare has no equal for global recognition and influence in English literature and continues to be a source of inspiration for new productions and creations across all artforms and media which the British Council supports and champions globally.
The UK Government provides support to the British Council through the grant-in-aid for its arts and culture work, supporting organisations such as the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre. In addition, many Shakespeare organisations receive support through Arts Council England (ACE).
The British Council has a number of digital resources available on their website following the major year-long global programme of events on the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death in 2016, where more than 140 countries took part in the festivities, with people experiencing Shakespeare through film screenings, exhibitions, performances and in schools, alongside a programme of unique online collaborations.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential strategic risk of UK reliance on foreign technologies for critical defence systems.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The UK recognises the importance of ensuring resilience and choice across our most critical of military capabilities. This reflects the approach to long term national security set out in the Strategic Defence Review: ensuring we are integrated into NATO force structures by design, but capable of acting as an integrated sovereign force when needed.
The UK continues to invest in sovereign capabilities where they are operationally essential. For example, we are renewing our secure, sovereign satellite communications capability through the SKYNET 6 programme. The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) will also deliver a sixth-generation combat air capability in partnership with Italy and Japan.
The forthcoming Defence Investment Plan will set out how the UK will deliver the ambition of the Strategic Defence Review, including where targeted investments are required to strengthen strategic autonomy. This includes consideration of enabling capabilities such as munitions stockpiles, cyber resilience, space assets, and critical industrial capacity.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure the UK develops sovereign capability in defence systems.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The UK recognises the importance of ensuring resilience and choice across our most critical of military capabilities. This reflects the approach to long term national security set out in the Strategic Defence Review: ensuring we are integrated into NATO force structures by design, but capable of acting as an integrated sovereign force when needed.
The UK continues to invest in sovereign capabilities where they are operationally essential. For example, we are renewing our secure, sovereign satellite communications capability through the SKYNET 6 programme. The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) will also deliver a sixth-generation combat air capability in partnership with Italy and Japan.
The forthcoming Defence Investment Plan will set out how the UK will deliver the ambition of the Strategic Defence Review, including where targeted investments are required to strengthen strategic autonomy. This includes consideration of enabling capabilities such as munitions stockpiles, cyber resilience, space assets, and critical industrial capacity.