Robbie Moore
Conservative - Keighley and Ilkley
1,625 (3.5%) majority - 2024 General ElectionFirst elected: 12th December 2019
Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
(since July 2024)1 APPG Officer Position (as of 20 Oct 2025)
Islamic and Ethical Finance6 APPG Memberships
Beer, Miscarriages of Justice, Heritage Rail, Environment, Haemophilia and Contaminated Blood, Serbia8 Former APPG Officer Positions
Agroecology for Sustainable Food and Farming, British Muslims, Ethical and Islamic Finance, Fire Safety and Rescue, Food and Drink Supply Chain, Future Generations, Social Integration, Uplands and Hill FarmingDivision Voting information
Robbie Moore voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 24 Conservative Aye votes vs 31 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 366 Noes - 41
Debates during the 2024 Parliament
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
Sparring Partners
(35 debate interactions)
(12 debate interactions)
Department Debates
(74 debate contributions)
(50 debate contributions)
(34 debate contributions)
(19 debate contributions)
Legislation Debates
(2,593 words contributed)
(863 words contributed)
(707 words contributed)
(643 words contributed)
Keighley and Ilkley Petitions
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
of 8,266 signatures (12.34%)
of 89,417 signatures (0.40%)
of 181,586 signatures (0.25%)
of 172,519 signatures (0.19%)
of 258,781 signatures (0.19%)
of 2,949,203 signatures (0.15%)
of 1,031,632 signatures (0.17%)
of 8,266 signatures (12.34%)
of 633,485 signatures (0.16%)
of 258,781 signatures (0.19%)
Petition Closed
Allow parents to take their children out of school for up to 10 days fine free.
Gov Responded - 23 Dec 2024 Debated on - 27 Oct 2025 View Robbie Moore's petition debate contributionsclosed 5 months, 3 weeks ago
We’re seeking reform to the punitive policy for term time leave that disproportionately impacts families that are already under immense pressure and criminalises parents that we think are making choices in the best interests of their families. No family should face criminal convictions!
Petition Closed
Retain legal right to assessment and support in education for children with SEND
Gov Responded - 5 Aug 2025 Debated on - 15 Sep 2025 View Robbie Moore's petition debate contributionsclosed 1 month, 1 week ago
Support in education is a vital legal right of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). We ask the government to commit to maintaining the existing law, so that vulnerable children with SEND can access education and achieve their potential.
Petition Closed
Ban driven grouse shooting
Gov Responded - 16 Jan 2025 Debated on - 30 Jun 2025 View Robbie Moore's petition debate contributionsclosed 5 months, 4 weeks ago
Chris Packham, Ruth Tingay and Mark Avery (Wild Justice) believe that driven grouse shooting is bad for people, the environment and wildlife. People; we think grouse shooting is economically insignificant when contrasted with other real and potential uses of the UK’s extensive uplands.
Petition Closed
Don't change inheritance tax relief for working farms
Gov Responded - 5 Dec 2024 Debated on - 10 Feb 2025 View Robbie Moore's petition debate contributionsclosed 6 months ago
We think that changing inheritance tax relief for agricultural land will devastate farms nationwide, forcing families to sell land and assets just to stay on their property. We urge the government to keep the current exemptions for working farms.
Latest EDMs signed by Robbie Moore
National inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse
Tabled by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)That this House expresses its deep concern at the continued lack of visible progress in establishing the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, announced by the Government in June 2025; notes that, four months later, no Chair has been appointed, no Terms of Reference have been published, …
(Most recent: 30 Oct 2025)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 15
Independent: 4
Democratic Unionist Party: 3
Labour: 2
Traditional Unionist Voice: 1
Agriculture
Tabled by: Victoria Atkins (Conservative - Louth and Horncastle)That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, praying that the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (SI, 2025, No. 1000), dated 8 September 2025, a copy of which was laid before this House on 9 September, be annulled.
(Most recent: 30 Oct 2025)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 22
Democratic Unionist Party: 2
Commons initiatives
These initiatives were driven by Robbie Moore, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Robbie Moore has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Robbie Moore has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
4 Bills introduced by Robbie Moore
A Bill to make provision to enable parliamentary constituency areas to form new unitary local authority areas if agreed by referendum; to make provision for such referendums; and for connected purposes.
Friday 6th May 2022
A Bill to make provision about participating in certain court proceedings through live links; and for connected purposes.
Monday 20th June 2022
A Bill to make provision to enable parliamentary constituency areas to form new unitary local authority areas if agreed by referendum; to make provision for such referendums; and for connected purposes.
Monday 20th June 2022
A Bill to make provision about changing local authority boundaries in cases where there is public support for such changes; and for connected purposes.
5 Bills co-sponsored by Robbie Moore
Public office (child sexual abuse) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Alexander Stafford (Con)
Markets and market traders (review of support) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Simon Baynes (Con)
Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Jonathan Gullis (Con)
Consumer Protection (Double Charging) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Huw Merriman (Con)
Planning (Local Authority Housing Developments) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Paul Holmes (Con)
Latest 50 Written Questions
(View all written questions)The capacity ranges for renewable electricity set out in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan (115-127GW of total wind and solar) account for variability in output and are based on analysis by NESO and internal DESNZ modelling. As the Clean Power Action plan shows, we expect to have renewable capacity alongside a mix of generation technologies, including nuclear, low carbon dispatchable power, energy storage, interconnectors, consumer-led flexibility, and some unabated gas capacity to ensure security of power supplies.
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This government has a very simple principle: if you live near new clean energy infrastructure, you should benefit from it. That's why the Planning and Infrastructure Bill proposes much-needed reforms, including direct bill discounts for communities, easier access to community funds, and a streamlined, less burdensome planning process. We know that to deliver on our mission we must bring communities with us.
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has committed to ensuring nature’s recovery and recognises the vital role of peatlands in storing carbon, tackling climate change and fighting biodiversity loss. The National Policy Statements for energy set out the requirements on developers to undertake Greenhouse Gas Assessments and the mitigation hierarchy they must apply, including consideration of peatland restoration through a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy. Where significant effects are likely, energy infrastructure developers must submit an Environmental Impact Assessment with their planning application, demonstrating how they have applied this hierarchy to any impacts arising from proposed development.
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Baroness Casey’s Audit into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse highlighted a decline in child sexual abuse and exploitation within the department’s children in need data, which is published annually. We are undertaking work to better understand how children who experience child sexual abuse and exploitation are represented in both child in need assessment data and child protection data and will publish analysis by the end of the year.
This will include analysis of demographics, outcomes, trends, local area variation over time and analysis of serious incident notifications.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill introduces a new duty for statutory safeguarding partners and other bodies to share information for the purposes of safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children, including from child sexual abuse and exploitation. This new duty is designed to complement the mandatory reporting duty set out in the Crime and Policing Bill. Together, these measures ensure that once a disclosure is made, the relevant information is not only received but is shared swiftly and appropriately with the bodies best placed to protect the child. In the ‘Tackling child sexual abuse: progress update’, published in April, the department set out that we would consult on a roadmap to a Child Protection Authority by the end of this year.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
High-quality teaching is the most important in-school factor for improving outcomes for all children. All initial teacher training (ITT) providers must ensure their courses enable trainee teachers to meet the Teachers’ Standards, which set clear expectations that teachers must adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils.
The ITT core content framework and the early career framework set out the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching. From September 2025, these will be superseded by the initial teacher training and early career framework, which contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching. This includes developing an understanding of different pupil needs and providing opportunities for success for all pupils.
The framework for the national curriculum in England states that teachers should set high expectations. They should plan stretching work for pupils whose attainment is significantly above the expected standard. Teachers should use appropriate assessment to set targets which are deliberately ambitious.
Additionally, the government has commissioned an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review to ensure all children are able to achieve excellence. The Review will report on final recommendations later this year.
This government’s missions include breaking down barriers to opportunity and delivering economic growth. Every young person should be able to follow the pathway that is right for them, whether through a high-quality apprenticeship or going to university or college. This includes ensuring all young people have access to expert careers advice and guidance, offering high-quality vocational and technical training such as Higher Technical Qualifications and T Levels, introducing foundation apprenticeships as part of our Growth and Skills Levy, and reforming the higher education system so that it delivers better value for money for students and taxpayers.
There is already a robust safeguarding framework in place in the form of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), which is the statutory safeguarding guidance that all schools and colleges must have regard to when safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. This guidance clearly sets out requirements regarding the checks schools should undertake for staff, including external staff, and visitors, to ensure appropriate safeguarding measures are in place.
In particular, KCSIE provides guidance on how schools should manage visitors, distinguishing between those in a professional capacity (for example, educational psychologists, social workers) and general visitors (for example, parents attending events). KCSIE makes clear that schools should not request Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for general visitors, while those attending in a professional capacity should have their ID checked, and schools should be assured that appropriate DBS checks have been carried out by their employer. The guidance also highlights the importance of schools having policies in place to assess external organisations providing educational content.
KCSIE is reviewed annually, ordinarily with substantive changes and public consultation taking place in one year and technical-only changes the next. This approach ensures that schools and colleges have sufficient time to implement any updates effectively while minimising disruption for their staff.
The department collects data on children looked after by local authorities. The latest available information on the number of children in care by each requested local authority within private care homes on 31 March 2024 is shown below:
Local Authority | Number of Children |
Bradford | 193 |
Leeds | 122 |
Calderdale | 29 |
Kirklees | 20 |
The figures include children looked after in secure children’s homes, children’s homes subject to Children’s Homes Regulations and residential care homes under private provision. Figures exclude children looked after under a series of short-term placements.
Ofsted’s latest annual publication of ‘Inspection and regulation of children’s social care providers’ shows the following private children’s homes and places as at 30 September 2024:
Local Authority | Children’s Homes | Places |
Bradford | 30 | 92 |
Leeds | 16 | 46 |
Calderdale | 30 | 86 |
Kirklees | 34 | 103 |
This publication can be accessed in full at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inspection-and-regulation-of-childrens-social-care-providers.
Early years providers required to register with Ofsted on the Early Years Register, or with an early years childminder agency (CMA) are under a legal duty to comply with the early years foundation stage (EYFS), which includes learning and development requirements, and the quality of their provision is regulated by Ofsted or their CMA.
All other early years providers who are not required to register with Ofsted or a CMA, including nannies, do not have the same legal requirements. They are not required to implement the EYFS or provide any form of education and are not regulated or inspected by Ofsted against the EYFS, even if they choose to register on the voluntary part of Ofsted’s General Childcare Register, which they may do in order to bring them within the scope of government schemes such as Tax-Free Childcare. This enables parents for whom they are working to make use of government support.
The services that nannies provide are subject to a private arrangement with parents, and there are no plans to alter this by requiring nannies to register. However, the department is in contact with the National Nanny Association who campaign on this issue, and we continue to discuss with them matters affecting nannies and those who use them.
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
33 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Questions
(View all Robbie Moore's Defra questions)Defra is working closely with farmers and industry stakeholders to design a future Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer that will better target SFI in an orderly way towards our priorities for food, farming and nature. Further information about the reformed SFI will be provided shortly.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As set out in the Terms of Reference, the recommendations of the Farming Profitability Review will inform Defra policy including the Farming Roadmap, Food Strategy and Land-use Framework.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have allocated discretionary grants to a wide range of organisations for 2026/27.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Encouraging more young people into farming and land-based careers is vital to ensure a skilled workforce is in place and the longer-term viability of the sector.
Defra works closely with The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture (TIAH) which is encouraging young people and new entrants into farming in its capacity as an industry led professional body for the farming industry. This includes leading a cross-industry initiative to address common negative misconceptions about the sector and providing free TIAH membership for students.
Furthermore, the Government has launched Skills England to ensure there is a comprehensive suite of apprenticeships, training and technical qualifications for individuals and employers to access, which are aligned with skills gaps and what employers need. It will work with its partners to ensure that regional and national skills needs are met.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government announced reforms to the Bathing Water Regulations 2013 on 12 March 2025 following a public consultation. In this, we outlined plans for three core reforms, nine technical amendments, and two wider reforms to the bathing water Regulations.
A Statutory Instrument is being prepared to implement the core and technical reforms, including removing automatic de-designation, assessing feasibility of improving water quality to ‘sufficient’ for designation, and removing fixed bathing season dates from the Regulations.
We have also begun policy development and research for the wider reforms: expanding the definition of ‘bathers’ and introducing multiple monitoring points to assess water quality. We will work closely with stakeholders to shape our approach, and a timetable for implementation will be planned for this next piece of work in due course.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
This Government recognises the importance of a fully functioning supply chain but does not normally intervene in the decisions made by individual companies.
Natural England has robust internal processes in place to ensure the integrity of their advice to Local Planning Authorities and others - including with respect to nutrient neutrality and nutrient mitigation standards and services.
While Natural England provides advice, it is Local Planning Authorities who make decisions on what nutrient mitigation to accept.
In accordance with the Direction from the Secretary of State of 28 July 2022, Natural England only intervenes to establish nutrient mitigation schemes itself where there is market failure, prioritising those catchments where interventions will have the most impact in addressing development pressures.
The Government recognises the importance of avoiding any perception of conflict of interest and will continue to ensure that standard setting and service delivery are clearly seen to be independent as nature services markets develop and mature.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra works closely with the Cabinet Office who join the National Drought Group meetings to coordinate the strategic management of drought. The National Drought Group is comprised of senior members of Government, the Environment Agency, and relevant stakeholders including water companies.
Minister Hardy attended the National Drought Group, chaired by the Environment Agency, held on 7 May, to discuss water resources levels, assess any impacts and to ensure actions are being taken to secure water supplies, should the recent dry weather continue.
The Government is committed to a twin track approach to improving water resilience. This involves action to improve water efficiency and reduce water company leaks alongside investing in new supply infrastructure, including new reservoirs and water transfers.
Improved investment is allowing water companies to improve drought resilience, ensuring a high level of resilience.
Water company drought plans align with their long-term Water Resources Management Plans. Drought plans must be maintained and revised by water companies every five years. A drought plan is a tactical plan that shows how a secure water supply is maintained, while minimising impacts on the environment during dry weather and drought. We expect water companies to follow their drought plans, acting early to ensure there are sufficient water supplies.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra works closely with the Cabinet Office who join the National Drought Group meetings to coordinate the strategic management of drought. The National Drought Group is comprised of senior members of Government, the Environment Agency, and relevant stakeholders including water companies.
Minister Hardy attended the National Drought Group, chaired by the Environment Agency, held on 7 May, to discuss water resources levels, assess any impacts and to ensure actions are being taken to secure water supplies, should the recent dry weather continue.
The Government is committed to a twin track approach to improving water resilience. This involves action to improve water efficiency and reduce water company leaks alongside investing in new supply infrastructure, including new reservoirs and water transfers.
Improved investment is allowing water companies to improve drought resilience, ensuring a high level of resilience.
Water company drought plans align with their long-term Water Resources Management Plans. Drought plans must be maintained and revised by water companies every five years. A drought plan is a tactical plan that shows how a secure water supply is maintained, while minimising impacts on the environment during dry weather and drought. We expect water companies to follow their drought plans, acting early to ensure there are sufficient water supplies.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra works closely with the Cabinet Office who join the National Drought Group meetings to coordinate the strategic management of drought. The National Drought Group is comprised of senior members of Government, the Environment Agency, and relevant stakeholders including water companies.
Minister Hardy attended the National Drought Group, chaired by the Environment Agency, held on 7 May, to discuss water resources levels, assess any impacts and to ensure actions are being taken to secure water supplies, should the recent dry weather continue.
The Government is committed to a twin track approach to improving water resilience. This involves action to improve water efficiency and reduce water company leaks alongside investing in new supply infrastructure, including new reservoirs and water transfers.
Improved investment is allowing water companies to improve drought resilience, ensuring a high level of resilience.
Water company drought plans align with their long-term Water Resources Management Plans. Drought plans must be maintained and revised by water companies every five years. A drought plan is a tactical plan that shows how a secure water supply is maintained, while minimising impacts on the environment during dry weather and drought. We expect water companies to follow their drought plans, acting early to ensure there are sufficient water supplies.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Sustainable Farming Incentive is an England-only scheme. We therefore have undertaken no such assessment.
We monitor forecasts of scheme uptake and spend against the current year budget on an ongoing basis and respond accordingly to maximise the amount that can be delivered. We committed to spending £2.6 billion in 24/25 and are on track to deliver that having responded to a number of demands in year.
Furthermore, we have a full understanding of commitments into future years arising from multi-annual agreements. We monitor the uptake of our demand led schemes which have a budgetary impact on future years (such as SFI) on a regular basis, increasing the frequency of this as the level of commitment approaches the budget available in future years.
The Sustainable Farming Incentive Expanded Offer (SFI EO) is an online application and as of the 12 March there are 6,626 applications currently started but not submitted on the Rural Payments Portal.
Defra is tracking contributions to outcomes and is planning to publish information this year. We recently published statistics on the area within agri-environmental schemes, which showed that 64% of England’s farmed area is in a scheme. 3.3 million hectares is in SFI 2023 and over 380,000 hectares in the SFI expanded offer.
We have published quarterly data on SFI uptake and are preparing publications on how schemes are contributing to environmental outcomes as part of our comprehensive monitoring and evaluation programme.
An update on the farming budget was recently published on our Farming Blog. It shows the following spend over the next two years (24/25 and 25/26). The information requested can be found publicly available here: https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/2025/03/12/update-on-the-farming-budget/ .
The first process evaluation report covering the launch of SFI22 and SFI23 will be published this Spring.
We will update this with further evaluation work for SFI24 once this is completed. In addition, process, impact and value for money evaluations for the SFI pilot will be published this Autumn.
The Local Air Quality Grant was withdrawn by the previous Air Quality Minister – the hon. Member for Keighley and Ilkley.
The funding was allocated to be spent during the 23/24 financial year so was not at the disposal of the new Air Quality Minister for the current financial year.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A wide range of public assessments have been made on the uses of land alongside and underneath solar panels, such as livestock grazing and other approaches to species-rich grassland creation.
When considering development proposals that affect agricultural land and soils, the Government encourages developers and local planning authorities to refer to relevant Government policies and guidance that aim to protect all soils by managing them in a sustainable way.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Local Air Quality Grant is not opening for the 24/25 financial year. Any future funding schemes will be subject to The Government spending review processes.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Details of Greater Manchester authorities’ expenditure is available in reports to the GMCA available here.
The Government has recently approved an investment-led non-charging Clean Air Plan proposed by Greater Manchester authorities. There are no ongoing costs to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from the earlier Clean Air Zone scheme and no further funding has been provided. Greater Manchester authorities are also exploring with the police whether the existing ANPR camera infrastructure may be used for law enforcement activity, and the potential reuse opportunities for signage infrastructure.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Details of Greater Manchester authorities’ expenditure is available in reports to the GMCA available here.
The Government has recently approved an investment-led non-charging Clean Air Plan proposed by Greater Manchester authorities. There are no ongoing costs to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from the earlier Clean Air Zone scheme and no further funding has been provided. Greater Manchester authorities are also exploring with the police whether the existing ANPR camera infrastructure may be used for law enforcement activity, and the potential reuse opportunities for signage infrastructure.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is developing reforms to the waste exemptions regime which will ensure activities carried out under waste exemptions are indeed low risk and small scale and which will prevent exemptions from being used to hide illegal activity.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We do not recognise the assertation that there was a delay in controls being implemented. The department acted quickly to stop consignments that presented a risk.
Following the confirmation of outbreak, we immediately instructed Port Health Authorities (PHAs) across Great Britain to suspend susceptible FMD imports that posed a risk to UK biosecurity. Additionally, we immediately informed border authorities, including Dover Port Health Authority and businesses, with the first communications issued at 17:42 and 21:00 on 10 January, and implemented measures to suspend commercial and personal imports of commodities from susceptible animals.
We collect detailed information on the financial position and physical and economic performance of farm businesses in England through the Farm Business Survey (FBS). The Farming Productivity Dashboard provides key statistics on farm performance and productivity in England (Productivity Dashboard).
The one-off £75 million Internal Drainage Board (IDB) Fund will accelerate IDBs’ recovery from the winter 2023-24 storms and provide opportunities to modernise and upgrade assets. This funding will support greater resilience for farmers and rural communities in the long term.
To date, the Environment Agency has allocated £54.62 million and has disbursed £30.4 million, with the rest of the 2024-25 funding on track to be disbursed by the end of March 2025.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is investing £2.4 billion over this year and next year to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. The list of projects to receive Government funding for 2025-26 will be consented over the coming months in the usual way through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees, with local representation.
The breakdown of Government investment from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 in £ millions is published online at Flood and coastal erosion risk management report: 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 - GOV.UK. The breakdown from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 will be published in due course.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are investing £2.4 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. The list of projects to receive Government funding in 2025/26 will be consented in the usual way through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees with local representation.
Longer term funding decisions will be made at the next Spending Review.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are investing £2.4 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. The list of projects to receive Government funding in 2025/26 will be consented in the usual way through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees with local representation.
Longer term funding decisions will be made at the next Spending Review.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are investing £2.4 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. The list of projects to receive Government funding in 2025/26 will be consented in the usual way through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees with local representation.
Longer term funding decisions will be made at the next Spending Review.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are listening to the sector to ensure their views are heard. We regularly meet with a range of farming stakeholders, including the National Farmers Union (NFU), the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), and the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA), and will continue to meet with stakeholders.
As part of this effort, the Secretary of State Steve Reed and Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner have met with NFU President Tom Bradshaw repeatedly to clarify changes in the Budget. Officials have also met with NFU, TFA and CLA representatives and recently attended the Eggs and Poultry Industry Conference as part of ongoing engagement with the sector.
The Secretary of State spoke at the CLA’s annual conference last month to hear from farmers directly. Unfortunately the Conservative Party did not decide to send a representative.
Minister Zeichner also recently attended and spoke at Northern Farming Conference, the Eggs and Poultry Industry Conference, the Agricultural Industries Confederation Conference, The Tenant Farmers Association Executive Committee and the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution’s parliamentary reception.
We will continue to listen to farmers’ concerns to ensure their views are heard.
We are listening to the sector to ensure their views are heard. We regularly meet with a range of farming stakeholders, including the National Farmers Union (NFU), the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), and the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA), and will continue to meet with stakeholders.
As part of this effort, the Secretary of State Steve Reed and Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner have met with NFU President Tom Bradshaw repeatedly to clarify changes in the Budget. Officials have also met with NFU, TFA and CLA representatives and recently attended the Eggs and Poultry Industry Conference as part of ongoing engagement with the sector.
The Secretary of State spoke at the CLA’s annual conference last month to hear from farmers directly. Unfortunately the Conservative Party did not decide to send a representative.
Minister Zeichner also recently attended and spoke at Northern Farming Conference, the Eggs and Poultry Industry Conference, the Agricultural Industries Confederation Conference, The Tenant Farmers Association Executive Committee and the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution’s parliamentary reception.
We will continue to listen to farmers’ concerns to ensure their views are heard.
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues. Cabinet discussions are considered confidential.
The Department for Transport will legislate to address the important issues raised in the report, tackling the inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle driver licensing. We are considering all options – including out of area working, national standards and enforcement – seeking the best overall outcomes for passenger safety. Careful consideration of the options is needed as we do not want any change to decrease the availability of highly vetted licensed drivers and vehicles and inadvertently increase the use of those offering illegal services that evade these licensing checks.
We intend to consult shortly on making all local transport authorities responsible for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing. Administering taxi and private hire vehicle licensing over larger areas could greatly increase consistency in standards across England, reduce out-of-area working and result in a better match between licensing revenue and compliance and enforcement burdens.
We are also reviewing licensing authorities' compliance with existing DfT guidance and considering how the statutory guidance can be strengthened to further protect the public. As part of this work, all licensing authorities in England have reported that they require the highest level of criminal background checks for taxi and PHV driver licence applicants – an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check with a check of the children’s and adults’ barred lists. Where other recommendations are not being followed, particularly those linked to safeguarding, we intend to hold authorities to account.
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
On 20 January 2025, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced a new, realistic timeline to deliver schemes on the New Hospital Programme; the abolition of NHS England should not impact these timelines.
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK has transitioned from a traditional aid relationship with Pakistan to a mutually beneficial partnership which underpins UK national interests, and we have regular constructive discussions with Pakistani authorities on a range of topics of vital mutual interest, including criminal justice. None of the UK's Official Development Assistance (ODA) spent in Pakistan is dispersed through the Pakistani government, therefore the UK government rules out linking ODA and deportations. Despite significant and complex challenges when seeking to return foreign national offenders, this government is fully committed to making our communities safer by deporting those who break our laws. The Foreign Secretary raised this matter with Pakistan's Prime Minister in May.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government continues to raise Mr Alaa Abd El-Fattah's case at the highest levels with the Egyptian government. We have been consistently clear in calling for his release and continue to press for urgent consular access. The Prime Minister wrote to President Sisi on 26 December 2024 and again on 8 January 2025. The Foreign Secretary raised this case with Egyptian Foreign Minister on 23 January; I raised the case with the Egyptian Ambassador to London on 18 February. National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell also raised this with the Egyptian Foreign Minister on 2 January.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Banking has changed significantly in recent years with many customers benefiting from the ease and convenience of remote banking. While branch closures are commercial decisions for banks, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) guidance expects firms to carefully consider the impact of planned branch closures on their customers’ everyday banking and cash access needs and put in place alternatives where reasonable. This seeks to ensure that branch closures are implemented in a way that treats customers fairly.
The Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and high streets and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority. This is why the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 200 hubs have been announced so far, and over 100 are already open.
The FCA introduced regulatory rules for access to cash in September 2024. Its rules require the reasonable provision of free cash withdrawal and deposit facilities for personal current accounts.
Where a branch closure is announced or a community has submitted a cash access assessment request, LINK (the operator of the UK’s largest ATM network) assesses a community’s access to cash withdrawal and deposit needs, and can recommend a new service if necessary.
Where a resident, community organisation or other interested party feels access to cash in their community is insufficient, they can submit a request for a cash access assessment. Further information about submitting a cash access request can be found on LINK’s website.
Alternative options to access everyday banking services can be via telephone banking, through digital means such as mobile or online banking and via the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check their balance, pay bills and cash cheques at 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK.
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Home Office has been working closely with the Department for Education to understand how the proposed Unique Identifier will operate in order to plan for upgrades to police IT systems.
In June we conducted a Preliminary Market Engagement to understand how the market could support the need to better integrate data across policing. We are currently evaluating those responses against the existing policing landscape to determine the best way forwards.
We also awarded a contract to deliver a Police Technology Strategy and Roadmap.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)