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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government's Animal Welfare Strategy's commitment to work with the veterinary profession to reduce tail docking will involve specific guidance for vets to ensure they are not authorising illegal mutilations.

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

The Department has recently engaged with the Pig Veterinary Society and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons regarding reducing the incidence of pig tail docking, and we are now carefully considering the appropriate next steps, including the possibility of developing further guidance for veterinarians.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of increases in fuel prices on the road haulage sector; and what steps is she taking to mitigate these.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport recognises growing concerns around rising fuel and transport costs caused by the conflict in the Middle East. The Department fully recognises the need to maintain the continuity of critical supply chains and is actively monitoring any potential impacts. The Department will continue to work with industry to understand the pressures and options to mitigate any risks.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of international models of digital parenting support for screen time, such as in Australia.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

On 27 March, the government published guidance on screen time for children aged 0 to 5 on the Best Start in Life website. The guidance is informed by an expert panel’s independent report on quantitative and qualitative research, including engagement with parents, carers and stakeholders, which also published on 27 March.

We have also launched our ‘You Won’t Know Until You Ask’ campaign, providing parents with practical advice on how to talk to their children about harmful online content.

The consultation on children’s digital wellbeing launched on 2 March looks at further measures to keep children safe online. It will run until 26 May, with the government reporting back in the summer. Later this year, we will publish guidance on screen time for parents of children aged 5 to 16, which will be informed by the consultation and a separate a call for evidence.

We are monitoring the policies of other countries, including Australia, and are working with counterparts to share learnings and best practice on screen time. Ministers from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology will also be visiting Australia to understand their approach.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what consideration has she given to providing multi-year funding to support investment in covered tennis courts, and what assessment has she made of the potential impacts of such funding on increasing the availability of such facilities.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government will invest £15 million into new delivery models across England in 2026/27, to allow more people to participate in sports they wish to. At least £2.5 million will be invested through the LTA for covered courts in England for tennis, padel and other activities, with additional funding will also enable a wider range of sporting bodies to trial innovative funding pathways. We are working closely with the sport sector, including the Lawn Tennis Association, to learn from these pathways to develop plans for future grassroots sport funding.

We are also investing £85 million across the UK via the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2026/27, funding projects such as multi-sport hubs which provide communities with access to the facilities they need.

We recognise the need for funding to target a range of sports across the country based on what types of facilities each community needs, ensuring that our investment in community grassroots sports facilities reaches as many people as possible.

We provide the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding into grassroots sport across England, including providing £10.2 million in funding for the Lawn Tennis Association between 2022-27.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of levels of provision of (a) covered and (b) indoor sports tennis courts in Britain.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government will invest £15 million into new delivery models across England in 2026/27, to allow more people to participate in sports they wish to. At least £2.5 million will be invested through the LTA for covered courts in England for tennis, padel and other activities, with additional funding will also enable a wider range of sporting bodies to trial innovative funding pathways. We are working closely with the sport sector, including the Lawn Tennis Association, to learn from these pathways to develop plans for future grassroots sport funding.

We are also investing £85 million across the UK via the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2026/27, funding projects such as multi-sport hubs which provide communities with access to the facilities they need.

We recognise the need for funding to target a range of sports across the country based on what types of facilities each community needs, ensuring that our investment in community grassroots sports facilities reaches as many people as possible.

We provide the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding into grassroots sport across England, including providing £10.2 million in funding for the Lawn Tennis Association between 2022-27.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effect of access to (a) accessible, (b) covered and (c) indoor sports facilities to levels of participation by disabled people in sport.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises that high-quality, inclusive facilities help people get active. Accessible, covered and indoor sports facilities are essential to increasing participation by disabled people.

In June last year, we committed £400 million to transform sports and leisure facilities over the next four years. We will ensure that this funding promotes health, wellbeing and community cohesion and helps remove the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups. We are working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve training for primary school teachers on how to deliver high quality PE and school sport.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity so every child can access high‑quality PE and school sport.

As announced by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, the government will establish a new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network to ensure all children and young people have access to high-quality PE and extracurricular sport. We expect the partnerships to improve school-to-school collaboration, increase opportunities for high-quality PE, encourage children to move more, make best use of facilities and provide teacher CPD and training.

In addition, we have provided a grant of up to £300,000 a year to a consortium led by the Youth Sport Trust to deliver Inclusion 2028, providing advice, guidance and training to upskill teachers and school workforce to deliver high-quality, inclusive PE.

Further details on the PE and School Sports Partnerships will be confirmed in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the benefits of tennis-focused teaching as part of PE and sport provision; and what steps is she taking to support tennis education in schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Schools play a vital role in giving many pupils their first experience of playing sport, including tennis, in a structured and inclusive environment. This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity so that every child can access high-quality physical education and school sport. ​

That is why, in June 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister announced a new approach to PE and school sport, focused on building strong partnerships between schools, local clubs and national governing bodies of sport, such as the Lawn Tennis Association, to support greater participation and physical activity. ​

National governing bodies provide valuable resources, workforce development and teacher support to help schools deliver high-quality sporting opportunities, both within the PE curriculum and through enrichment activity. The department is preparing to procure a national partner to lead the new PE and School Sport Partnerships, which will provide an opportunity to regularly assess the adequacy of support available to schools across PE and school sport, including the provision for tennis.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of community covered (a) tennis, (b) padel and (c) multisport hubs.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government will invest £15 million into new delivery models across England in 2026/27, to allow more people to participate in sports they wish to. At least £2.5 million will be invested through the LTA for covered courts in England for tennis, padel and other activities, with additional funding will also enable a wider range of sporting bodies to trial innovative funding pathways. We are working closely with the sport sector, including the Lawn Tennis Association, to learn from these pathways to develop plans for future grassroots sport funding.

We are also investing £85 million across the UK via the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2026/27, funding projects such as multi-sport hubs which provide communities with access to the facilities they need.

We recognise the need for funding to target a range of sports across the country based on what types of facilities each community needs, ensuring that our investment in community grassroots sports facilities reaches as many people as possible.

We provide the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding into grassroots sport across England, including providing £10.2 million in funding for the Lawn Tennis Association between 2022-27.

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 has plans to help stop the breeding of cats with extreme physical traits associated with adverse health and welfare outcomes.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 19 March 2026 to the hon. Member for Spen Valley to PQ UIN 121026.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish guidance on how owners of exempted dogs will be able to remain compliant with the legal requirement to hold third-party liability insurance beyond 1 July 2026.

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

Defra has published guidance on our gov.uk page and contacted all registered owners to inform them that no action is required at this stage. We will share further guidance which will be published on gov.uk in early June.

Defra is working to ensure owners of banned breed dogs can remain compliant with the legal requirement to hold third-party public liability insurance beyond 1 July 2026.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether Access to Work staff receive specialist advice on visual impairment when assessing applications and renewals for blind and partially sighted customers.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Access to Work staff are trained to assess applications from all disability groups and individual impairments, taking account of each customer’s needs and circumstances. Staff are able to access specific support relating to individual impairments where necessary.

Where specialist advice is required to inform the outcome, Access to Work staff may arrange a workplace assessment through one of its contracted providers to help identify appropriate adjustments and support to address workplace barriers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of a) pain, b) suffering, c) distress and d) lasting harm caused to non-human primates recognised by service licences under Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

All project licence applications, including service licences which use specially protected species such as dogs and non-human primates, are subject to a rigorous harm-benefit analysis (HBA), required under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). The HBA ensures that a project is only granted where a Home Office Inspector is satisfied that the likely harms to animals, including pain, suffering, distress and any lasting harm, are justified by the expected benefits for humans, animals or the environment.

Under ASPA, projects proposing the use of specially protected species may only be authorised where no animal of lower sentience can be used to achieve the scientific objectives. In all cases, the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement (the 3Rs) must be fully applied. This means that animal use is permitted only where no validated alternative exists, the minimum number of animals is used, and the most refined methods are used to minimise harm.

The Home Office publishes annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals in Great Britain, which break down procedures by species, type of procedure, and actual severity experienced by animals. They are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-of-scientific-procedures-on-living-animals. Information on the severity of procedures involving NHPs and dogs is set out in Table 3.1, with severity categorised under ASPA as non-recovery, mild, moderate or severe.

Additionally, the Home Office expects to respond to recommendations from the Animals in Science Committee on the use of NHPs in service licences, which is aimed at further strengthening protections for NHPs used in science for service licences.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the level of a) pain, b) suffering, c) distress and d) lasting harm caused to dogs covered by service licences under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

All project licence applications, including service licences which use specially protected species such as dogs and non-human primates, are subject to a rigorous harm-benefit analysis (HBA), required under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). The HBA ensures that a project is only granted where a Home Office Inspector is satisfied that the likely harms to animals, including pain, suffering, distress and any lasting harm, are justified by the expected benefits for humans, animals or the environment.

Under ASPA, projects proposing the use of specially protected species may only be authorised where no animal of lower sentience can be used to achieve the scientific objectives. In all cases, the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement (the 3Rs) must be fully applied. This means that animal use is permitted only where no validated alternative exists, the minimum number of animals is used, and the most refined methods are used to minimise harm.

The Home Office publishes annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals in Great Britain, which break down procedures by species, type of procedure, and actual severity experienced by animals. They are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-of-scientific-procedures-on-living-animals. Information on the severity of procedures involving NHPs and dogs is set out in Table 3.1, with severity categorised under ASPA as non-recovery, mild, moderate or severe.

Additionally, the Home Office expects to respond to recommendations from the Animals in Science Committee on the use of NHPs in service licences, which is aimed at further strengthening protections for NHPs used in science for service licences.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the robustness of the harm-benefit analysis of service licences, under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, using a) non-human primates b) pregnant rabbits c) rats d) dogs e) mini-pigs.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

All project licence applications, including service licences, are subject to a rigorous harm-benefit analysis (HBA), required under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). The HBA is carried out by a trained Home Office Inspector who is a member of the veterinary or medical profession, to ensure that any harm to animals is justified by the likely benefits for humans, animals or the environment.

Under ASPA, projects proposing the use of specially protected species, including non‑human primates and dogs, may only be authorised where no animal of lower sentience can be used to achieve the scientific objectives. In all cases, the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement (the 3Rs) must be fully applied. This means that animal use is permitted only where no validated alternative exists, the minimum number of animals is used, and the most refined methods are used to minimise harm.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of a) companion animal ownership trends and b) recent legislative changes on local authority costs, including i) kennelling and ii) enforcement services.

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

The Department engages regularly with local authority representative groups to understand pressures on their animal welfare functions, including kennelling and enforcement.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) informal caregiving responsibilities and (b) companion animal care on labour market participation.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

I refer my Hon. friend to the answer I gave on 13^th April to PQ 122869.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to undertake research into the potential impact of companion animal ownership on a) labour market participation, b) productivity and c) flexible working.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

I refer my Hon. friend to the answer I gave on 13^th April to PQ 122869.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has undertaken any joint work with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to assess the a) societal and b) economic impact of companion animal ownership.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

I refer my Hon. friend to the answer I gave on 13^th April to PQ 122869.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to include variables relating to companion animal ownership in a) future labour market and b) household surveys.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

I refer my Hon. friend to the answer I gave on 13^th April to PQ 122869.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of reductions in Access to Work awards at renewal on blind and partially sighted customers.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

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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 she is taking to fulfil to help ban the importation of foie gras; and whether he has set a timeline for doing so.

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

I refer the Hon. Member to the reply given to Ruth Jones on 17 March 2026 to PQ UIN 119441.