Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has plans to introduce a ban on the import of foie gras produced by force-feeding.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government shares the British public's high regard for animal welfare and has made clear that the production of foie gras from ducks or geese using force feeding raises serious welfare concerns.
Foie gras production using force feeding has been banned in the UK for nearly 20 years as it is not compatible with our animal welfare legislation.
The Government is committed to delivering the most ambitious animal welfare programme in a generation. As part of this, Defra will continue to consider the evidence and options in relation to foie gras.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that emergency (a) preparedness and (b) response planning includes consideration of rehabilitation needs in line with World Health Organization Resolution 76.6 on Strengthening Rehabilitation in Health Systems, adopted in May 2023.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Rehabilitation is an important consideration within the recovery phase of our emergency response plans and wider preparedness, in line with World Health Organization Resolution 76.6 on Strengthening Rehabilitation in Health Systems. The United Kingdom participated in the negotiation of the resolution which was adopted by the UK and Member States at the World Health Assembly in May 2023.
We regularly review our plans and procedures to ensure they continue to reflect best practice and lessons from real events, exercises and international bodies and comparators. The Department plans for a range of risks and scenarios from the onset of an incident through to the recovery phase. Specifically, recovery is a core element of NHS England’s emergency preparedness, resilience and response framework. It includes restoring services and addressing the longer-term health and care needs of people and communities who have been affected.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether an equality impact assessment will be conducted prior to any implementation of the recommendations of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) on prostate cancer.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 28 November, the UK National Screening Committee opened a 12-week public consultation on a draft recommendation on screening for prostate cancer. We anticipate a final recommendation in early 2026. After which, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will make a decision on whether to accept the recommendation, and what next steps are needed. Any policy developed from the recommendation will be supported by an equality impact assessment to ensure that possible health inequality that could be caused by the policy will be mitigated against.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a fee for project licence applications under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 based on the estimated number of procedures and using the funds generated to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government has recently announced £75 million of further investment in accelerating the development, validation and uptake of non-animal alternative methods.
As set out in the Replacing Animals in Science strategy, published in November 2025, the Government will create a preclinical translational models hub and a UK Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (UKCVAM).
This is in addition to the current funding of the NC3Rs.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many licences were rejected for procedures using the rabbit pyrogen test since the publication of the Replacing Animals in Science strategy.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Since the publication of the Animals in Science Strategy on 11 November the Home Office has not received any applications for licences that seek authorisation for procedures using the rabbit pyrogen test.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the reported forced confessions and coerced statements of Baha’i followers broadcast on Iranian state media, including on the potential impact on the level of religious persecution of Baha’i followers in Iran..
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided to question 67802 on 6 August 2025.