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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered the potential impact of the recent consultation on Biodiversity Net Gain on (a) investors and (b) developers.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We are mindful of the impacts of any changes to Biodiversity Net Gain on all those involved, especially developers and investors. Government remains fully committed to BNG and will work closely with stakeholders to provide policy clarity and certainty.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason his Department is consulting on proposals to change Biodiversity Net Gain requirements for small sites and medium sites one year after Biodiversity Net Gain became mandatory; and what evidence he has used to inform this approach.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government has been working closely with stakeholders to gather feedback and evidence on how BNG is being implemented. Early information suggests BNG implementation is largely working as intended, but there is emerging evidence that some smaller developments and specific types of development are finding BNG more challenging than anticipated. The proposals in the consultation seek feedback on potential changes to make it quicker, cheaper and easier for developers to deliver BNG obligations, while broadly maintaining environmental outcomes.

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 make an assessment of the potential impact of changes to Biodiversity Net Gain requirements for small and medium sites on nature.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government will publish an impact assessment alongside its response to the consultation ‘Improving biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development’.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in what way is the Animal and Plant Health Agency verifying that approved methods are used in (a) farms with large integrated businesses and (b) other sized farms.

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

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has legal powers under Section 28 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to inspect farm premises. These inspections help ensure that animals bred or kept for farming purposes are treated in accordance with welfare regulations.

APHA conducts a set number of welfare inspections on farms each year. These visits are often unannounced and are intended to assess compliance with animal welfare legislation.

In addition, APHA investigates complaints of the illegal slaughter or killing on farms. APHA provides advice on how to achieve compliance and where necessary, APHA supports the local authority in carrying enforcement actions, including prosecutions, to ensure compliance.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to ensure that approved methods of killing piglets on farms are being adhered to through proactive inspections.

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

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has legal powers under Section 28 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to inspect farm premises. These inspections help ensure that animals bred or kept for farming purposes are treated in accordance with welfare regulations.

APHA conducts a set number of welfare inspections on farms each year. These visits are often unannounced and are intended to assess compliance with animal welfare legislation.

In addition, APHA investigates complaints of the illegal slaughter or killing on farms. APHA provides advice on how to achieve compliance and where necessary, APHA supports the local authority in carrying enforcement actions, including prosecutions, to ensure compliance.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to phase out the use of animals for the production of antibodies.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

I refer the hon. Member for East Antrim to the answer of 23rd of June 2025 to Question 59903.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Pakistani counterpart following the assassination of Dr Sheikh Mahmood in Sargodha, Punjab, in May; and what steps he is taking to help ensure the protection of the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Promoting the rights of religious minorities is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement in Pakistan. On 31 March 2025, I discussed the deteriorating situation for Ahmadi Muslims with Pakistan's Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry. On 5 June 2025, ahead of Eid al-Adha, I also raised the need to protect Ahmadis seeking to practise their faith with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar. Our High Commission in Islamabad has raised the tragic killing of Dr Sheikh Mahmood with Minister Tarar and Punjab's Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, and continues to regularly engage on these issues. We will continue to urge the government of Pakistan to fully investigate incidents of violence, prosecute those responsible and provide justice to victims and their families.

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 made an assessment of the potential impact of the application of VAT to unredeemed deposits within the Deposit Return Scheme on (a) inflation and (b) consumer costs.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

HM Treasury, as the lead department, and HM Revenue & Customs are continuing to consider the best way of accounting for VAT on DRS deposits and will set out further detail in due course. The Government is committed to ensuring that the DRS operate effectively, and that VAT is not a barrier to them doing so.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of HMRC's approach to preventing (a) VAT and (b) duty evasion in the off-road motorcycle industry.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC collected a record £858.9 billion in taxes in 2024/25, an increase of 3.7% from the year before, which included £171.0 billion in VAT. HMRC has a strong track record in tackling all kinds of non-compliance. HMRC takes a risk-based and intelligence-led approach to enforcement and is continuously developing its capabilities to target and tackle all types of non-compliance. Assessments of the effectiveness of HMRC’s approach to prevent VAT and duty evasion are not available at that level of granularity.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the (a) VAT and (b) customs duty lost as a result of (i) undervaluation and (ii) misclassification of (A) imported off-road motorcycles and (B) related parts in each of the last five years.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC estimates the size of the tax gap, which is the difference between the amount of tax that should, in theory, be paid to HMRC, and what is actually paid. The tax gap statistics and details of the estimate methodologies are published annually and are available at:

Measuring tax gaps 2025 edition: tax gap estimates for 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK

Estimates of the revenues lost from (i) undervaluation and (ii) misclassification of (A) imported off-road motorcycles and (B) related parts in each of the last five years are not available as the methodologies used in assessing the tax gap do not allow estimates to be made at such a granular level.

Extinction of the slender-billed curlew

Provision of trained Family Liaison Officers

Agriculture

National inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse

Digital ID

Conduct of Lord Mandelson

International driving test standards and road safety

Young farmers' organisations across the United Kingdom

Diversity, equality and inclusion in public sector internships and graduate schemes

Commemoration of the sinking of the Suez Maru and Allied prisoners of war lost

Free speech and the use of armed police

Found: Renfrewshire North) Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat; Tewkesbury) John Whitby (Labour; Derbyshire Dales) Sammy Wilson

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Found: Gelderd; Sarah Gibson; Pippa Heylings; Chris Hinchliff; Martin Rhodes; Cameron Thomas; John Whitby; Sammy Wilson

Found: Renfrewshire North) Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat; Tewkesbury) John Whitby (Labour; Derbyshire Dales) Sammy Wilson

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Found: ; Barry Gardiner; Anna Gelderd; Alison Griffiths; Martin Rhodes; Alison Taylor; John Whitby; Sammy Wilson

Found: ; Barry Gardiner; Anna Gelderd; Alison Griffiths; Martin Rhodes; Alison Taylor; John Whitby; Sammy Wilson

Found: ; Barry Gardiner; Anna Gelderd; Alison Griffiths; Martin Rhodes; Alison Taylor; John Whitby; Sammy Wilson

Found: present: Sir Mark Tami; Mr Clive Betts; Dr Rupa Huq; Leigh Ingham; Jessica Morden; John Slinger; Sammy Wilson

Found: Renfrewshire North) Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat; Tewkesbury) John Whitby (Labour; Derbyshire Dales) Sammy Wilson

Found: Future Made in Scotland (PDF), June 2024, p10 80 For example, HC Deb 30 October 2024, c876 (Sammy Wilson

Found: _NC21 Neil Duncan-Jordan Chris Hinchliff Sammy Wilson Shockat Adam Nadia Whittome Apsana Begum Imran

Found: _NC21 Neil Duncan-Jordan Chris Hinchliff Sammy Wilson Shockat Adam Nadia Whittome Apsana Begum Imran

Found: Not called_NC21 Neil Duncan-Jordan Chris Hinchliff Sammy Wilson Shockat Adam Nadia Whittome Apsana Begum

Submit Evidence (by 4 Nov 2025)

This Environmental Audit Committee inquiry will examine the Climate Change Committee's advice on the Seventh Carbon Budget. It will consider the assumptions and costs underpinning the CCC’s recommendations, explore the balance between emerging and established technologies, the policy choices facing Government, and the potential impacts on households, businesses and the wider economy. The inquiry will also look at how the Government should communicate choices and trade-offs, and how Parliament and the public can best scrutinise delivery plans and progress.