Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to improve oversight of the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The government has taken significant steps to improve both the oversight and enforcement of performance standards in the Civil Service Pension Scheme administration, primarily through the new contract with Capita and enhanced internal controls. Capita has been contracted to assume full administrative responsibilities from 1 December 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce in-ovo sexing technology to end the routine culling of day-old male chicks in the UK egg industry.

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

We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards.

In its 2024 ‘Opinion on alternatives to culling newly hatched chicks in the egg and poultry industries’, the Animal Welfare Committee considered a range of technologies that could help end the routine culling of male chicks by identifying or determining the sex of chick embryos before hatching. In recent years there has been rapid global progress in the development of these technologies, and we welcome the UK egg industry’s interest in the development of day zero sexing technology.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to support farmers to strengthen the resilience of domestic food supply chains.

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

Resilient domestic production for a secure supply of healthier food is one of the 10 priority outcomes that the Government announced in the Good Food Cycle in July 2025. Defra works with industry and across Government to monitor risks that may arise across the whole of the food supply chain. This includes extensive, regular and ongoing engagement in preparedness for, and response to, issues with the potential to cause disruption.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of funding for local authorities to deliver timely and effective SEND provision.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

The department is providing total high needs funding of over £12 billion in 2025/26 for children and young people with complex SEND in England. Warrington Borough Council is being allocated over £36 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant.

The department is considering the funding required for future years and how it is to be allocated, following the conclusion of the recent spending review. Our objective is that future funding for SEND supports our plans for reforming the SEND system, which will be set out in further detail in an upcoming White Paper.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help protect at-risk heritage assets.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government is committed to protecting heritage at risk and supporting communities to care for their local heritage assets.

This year we announced almost £20 million new funding for local heritage. The £15m Heritage at Risk Capital Fund enables individuals and organisations in the most deprived neighbourhoods in England to rescue and repair at-risk historic sites and buildings that bring people together, like shops, pubs, parks and town halls. In August 2025, funding was announced for 37 much-loved historic buildings and sites, many of which are located on high streets and in town centres.

Alongside this, the £4.85m Heritage Revival Fund has a particular emphasis on town centres and helps to rescue and repurpose neglected historic buildings in England, enabling community organisations, charities and social enterprises to take ownership and repurpose sites such as theatres, department stores and former banks.

We have also continued the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, with a budget of £23 million, providing grants of up to £25,000 towards VAT on eligible repairs.

This is in addition to the £330 million distributed each year through the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

In October, we announced the 75 museum groups across the country who will receive a share of our new, £20 million Museum Renewal Fund, with outcomes for our £25 million Museum Estate and Development Fund due in the New Year.

Found: (Liberal Democrat; Tiverton and Minehead) Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat; Chesham and Amersham) Sarah Hall

Found: Q111 Sarah Hall: Thank you, Chair.

Found: (Liberal Democrat; Tiverton and Minehead) Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat; Chesham and Amersham) Sarah Hall

Found: Q42 Sarah Hall: Do you foresee any challenges with the changes?

Found: (Liberal Democrat; Tiverton and Minehead) Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat; Chesham and Amersham) Sarah Hall