Written questions by Rosindell.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure the diversity of (a) shops and (b) service provision on high streets.

The Government is committed to fostering the conditions for prosperous and diverse high streets. The Government has recently introduced High Street Rental Auctions to tackle persistent vacancy and ensure that more business ventures can access commercial property opportunities at a fair market rate. The National Planning Policy Framework also supports town centres by requiring policies and decisions to promote their growth, management and adaptation. The commercial business and service use class provides flexibility for premises between high street uses, including to provide services such as creches or health services, without the need for a planning application.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to support housing landlords with tenants in long-term rent arrears.

Financial support is available for tenants facing difficulty paying their rent, including through the Household Support Fund and Discretionary Housing Payment schemes. In 2025/26, the government is investing £1 billion into these schemes, which are administered by local authorities in line with local priorities. Free, non-means tested legal advice is available through the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service for tenants who are at risk of possession proceedings or loss of their home. Through this service, tenants can receive advice on housing, welfare benefits and debt as soon as they receive written notice that possession of their home is being sought. While support is available to sustain tenancies where appropriate, the government believes that landlords must have robust grounds for possession where there is good reason to take their property back, including where a tenant has accrued long-term rent arrears. Under the Renters’ Rights Bill, there will be grounds for possession for rent arrears allowing mandatory eviction after three months’ arrears are accrued, and discretionary grounds for lesser amounts in situations such as frequent late payment. It is also important that landlords can have efficient access to justice in the minority of cases where court action becomes necessary. We will make the court possession process more efficient for users by digitising it from end-to-end.

What proportion of invoices from UK suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt between September 2024 and February 2025.

Between September 2024 and February 2025, a total of 619,531 invoices were received, of which, 97.28 per cent (602,704) were paid within ten working days of receipt.Details of the Ministry of Defence's (MOD) supplier invoicing and payment information, including supplier payment performance, invoice processing and MOD contract payments, are published at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministry-of-defence-supplier-invoicing-and-payment-information

Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of invoices from UK suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt between September 2024 and February 2025.

The department’s prompt payment performance is published quarterly at the following website:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defra-prompt-payment-data-april-2015-to-march-2024 In the most recent published period, covering October, November and December 2024, 99.4% of the payments were to UK suppliers.

Communities and Local Government, what proportion of invoices from UK suppliers were paid by her Department within 10 days of receipt between 1 September 2024 and 28 February 2025.

Data on the percentage of invoices paid within 5 days and 30 days is routinely reported under Regulation 113 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. MHCLG publishes this information on Gov.uk and a link to Q3 2024/25 is here MHCLG's prompt payment data 2024 to 2025 - GOV.UKThe data for Q4 2024/25 will be published on Gov.uk by the end of April 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the People's Republic of China's Nine-dash line in the South China Sea on the maritime sovereignty of Commonwealth nations.

We are concerned about China's excessive maritime claims in the South China Sea, which have been ruled inconsistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The UK opposes any maritime claims which are not founded in UNCLOS. We take no sides in sovereignty disputes but we encourage parties to settle disputes peacefully through existing legal mechanisms, particularly UNCLOS.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his counterpart in the People's Republic of China on the execution of four Canadian nationals earlier this year.

The UK is opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. This Government believes that the death penalty's use undermines human dignity, that there is no conclusive evidence of its deterrent value, and that any miscarriage of justice leading to its imposition is irreversible and irreparable.We raise our concerns about human rights at the highest levels: the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor and Energy Secretary all raised human rights recently with their counterparts (President Xi, Foreign Minister Wang, Vice Premier He and Vice Premier Ding respectively)

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Chinese counterpart on the (a) arrest of Bishop Peter Shao Zhumin in Wenzhou and (b) treatment of religious leaders in China.

The environment for freedom of religion or belief in China is restrictive, which includes the persecution of Christians. This Government stands firm on human rights, including the right to freedom of religion or belief. We raise our concerns at the highest levels: the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor and Energy Secretary all raised human rights recently with their counterparts (President Xi, Foreign Minister Wang, Vice Premier He and Vice Premier Ding respectively).More broadly, this Government champions freedom of religion or belief for all abroad. We work to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 34801 on Asylum: Albania, what steps her Department has taken to ensure the continued reduction in the number of Albanian nationals arriving in the UK by small boat.

Small boat crossings by Albanian nationals have reduced each year since their peak in 2022. This government is committed to working with the Albanian government to further reduce these numbers, including through communications campaigns that demonstrate the dangers of these crossings, and ensuring that Albanian nationals with no right to be in the UK are returned efficiently to Albania.We also continue to work with other international partners to target the people smugglers who exploit migrants for profit. The Home Secretary has convened an international summit focussed on Organised Immigration Crime, bringing together Interior Ministers and law enforcement experts, including from Albania, to develop our combined response to the gangs who facilitate this vile trade in human lives.

Whether the Government plans to conduct military exercises with (a) Malaysia, (b) Brunei, and (c) Singapore in the next twelve months.

The UK military exercises regularly with allies and partners across the Indo-Pacific. Over the next twelve months, we will be conducting bilateral and multilateral exercises with Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 36369 Guyana: Politics and Government, what steps have been taken by the Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana to support Guyana's territorial integrity.

The Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana (CMGG) met on 3 September 2024 to discuss developments in the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela. The group reiterated its support for Guyana's territorial integrity and for the ongoing International Court of Justice process. The Group also encouraged the Commonwealth Secretary-General to continue to use her Good Offices to support Guyana in upholding its territorial integrity. On 2 March 2025, the Secretary-General firmly condemned the entry of a Venezuelan coast guard vessel into Guyanese waters. Commonwealth support for Guyana's territorial integrity was also amplified by the Leaders' Statement following the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2024.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 36369 on Guyana: Politics and Government, what steps he plans to take with international counterparts to de-escalate tensions related to Guyana's territorial integrity.

The Foreign Secretary reiterated UK support for Guyana's territorial integrity on 2 March following the incursion of a Venezuelan coast guard vessel into Guyanese waters. The Joint Statement of the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Charlevoix further underlined support for Guyana. The UK will continue to work with our international partners to de-escalate tensions and underline support for the ongoing International Court of Justice process, for which Venezuela is due to submit their final written submission in August, as the lawful means of resolving this controversy.

Whether his Department plans to provide additional funding for domestic plasma collection; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of such funding on supply chains, in the context of the UK’s reliance on US plasma imports.

The Department, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), and NHS England are working in partnership to develop a more sufficient and resilient supply of plasma, reducing the need for reliance on imports of plasma derived medicines.A new end-to-end supply chain has been built, enabling the first National Health Service patients to receive life-saving plasma treatments made from the blood of United Kingdom donors in March, and increasing self-sufficiency for plasma derived medicines, specifically for immunoglobulins, from 0% to 25% self-sufficiency, and for albumin, from 0% to 80% self-sufficiency.NHSBT has incorporated plasma collection into its business model, enabling growth in domestic plasma collection. This includes the use of modern automated collection technologies, used to enhance efficiency and consistency in the donation process. NHSBT is currently exploring future locations to expand its collection footprint and develop more donor centres.Plasma collection is benefitting from the Department’s investment in NHSBT’s work to increase blood collection capacity and resilience, as plasma is collected from whole blood donations as well as dedicated plasma donation.

Whether his Department plans to provide additional funding for plasma (a) collection and (b) automation technologies; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of such funding on the resilience of plasma-derived medicine supply chains.

The Department, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), and NHS England are working in partnership to develop a more sufficient and resilient supply of plasma, reducing the need for reliance on imports of plasma derived medicines.A new end-to-end supply chain has been built, enabling the first National Health Service patients to receive life-saving plasma treatments made from the blood of United Kingdom donors in March, and increasing self-sufficiency for plasma derived medicines, specifically for immunoglobulins, from 0% to 25% self-sufficiency, and for albumin, from 0% to 80% self-sufficiency.NHSBT has incorporated plasma collection into its business model, enabling growth in domestic plasma collection. This includes the use of modern automated collection technologies, used to enhance efficiency and consistency in the donation process. NHSBT is currently exploring future locations to expand its collection footprint and develop more donor centres.Plasma collection is benefitting from the Department’s investment in NHSBT’s work to increase blood collection capacity and resilience, as plasma is collected from whole blood donations as well as dedicated plasma donation.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve the welfare of livestock undergoing slaughter.

The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter. A post implementation review of The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015 is underway and should be completed this year There are long standing animal welfare concerns with high concentration carbon dioxide gas stunning of pigs. We recently commissioned the Animal Welfare Committee to provide an up to date and comprehensive animal welfare assessment of the evidence on high concentration carbon dioxide stunning of pigs and potential alternative stunning methods. We are also tracking the progress of the EU PigStun project, which is seeking to develop non-aversive stunning systems for pigs. Results from this project are expected this year. Research has shown that pigs do not avoid an environment containing high concentrations of inert gases, such as argon. However, there are practical constraints to the use of inert gas mixtures for slaughter that have restricted commercial uptake so far. These include the need to expose pigs for longer periods of time in the inert gas mixture for unconsciousness to last until death. We accept that there is a pressing need to address the welfare concerns associated with high concentration carbon dioxide stunning of pigs and look forward to receiving the Animal Welfare Committee’s report.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to phase out the use of carbon dioxide in the slaughter of pig livestock.

The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter. A post implementation review of The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015 is underway and should be completed this year There are long standing animal welfare concerns with high concentration carbon dioxide gas stunning of pigs. We recently commissioned the Animal Welfare Committee to provide an up to date and comprehensive animal welfare assessment of the evidence on high concentration carbon dioxide stunning of pigs and potential alternative stunning methods. We are also tracking the progress of the EU PigStun project, which is seeking to develop non-aversive stunning systems for pigs. Results from this project are expected this year. Research has shown that pigs do not avoid an environment containing high concentrations of inert gases, such as argon. However, there are practical constraints to the use of inert gas mixtures for slaughter that have restricted commercial uptake so far. These include the need to expose pigs for longer periods of time in the inert gas mixture for unconsciousness to last until death. We accept that there is a pressing need to address the welfare concerns associated with high concentration carbon dioxide stunning of pigs and look forward to receiving the Animal Welfare Committee’s report.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve biosecurity for farmed animals.

Robust measures are in place to maintain and improve our ability to understand, detect, prevent, respond and recover from outbreaks. We monitor for new and emerging threats to our biosecurity through our Veterinary Risk Group (VRG) and the Human and Animal Infections Risk Surveillance (HAIRS) Group. We are also promoting best practice while providing practical support to livestock keepers in England through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. As part of the Pathway cattle, sheep and pig keepers can apply for funded visits by their choice of vet.Alongside access to disease testing and advice on improving the health, welfare and productivity of their animals these visits are a chance to get bespoke advice on improving biosecurity that reflects the circumstances on each individual farm. We will also be opening a further application window of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund this spring. This includes £16.7 million of funding towards the costs of a list of items that improve the health and welfare of livestock, with a range of items that can also be used to improve biosecurity on farms. When outbreaks of exotic notifiable disease do occur Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) stand up their established outbreak structures to control and eradicate disease, restore normal trade, and assist recovery.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the use of argon gas in the slaughter of livestock.

The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter. A post implementation review of The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015 is underway and should be completed this year There are long standing animal welfare concerns with high concentration carbon dioxide gas stunning of pigs. We recently commissioned the Animal Welfare Committee to provide an up to date and comprehensive animal welfare assessment of the evidence on high concentration carbon dioxide stunning of pigs and potential alternative stunning methods. We are also tracking the progress of the EU PigStun project, which is seeking to develop non-aversive stunning systems for pigs. Results from this project are expected this year. Research has shown that pigs do not avoid an environment containing high concentrations of inert gases, such as argon. However, there are practical constraints to the use of inert gas mixtures for slaughter that have restricted commercial uptake so far. These include the need to expose pigs for longer periods of time in the inert gas mixture for unconsciousness to last until death. We accept that there is a pressing need to address the welfare concerns associated with high concentration carbon dioxide stunning of pigs and look forward to receiving the Animal Welfare Committee’s report.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to uphold welfare standards for imported livestock.

When animals are transported into Great Britain, their transportation must comply fully with legal requirements aimed at protecting their welfare. The rules relating to the commercial transportation of animals are set out in assimilated Regulation (EC) 1/2005 and The Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006, with equivalent domestic regulations in Wales and Scotland. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) acts as a national regulator for the welfare of animals in transport rules and is able to take regulatory action following non-compliance. This can include suspension or revocation of transporter authorisations. APHA works closely with its local authority enforcement partners to support enforcement action and prosecution of those involved in breaches of the welfare in transport legislation.

What steps she is taking to support legal professionals reliant on legal aid fees.

This Government is committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of both the civil and criminal legal aid sectors and we are keen to work closely with practitioners and their representative bodies to look at how best we can address this.Regarding criminal legal aid, in November 2024 we announced our response to the Crime Lower consultation. We confirmed an uplift to the lowest police station fees, introduced a new Youth Court fee scheme, and subsidised for travel time in certain circumstances. Together, these changes amount to a £24 million investment for criminal legal aid providers.In addition, in December 2024, we announced that criminal legal aid solicitors will receive up to £92 million more a year to help address the ongoing challenges in the criminal justice system. The precise allocation of this funding is subject to consultation. We are committed to continuing to work with the criminal legal aid profession on further opportunities for reform this Parliament and to support the overall sustainability, diversity, and efficiency of the system.In respect of civil legal aid, the Ministry of Justice has recently undertaken a comprehensive review of civil legal aid and concluded a consultation on uplifts to housing & debt and immigration & asylum legal aid fees, which will inject an additional £20 million into the sector each year once fully implemented. We are currently reviewing consultation responses and will publish our response. We will continue to consider the fees paid in other categories of civil legal aid, and the wider themes from the Review, in order to support the long-term sustainability of the civil legal aid sector.