Every parliamentary written question tabled by Fleur Anderson this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 61–80 of 88 · this parliament
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of UK sanctions on Sudanese military actors in stopping conflict in Sudan.
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 5 February. We keep the impact of all our sanctions designations under constant review.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what her planned timetable is for disbursing the humanitarian assistance package for El Fasher.
In response to the humanitarian crisis in El Fasher, the Foreign Secretary announced on 1 November a £5 million uplift to UK humanitarian support, including £3 million to the UN-led Sudan Humanitarian Fund and £2 million to the International Rescue Committee. We also mobilised £23 million in existing UK humanitarian aid to further support the emergency response in North Darfur. In total, the UK has provided £146 million in this financial year.The distribution of our funding is ongoing and we continue to work through a combination of multilateral organisations, international non-governmental organisations, and local responders to ensure that our support reaches those most in need, including people in hard-to-reach areas such as El Fasher, delivering life-saving food and health assistance, as well as support for survivors of sexual violence through partners such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Sudan Humanitarian Fund, and Cash Consortium Sudan.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the ratification of the Global Ocean Treaty.
Following Royal Assent of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act (BBNJ), further secondary legislation is required before the BBNJ Agreement can be ratified by the UK. This will happen when the parliamentary timetable allows.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking through the (a) the Quad and (b) other diplomatic routes to help find a cessation to conflict in Sudan.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 21 January in response to Questions 106571-78.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in South Kordofan, Sudan; and what steps she is taking to help protect (a) civilians and (b) access to aid in South Kordofan.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 21 January in response to Questions 106571-78.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of reports of UK arms export licences being linked to the conflict in Sudan; and whether she plans to suspend any UK arms export licences linked to arms use in Sudan, including via intermediaries.
I refer the Hon. Member to the responses provided in the Urgent Question debate on the Conflict in Sudan on 5 November 2025, where these issues were discussed at length.
Food and Rural Affairs, if she will convene an expert group of industry representatives, animal welfare organisations and other stakeholders to advise on developing a method of production labelling scheme.
As set out in the Government’s animal welfare strategy, the department is committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, Defra will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare. The Government will set out next steps in due course.
Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made on developing the proposals in the 2024 Fairer Food Labelling consultation.
As set out in the animal welfare strategy, the Government is committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, the department will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare. Defra will set out next steps in due course. The Government will continue to review origin labelling and aim to use the outcomes of the Fairer Food Labelling consultation as supporting evidence for future labelling policy.
Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with retailers and animal welfare organisations on introducing method of production labelling on domestic and imported animal products.
The Department engaged with a range of animal welfare stakeholders as part of the development of the animal welfare strategy, which was published in December 2025. As set out in the strategy, Defra is committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, we will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare.
What steps his Department is taking to ensure equitable interim access to omaveloxolone for patients with Friedreich’s Ataxia.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend on 3 December to Question 95051.
What steps his Department is taking to ensure that contracts awarded to Elbit Systems UK are fully compliant with the United Kingdom's obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
In line with Public Procurement Regulations, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) conducts due diligence checks on its contractors. These include verification of a supplier's financial stability, operational capabilities, and regulatory compliance. Furthermore, the United Kingdom is a signatory to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (‘The Oslo Convention’) which comprehensively prohibits all use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of cluster munitions. The Department has no contracts with Elbit Systems UK for Cluster Munitions.
Whether he has made an assessment to confirm that Elbit Systems UK does not produce, transfer, or stockpile cluster munitions within the UK.
In line with Public Procurement Regulations, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) conducts due diligence checks on its contractors. These include verification of a supplier's financial stability, operational capabilities, and regulatory compliance. Furthermore, the United Kingdom is a signatory to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (‘The Oslo Convention’) which comprehensively prohibits all use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of cluster munitions. The Department has no contracts with Elbit Systems UK for Cluster Munitions.
What steps his Department is taking to conduct a review of JCVI eligibility criteria and to reinstate free Covid‑19 vaccinations for all clinically vulnerable people, in line with the existing approach to NHS flu vaccinations.
The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19.The JCVI has advised that population immunity to COVID-19 has been increasing due to a combination of naturally acquired immunity following recovery from infection and vaccine-derived immunity. COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.The focus of the JCVI advised programme has moved towards targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are the oldest adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.The Government has accepted the JCVI advice for autumn 2025 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to the following groups:- adults aged 75 years old and over;- residents in care homes for older adults; and- individuals aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed, as defined in the ‘immunosuppression’ sections of tables 3 or 4 in the COVID-19 chapter of the UK Health Security Agency Green Book.Although seasonal flu and COVID-19 can both cause severe disease, they differ in their epidemiology and pathology. As such, the population groups at higher risk of severe disease will not necessarily be the same for each pathogen and the JCVI has considered each programme individually.The JCVI keeps all vaccination programmes under review.
Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department has taken under the Replacing Animals in Science strategy to establish a clear timeline for phasing out all animal experiments.
I refer the hon. Member for Putney to the answer given on 1 December 2025 to Question UIN 92600.
What steps his department is taking to expand the roll out surveillance programmes to (a) identify people at highest risk of pancreatic cancer and (b) support earlier diagnosis.
Earlier diagnosis of cancers, including pancreatic cancer, is a priority for the Government. NHS England is working on case-finding approaches for less survivable cancers, where the evidence suggests this is appropriate. This includes a public-facing Family History Checker, which enables people, and their families, affected by pancreatic cancer to self-assess if they may inherit risk. Individuals identified as being at risk are referred directly to the European Registry of Hereditary Pancreatic Diseases research trial, which aims to understand inherited conditions of the pancreas. Referrals to the trial can be made by any healthcare professional across all health sectors or by individuals via self-referral, contributing to a centralised approach to case-finding.The National Disease Registration Service has developed the National Inherited Cancer Predisposition Register (NICPR), which launched on 30 June. The NICPR looks at a wide range of cancers for which there is an increased inherited risk, including for less survivable cancers. It aims to identify high-risk individuals who are eligible for targeted screening and surveillance and will act as an electronic referral route into national screening programmes, where these exist.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reports of animal welfare breaches at Cranswick farms on the appointment of Tim Smith to the Food Strategy Advisory Board.
Defra is committed to upholding high standards across the food system, including in relation to animal welfare. I was extremely concerned to see allegations and footage of animal welfare and environmental abuse at Cranswick farms. The film taken and shared by animal justice groups showed animal welfare treatment that was clearly unacceptable. As such, I met with Tim Smith, chairman of Cranswick plc, to discuss these matters. I was reassured that Cranswick has taken swift and comprehensive remedial action in response to these incidents, including implementation of recommendations in an independent review into animal welfare and husbandry practices led by a senior veterinarian. The Food Strategy Advisory Board is a small group of senior leaders who represent a wealth of experience and important elements within the food system and reflect the diversity of the sector. Members do not represent their business interests. Membership is kept under review.
What assessment his department has made of the potential merits of a national rollout of community diagnostic centres to improve access to primary care services for people with pancreatic cancer.
The Department remains committed to improving access to cancer diagnostic services and treatment, including for harder to diagnose tumour types such as pancreatic cancer.The Government’s continued investment in community diagnostic centres (CDCs) enables the National Health Service to now deliver additional checks, tests, and scans at 170 CDCs, all of which deliver services 12 hours a day, seven days a week. This will enable the NHS to diagnose cancer faster and ensure that cancer patients, including those with pancreatic cancer, have timely access to primary care services.
What economic analysis her Department has undertaken on expansion at Heathrow.
The current Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) and its supporting documents provide an economic assessment of a new northwest runway at Heathrow.On 22 October, the Secretary of State for Transport launched a review of the ANPS. As part of the review, the Department for Transport will develop updated analysis on the economic impacts of expansion at Heathrow, and the outputs will be published alongside any amends to the ANPS for consultation by summer 2026. Any promoter will then need to prepare and submit a development consent order, including their own analysis, for expansion for consideration by the Planning Inspectorate and the Secretary of State for Transport.
What is the estimated cost of road and rail upgrades required to facilitate Heathrow expansion.
The cost of any rail and road infrastructure associated with Heathrow Expansion will be developed and funded by the promoters of the scheme.
When her Department will publish updated aviation forecasts.
Updated aviation forecasts are being developed to support the review of the ANPS and will be published alongside the outcome of the review.