Every parliamentary written question tabled by Manuela Perteghella this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 61–80 of 441 · this parliament
Whether the Government plans to extend free school milk provision in 2026 to the additional 500,000 children newly eligible for free school meals.
I refer the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon to the answer of 2 February 2026 to Question 108822.
Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance is available to musicians to ensure compliance with CITES Appendix I and II species rules when travelling for performances.
Guidance to assist touring musicians in complying with CITES requirements is available at www.gov.uk/guidance/cites-imports-and-exports. Specific queries can be directed to the APHA CITES team Wildlife Licensing mailbox (wildlife.licensing@apha.gov.uk) or by calling the APHA enquiries line (03000 200 301). UK CITES Authorities also hold regular forums for CITES stakeholders including music industry representatives and unions, to provide them with support and guidance on sector-specific queries.
What mechanisms are in place to hold local highway authorities accountable when roads are left unrepaired for extended periods despite being reported as hazardous.
Under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 local highway authorities themselves are responsible for maintaining their network and for the delivery of maintenance works. The Act does not set out specific standards of maintenance, as it is for each individual local highway authority to assess which parts of its network need repair and what standards should be applied, based upon their local knowledge and circumstances. Local authorities are accountable to the public for these decisions, as they are democratically elected bodies.
What the average response time is for repairing Category 1 road defects; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure compliance with (i) statutory and (ii) recommended repair times.
The Department does not collect or hold data on local authority response times for repairing Category 1 defects nor are there any statutory or recommended repair times.Local highway authorities are responsible for maintaining their networks under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980. The Act leaves maintenance standards, including when and how quickly to respond Category 1 repairs, to each authority’s judgement. The Code of Practice for Well Managed Highway Infrastructure advocates a risk-based approach and for authorities to take into account local conditions, traffic volumes and safety considerations when making decisions on maintenance programmes and repairs.The Government has confirmed a record investment of £7.3 billion for local highways maintenance over the next four years, with a portion linked to demonstrating best practice.The Department has also introduced a new rating system for local highway authorities. Under this system, all local highway authorities in England received a red, amber or green rating based on road condition, spending and use of best practice. The system encourages preventative maintenance and helps the Department target support, which is being offered to help councils improve their ratings and road conditions.
Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to publish a timetable for introducing a ban on the import of foie gras.
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. Defra is continuing to consider the evidence and options in relation to foie gras.
Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will introduce a ban on the importation of foie gras into the UK during this Parliament.
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. Defra is continuing to consider the evidence and options in relation to foie gras.
For what reason assisted conception services are excluded from the exemption from NHS charges for people in the UK under (a) the Homes for Ukraine and (b) Ukraine Permission to Extend visa schemes.
Assisted conception services often require long-term treatment, lasting months or years, which does not align with the short-term nature of all visas that are covered by the Immigration Health Surcharge, including the Homes for Ukraine and Ukraine Permission Extension Schemes. There are currently no plans to amend the NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015.
What consideration he has given to amending the NHS Charges to Overseas Visitors Regulations 2015 to remove the exclusion of assisted conception services for Ukrainian nationals who are lawfully resident in the UK under (a) the Homes for Ukraine and (b) Ukraine Permission to Extend visa schemes.
Assisted conception services often require long-term treatment, lasting months or years, which does not align with the short-term nature of all visas that are covered by the Immigration Health Surcharge, including the Homes for Ukraine and Ukraine Permission Extension Schemes. There are currently no plans to amend the NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle organised crime networks involved in fly-tipping in rural areas.
This Government is making the necessary policy and regulatory reforms to close the loopholes being exploited by waste criminals. Key reforms include carrier, broker, dealer reform, waste permit exemption reform and the introduction of digital waste tracking. Defra believes these reforms are the best way to drive criminality out of the waste sector whether in urban or rural communities. The Government has increased the Environment Agency’s (EA) budget for waste crime enforcement by over 50% this year to £15.6 million. The EA-hosted Joint Unit for Waste Crime has nearly doubled in size thanks to our extra funding and its UK-wide partnership work with the EA, HM Revenue & Customs, National Crime Agency, the police and others continues to share intelligence, powers and resources to disrupt waste criminals. However, the Government recognises that there can be challenges in responding to rural crime. That is why the Government collaborated with the National Police Chiefs’ Councils to deliver their renewal of the Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy, which was published in November. The strategy, lasting until 2028, will ensure efforts to reduce crime benefit every community no matter where they live, including rural communities.
What steps he is taking to help tackle the harm caused by sodium valproate to people in (a) England, (b) Warwickshire, and (c) Stratford-on-Avon.
Everyone who has been harmed from sodium valproate has our deepest sympathies.The Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review, First Do No Harm, identified significant shortcomings in National Health Service care pathways for people harmed by sodium valproate, including fragmented services, limited diagnostic expertise, delays in diagnosis, and inequitable access to multidisciplinary care.In response, NHS England has commissioned a Fetal Exposure to Medicines Services Pilot, being delivered by the NHS in Newcastle and Manchester. The pilot provides multidisciplinary diagnostic assessment and is informing the development of improved care pathways, better coordination of care, and reduced reliance on emergency care. Findings from the pilot will inform future decisions on the commissioning of services, subject to funding.The Government is also carefully considering the Patient Safety Commissioner’s recommendations made in the Hughes Report, which includes proposed approaches to redress for those harmed by sodium valproate. I recently met the Patient Safety Commissioner to provide an update on the ongoing health initiatives led by the Department regarding sodium valproate and pelvic mesh, and agreed to providing an update on her report recommendations in due course.
Food and Rural Affairs, what the policy reason is for limiting avian influenza vaccination to birds kept in zoological settings.
Given the role of zoos in global conservation, vaccination of zoo birds is permitted in England subject to eligibility criteria. Existing vaccines can only be administered via injection, which rules out widespread use in wild birds. While vaccination can reduce mortality, vaccinated birds may still transmit avian influenza, increasing the time needed to detect and eradicate the virus. The cross-Government and industry Avian Influenza Vaccination Taskforce develops recommendations for the use of vaccination to prevent the spread of avian influenza. In their initial report the Taskforce considered that sector specific vaccination in poultry is likely to be the most effective approach and set out a series of next steps to gather more information. A follow-up report will be published in summer 2026. Defra’s policy on the use of avian influenza vaccines, together with sector-specific guidance for zoos and other collections with a zoo licence on how to apply for authorisation to vaccinate against avian influenza, is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/avian-influenza-bird-flu-vaccination.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered treating static populations of wild birds, including swans and wildfowl that remain in defined local areas, as eligible for vaccination against avian influenza.
The use of avian influenza vaccination in kept and wild birds is controlled by legislation. Defra’s and Welsh Government’s policy on vaccination is set out in the Notifiable Avian Disease Control Strategy for Great Britain and Defra’s Avian influenza (bird flu) vaccination guidance. The cross Government and industry avian influenza vaccination task force develops recommendations for the use of vaccination to prevent the spread of avian influenza in the UK. Defra and Welsh Government have no plans to vaccinate the wild bird population against avian influenza. In England, the vaccination of birds against avian influenza, except those kept in licensed zoos in England subject to authorisation by the Animal and Plant Health Agency, is not currently permitted. High standards of biosecurity, separation of poultry and other captive birds from wild birds, and careful surveillance for signs of disease remain the most effective means of controlling avian influenza. In practice, existing vaccines can only be administered via injection. This precludes widespread use in wild birds. While vaccination can reduce mortality, it is likely that some vaccinated birds would still be capable of transmitting avian influenza if they became infected.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has assessed a risk of localised extinction of swan populations as a result of outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza in (a) England, (b) Warwickshire, and (c) Stratford-on-Avon.
Defra recognises the significant threat avian influenza poses to wild birds and the impact this is having on these important species. The Animal and Plant Health Agency undertake year-round surveillance of avian influenza in wild birds across Great Britain, reporting findings on GOV.UK and on their interactive map and dashboard. Alongside surveillance, long-term population monitoring and targeted research is crucial to understanding the impacts of avian influenza on England and Wales’s wild bird populations. While Defra has not carried out an assessment of risk of local extinction in the named areas, information on wild bird population monitoring schemes run by Government agencies and partner organisations, as well as the Defra and Welsh Government approach to avian influenza in wild birds, can be found in the Mitigation Strategy for Avian Influenza in Wild Birds in England and Wales.
With reference to the University of Manchester article entitled The right to play: making play a policy and practice priority, what steps her Department is taking to safeguard (a) break and (b) lunchtimes in schools as vital times for children’s free play.
Play is an essential part of children’s physical, social and cognitive development, as recognised in the ‘early years foundation stage’ statutory framework. It is for schools, governing bodies and academy trusts to ensure the school day includes opportunities for social interaction, physical activity and enrichment. Government guidance sets out an expectation that the school week in all state-funded mainstream schools should be at least 32.5 hours including breaks. This helps ensure that schools have sufficient time to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum, alongside opportunities for play and wider enrichment.Regulations require schools maintained by a local authority to structure the school day with a morning session and an afternoon session, separated by a midday break. This lunch break is an important and protected part of the day, offering pupils time to rest, socialise and play. The precise way in which the school day is structured is a matter for schools themselves.
If she will make an assessment of the recommendations from The University of Manchester article entitled The right to play: making play a policy and practice priority published in September 2025.
Play is an essential part of children’s physical, social and cognitive development, as recognised in the ‘early years foundation stage’ statutory framework. It is for schools, governing bodies and academy trusts to ensure the school day includes opportunities for social interaction, physical activity and enrichment. Government guidance sets out an expectation that the school week in all state-funded mainstream schools should be at least 32.5 hours including breaks. This helps ensure that schools have sufficient time to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum, alongside opportunities for play and wider enrichment.Regulations require schools maintained by a local authority to structure the school day with a morning session and an afternoon session, separated by a midday break. This lunch break is an important and protected part of the day, offering pupils time to rest, socialise and play. The precise way in which the school day is structured is a matter for schools themselves.
Food and Rural Affairs, if she will formally re-establish the Advisory Committee on Packaging as a forum for (a) industry, (b) government and (c) regulators to oversee the operation of the Packaging Recovery Note system.
Defra has no plans to re-establish the Advisory Committee on Packaging in its previous form. However, as part of the forthcoming consultation on Packaging Waste Recycling Note (PRN) reforms, the department will be seeking views on how best to bring together stakeholders including industry, Government, and regulators to advise on the functioning of the PRN system.
In relation to the statutory guidance on fiduciary duties announced during Report stage of the Pension Schemes Bill on 3 December 2025, when he will consult on the guidance; and when the guidance will take effect.
The Government intends to consult formally on draft guidance later this year.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of recent changes to Apprenticeship Levy funding on Level 7 Senior Leader apprenticeships.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57098.
Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on how to balance (a) disability determinations made by (i) the Department for Work and Pensions and (ii) the NHS, and (b) the expressed needs and preferences of applicants when assessing Disabled Facilities Grant applications.
Government guidance for local authorities in England Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) delivery: Guidance for Local Authorities in England sets out best practice local delivery of the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG). It covers the eligibility criteria, the application process, and the statutory timeframes for both approvals and delivery. It also covers the grant means test, including that an applicant can be passported through the means test if they are already in receipt of means tested welfare benefits. The guidance explains the local flexibilities available to authorities in delivering the grant, such as waiving the means test or fast-tracking the delivery of the grant in certain cases, with publication of a local housing assistance policy, and outlines best practice partnership working between housing, health, and other relevant local services. MHCLG funds a national body—currently Foundations—to support local authorities in the with their delivery of DFGs. Foundations provides practical support, advice, and training, and helps authorities develop or update their local housing assistance policies. Further information is available on their website: https://www.foundations.uk.com
Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of changing Feed-in Tariffs scheme indexation from RPI to CPI on (a) domestic, (b) community energy and (c) commercial installations.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon Friend the Member for Truro and Falmouth (Jayne Kirkham) on 18 December 2025 to Question 100172. Updated analysis has since been published alongside the Government Response.