Every parliamentary written question tabled by Maya Ellis this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 41–60 of 116 · this parliament
Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's consultation outcome on fairer food labelling entitled Summary of responses and government response, updated on 12 June 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of introducing method of production labelling on (a) the economy and (b) farm incomes.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Putney, Fleur Anderson, on 29 January 2026, PQ UIN 106592.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of measures taken to raise public awareness of The Countryside Code.
The Department has not conducted a formal effectiveness assessment of action to raise awareness of the Countryside Code. However, through Natural England, we continue to promote the Code via public information campaigns, including educational outreach with schools and wider public campaigns on responsible behaviour such as keeping dogs on leads. Natural England also partnered with Shaun the Sheep as part of a 2023–25 campaign to engage children, young people, and families in learning about the Countryside Code and promoting responsible behaviour around livestock. These initiatives demonstrate our continued efforts to raise awareness of the Countryside Code and communicate its messages to the public, helping to ensure that people enjoy the countryside safely and responsibly.
What steps her Department is taking to secure an exemption to the EU Entry / Exit System for international road hauliers.
The European Union’s (EU) Entry/Exit System (EES) is being implemented by the EU to improve border security. EES does not introduce new restrictions but will replace the current manual system for border checks of the 90 in 180-day (90/180) limit on short stays in the Schengen area which apply to all UK nationals, with a digital version. The 90/180 limit has been in place for UK nationals since 2021, when the transition period following the UK’s exit from the EU ended. EES is not a UK Government initiative. While the UK Government is making every effort to engage with the EU as it rolls out its implementation of EES, any exemptions or amendments to the Schengen immigration rules are a matter for Member States and the EU. The Government will continue to listen to concerns raised by sectors affected by these rules and will advocate for British citizens abroad.
Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will appoint a Minister for Rural Communities.
Ministerial appointments are a matter for the Prime Minister.
What steps his Department is taking to support primary care providers in assessing hereditary cancer risk for people without a clear family history.
Genomic testing in the National Health Service in England is provided through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service and delivered by a national genomic testing network of seven NHS Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs). The NHS GLHs deliver laboratory based genetic testing as directed by the National Genomic Test Directory (the Test Directory), which includes tests for over 7,000 rare diseases and over 200 cancer clinical indications, including both whole genome sequencing (WGS) and non-WGS testing. The Test Directory includes a range of tests for inherited cancer as part of its coverage of rare and inherited disease and cancer related genomic indications. Further information on the Test Directory is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-genomic-test-directories/The Test Directory sets out the eligibility criteria for patients to access testing as well as the genomic targets to be tested, the method that should be used, and the clinical specialities able to request the test. A robust and evidence based process and policy is in place to routinely review the Test Directory and ensure that genomic testing continues to be available for all patients for whom it would be of clinical benefit, while delivering value for money for the NHS. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/genomics/the-national-genomic-test-directory/Qualified general practitioners (GPs) are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge remains up-to-date, and for identifying learning needs across their whole scope of practice. The Royal College of General Practitioners provides a number of resources on cancer prevention, diagnosis, and care for GPs, relevant for the primary care setting.NHS England is supporting GPs in referring cancer patients earlier in various ways. This includes encouraging GP direct access to tests for patients who fall outside of urgent suspected cancer referrals and sharing evidence-based assessments of where cancer recognition and referral guidance could be improved with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, to inform referral updates. NHS England also funds Gateway-C, an early diagnosis education platform aimed at primary care.
How many of the Trusts outlined in the national maternity review were made aware of (a) their inclusion before the review was publicly announced and (b) why they had been chosen to be included in the review.
All trusts were made aware that they had been selected for inclusion in the national maternity and neonatal investigation before it was publicly announced.The Chair’s selection of the trusts for the local reviews has been made with a view to ensure a diverse mix of trusts, including variation in case mix, trust type, and geographic and demographic coverage. By taking this approach, the investigation can capture learning from a wide range of provision and experiences, ensuring the findings are relevant across the system.The rationale of these selected sites has taken into consideration several criteria, including data indicating trusts with poor outcomes or experience, in particular from Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK, or MBRRACE-UK, perinatal mortality rates from 2021 to 2023, and the Care Quality Commission maternity patient survey from 2024.The Chair also considered trusts proposed by bereaved and harmed families who have experienced failures in maternity care.
Whether her Department plans to modify the UK Ancestry visa.
The Government values the UK’s close cultural and historical ties with its fellow Commonwealth countries. This is reflected in our immigration system by the UK Ancestry visa, which allows Commonwealth citizens with a UK-born grandparent to live and work in the UK.The Home Office keeps all visa routes under regular review. While we have no current plans to reform the UK Ancestry route specifically, we have set out a number of proposed reforms to the wider immigration system in the Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May. On 20 November we launched a public consultation on our new earned settlement model, and we encourage interested parties to take part. Details of any changes will be set out in due course in the usual way.
Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to continue funding grant programmes operated by (a) Arts Council England, (b) National Lottery Project Grants and (c) National Portfolio Organisation.
Yes. DCMS plans to continue funding grant programmes operated by Arts Council England (which includes the National Portfolio). Arts Council England also continues to receive funding from the National Lottery, which goes towards supporting a range of programmes including National Lottery Project Grants.
What steps his Department is taking to ensure that every ICB retains its Women’s Health Champion.
The network of women’s health champions brings together senior leaders in women’s health from every integrated care system (ICS) to share best practice to improve women’s health outcomes across the life course and reduce health inequalities. The role is a voluntary commitment.The network continues to meet every one to two months to share insight and discuss best practice on local implementation of women’s health services across ICSs. Meetings continue to be well-attended with insightful, positive discussion. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Patient Safety, Women’s Health and Mental Health also attended the March 2025 Network of Champions meeting and had the opportunity to hear firsthand about their excellent work and ideas for the future.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help support dairy farmers in Ribble Valley constituency.
The UK dairy sector is highly resilient and adaptable and continues to supply healthy and affordable products in spite of the many challenges it has faced in recent years. This Government recognises that food security is national security, and that it requires a resilient and healthy food system that works with nature and supports farmers. That is why we are introducing new deals for farmers to boost rural economic growth and strengthen food security. Ensuring fairness in supply chains is key for UK dairy farmers and supporting the sustainability of the sector. The Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024, which fully came into force on 9 July 2025, improve fairness and transparency, requiring dairy contracts to include clear terms on pricing, termination, and prohibiting unilateral changes.
What steps his Department is taking to help reduce gynaecology waiting lists in Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB.
Reducing waiting lists is a key part of the Government’s Health Mission, and we are committed to cutting waiting times across all specialities and integrated care boards (ICBs). We have committed to returning to the National Health Service constitutional standard, that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029. We are making good progress, with waiting lists cut by over 230,000 since the Government came into office, including nearly 14,000 fewer waits for gynaecology treatment.We also delivered 5.2 million additional appointments between July 2024 and June 2025, exceeding our pledge of two million. However, we know that there is more to do and have confirmed over £6 billion of additional capital investment to expand capacity across diagnostics, electives, and urgent care. This includes expanding the number of surgical hubs, which provide valuable and protected capacity across elective specialities, including gynaecology. As of November 2025, there are 123 operational elective surgical hubs in England, three of which are in the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB. Over half of the 123 provide gynaecology services. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, also committed to:increasing the relative funding available to support gynaecology procedures with the largest waiting lists;ensuring that independent sector providers play a greater role in providing support for the most challenged specialities, such as gynaecology; andreforming and optimising clinical pathways across a number of specialities. In gynaecology, this includes supporting the delivery of innovative models offering patients care closer to home and piloting gynaecology pathways in community diagnostic centres for patients with post-menopausal bleeding.
Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring train operating companies to guarantee an adequate level of family-friendly design on new trains.
In advance of establishing Great British Railways, the Government is developing a long-term rolling stock and infrastructure strategy, which will be the first for over 30 years. The strategy will set out our assessment of the likely long-term future rolling stock needs, and how those needs can best be met. Passengers will be at the heart of the strategy. It will move us towards more consistent and accessible train designs that meet the needs of the passengers that use them, including families.
What guidance his Department provides to pregnant women to ensure they receive adequate information on all four birth settings.
The NHS Long Term Plan and the accompanying guidance, Universal Personalised Care, made commitments to deliver choice and personalised care in maternity services. The NHS Long Term Plan and the Universal Personalised Care guidance are available, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-term-plan/https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/comprehensive-model/The Maternity Programme supports local maternity systems to improve choice and deliver personalised care for women and their families.NHS England has published guidance which sets out the four birthing choices: home birth; birth in a unit run by midwives; hospital birth; and unassisted birth. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/preparing-for-the-birth/where-to-give-birth-the-options/The provision of arrangements for home birth and information on how this is provided is the responsibility of local National Health Service trusts, who are directed as appropriate by their integrated care board.
What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that home birth is presented as an (a) guaranteed and (b) consistently-available option to pregnant women.
The NHS Long Term Plan and the accompanying guidance, Universal Personalised Care, made commitments to deliver choice and personalised care in maternity services. The NHS Long Term Plan and the Universal Personalised Care guidance are available, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-term-plan/https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/comprehensive-model/The Maternity Programme supports local maternity systems to improve choice and deliver personalised care for women and their families.NHS England has published guidance which sets out the four birthing choices: home birth; birth in a unit run by midwives; hospital birth; and unassisted birth. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/preparing-for-the-birth/where-to-give-birth-the-options/The provision of arrangements for home birth and information on how this is provided is the responsibility of local National Health Service trusts, who are directed as appropriate by their integrated care board.
What steps his Department is taking to ensure pregnant women’s access to birthing choice is protected.
The NHS Long Term Plan and the accompanying guidance, Universal Personalised Care, made commitments to deliver choice and personalised care in maternity services. The NHS Long Term Plan and the Universal Personalised Care guidance are available, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-term-plan/https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/comprehensive-model/The Maternity Programme supports local maternity systems to improve choice and deliver personalised care for women and their families.NHS England has published guidance which sets out the four birthing choices: home birth; birth in a unit run by midwives; hospital birth; and unassisted birth. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/preparing-for-the-birth/where-to-give-birth-the-options/The provision of arrangements for home birth and information on how this is provided is the responsibility of local National Health Service trusts, who are directed as appropriate by their integrated care board.
Whether the statutory review of the Groceries Code Adjudicator will consider the feasibility of extending its remit to include (a) farmers supplying via intermediaries and (b) other indirect suppliers affected by retailer practices.
The public consultation to the fourth statutory review of the Groceries Code Adjudicator asked whether there are unfair contractual practices in parts of the supply chain that are not covered by the Groceries Code or the Fair Dealing Regulations under the Agriculture Act 2020, but which are having a negative impact on grocery suppliers.The government is currently considering responses to the consultation, alongside other evidence, and will publish a report on the findings of the review as soon as practicable.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of increasing local housing allowance rates on levels of homelessness in (a) rural and (b) other areas.
The causes of homelessness are multi-faceted and often complex; they interact dynamically making it very difficult to isolate the relative importance of individual factors. We do however work closely with other departments, including MHCLG, to ensure the impacts of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) on homelessness are considered. The Secretary of State considers LHA rates annually at Autumn Budget. Decisions on LHA will be taken in the round considering a range of factors such as rental data, the Government’s missions, its goals on housing and the challenging fiscal context. LHA rates were restored to the 30th percentile of local market rents from April 2024 for one year, costing £1.2bn in 2024/25 and £7bn over 5 years. Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) can be paid by local authorities to those entitled to Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs. DHPs include a ring-fenced pot for the most rural areas
What criteria her Department applies when assessing asylum claims from (a) people with a risk of persecution from the Taliban and (b) other Afghan rights defenders.
All asylum and human rights claims from Afghan nationals are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations.Each individual assessment is made by considering any relevant extant caselaw, the latest available country information, and relevant Asylum Instruction(s), notably Assessing Credibility and Refugee Status.Our assessment of the situation for individuals claiming a fear of the Taliban in Afghanistan is set out in the relevant country policy and information note, which is available on GOV.UK
Communities and Local Government, what support she is providing to protect residential estates that are on unadopted road in the event of inadequate residential management group maintenance.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 80700 on 20 October 2025.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including protections against unfair supermarket practices in the Farming Profitability Review.
Baroness Minette Batters was appointed to complete a review into barriers to profitability in English farming and present her report to the Defra Secretary of State. The review has examined how farmers can embrace innovation, improve productivity and market access, how the supply chain can support a more profitable farming sector through greater transparency, collaboration and a fairer distribution of risk, rewards and responsibility. As set out in the Terms of Reference, the recommendations of the Farming Profitability Review will inform Defra policy including the Farming Roadmap, Food Strategy and Land-use Framework.