Written questions by Duncan-Jordan.

Whether her Department will undertake a review of the necessity of using dogs in regulatory testing across all sectors.

The Government is committed to supporting the uptake and development of alternative methods to the use of animals in science. The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”, which is a long-term goal.The Home Office assures that, in every research proposal, animals are replaced with non-animal alternatives wherever possible, the number of animals are reduced to the minimum necessary to achieve the result sought, and that, for those animals which must be used, procedures are refined as much as possible to minimise their suffering.Dogs are a specially protected species under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. The Home Office will only grant a project licence for a programme of work using dogs where the purpose of the programme of work specified in the licence can only be achieved by their use, or where it is not practicable to obtain other suitable animals.

What assessment his Department has made with Ofgem of the potential impact of the RIIO2 price control on network company performance.

Through the price control, Ofgem regulates network company investments and sets a fair rate of return to ensure necessary investments can be made. Ofgem utilises a framework of incentives and penalties to drive up performance and is currently considering what changes may be required for future price controls to continue to improve network company performance.

Whether she is taking steps to reduce the Cash ISA allowance.

ISAs are tax-free savings accounts, which incentivise individuals to save and invest. An ISA investor does not pay tax on interest, income, or gains received in an ISA and there is no need to declare any ISA interest, income, or capital gains on a tax return. This is made clear within the self-assessment process. Detailed information on how ISAs operate, and their tax-free status, can be found on GOV.UK and in the promotional and other material provided by ISA managers to prospective customers.The Government recognises the important role that cash savings play in helping households build a financial buffer for a rainy day. The Government also wants to see more consumers participate in capital markets and benefit from the long-term financial security and returns that investing can provide.As with all aspects of the tax system, the Government keeps ISA policy under review.

What steps she has taken to ensure that savers are aware of their tax liabilities in relation to the use of ISAs.

ISAs are tax-free savings accounts, which incentivise individuals to save and invest. An ISA investor does not pay tax on interest, income, or gains received in an ISA and there is no need to declare any ISA interest, income, or capital gains on a tax return. This is made clear within the self-assessment process. Detailed information on how ISAs operate, and their tax-free status, can be found on GOV.UK and in the promotional and other material provided by ISA managers to prospective customers.The Government recognises the important role that cash savings play in helping households build a financial buffer for a rainy day. The Government also wants to see more consumers participate in capital markets and benefit from the long-term financial security and returns that investing can provide.As with all aspects of the tax system, the Government keeps ISA policy under review.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of plant protection product legislation on trends in the level of animal testing on dogs in the last five years.

While we have not made an assessment of the potential impact of plant protection product legislation on trends in the level of animal testing, the UK Government is committed to maintaining a rigorous regulatory system which ensures that animal research and testing is carried out only where no practicable alternatives exist and under controls which keep suffering to a minimum. The GB pesticides regulation (assimilated EU Regulation 1107/2009) requires that any testing on vertebrate animals is undertaken only where no other methods are available and that duplication of tests and studies on vertebrates must be avoided. It is an offence to carry out animal tests in contravention of the regulations. The HSE implement and enforce these requirements as the competent authority for the GB pesticide regulations, acting on behalf of the UK and Devolved Governments in Scotland and Wales.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of requiring private health providers to pay a fee back to the NHS.

No assessment has been made of the merits of private health providers paying a fee back to the National Health Service.Independent healthcare providers do have a role to play to strengthen the overall health service in England. NHS England and the Independent Healthcare Provider Network recently agreed a new Partnership Agreement that supports the use of excess independent sector capacity to help meet the Government’s commitment to tackle elective waiting lists, and to provide the choice of being treated by independent providers, at no cost to patients. The agreement is also clear that independent sector providers will support broader work to grow the overall elective workforce, provide training opportunities, and continue to meet the same high standards expected of all providers.

If she will announce a future funding settlement for the Adoption Support Fund beyond this year.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Poole to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26025.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to publish a response to the consultation entitled the Fur Market in Great Britain, published on 31 May 2021, after the Animal Welfare Committee publishes its review on the responsible sourcing of fur.

The call for evidence on the Fur Market in Great Britain was undertaken by the previous government and next steps will be announced in due course. Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) on what constitutes responsible sourcing of fur. The report that they produce will support our understanding of the fur industry and help inform our next steps.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Animal Welfare Committee’s review of responsible sourcing of fur will be published before second reading of the Fur (Import and Sale) Bill on 13 June 2025.

Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector. The Animal Welfare Committee’s opinion on the sustainable sourcing of fur is due to complete in 2025 and will be published on GOV.UK thereafter. As with all projects, the precise dates for conclusion and publication are not set.

If he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the report by Citizens Advice entitled Debt to society: what the network companies should do with their windfall profits, published on 20 February 2025.

Ofgem recognised that recent higher than expected inflation increased equity value for network companies due to fixed-rate debt financing. In 2023, Ofgem consulted on options to address this and will change the way it regulates network company investment, deliverables and returns, to ensure this issue does not occur in the future. Ofgem considered reclaiming previous excess profits but decided against this to avoid raising the cost of capital and costs for consumers. Ofgem has made clear that it expects network companies to use any inflation benefit to accelerate network upgrades and find additional ways to support consumers struggling with bills.

Food and Rural Affairs, when he will publish the outcomes of his Departments consultation entitled Fairer Food Labelling, which closed in May 2024.

A public consultation on fairer food labelling was undertaken between March and May 2024 by the previous Government. This sought views on proposals to improve and extend current mandatory method of production labelling. The consultation also sought views on whether new rules should be introduced on country-of-origin labelling. We are now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps and will respond to this consultation in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that disabled travellers are not discriminated against when using (a) aircraft, (b) trains and (c) ferries and cruise ships.

Discrimination on transport is not acceptable, and this Government is committed to making our transport networks safe and easy to use, allowing disabled passengers to travel confidently and with dignity. Aviation must be accessible; everyone should be able to fly with dignity and ease. There is specific legislation that prevents discrimination against disabled passengers in air travel, which is enforced by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the UK’s aviation regulator. The Department launched the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group in November that is led by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, bringing together industry and consumer representatives to develop practical and achievable actions to improve aviation accessibility. Similarly accessibility for all rail passengers is at the heart of our passenger-focused approach. Train and station operators are required by their operating licences to establish and comply with an Accessible Travel Policy (ATP) which must be approved by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).  An ATP sets out, amongst other things, the arrangements and assistance that an operator will provide to protect the interests of disabled people using its services and to facilitate such use. Accessible travel also extends to the seas, including crucial lifeline ferry services. Maritime officials and the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) work together to understand passenger needs, through initiatives including the annual passenger surveys. As the designated regulatory National Enforcement Body, the MCA has powers to enforce compliance with the accessibility standards.

With reference to the Annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, Great Britain: 2023, published on 11 September 2024, and to the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, for what reason there was an increase in ‘other dogs’ uses between 2022 and 2023.

The 2023 Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain, provides details of the uses of the animals. The purposes of use of the 205 ‘other dogs’ in experimental procedures are in Table 3.2. The purposes, and numbers of dogs used, are: Basic Research (55 for Immune System, 32 Multisystemic and 47 Ethology, Animal Behaviour and Animal Biology Work), and 71 in Translational/Applied Research: Animal Diseases and Disorders. The baseline numbers of animals used will be dependent on a range of extraneous factors.In all licensed work, the Home Office assures that the minimum number of animals are used, each of which experience the minimum level of harm in achieving the scientific outcome sought.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will re-establish the Department for International Development.

As set out in the 2024 Labour Party manifesto, the Government's plans are to strengthen international development work within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to introduce a moratorium on Section 21 eviction notices until Parliamentary consideration of the Renters' Reform Bill is concluded.

The Renters’ Rights Bill had its second reading in the House of Lords on Tuesday 4 February. The Bill delivers the government’s manifesto commitment to overhaul the regulation of the private rented sector, including by abolishing Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions.We want to see tenants benefit from these reforms as quickly as possible. We have therefore determined to introduce the new tenancy system for the private rented sector in one stage. Upon the commencement date, the new tenancy system will apply to all private tenancies – existing tenancies will become periodic, and any new tenancies will be governed by the new rules.

Media and Sport, what her Department's timetable is for introducing a statutory registration scheme for holiday lets.

Parliament legislated for a registration scheme for short-term lets in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, and we are committed to introducing such a scheme as soon as possible. The initial phase of digital development is now complete, with public testing planned to start in the next 12 months. During this next phase, we will test a working interface with users to ensure our systems are robust and effective before launching a first version of the service.

If she will take steps to ensure that a range of arts subjects are included in the national curriculum.

The current national curriculum includes art and design, music, dance within physical education and drama within English.The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review will seek to deliver a curriculum which is rich and broad, inclusive and innovative, considering how best to support a young person to develop the knowledge and skills needed to thrive. The interim report will be published in early spring and the final report will be published this autumn.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will make additional resources available to the ICC.

The UK is a strong supporter of an effective and independent International Criminal Court (ICC) . This year we are providing support of £13.6 million to the ICC's annual (2025) budget. At present we have no plans to make additional resources available to the ICC.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of taking(a) legislative and (b) regulatory steps to prohibit UK (i) nationals, (ii) companies and (iii) financial institutions from conducting business (A) in and (B) with illegal Israeli settlements.

The UK Government considers Israeli settlements illegal under international law and goods produced in these settlements are not entitled to benefit from tariff and trade preferences under the UK's current trade agreements with the Palestinian Authority and Israel.We support accurate labelling of settlement goods, so as not to mislead the consumer. We routinely update our guidance to British businesses on the Overseas Business Risk website and advise them to bear in mind the UK Government's view on the illegality of settlements under international law when considering their investments and activities in the region.On 15 October, the Foreign Secretary announced new sanctions targeting three illegal settler outposts and four organisations that have supported and sponsored violence against communities in the West Bank. The Government does not comment on future sanctions measures, as to do so would reduce their impact.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that UK (a) defence equipment supplied to and (b) trade with Israel is not used to support the continued presence of Israel in the Palestinian Occupied Territories.

The UK's robust export licensing criteria states that the Government will not issue export licences if there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). In September 2024, following an IHL review, we have suspended certain export licences to Israel where we have assessed there is a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of IHL. We do not encourage or offer support to economic and financial activity in the settlements, and our commitment to a two-state solution is unwavering, as is our commitment to international law. We advise British businesses to consider the UK government's stance towards settlements when considering their investments and activities in the region.