One person without a roof over their head is one too many.

There is a firm commitment across government to delivering more social and genuinely affordable homes, underpinned by the £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme (2021-26) which will deliver tens of thousands of new homes. You may be interested to know that the Government has proposed amending national planning guidance to make clear that local planning authorities should place greater importance on social rent. In addition, the Government’s ‘Ending Rough Sleeping for Good’ strategy makes clear that increasing the affordability and security of housing is an important part of its work to prevent homelessness and rough sleeping. The Government’s commitment to doing so includes delivering a fairer private rented sector and supporting more stable tenancies. For example, the Renters (Reform) Bill will abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, which can cause uncertainty and worry for households. 

The Government is committed to reducing the need for temporary accommodation by preventing homelessness before it occurs. Since 2018, over 640,000 households have been prevented from becoming homeless or supported into settled accommodation through the Homelessness Reduction Act.

It is important to raise standards in rented homes, which the Government’s plans to apply the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector and strengthen local councils’ enforcement powers to help target criminal landlords is positive. When it comes to housing rights, the Government is making changes to the legal aid means test that will significantly expand legal aid eligibility. The Government is investing up to £10 million each year through the creation of a Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service. As of 1st August 2023, this is enabling people facing the loss of their home to receive early legal advice on housing, debt and welfare benefits issues as well as representation in court.

DS

The Government has recognised the public concern around the testing on animals of chemicals used as ingredients in cosmetics.  The Government has introduced measures that ensure no new licences will now be granted for animal testing of chemicals that are exclusively intended to be used as ingredients in cosmetics products. Further, the Government is also undertaking a review at pace on the effective administration of the ban over the longer term. This will give due regard of the needs of the science industry, the need to ensure worker and environmental safety, and the need to protect animals from unnecessary harm.

More broadly, the Government is actively committed to supporting and funding the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs). This is primarily through funding from the UK Research and Innovation for the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs) who have committed £31.6 million for research and innovation into replacements technologies in the past five years, and to ensure that the UK has a robust and regulatory system for licensing animal studies. The NC3Rs are on tract to meet their commitment to invest 75 per cent of their research and innovation budge on replacement technologies by the end of 2024.

DS

Mental health should be treated on a par with physical health. That is why the Government’s proposals to bring forward reforms to the MHA are the right thing to do. The Government is reviewing the outcome of the Joint Committee on the Draft Mental Health Bill’s pre-legislative scrutiny report on the draft Bill, and will respond in due course.

There is disappointment that a Bill was not included in the recent King’s Speech. However, the Government remains committed to bringing forward a Mental Health Bill when Parliamentary time permits.

In the meantime, the Government will continue to take forward non-legislative commitments to improve the care and treatment of people detained under the Act. This includes continuing to pilot models of Culturally Appropriate Advocacy, providing tailored support to hundreds of people from ethnic minorities to better understand their rights when they are detained under the MHA.

The commitment to achieve parity of esteem is also reflected in the historic levels of investment the Government is putting into NHS mental health services. The £2.3 billion of additional funding per year by March 2024 will expand and transform mental health services, enabling two million additional people to benefit from mental health support.

The Government has also recognised the need to improve the mental health estate. The NHS is on track with a commitment to eradicate dormitories in mental health inpatient care by next year, replacing them with single-patient rooms which improve dignity and outcomes for patients.

The Government is also prioritising investment to improve care for people undergoing a mental health crisis, with £150 million capital investment in 50 schemes including crisis cafes, crisis houses, and new and improved health-based places of safety which provide a safe space for people detained by the police. 

Earlier this summer the Government also published a suicide prevention strategy – with an ambitious commitment to see the suicide rate fall within 2.5 years.

DS

Around a million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction and the abundance, diversity and connectivity of species is declining faster than at any time in human history. Ministers take the welfare of all animals extremely seriously and are committed to strengthening and supporting long-term conservation of animals both internationally and at home.

In 2019, the Government held a consultation on the scale and impact of the import and export of hunting trophies. Over 44,000 responses to the call for evidence and consultation were received and 85 per cent of responses were in favour of further action. The Government’s response to the consultation set out plans to ban imports of hunting trophies from thousands of endangered and threatened species.

The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill was introduced to Parliament in June 2022 as a Private Member’s Bill to ban the import of hunting trophies from around 6,000 species, including lions, elephants, rhinos, and polar bears. The Government was disappointed that despite the overwhelming support from MPs and the public, this Bill failed to progress through Committee stage in the House of Lords in the last parliamentary session. Accepting the amendments proposed by Peers would have undermined the Government’s important commitment in this area.

While your comments about this issue are noted, the Government remains committed to delivering on the manifesto pledge to ban the import of hunting trophies, and Ministers will continue to explore ways to bring this forward.

DS

Thanks. The Government is fully committed to ensuring that older people can live with the dignity and respect they deserve. In April, the State Pension was increased by 10.1 per cent, in line with inflation. As a result, the full yearly amount of the basic State Pension will be over £3,050 higher, in cash terms, than in 2010.

Regarding your specific concerns, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is required by law to undertake an annual review of benefits and the State Pension. The outcome of this review will be announced in the year following the publication of the relevant indices by the Office for National Statistics, and the new rates will enter into force from April 2024.

Additionally, while your concerns about the eligibility requirements of the Cost of Living Payments are noted, the Government is providing substantial support for pensioners through the welfare system.

At the Autumn Statement 2022, the Government announced a substantial support package for the most vulnerable for 2023/24, including £300 Cost-of-Living Payments for pensioners; £150 for people on disability benefits; and £900 for people on means-tested benefits, including the 1.4 million pensioners currently in receipt of Pension Credit.

Alongside this, all households, including pensioner households, will benefit from the Government’s Energy Price Guarantee (EPG). This guarantee limits the amount consumers can be charged per unit of gas or electricity. The current price guarantee, set at £3,000, will support households until April 2024. Although energy prices are currently below the level at which EPG payments would be made, it will remain in force until the end of March 2024 to protect households from price spikes, putting in place a safety net for the most vulnerable.

Moreover, the Government is providing an additional £1 billion of funding to enable the extension of the Household Support Fund (HSF) this financial year, bringing total funding to £2.5 billion. Since its launch in October 2021, the HSF has issued early 26 million awards to those in need of support.

DS

The Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any protected animal, or to fail to provide for the welfare needs of an animal, including fish. Regulations also require that farmed fish are spared avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations.

Regulation 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing requires that farmed fish are spared avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations but does not include any further requirements. The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015 makes it an offence for any person engaged in the restraint, stunning or killing of an invertebrate to cause avoidable pain, distress or suffering.

As part of the Government’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare, Ministers have been considering improvements that could be made to the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing and asked the Animal Welfare Committee for advice on the killing of farmed fish. The committee has updated its advice from 2014 and the Government will study their recommendations carefully to determine possible next steps, including those around the stunning of farming fish.

Finally, any allegations of welfare or health issues will be investigated by the Animal and Plant Health Agency and the Centre of Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas). Appropriate action is taken against anyone who breaks the law when examples of non-compliance are disclosed.

DS

 The Government is fully committed to ensuring that older people can live with the dignity and respect they deserve, and the State Pension is the foundation of state support for older people. The Triple Lock is Government policy and has been for a long time.

As happens each year, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is required by law to undertake an annual review of benefits and the State Pension. The outcome of that review will be announced in the autumn, following the publication of the relevant indices by the Office for National Statistics in October, and the new rates will take effect from April 2024.

In April, the State Pension saw its biggest ever rise, increasing by 10.1 per cent. The full yearly amount of the basic State Pension is over £3,050 higher, in cash terms, than in 2010. That’s £790 more than if it had been uprated by prices, and £945 more than if it had been uprated by earnings (since 2010).

The Government also provides additional support to older people, which includes the provision of free bus passes, free prescriptions, and Winter Fuel Payments, with Cold Weather Payments for those in receipt of Pension Credit.

DS

The Government does not have any current plans to restrict the days when fireworks can be used, or make all fireworks silent, or reduce the maximum noise level of fireworks to 90 decibels. Ministers support the considerate use of fireworks, as well as any action taken to reduce the risks and disturbances to individuals, animals and property.

There is a noise level limit of 120 decibels on fireworks for home use, which helps to reduce disturbance to both animals and people. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to animals through the misuse of fireworks. Fireworks should not be set off near livestock or close to buildings that house livestock, or near to horses in fields. Anyone planning a firework display in rural areas should warn neighbouring farmers.

Further, retailers are restricted to only selling consumer fireworks during a limited period around specific seasonal celebrations, and retailers may only supply fireworks outside these periods if they obtain a licence from their local licensing authority. Fireworks used for professionally organised displays are only available for sale to people who have undertaken an accredited course of training in pyrotechnics. Enforcement powers exist for local authorities to take action when fireworks are unsafe, sold illegally or misused. Local authorities and the police also have powers to tackle anti-social behaviour caused by the misuse of fireworks.

Finally, the Government published a statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs, which advises dog owners to avoid exercising with dogs during times when fireworks could be let off. The Government has worked with animal welfare groups in previous fireworks seasons to promote the safe and considerate use of fireworks.

DS

The Government has a legally binding target to halt the decline of nature by 2030, which requires action in our protected sites as vital wildlife havens. In its Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP), the Government restated the commitment to restore 75 per cent of protected sites to a favourable condition by 2042, while also setting an interim target to put us on the right path to achieving this goal by 31 January 2028.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) worked closely with Natural England in setting the interim targets in the EIP and consulted widely on the legally binding targets set out in 2022. Defra continues to work closely with Natural England to achieve both of these commitments.

Further, through the Sustainable Farming Incentive, farmers are paid for actions that support food production and improve farm productivity and resilience, while also protecting and improving the environment. This includes actions relating to soil health, hedgerow management, providing food and habitats for wildlife, and managing pests and nutrients.

When adopted at scale by farmers, these actions will make a significant contribution to the Government’s environment and climate targets, and support objectives to maintain food production and improve farm productivity. This includes the aim published in the EIP of between 65 and 80 per cent of landowners and farmers adopting nature-friendly farming on at least 10 to 15 per cent of their land by 2030.

Regarding green jobs, the UK has attracted around £120 billion investment in renewables since 2010 and is expected to attract a further £100 billion investment in net zero by 2030, supporting up to 480,000 jobs. The Government is providing investors with long-term certainty over policy and regulatory frameworks to unlock investment and create jobs in green industries such as hydrogen, carbon capture, offshore wind and nuclear.

Additionally, any decision to modify our tax regime is a matter for the Treasury and careful consideration will be given to any proposed amendments.

Finally, access to open spaces and nature is important for the health and wellbeing of our communities, and Ministers have set a new ambition that everyone should live within 15 minutes’ walk of a green or blue space. Through the £14.5m ‘Access for All’ programme, the Government has targeted measures to improve access to our protected landscapes and countryside. Defra is also working to complete the England Coast Path, which will be the longest waymarked and maintained coast walking route in the world. Ministers are also creating large-scale, publicly accessible woodlands near towns and cities.

DS

The Government wants to make it easier for the consumer to purchase food that aligns with their values, by improving transparency and providing the industry with a level playing field to promote such products. The majority of consumers value high standards of animal welfare but this is not always fully reflected in what they purchase.

The Government ran a call for evidence in 2021 to gather data on the impacts of different types of labelling reforms for animal welfare. Over 1,600 responses were received and the evidence suggested that there is public appetite for improved welfare labelling. However, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) does not consider the time is right to consult on proposals to reform labelling for animal welfare.

Ministers intend to continue working with industry to explore how we can harness the market to improve food information for consumers and raise animal welfare standards. As part of this, Defra will continue to gather evidence on the impacts of wide range of market interventions, as well as how they would align with wider labelling proposals such as eco-labelling.

DS