The Home Office, working closely with policing, has built a national counter-drone capability to equip police with the capabilities they need to detect and mitigate the illegal or malicious use of drones. These capabilities comprise a range of specialist equipment, vehicles, and personnel to ensure a flexible and effective response across UK policing to any potential drone-related incident.

The public should report any suspicious drone activity by calling 101. They should explain the situation to the call handler, identifying the time and location of the drone. In an emergency, the public should call 999.

Flying a drone safely and within regulations by an appropriately registered pilot is legal in the UK. The Drone and Model Aircraft Code, which gives guidance on the circumstances in which drone flying is and is not illegal, is available from the Civil Aviation Authority’s website.

The National Health Service does not intend to support a default plant-based approach to hospital food. The Government and the NHS understand the importance of patients receiving healthy, nutritious, and balanced food, including fruit, vegetables, and proteins. The NHS’ National Standards for Food and Drink encourage the use of healthier, more sustainable menus that include an increased consumption of fruit, vegetables, and fibre.

The fundamental principle of food labelling rules is that information provided to the consumer must not mislead and must enable the safe use of food so that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy.

While there are no specific rules covering information on the suitability of food for vegetarians or vegans, the requirement that food information must not mislead consumers applies to such labels as for other voluntary labels.

Food labelling rules are enforced by local authorities. The Food Standards Agency has agreements and protocols in place to support local authorities in their work and gives guidance to explain the regulations and how they can be applied to food businesses. When assessing foodstuffs for non-compliance, Trading Standards officers adhere to an established hierarchy of enforcement actions, ranging from improvements notices to criminal charges resulting in custodial sentences and unlimited fines.

For the National Health Service, social care and other health services, the Care Quality Commission regulates providers on compliance with Regulation 14 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. This states that health and social care providers must consider people’s preferences, religious and cultural backgrounds when providing food and drink, and that people must have their nutritional needs assessed as quickly as possible and food be provided to meet the needs identified.

NHS England published updated NHS Food Standards in November 2022. The standards set out that menus should be tailored to meet patient’s dietary requirements and personal preferences. To that end, all hospital sites are expected to prepare and provide menus that meet all necessary types of dietary, religious and cultural needs. Vegetarian and vegan meals and snacks have long been part of this choice, and particularly with the focus on providing lower carbon choices, plant based meals are being provided as an extensive range.

Ethical veganism has previously been found to be a philosophical belief under the Equality Act 2010 by an employment tribunal, in an employment context. While this is not binding in other cases, all employers and service providers, including those who administer care homes and hospitals, should have regard to the differing dietary needs of people who they provide meals to, whether these are determined by health considerations, religious or philosophical belief. Providers should also recognise that food is not the only aspect of how ethical vegans conduct their lives and where possible should ensure that these other aspects are catered for.

Care providers should be aware that service users such as care home residents and ward patients may bring claims under the Act, where they consider they have been treated less favourably because of their belief in ethical veganism. In addition, public sector providers are subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty which requires them, in carrying out their functions, to have due regard to the need to achieve the objectives set out under s149 of the Equality Act 2010 to:

(a) eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010; (b) advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it and (c) foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it. Specific duties, set out in regulations, ensure transparency, and assist in the performance of this duty.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulate care homes as well as other health and care providers. One of the fundamental standards is on nutritional and hydration needs. Please see the link below.

https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-providers/regulations/regulation-14-meeting-nutritional-hydration-needs

I refer the Honourable Member to my response to UIN 1516 on 21 November 2023.

Ethical veganism has previously been found to be a philosophical belief under the Equality Act 2010 by an employment tribunal, in an employment context. While this is not binding in other cases, all employers and service providers, including local authorities, should have regard to the differing dietary needs of people who they provide meals to, whether these are determined by health considerations, religious or philosophical belief. They should be aware that employees or service users may bring claims under the Act, where they consider they have been treated less favourably because of their belief in ethical veganism.

In addition, councils are subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty which requires them, in carrying out their functions, to have due regard to the need to achieve the objectives set out under s149 of the Equality Act 2010 to:

(a) eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010; (b) advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it and (c) foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it. Specific duties, set out in regulations, ensure transparency, and assist in the performance of this duty.

A person who believes that they have experienced discrimination because of a philosophical belief can take their case to a tribunal or court. Before doing so, they may wish to contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS), a Government-funded helpline, which is the initial point of contact for anyone with discrimination concerns. The EASS provides free bespoke advice and in-depth support to individuals with discrimination concerns. The EASS also supports individuals to resolve issues using alternative informal dispute resolution and can advise you on what are the next steps to take when you feel you have been discriminated against. The EASS can also advise people on their options and can be contacted through their website at www.equalityadvisoryservice.com, by telephone on 0808 800 0082 or text phone on 0808 800 0084.

The requirements for the information which must appear on medicines labelling is set out in Part 13 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012. The primary purpose of the label is to unambiguously identify the medicine and to convey warnings in relation to safe and effective use of the product. There is no legal requirement for a pharmaceutical manufacturer to state whether a particular medicine contains animal-derived ingredients, as this does not convey warnings on the safety of the medicine.

However, the legislation allows for the inclusion of a statement such as ‘suitable for vegetarians/vegans’ where a company can provide evidence to demonstrate that no products of animal origin have been used in the manufacture of the ingredients or the medicine. Where a company proposes to include such a statement on the labelling or in the patient information leaflet, the Medicines and Healthcare products regulatory Agency will evaluate the evidence to determine the validity. Medicines are developed to treat or prevent particular medical conditions or symptoms and are licensed on the basis of quality, safety and efficacy. Although there are many medicines free from animal derived materials, no animal-free treatment options exist as the active ingredient cannot be made synthetically or animal derived materials are necessary for the formulation or manufacture of the product. As technology advances, we expect that more non-animal materials will become available.

Part 13 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 states that the primary purpose of the label is to unambiguously identify the medicine and to convey key warning statements in relation to safe and effective use of the product. There is no legal requirement for a pharmaceutical manufacturer to state whether a medicine is suitable for vegetarians or vegans. However, the legislation allows for the inclusion of a statement such as ‘suitable for vegetarians/vegans’ where a manufacturer can provide evidence to demonstrate that no products of animal origin have been used in the manufacture of the ingredients or the medicine. Where such a statement on the labelling or in the patient information leaflet is proposed, the Medicines and Healthcare products regulatory Agency will evaluate the evidence supporting this statement to determine its validity.

Education has a critical role to play in giving all children and young people the knowledge and skills they need to create a greener, more sustainable world, and to tackle both the causes and impact of climate change.

The national curriculum framework sets out the minimum content that schools are expected to teach in each subject. Topics relating to climate change are already taught in subjects such as geography, science and citizenship. Teachers have the flexibility to cover topics in greater depth where they deem it appropriate, including topics such as veganism and fast fashion.

Pupils are taught about healthy eating through the statutory health education curriculum. They should know what constitutes a healthy diet, the characteristics of a poor diet, and risks associated with unhealthy eating, including for example, obesity and tooth decay. Schools are free to teach about the benefits of a vegan diet if they wish to do so.

Healthy eating and opportunities to develop pupils’ cooking skills are also covered in the design and technology (D&T) curriculum. Cooking and nutrition is a discrete strand of the D&T curriculum and is compulsory in maintained schools for key stages 1 to 3. The curriculum aims to teach children how to cook, with an emphasis on savoury dishes, and how to apply the principles of healthy eating and nutrition. We have also introduced a new food preparation and nutrition GCSE to provide pupils with practical cookery experience and teach them about the underlying scientific concepts of nutrition and healthy eating.

As with other aspects of the curriculum, schools have flexibility over how they deliver these subjects, and are able to go into further depth into subjects such as veganism should they wish. Schools can develop an integrated approach that is sensitive to the needs and background of their pupils.

The department has established a unit devoted to climate change and sustainability, and at COP26, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education presented a draft Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy for the Education and Children’s Services. This strategy set out key action to drive excellence in climate education including professional development for science teachers, a model Primary Science Curriculum, and free access to quality teaching resources.

While refining this strategy for publication in April 2022, the unit engaged widely with young people, expert bodies, teachers, and unions. The inclusion of topics connected to climate change and sustainability across the curriculum has been discussed with relevant parties at length. The finalised version of this strategy was published on 21 April 2022.

The standards for school food are set out in the Requirements for School Food Regulations 2014. These ensure that schools provide children with healthy food and drink options, and to make sure that children get the energy and nutrition they need during the school day.

The government encourages all schools to promote healthy eating and to provide healthy, tasty and nutritious food and drink. Compliance with school food standards is mandatory for all maintained schools, including academies and free schools.

The department believes that head teachers, school governors, and caterers are best placed to make decisions about their school food policies, particularly by considering local circumstances and the needs of their pupils. In doing so, the department expects schools to make reasonable adjustments for pupils with particular requirements. For example, this includes reflecting dietary and cultural needs. School food policies work best when schools discuss them with parents and pupils, so that parents can raise pupils’ particular dietary needs.

The government also recognises the valuable contribution plant-based foods and drinks make to the diet, alongside the contribution that fish and animal-based foods and drinks can have. For example, plant-based foods including beans, pulses, and meat and plant-based drinks are included in the government’s Eatwell Guide, accessible here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-eatwell-guide. These foods are highlighted within the food groups of the guide, as they can be considered more environmentally sustainable and promote a diet that is lower in saturated fat and higher in fibre.

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) advises the Government on nutrition related matters. The SACN recognises veganism as a protected characteristic and that evidence on this issue should be considered where identified. The SACN is currently reviewing the scientific basis of current recommendations for complementary and young child feeding up to five years of age; part one, ‘Feeding in the first year of life’, was published in 2018. The second part ‘Feeding young children aged 1 to 5 years’ is due to be published for public consultation in 2022. The review includes consideration of systematic review evidence identified on dietary factors and growth.

A joint SACN/ Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment Working Group was established in autumn 2021 to conduct a benefit and risk analysis on nutritional and toxicological aspects associated with consumption of plant-based drinks in the United Kingdom.

The Government continues to take a portfolio-based approach to Covid-19 vaccine procurement, which monitors the landscape of vaccines in development in the UK and internationally. Although we continue to investigate further potential vaccine candidates worldwide, we are currently not able to give any further information on these candidates owing to commercial sensitivity. If we enter into further agreements, we will publish details of those in the usual manner.

We are keen to ensure we have a vibrant and diverse hospitality sector.

As such, we are continuing to work across the entire hospitality sector with the aim of ensuring it is in a strong position to restart as soon as the conditions are right to ease restrictions.

Defra has not made a specific assessment of the impact of a vegan diet on carbon emissions from agriculture, but our evidence shows that plant-based food products are generally less carbon intensive to produce than livestock products. However, while food choices can have an impact on greenhouse gas emissions, well managed livestock also provide environmental benefits such as supporting biodiversity, protecting the character of the countryside and generating important income for rural communities.

Achieving the net zero target is a priority for the Government, and we are developing a range of measures through the Agriculture Bill, our future farming policy, the National Food Strategy and the 25 Year Environment Plan, all with the aim of enabling farmers to optimise sustainable food production, reduce emissions from agriculture and allow consumer choices to drive those changes.

Further to the answer I gave to PQ HL2142, the Government currently has no plans to issue any guidance on supporting veganism in the workplace. Any employer unsure about their obligations to accommodate staff who are vegan should either contact ACAS for advice or, if more appropriate on a specific case, obtain legal advice.

A series of tribunal readings since 2010 mean that protected philosophical beliefs under the Equality Act 2010 include not only ethical veganism but belief in Scottish independence, anti-fox hunting, democratic socialism and the higher purpose of public sector broadcasting. I therefore agree with my Noble Friend that the scope of philosophical belief will be included in any future decisions the government takes about possible changes to the act.