We are the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people’s day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.
The UK Government has set numerous goals related to habitat restoration under the Environmental Improvement Plan, much of which of …
Oral Answers to Questions is a regularly scheduled appearance where the Secretary of State and junior minister will answer at the Dispatch Box questions from backbench MPs
Other Commons Chamber appearances can be:Westminster Hall debates are performed in response to backbench MPs or e-petitions asking for a Minister to address a detailed issue
Written Statements are made when a current event is not sufficiently significant to require an Oral Statement, but the House is required to be informed.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs does not have Bills currently before Parliament
A Bill to make provision about the regulation, governance and special administration of water companies.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 24th February 2025 and was enacted into law.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
Make a public animal abuser register & automatically ban ownership
Gov Responded - 19 May 2026 Debated on - 29 Jun 2026Create a public register of all offenders convicted of animal abuse and introduce an automatic, lifetime ban on animal ownership for anyone convicted of animal neglect or abuse. This register should be searchable by vets, breeders, charities and the public to prevent repeat offending.
Hold a referendum to bring the water industry into public ownership
Gov Responded - 23 Apr 2026 Debated on - 14 Sep 2026Hold a binding national referendum on whether the water industry should be returned to public ownership. Water is a basic human necessity; we believe our privatised system has failed, so the public should decide who owns and controls it.
Reduce the maximum noise level for consumer fireworks from 120 to 90 decibels
Gov Responded - 7 Nov 2025 Debated on - 19 Jan 2026We think each year, individuals suffer because of loud fireworks. We believe horses, dogs, cats, livestock and wildlife can be terrified by noisy fireworks and many people find them intolerable.
Commons Select Committees are a formally established cross-party group of backbench MPs tasked with holding a Government department to account.
At any time there will be number of ongoing investigations into the work of the Department, or issues which fall within the oversight of the Department. Witnesses can be summoned from within the Government and outside to assist in these inquiries.
Select Committee findings are reported to the Commons, printed, and published on the Parliament website. The government then usually has 60 days to reply to the committee's recommendations.
In 2026, the Environment Agency has so far carried out 55 inspections of water company assets and 27 farm inspections in South Shropshire. Where non-compliance is identified, the Environment Agency will require remedial action and will not hesitate to take enforcement action.
The Government is committed to protecting nature-rich habitats, including peatlands, and has pledged to ban the sale of peat and peat-containing products when Parliamentary time allows. The timing and approach of the implementation of this ban, including details such as transitional arrangements or exemptions, are currently being considered by officials in the four administrations, and further details will be provided in due course.
While Defra recognises concerns associated with rodenticides, and has welcomed recent changes restricting their use, policy responsibility for rodenticides lies with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Government’s animal welfare strategy, published in December 2025, did not include any commitment to ban them.
I refer the Hon Member to PQ 22185 that was published on 4 September 2026 in response to Liz Jarvis MP.
Officials regularly engage with their devolved Government counterparts on land use and land management issues as necessary.
On decapod welfare at killing, Defra have engaged with industry, animal welfare scientists and non-governmental organisations about current industry practices and standards. Development of guidance will be sequenced alongside the broader set of policies set out in the Animal Welfare Strategy.
Regarding cephalopod molluscs, current knowledge on how to humanely kill them remains limited, and the evidence-base is being developed. The department will continue to monitor and assess evidence as it becomes available.
Noting that Natural England (NE) only covers England, not the UK, NE purchased the freehold of approximately 1,500 hectares of land in England during the five completed financial years from 2021/22 to 2025/26
There is support for farmers in England to adopt Integrated Pest Management through the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). The SFI pays farmers and land managers to carry out actions that support the sustainable production of food while protecting and enhancing the environment. The budget for new SFI26 agreements this year was £310m. These agreements will invest a total of £930m in environmentally sustainable farming over the next 3 years.
Defra set out in its Animal Welfare Strategy that the department will develop the evidence base through research and continued stakeholder engagement. This work is ongoing and the Government will keep the legislative position under review, as is standard practice.
Following stakeholder feedback highlighting limitations in the previous one-size-fits-all approach, the Department updated the Bathing Water Regulations 2013 in November 2025 to improve how bathing waters are designated and monitored. The changes better reflect how the public uses bathing waters, while continuing to support public health through water quality monitoring.
In line with the Farming Roadmap 2050, we plan to make an SFI27 offer available. Following the closure of SFI26 Window 2, we are working with farming representative organisations and the wider sector to consider how the scheme can be refined.
Decisions on the detailed design of SFI27, including arrangements for farmers with expiring agreements, are being considered as part of this work. We will provide further information in due course.
The UK Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) is maintained by the independent Office for National Statistics and is used to classify economic activity across the economy. Decisions on eligibility for the Network Charging Compensation Scheme are a matter for BIST. Defra continues to work closely with BIST to share evidence and case studies on the energy challenges felt by parts of the horticulture sector.
The information included in the full dataset is raw data as provided by Local Authorities, published to provide additional detail for users.
FETF 2026 is the final FETF grant round in its current form. From 2027, we intend to bring together the strongest elements of our grant schemes, simplifying applications and making it easier for farmers to access funding. The Government keeps the scope and eligibility of grant offers under review.
While recognising the place of the UK’s longstanding goat milk sector within UK agricultural, no assessment of the value of commercial goat dairy production has been made.
A range of support has been made available in England that businesses including those in the goat milking sector might access including support on farm productivity and slurry and through the Sustainable Farming Incentive.
While recognising the place of the UK’s longstanding goat milk sector within UK agricultural, no assessment of the value of commercial goat dairy production has been made.
A range of support has been made available in England that businesses including those in the goat milking sector might access including support on farm productivity and slurry and through the Sustainable Farming Incentive.
The Government is backing farm profitability through £11.8 billion for sustainable farming and food production, including investment in productivity and innovation.
Currently, 198 customers in the constituency have live CS or SFI agreements.
The Farming Roadmap sets out how Government will support farmers to cut costs, access markets and build resilient businesses.
The Government also recognises the importance of food manufacturing to local economies and is working with industry to strengthen supply-chain resilience, address dependencies including energy, water, labour, transport and essential inputs, and support investment, productivity and growth.
Marine Spatial Prioritisation work continues to help ensure more strategic decisions are taken about how the English sea is used, including through improving colocation outcomes. For example, in June 2025 the Government provided The Crown Estate with a steer on Government policy priorities to support their spatial refinement for future offshore wind locations.
Large pig and poultry farms above certain thresholds require an environmental permit under legislation derived from the Industrial Emissions Directive. Regulators set and enforce conditions to limit emissions from these sites to protect the environment and human health in the same way as industrial installations. These farms remain part of the agricultural sector.
The purpose of the Poultry Sector Growth Plan is to strengthen food security, through increased productivity, profitability and resilience while operating within, and supporting, the UK's environmental, planning, animal welfare commitments within the current regulatory framework.
The two separate Poultry and Horticulture Sector Growth Plans are being developed by industry-led Sector Expert Groups, supported by Defra. Publication timing will therefore partly be determined by the sectors’ own drafting and engagement processes. Current expectations are for the Horticulture Sector Growth Plan to be completed and published in early 2027 with the Poultry Sector Growth Plan shortly after, later in 2027.
The Government is committed to meeting the statutory Environment Act target to increase tree canopy and woodland cover in England to at least 16.5% by 2050. We are investing over £1 billion in tree planting and support to the forestry sector over this parliament.
The agricultural EIA regulations are primarily intended to protect uncultivated and semi-natural land, including priority habitats, from agricultural intensification. The performance and impact of the regulations were most recently examined in the 2023 Post Implementation Review where the Ag EIA was found to have met their objectives in part and have had a generally positive effect overall when triggered.
Defra provides ongoing funding for the laboratory facilities used in the UK Squirrel Accord research. Defra and the Forestry Commission also provide wider support to the UK Squirrel Accord, including funding towards its Director post.
The Government is committed to strengthening the resilience of the NHS and other public services to extreme heat and the wider impacts of climate change. Further details of the action being taken are set out in the Secretary of State’s letter to the Environmental Audit Committee of 14 July 2026: committees.parliament.uk/publications/54314/documents/301804/default/.
Progress towards the target is assessed annually through Forestry England's semi-natural scoring of plantations on ancient woodland sites (PAWS), which is reported in Forestry England's Natural Capital Accounts. Between April 2024 and April 2026, 337 hectares moved out of semi-natural score 4 and 303 hectares moved into semi-natural score 1, demonstrating progress towards the 2044 target of improving the semi-natural score of PAWS by at least one class.
Defra has committed £173 million in funding for 2026/2027 to improve productivity, trial new technologies and drive innovation in the agricultural sector to improve productivity, trial new technologies and drive innovation in the agricultural sector. This includes up to £70 £123 million available for Farming Innovation Programme (FIP) innovation grants.
In August, the Government announced a package of support for framers affected by adverse weather. This package included temporary adjustments to Environmental Land Management agreements, extra funding for the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 Window 2, and action and funding to make it easier to build reservoirs. Further details can be found at our Farming Blog: https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/2026/08/15/new-drought-support-for-farmers/.
Government recognises the significant contribution of the UK Exclusive Economic Zone to economic growth, energy security, food security and coastal resilience, supporting key sectors including fisheries, offshore renewables and other marine industries.
The natural capital accounts define the extent of the UK marine area using the UK's Exclusive Economic Zone boundary and estimate that the annual measurable value of natural capital services provided by the UK Marine and coastal margins habitats was approximately £43 billion in 2022, with an estimated asset value of £272 billion.
Further information on the value of marine and coastal margin ecosystem services relating to a) economic value, b) oil, gas and renewable energy provisioning, c) fish provisioning and d) health and tourism recreation can be found in Table 3 of the Marine and coastal margins natural capital accounts, UK: 2025 (ONS)
This Government recognises the significant impact of fly-tipping on private land within rural communities. Through the Waste Crime Action Plan, we are working with partners to strengthen prevention, enforcement and prosecution activity, including exploring affordable insurance options to help landowners meet the costs of waste clearance.
Defra does not hold central data on how police forces exercise such powers. Under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025, police forces are required to keep a register of all dogs seized under section 2(1), where the dog is suspected of attacking or worrying livestock and no owner or person in charge is present.
As part of our Environmental Improvement Plan, we will publish a new Pollinator Action Plan, which will set out key actions to support pollinators in England.
I refer the Hon Member to PQ 32257 that was published on 19th October in response to Tom Hayes MP.
Defra is working with the EA to strengthen monitoring and evaluation of the Government’s waste crime measures as they are developed and delivered. This includes improving the waste crime performance scorecard and developing an evaluation method for the Waste Crime Action Plan measures and the Prime Minister’s recent crackdown on criminal gangs.
6,130 inspections were carried out at water-company-operated sewage pumping stations and combined sewer overflows. These are permitted wastewater assets within sewerage networks. Inspections assess whether sites comply with environmental permit conditions and may also follow reported pollution incidents or evidence of environmental impact at an asset or its outfall.
Anyone responsible for an animal, including pet sitters and dog walkers, is required to comply with the Animal Welfare Act. The Act places a duty of care on those responsible for animals and provides authorities with powers to investigate and take action where welfare standards have not been met.
The Canine and Feline Sector Group (CFSG) has published guidance to assist commercial dog walkers in ensuring the welfare of animals in their care.
On 18 June, Defra closed its consultation seeking views on how best to deliver an effective and enforceable ban on trail hunting in England and Wales. The consultation received 184,000 responses. Defra plans to publish a summary of responses as soon as possible.
The Defra funded WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) and MRW (Materials Recycling World) have published a Material Recycling Weekly price report for over fifteen years. This is a weekly publication that users can access free of charge.
This Government remains committed to repealing the 2031 cut-off date for recording historic public rights of way, Repeal will require primary legislation, and we are considering the most appropriate legislative vehicle through which to deliver this commitment as part of our wider programme of access and rights of way reforms.
The Environmental Improvement Plan is a cross-government plan. We will be working with DCMS/National Lottery to capture their contributions.
Defra recognises the significant impact of illegal waste dumping and fly-tipping on farm businesses. The 2025 Waste Crime Survey estimates that 57% of landowners and farmers have been affected by waste crime. Through the Waste Crime Action Plan, the Government is strengthening prevention and enforcement.
Defra protects honeybee health through work by APHA’s National Bee Unit on statutory pest and disease control, surveillance, education and working with beekeepers to keep bees healthy.
Under the Defra Environmental Improvement Plan, a new Pollinator Action Plan will be published, setting out key actions to support pollinators in England.
Support for farmers includes the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Landscape Recovery, which fund creation and restoration of habitats in appropriate areas. Our Environmental Improvement Plan target will double farms providing sufficient year-round resources for farm wildlife, including pollinators, by 2030 compared with 2025.
The SICCT test is the internationally accepted standard for detecting TB infected cattle and is the cornerstone of bovine TB control in Great Britain. This is often supplemented in TB breakdown herds by the interferon-gamma and TB antibody blood tests.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency supports consistency in the administration and interpretation of the SICCT test through standardised instructions, training and competency requirements, regular revalidation, and quality assurance.
The Government funds research into improved TB diagnostics, including jointly funded research with the Welsh and Scottish Governments exploring use of constant-pressure callipers to improve measurement consistency.
The recommended bovine TB control strategy for England proposes greater flexibility for privately funded supplementary testing. The Government will respond in due course.
As set out in the Government’s animal welfare strategy, we will consult on banning carbon dioxide gas stunning of pigs and on possible timescales for phasing out this method. Further details will be set out soon.
The data which Defra collects for the poultry sector does not include a breakdown by production type.
As set out in the Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy and the Farming Roadmap, we are committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how and where their food was produced.
To support this, we will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare. We will set out next steps in due course.
Through Environmental Land Management schemes, Defra supports farming practices that provide food and habitats for farmland birds. Sustainable Farming Incentive actions include winter bird food on arable and horticultural land, while Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier supports targeted habitat and species management.
Natural England has provided formal advice through the Environmental Impact Assessment scoping consultation. This identified several matters requiring further consideration, including gaps and inaccuracies in the assessment of designated sites, missing protected species survey data, including for natterjack toads on the Wirral, and the need for a more robust assessment of air quality, landscape and habitat impacts. Natural England also advised on the need for detailed agricultural land classification information.
On Wirral, Natural England has raised concerns regarding the marine ecology assessment, the adequacy of protected species surveys, and potential impacts on protected habitats and bird features.
Natural England will continue to engage with the applicant and provide evidence-based advice as the proposals develop, with the aim of securing appropriate protection for the natural environment.
The Environment Agency published carbon capture guidance and is developing its evidence and regulatory approach to understand and manage potential impacts from carbon capture developments.
Defra is providing support to expand training, monitoring, and on-the-ground restoration work. Targeted Defra funding of £5.9m for 2026–2029 is accelerating PAWS restoration on the Public Forest Estate, with progress closely monitored and a target to work towards doubling the recent restoration rate.