Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 October 2024 to Question 9485 on Water Companies: Climate Change, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the adequacy of how Ofwat is carrying out this statutory duty.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

As an independent regulator, Ofwat carries out its statutory duties autonomously from the Government and instead is directly accountable to Parliament. The department therefore does not routinely monitor or assess how Ofwat carries out its duties.

An Independent Commission into the water sector regulatory system was launched by the UK and Welsh Governments on Wednesday 23 October. Through this review, we will look at long-term, wider reform of the water sector as a whole. This includes considering and clarifying the roles of regulators, as well as how to ensure water company infrastructure is secure and resilient to short- and long-term pressures.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the Secretary of State for Communities, Housing and Local Government on the potential impact of light pollution on animal populations; and what steps he is taking to reduce light pollution in (a) urban, (b) suburban and (c) rural areas.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra has not had direct discussions with the Secretary of State for Communities, Housing and Local Government about the potential impact of light pollution on animal populations.  Defra will continue to work closely with researchers, non-governmental organisations and across the Government to improve our understanding of the impacts of light pollution and will continue to address key threats to biodiversity. For example, our Pollinator Action Plan includes an action to keep potential and emerging threats such as light pollution under review.

Government policy is to encourage good design, planning policies and decisions to limit the impact of pollution from artificial light. In particular, lighting schemes for developments in protected areas of dark sky or intrinsically dark landscapes should be carefully assessed on their necessity and degree.

The Government believes that any mitigating actions to reduce light pollution in urban, suburban and rural areas are best taken by local authorities as these are best dealt with at a local level.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much and what proportion of hazardous waste was exported by the type of hazardous waste in the latest period for which data is available.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The regulation of hazardous waste is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

Waste exports are reported using a different classification system to domestic movements of hazardous wastes. The two datasets are therefore not directly comparable meaning the precise information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.

In 2023, 6,017,823 Tonnes of Hazardous waste were produced in England. Of this, 256,518 Tonnes (4%) was exported for treatment and recovery overseas. There are robust systems and processes in place to ensure that these wastes go to the right place and are treated appropriately.

The top 5 categories of hazardous waste exported overseas from England are as follows:

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to meet the UK’s commitment under the Global Biodiversity Framework to reduce excess nutrients lost to the environment by at least half by 2030.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Policy in this area is a devolved matter.

The UK Government recognises the need to go further on addressing nutrient pollution and supporting nature to recover.

We have already committed to a rapid review of the Environmental Improvement Plan which will set out how the Government will deliver our legally binding targets, including for reducing nutrient pollution.

We are taking action to work with partners to tackle the main sources of pollution. For example, we are taking action to tackle agricultural pollution and deliver the Environment Act target through a suite of proportionate and effective regulations, advice and incentives.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the cost of the introduction of extended producer responsibility fees to businesses.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Department’s impact assessment published online here has considered the impacts on businesses from the introduction of extended producer responsibility for packaging (pEPR).

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of the implementation of further protections for (a) nature and (b) biodiversity in National Landscapes.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The new Government is committed to making Protected Landscapes (National Parks and National Landscapes) greener, wilder, and more accessible. We are currently considering the best way to do this. To support this, Defra is working with Protected Landscapes organisations to improve data on the state of nature in Protected Landscapes.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what body will administer the non-household packaging elements of the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme; and when he plans to publish details of that body.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Obligations on non-household packaging elements of the upcoming Extended Producer Responsibility scheme will continue to be enforced by the Environment Agency in England and the equivalent regulators in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as these obligations are in the current producer responsibility scheme.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 September 2024 to Question 4844 on Land Use, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his Department's policies of establishing a national land use authority to work on a cross-departmental basis on the proposed land use framework for the purpose of integrating government priorities on (a) housing, (b) energy infrastructure, (c) farming, (d) community ownership and (e) other related matters.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government will publish a consultation on land use to inform the publication of a Land Use Framework for England. The land use framework will support farmers and nature recovery, based on an evidence base and spatial analysis. We will set out our approach to governance in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on preparing legislation to ban trail hunting.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This is a devolved matter with regard to Scotland and Northern Ireland; hunting with dogs is a reserved matter with respect to Wales and therefore, the information provided relates to England and Wales only.

The Government made a manifesto commitment to ban Trail Hunting as part of a set of measures to improve animal welfare. Work to determine the best approach for doing so is ongoing. Further announcements will be made in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the water quality of the river ways in (a) Derbyshire and (b) South Derbyshire constituency.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Cleaning up England’s rivers, lakes and seas is a priority for the Government. The Government has taken immediate and substantial action to address water companies who are not performing for the environment or their customers.

In September, the Government introduced the Water (Special Measures) Bill to give regulators new powers to take tougher and faster action to crack down on water companies damaging the environment and failing their customers.

I would also refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement made by the Secretary of State on 18 July, HCWS3.

The majority of the Derbyshire catchment is currently classified as moderate water quality for ecological status.

In May, the Environment Agency (EA) confirmed a tougher inspections and enforcement regime that will be backed by at least £55 million each year and will make better use of data analytics and technology. This will be fully funded through a combination of increased grant-in-aid from Defra to the EA and additional funding from water company permit charges.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many culled badger carcasses have tested positive for TB since 2013; what plans his Department has for the number of badgers to be culled up to January 2026; and of those how many and what proportion will be tested for TB.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

On 30 August, the Government announced the start of work on a comprehensive new strategy for England, to drive down bovine TB rates to save cattle and farmers’ livelihoods and end the badger cull by the end of this parliament. This will be undertaken in co-design with farmers, vets, scientists and conservationists, ensuring the new strategy marks a significant step-change in approach to tackling this devastating disease.

The published policy guidance as introduced by the previous Government does not require routine post-mortem examinations on badgers removed under culling licences issued in the High Risk and Edge Areas of England. There are no plans to change this guidance, with existing cull processes agreed by the previous Government being honoured to ensure clarity for farmers, while new measures can be rolled out through the work on a new bovine TB eradication strategy.

Information on the number of culled badgers that have been previously tested under licences in the High Risk and Edge Area can be found on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bovine-tb-surveillance-in-wildlife-in-england.

Information on the number of culled badgers that have been tested (including the proportion positive for Mycobacterium bovis) in the Low Risk Area is published annually on GOV.UK:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bovine-tb-hotspots-in-the-low-risk-area-of-england.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to introduce legislation to ban trail hunting.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This is a devolved matter with regard to Scotland and Northern Ireland; hunting with dogs is a reserved matter with respect to Wales and therefore, the information provided relates to England and Wales only.

The Government made a manifesto commitment to ban Trail Hunting as part of a set of measures to improve animal welfare. Work to determine the best approach for doing so is ongoing. Further announcements will be made in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help reduce the number of Blue Tongue virus livestock cases in Shropshire.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra acted quickly to contain bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) when the first case this season was detected on 26 August, implementing zones with movement controls on susceptible livestock to prevent spread. These disease control restrictions have been adapted in response to new findings and there is now a single restricted zone (RZ) covering the east coast and some inland areas in England.

The movement of susceptible animals from the RZ to live elsewhere in England requires a specific licence and is subject to free pre-movement and post-movement testing. This helps to prevent the possible establishment of new pockets of disease from undetected spread via animal movements.

BTV-3 was confirmed on a single farm in Shropshire on 3 October, following the high-risk movement of cattle from the RZ.

Infected animals in cases found in free areas outside the restricted zone that moved before the RZ was declared, have also been humanely culled to minimise the risk of onward transmission.

Defra has permitted the use of vaccines for BTV-3. These vaccines are now available for vets to prescribe in England.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of staff employed by his Department have experience in farming.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the economic contribution of farming in Derbyshire.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra does not produce county level estimates of the economic contribution of farming so no estimates are available for Derbyshire. Estimates are only available at regional level.

The total income from farming for the East Midlands region (which includes Derbyshire) in 2023 was £835 million. Full details are available here: Total Income from Farming in the regions of England in 2023 - GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to encourage afforestation projects to (a) enhance biodiversity and (b) reduce carbon emissions.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Total tree planting and woodland creation reached over 5,500 hectares in England in 2023/24.

All publicly subsidised afforestation projects must comply with the UK Forestry Standards (UKFS) requirements. The UKFS has been developed specifically for forestry in the UK and is based on applying internationally agreed criteria which support the delivery of sustainable forest management and recognise the need to balance environmental, economic and social objectives.

The England Woodland Creation Offer includes supplements that incentivise the creation of native woodland with high biodiversity potential. Biodiversity Net Gain also offers opportunities to create new woodlands that enhance biodiversity.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding he plans to allocate to the Sevington border control post in each of the next five financial years.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Operating costs for the Government-run Sevington border control post are designed to be recovered by the Common User Charge (CUC)

The Government will keep the CUC rates under review and will continue to consider the impact of the charge on businesses of all sizes across all sectors. Regular reviews will be undertaken to monitor levels of payment compliance and import flows through the short straits.

Further information on the charge and the operating costs at Sevington will be made available in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the environmental impact of consumers shopping locally; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact on net zero targets if consumers are unable to shop locally.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Secretary of State recognises the importance of consumers having access to local shops for environmental sustainability and for supporting net zero goals. The Secretary of State, Defra Ministers and officials meet regularly with retailers where discussions have included to understand initiatives to support efforts that enable consumers to shop locally.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of whether the UK meet the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 target.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Department has made no recent assessment of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 target of a 50% reduction of food waste by 2030.

Latest data from the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) showed that between 2007, the baseline used for reporting food waste progress, and 2021, UK per capita food waste fell by 26kg per person per year, representing an 18.3% reduction. To meet the Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 target of a 50% reduction by 2030, a further 45kg per person reduction or 32% of the baseline will be required.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to introduce biosecurity measures to ensure gene-edited crops do not enter the human food or animal feed systems, or the wider environment, in the light of the recent announcement of field trials of gene-edited crops on 25 commercial farms.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We have no plans to introduce biosecurity measures for all research trials involving gene-edited plants. These plants only contain genetic sequence that could arise through traditional breeding. However, unlike equivalent trials for traditionally bred plants, Defra asks for confirmation that the person with overall responsibility for them will put in place appropriate measures, as necessary, to minimise the possibility of material from the plants entering the human food or animal feed systems.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to ban the use of shock collars.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government will introduce the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation and will bring forward plans in due course. Ministers will be considering available evidence around the use of hand-controlled e-collars and their effects on the welfare of animals.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support farmers to increase the (a) volume and (b) variety of fruit and vegetables they produce.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government appreciates and values the vital work of the horticulture industry and recognises its role in maintaining a secure food supply.  As part of our mission-driven government, and in partnership with the sector, we are considering how best to support our fruit and vegetable growers in the future to achieve our ambitious, measurable, and long-term goals for the sector.

Innovation, such as the development of new crop varieties and growing systems, has added to the huge range of top quality and nutritious fruit and vegetables already grown in the UK, and has allowed our growers to extend the growing seasons of a variety of crops, for example strawberries.

We also continue to support long-term Genetic Improvement Networks (GINs) to improve crop varieties by developing traits to improve their nutritional quality, and enhance productivity levels, sustainability and resilience.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to mitigate the risk of coastal erosion on (a) agricultural land and (b) rural infrastructure.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

England has some of the most rapidly eroding coast in Europe due to natural processes. Climate change, sea level rise and increased storminess will increase the rate of change, which will threaten the resilience of coastal communities if no action is taken.

In January 2025, the Environment Agency (EA) will publish the updated National Coastal Erosion Risk Map for England. This is based on a further ten years of coastal monitoring data, the latest climate change evidence and technical input from coastal local authorities. It will provide the best available information on coastal erosion risk and be used by coastal local authorities and the EA to inform coastal management investment and local planning decisions.

The new data and map will include coastal erosion projections through this century, including the effects of climate change and provide an updated assessment of properties, infrastructure and agricultural land at risk. It takes account of the latest coastal management approaches set out in Shoreline Management Plans.

To ensure we protect the country from the devastating impacts of flooding, we will invest £2.4 billion over the next two years to improve flood resilience, by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. We are investing £36 million supporting local authorities in East Riding of Yorkshire, North Norfolk and Dorset to explore innovative approaches in adapting to the effects of coastal erosion.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to review the inflationary impact of the Border Target Operating Model.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra continues to monitor and review the impacts of new controls introduced under the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM). We will work closely with industry, trade partners and enforcement agencies to minimise costs to trade and disruption, while continuing to protect our biosecurity.

The Government’s modelling of the inflationary impact of the BTOM uses a peer-reviewed econometric model, including the impacts of non-tariff measures related to checks such as the cost of Export Health Certificates and port fees, and upstream impacts such as administrative processing time, training, certificates of origin and security deposits or guarantees when moving agricultural goods under licence.

Analysis has indicated the BTOM policies would lead to an approximate increase in consumer food price inflation of less than 0.2 percentage points over a three-year period

An outbreak of a major disease could have a much more significant impact. The 2001 outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease cost £12.8 billion in 2022 prices, £4.8 billion of which was cost to Government and £8 billion cost to the private sector.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals on banning puppy farming.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government will introduce the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation. As outlined in our manifesto, we will bring an end to puppy farming. We are considering the most effective way to deliver this commitment and will be setting out next steps in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many trees were planted in (a) South Holland district and (b) South Kesteven district in the last ten years.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Forestry Commission publishes statistics on new planting of woodland, and trees outside woodland, in England. These can be found in Forestry Commission Key Performance Indicators . These statistics are reported for each financial year in thousands of hectares.

This Government has not set specific targets for individual districts and the reporting statistic the hon. Member has requested is not currently available.

The England Trees Action Plan has kickstarted tree planting, with nearly 16 million trees planted over the past 3 years. We reported 5,529 hectares of new woodland and trees outside of woodland planted in 2023-24. The figures for planting in 2024-25 will be published as part of Official Statistics in June 2025.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to ban the use of electronic shock collars in dog training.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government will introduce the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation and will bring forward plans in due course. Ministers will be considering available evidence around the use of hand-controlled e-collars and their effects on the welfare of animals.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the level of availability of veterinary surgeons; and what steps his Department is taking to help increase the capacity of veterinary surgeons.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We appreciate the incredibly valuable work completed by veterinary surgeons and recognise their essential role in achieving our ambitious goals of upholding high standards of animal welfare, supporting trade, and safeguarding public health and food security. The Government acknowledges the high demand for veterinary services and is working collaboratively across departments and with the profession to explore additional measures that will ensure sufficient staffing levels to support and sustain the sector effectively.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to publish regulations to implement Schedule 17 of the Environment Act 2021 to introduce a due diligence scheme for products of illegal deforestation.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We recognise the need to take action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation, and we will set out our approach to addressing this in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to consult on phasing out the use of cages for layer hens in England.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given to the hon. Member for Wokingham, Clive Jones, on 31 October 2024, PQ UIN 11121 .

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of coastal erosion on (a) agricultural land and (b) rural infrastructure.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

England has some of the most rapidly eroding coast in Europe due to natural processes. Climate change, sea level rise and increased storminess will increase the rate of change, which will threaten the resilience of coastal communities if no action is taken.

In January 2025, the Environment Agency (EA) will publish the updated National Coastal Erosion Risk Map for England. This is based on a further ten years of coastal monitoring data, the latest climate change evidence and technical input from coastal local authorities. It will provide the best available information on coastal erosion risk and be used by coastal local authorities and the EA to inform coastal management investment and local planning decisions.

The new data and map will include coastal erosion projections through this century, including the effects of climate change and provide an updated assessment of properties, infrastructure and agricultural land at risk. It takes account of the latest coastal management approaches set out in Shoreline Management Plans.

To ensure we protect the country from the devastating impacts of flooding, we will invest £2.4 billion over the next two years to improve flood resilience, by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. We are investing £36 million supporting local authorities in East Riding of Yorkshire, North Norfolk and Dorset to explore innovative approaches in adapting to the effects of coastal erosion.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will support the Fur (Import and Sale) Bill.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee 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.

In accordance with parliamentary convention, the Government will set out its formal position on this Bill when it receives its Second Reading.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the number of registered unneutered XL bullies in England and Wales.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Dogs aged under 12 months on the 31 January 2024 need to be neutered by the 31 December 2024. In March this year, the Government announced that there would be an extension for the youngest dogs that were aged less than 7 months on the 31 January 2024. These dogs would need to be neutered by the 30 June 2025. As these deadlines have not yet passed, we have not received and processed all neutering forms and so we do not hold data on the number of XL Bullies that have been neutered. We recommend that owners arrange for their dogs to be neutered as soon as possible to meet these deadlines.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the number of registered neutered XL bullies in England and Wales.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Dogs aged under 12 months on the 31 January 2024 need to be neutered by the 31 December 2024. In March this year, the Government announced that there would be an extension for the youngest dogs that were aged less than 7 months on the 31 January 2024. These dogs would need to be neutered by the 30 June 2025. As these deadlines have not yet passed, we have not received and processed all neutering forms and so we do not hold data on the number of XL Bullies that have been neutered. We recommend that owners arrange for their dogs to be neutered as soon as possible to meet these deadlines.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to the decision by the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs to amend retained Council Regulation 1/2005, which prohibits lifting chickens by the legs in such a way as to cause them unnecessary pain or suffering, what legislative measures they intend to advance to improve the welfare of layer hens and broiler chickens.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We are carefully considering the recommendations in the Animal Welfare Committee’s report on the welfare implications of carrying methods for poultry to ensure the highest standards of animal welfare and will set out next steps in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to respond to the fairer food labelling consultation, which closed on 7 May, and what plans, if any, they have to implement the proposals therein to improve transparency in method-of-production welfare labelling for pork, chicken, and eggs.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

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. We are now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps and will publish a response to this consultation in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to introduce forest risk due diligence regulations under Schedule 17 to the Environment Act 2021.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We recognise the need to take action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation, and we will set out our approach to addressing this in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to combat fly-tipping.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Fly-tipping is a serious crime which blights communities and the environment and dealing with it imposes significant costs on both taxpayers and businesses. In our manifesto we committed to forcing fly-tippers and vandals to clean up the mess that they have created as part of a crackdown on anti-social behaviour. We will provide further details on this commitment, and other actions to tackle fly-tipping, in due course.

In the meantime, Defra will continue to chair the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group through which we work with a wide range of stakeholders such as local authorities, the Environment Agency and National Farmers Union, to promote good practice with regards to tackling fly-tipping, including on private land.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to make any changes to their policy regarding the permanent closure of sandeel fisheries in English waters of the North Sea.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Both the UK and Scottish Governments closed English Waters of the North Sea and all Scottish Waters to fishing for sandeel in March 2024. The closure is in place to shield sandeel as an essential food source for threatened seabird populations, commercially valuable fish and for marine mammals. The EU has raised a dispute that the UK’s decision to prohibit fishing for sandeel within UK waters is not compliant with the Trade and Cooperation agreement (TCA). The dispute proceedings are confidential therefore there is little more I can say at this time.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to make secondary legislation to implement the UK’s Forest Risk Commodity regime.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We recognise the need to take action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation, and we will set out our approach to addressing this in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the Fur (Import and Sale) Bill.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee 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.

In accordance with parliamentary convention, the Government will set out its formal position on this Bill when it receives its Second Reading.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure the enforcement of the single-use plastics ban.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government recognises farmers’ concerns about imports produced using methods not permitted in the UK. We have been clear that we will use our Trade Strategy to promote the highest food production standards.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether sugar beet growers are able to comply with the conditions of emergency use of neonicotinoids having regard to the limited acreage of individual farms, in particular, with reference to the statement, that (1) "Only a specific list of crops, none of which flower before harvest, are permitted to be planted in the same field as treated sugar beet within 32 months", and (2) "no further use of thiamethoxam seed treatments on the same field within 46 months".

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Farmers are free to decide whether they wish to grow sugar beet in a given year. Those farmers who opted to grow sugar beet with Cruiser SB when emergency authorisations have been granted in the past will have considered how to accommodate the restrictions on succeeding crops in their crop rotation plans. The restrictions were considered to be consistent with typical arable crop rotation patterns.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of compliance by sugar beet growers with the restrictions on the re-use of thiamethoxam within a period of 46 months on the same field.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

All pesticide use in the UK is subject to the Health and Safety Executive’s overarching programme of enforcement and compliance. This includes extensive monitoring and intelligence-led enforcement activities to ensure that the supply and use of pesticides complies with legal requirements.

All UK sugar beet is grown under commercial contracting arrangements which provide a basis for the stewardship programme which has been part of the conditions attached to emergency authorisations for the thiamethoxam product Cruiser SB use granted in the past. As part of this stewardship programme, all growers are advised of the requirements for use of seeds treated with Cruiser SB.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of methods of pest control, other than pesticides, on sugar beet crops as practised in the EU.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

There are a range of measures other than pesticides that can help control aphids, which transmit plan viruses to sugar beet. These include early sowing; good hygiene to remove aphid sources; integrated pest management measures such as companion cropping, use of attractants and repellents; and virus-resistant crop varieties. Previous assessments indicated that these measures had not yet reached the point at which they could replace the need for all pesticides.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) progress towards risk-reflective pricing for insurance in areas of high flood risk and (b) market readiness for the scheduled exit of Flood Re in 2039.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Flood Re have a statutory purpose to manage the transition to risk-reflective pricing of flood insurance for household premises between 2016 and 2039. Flood Re published their most recent Transition Plan in July 2023, outlining its progress and action on moving to affordable risk-reflective pricing by 2039. Flood Re’s next Transition plan (Transition Plan 4) will be published in summer 2028.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Severn Water on reviewing the condition of the aquifers it abstracts water from.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Environment Agency works closely with Severn Trent Water on the current condition of aquifers and the action needed to achieve a sustainable level of abstraction.

Some aquifers in the Severn Trent Water supply area are over-abstracted and it is a challenge to get the right balance between protecting the environment while maintaining security of supply. To meet this challenge Severn Trent Water has one of the largest investment plans in the water industry to manage abstraction licences and groundwater quality.

A detailed assessment on the condition of the aquifers that Severn Trent abstracts may be found in the Severn river basin district river basin management plan: updated 2022 - GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to visit Woburn Safari Park to see the new-born Eastern Mountain Bongo.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra ministers have no plans to visit Woburn Safari Park but we congratulate Woburn Safari Park on the birth of one of the most critically endangered animals on the planet, an Eastern Mountain bongo calf and the work they are doing to protect this beautiful species.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending agricultural compensation schemes to horticultural businesses impacted by forestry diseases such as Ash dieback.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Our policy is not to pay compensation for plant health measures. We believe that resources are best directed at detection of pests and diseases, risk management and proactive assessment of emerging threats. We also invest in research programmes that enhance our understanding of plant health issues and provide evidence to inform contingency plans and management responses.

Protecting plant health is not an issue for government alone. Many plant importers, nurseries and landowners already play a major role in minimising the risk and spread of pests through practising good biosecurity, including sourcing clean stock and identifying outbreaks on their sites. The current arrangements ensure that everyone (the Government and its agencies, industry, non-governmental organisations, landowners, and the public) shares a common understanding of biosecurity and their role and responsibilities. The UK Government provides other forms of financial and non-financial support to assist with essential management of some of the most devastating tree diseases, including ash dieback.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on steps to ensure horticultural imports are produced to the same environmental standards as domestic products.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The UK has high environmental standards that underpin the production of fresh fruit and vegetables. As set out in the manifesto, the Government is committed to using our Trade Strategy to promote the highest standards of food production.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they aim to ensure that the Land Use Framework merely informs decisions by land owners and does not set prescriptive requirements.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government will publish a consultation on land use to inform the publication of a Land Use Framework for England. The land use framework will support farmers and nature recovery, based on an evidence base and spatial analysis.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to restore the condition of groundwater-dependent wetlands to achieve Local Nature Recovery Targets in Worcester.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Recovering nature is a key priority for this Government and wetland habitats are an important component of that.

Under the Restoring Sustainable Abstraction Programme, the impact of Public Water Supply groundwater abstraction on river flows and wetlands has been investigated in a number of areas across Worcestershire. Through this programme the Environment Agency have worked with Severn Trent Water to look at their impact on water levels and flow and have taken steps to address this. Natural England are also working closely with the Environment Agency and Severn Trent on the Water Industry National Environment Programme to deliver improvements to protected sites across Worcestershire.

Identifying priorities for nature is a key objective of Local Nature Recovery Strategies. Defra looks forward to seeing the finished Worcestershire Local Nature Recovery Strategy which is being prepared by Worcestershire County Council as the responsible authority.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of emissions of nitrogen dioxide from ships at English ports on the annual mean concentration limits set out in the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Domestic shipping contributed 11% to total UK nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions in 2022. The Air Quality Plan for NO2 addresses the primary cause of exceedances of the concentration limits set by the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010 (AQSR): emissions from road transport.

The UK has been at the forefront of international action to reduce NO2 emissions from shipping through work at the International Maritime Organization, and from 2021 the UK gained additional protection as additional restrictions on NO_x emissions came into force in the North Sea Emission Control Area.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether a Minister from his Department will attend the fifth round of negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty in Busan, Korea.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The fifth round of negotiations on the global plastic pollution treaty (INC-5), beginning on 25 November 2024 does not include a formal Ministerial segment. The UK will continue to be appropriately represented, and we will keep the need for Defra ministerial attendance at INC-5 under review

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the capability to do random physical (a) animal and (b) plant checks on site in the Port of Dover.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra will continue to monitor and review the impact of the new controls. We will work closely with industry, trade partners and enforcement agencies to minimise disruption and costs to trade, while continuing to protect our biosecurity.

The Port of Dover has a Border Control Post (BCP) designation for HRFFNAO only. All physical checks on plants take place at Sevington BCP.

There are currently no checks on animals at BCPs, these are continuing at destination.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure vehicles sent to the Border Control Post at Sevington (a) go there directly and (b) do not unload their contents en route.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The risk of legitimate commercial loads not attending Sevington is mitigated by robust, data-backed enforcement options.

Consignments called to Sevington for an inspection will have completed the necessary customs declarations and pre-notifications. These goods will not be legally cleared for sale or use within the UK until they have attended and been cleared at the Border Control Post (BCP).

Where the BCP has concerns, for example due to non-attendance, there are existing robust provisions for contacting the person responsible for the load, if it is then not possible for the goods to proceed to the BCP then the goods to be referred for inland controls by the local authority, enforceable through the data collected through those customs declarations and pre-notification.

Meanwhile, vehicles suspected to be carrying illegal imports (e.g. those for which customs declarations and pre-notification have not been made or suspected to have been made in bad faith) will continue to be stopped and dealt with by Border Force at the point of entry to the UK, not sent to the BCP.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the compliance of (a) people and (b) vehicles told to go to the Border Control Post at Sevington for checks.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Due to the intelligence led and dynamic nature of our biosecurity controls and to ensure operations are not impacted, we are unable to share data on Sanitary and phytosanitary checks.

Consignments called to Sevington for an inspection will have completed the necessary customs declarations and pre-notifications. These goods will not be legally cleared for sale or use within the UK until they have attended and been cleared at the Border Control Post (BCP).

Where the BCP has concerns, for example due to non-attendance, there are existing robust provisions for contacting the person responsible for the load, if it is then not possible for the goods to proceed to the BCP then the goods to be referred for inland controls by the local authority, enforceable through the data collected through those customs declarations and pre-notification.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will hold discussions with the hon. Member for Tiverton and Minehead on the (a) Exmoor Farmers' Network and (b) farming community in Tiverton and Minehead constituency.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

My Defra private office handles all meeting requests. Please contact them directly to request a meeting.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to encourage (a) reuse and (b) repair of items that would otherwise be thrown away.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government committed in its manifesto to reducing waste by moving to a circular economy. The Secretary of State has committed to developing a new Circular Economy Strategy for England to support economic growth, deliver green jobs, promote efficient and productive use of resources, minimise negative environmental impacts and accelerate to Net Zero.

We will work across Government, and with input from all parts of society, to create a Strategy which supports and encourages greater reuse and repair.

Defra has also published guidance Guidance on applying the waste hierarchy - GOV.UK on how businesses can use the waste hierarchy – a framework for dealing with waste which promotes re-use. The guidance shows how it works for a range of common materials and products and what businesses and public bodies need to do. It gives top priority to preventing waste in the first place. When waste is created, it gives priority to preparing it for re-use, then recycling, then recovery, and last of all disposal (e.g. landfill).

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of expanding schemes to reintroduce beavers into the wild.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

Yes, assessments of the potential merits of beaver reintroductions in England have been made.

Most notably, beginning in 2015, a 5-year trial for beaver wild release took place on the River Otter in Devon. In 2020, Natural England published assessment results for the trial. The trial was found to be successful, having brought many benefits to local ecology and communities, including creating wetland habitat and reducing downstream flood risk for housing.

Following successful completion of the trial, the Government conducted a public consultation on the approach to beaver reintroduction and management in England. In 2022, the Government published its response to this consultation. Work with Natural England to develop our approach to beaver reintroductions in England is continuing, including on wild release.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will take legislative steps to help improve welfare standards for (a) layer hens and (b) broiler chickens.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

All farm animals, are protected by comprehensive and robust animal health and welfare legislation: the Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes it an offence either to cause any captive animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for the welfare needs of the animal; and The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 set down detailed requirements on how farmed livestock, including laying hens and meat chickens, should be kept.

We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards.

Further details on our plans will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the UK's withdrawal from the EU on farmers.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Data relating to farmers are regularly published. Agriculture in the UK 2023 was published in June 2024. Farming evidence packs have been recently updated including key statistics and farm performance Farming statistics evidence packs - GOV.UK. These set out an extensive range of data to provide an overview of agriculture in the UK, and the contribution of Direct Payments to farm incomes, including analysis by sector, location in England and type of land tenure.

We publish regular statistics on farm income, agricultural productivity and food production, including data earlier this year looking at how farm business income has changed since the start of the agricultural transition.

Monitoring the agricultural transition period in England, 2022/23 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

We will continue to carry out appropriate and timely assessments of our interventions to inform policy development.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to the mix of waste sent for incineration since 2017 on the carbon emissions of each unit of electricity generated by incinerators compared to (a) coal, (b) gas, (c) nuclear, (d) biomass, (e) offshore wind, (f) onshore wind and (g) solar.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra made no assessment of the effect of changes in the mix of waste sent for incineration on the carbon emissions of each unit of electricity generated by energy recovery facilities when the Rt Hon member for North East Cambridgeshire was Secretary of State. Defra is currently undertaking a composition analysis study of residual waste treated at energy recovery facilities. This will enable us to better understand the overall composition of residual waste treated at energy recovery facilities and, in due course, can form the basis for a better understanding of the fossil carbon portion of waste sent to incineration.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for the publication of the UK Chemicals Strategy.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government is committed to protecting human health and the environment. This Government has wasted no time in announcing a rapid review of the Environmental Improvement Plan to deliver on our legally binding targets to save nature and this includes how best to manage chemicals. Further details will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department issues on licence approvals for incineration plants in residential areas.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Environment Agency (EA) is responsible for assessing environmental permit applications for new incinerators to operate in England and has a duty to assess any application it receives against the requirements of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations (EPR) 2016.

The EA must follow the guidance on determining permit applications which is set out in Section 7 of the EPR Core Guidance and in the EPR Part A Guidance, including for incinerators in residential areas. The guidance documents can be found at the following links:

• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-permitting-guidance-core-guidance--2
• https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7b8e02e5274a7318b8f6b3/pb13898-epr-guidance-part-a-130222.pdf

As set out in the guidance, in England all large incinerators must comply with strict emission limits and the Best Available Techniques (BAT) conclusions for waste incineration. If impacts from an incinerator could cause an Air Quality Limit or Standard to be exceeded for the local area (as set out in the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010), a lower limit for the relevant pollutant could be specified in the permit, or the permit may be refused. The EA will only grant a permit if it is satisfied that the proposal would not give rise to any significant pollution of the environment or harm to human health.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether, as part of their rapid review of the Environmental Improvement Plan, they will consider combining all soil health measures into a Soil Health Action Plan for England.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Healthy functioning soil is at the heart of restoring natural systems and underpins our plans for environmental improvement. The Government is currently undertaking a comprehensive review of all commitments made by the last government to ensure they align with our new priorities and a decision regarding any future soil strategy or action plan will be made in due course.

Central to this is our rapid review of the Environmental Improvement Plan. We will develop a new, statutory plan to protect and restore our natural environment with delivery information to help meet each of our ambitious Environment Act targets. It will focus on cleaning up our waterways, reducing waste across the economy, planting millions more trees, improving air quality and halting the decline in species by 2030.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to take steps to introduce a national phase-out of the use of pesticides in public areas under local authority control.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

It is for each local authority to decide the best way of delivering effective and cost-effective weed control in its operations without harming people or the environment. We are working with stakeholders in the sector to increase awareness and uptake of Integrated Pest Management to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to ensure that water companies do not allow storm sewage overflows to impact (a) rivers and (b) coastal areas in West Dorset constituency.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government has taken immediate and substantial action to address water companies who are not performing for the environment or their customers. In July, we announced swift action to begin resetting the water sector, including ringfencing vital funding for infrastructure investment and placing customers and the environment at the heart of water company objectives.

In September, Government introduced the Water (Special Measures) Bill to give regulators new powers to take tougher and faster action to crack down on water companies damaging the environment and failing their customers.

Furthermore, on 23 October, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Welsh government, launched an Independent Commission on the water sector regulatory system, to fundamentally transform how our water system works and clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.

All storm overflows in the West Dorset constituency are now fitted with event duration monitors and, from January 2025, water companies will have a duty to publish spill frequency and duration data in near real-time.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science's report entitled Assessing the sustainability of fisheries catch limits negotiated by the UK for 2024, published 10 April 2024.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

As an independent coastal State, the UK sets total allowable catches (TACs) each year for many fish stocks through negotiations with other coastal States. UK positions in those negotiations are informed by the best available scientific advice, including advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) on achieving the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) for many stocks. The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) conducts annually a robust assessment of the sustainability outcomes of our negotiations, including the number of TACs which have been set in line with the scientific advice.

In those negotiations, the UK seeks to balance the fisheries objectives set out in the Fisheries Act 2020 and the Joint Fisheries Statement. We strive for outcomes that achieve greater environmental sustainability, including aiming to increase over the medium term the total number of stocks fished at MSY.

Defra will publish in early 2025 the Cefas assessment of the sustainability outcomes of the TACs negotiated by the UK this autumn.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the percentage of food consumed in the UK that is produced domestically.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

In 2023, 58% of domestic consumption came from UK production (based on unprocessed value at farmgate), 24% from the European Union and the remaining 18% from the rest of the world. Data for 2024 will be published in Defra's ‘Agriculture in the United Kingdom’ report in mid-2025.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to address the issue of overfishing.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Sustainability is at the heart of the UK’s approach to fisheries management. Through negotiations with other coastal States, we ensure that catch limits are set sustainably, consistent with the best scientific advice. This Government is also pleased to restart the Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) programme and is grateful for the support of the fishing sector and wider stakeholders in helping to shape these plans to secure the long-term sustainability of UK fish stocks in line with obligations under the Fisheries Act 2020 and the Joint Fisheries Statement. We are now consulting on the next 5 FMPs, these cover cockles, sprat, queen scallop, skates, rays and various other demersal species in different waters around England.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made on developing a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement with the European Union.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Following their meeting in Brussels on 2 October, the President of the European Commission and the Prime Minister have agreed to strengthen the relationship between the EU and UK, putting it on a more solid, stable footing. We have already said we will seek to negotiate a UK-EU veterinary/SPS agreement to help boost trade and deliver benefits to businesses and consumers in the UK and the EU. The UK and EU are like-minded partners with similarly high standards. We recognise that delivering new agreements will take time, but we are ambitious, have clear priorities and want to move forward at pace.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) funding and (b) other support his Department is providing to farmers to transition to more sustainable agricultural practices in West Dorset constituency.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra’s farming budget will be £2.4 billion in 2025/26. This will include the largest ever budget directed at sustainable food production and nature’s recovery in our country’s history: £1.8 billion for environmental land management schemes. This funding will deliver improvements to food security, biodiversity, carbon emissions, water quality, air quality and flood resilience.

Environmental Land Management schemes will remain at the centre of our offer for farmers, with the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier and Landscape Recovery all continuing. These offer funding streams for farmers to make their businesses more sustainable and resilient, including those who have been often ignored such as small, grassland, upland and tenant farmers.

We will work with the sector to continue to roll out, improve and evolve these schemes, to make them work for farming and nature.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of banning greyhound racing in England.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Eastleigh, Liz Jarvis, on 18 September 2024, PQ 5214.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to legislate to ensure that imported egg products meet welfare standards equivalent to the UK.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government recognises farmers’ concerns about imports produced using methods not permitted in the UK. We have been clear that we will use our Trade Strategy to promote the highest food production standards.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Thames Path to Essex along the Thames Estuary.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

There are no plans to extend the Thames Path National Trail to Essex along the Thames Estuary at this time.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether data collected through his Department’s farm practices survey informs the assessment of progress on meeting legally binding targets set out in the Environment Act 2021.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Reporting against statutory targets is being developed primarily through data on activities that farmers have volunteered to do as part of schemes. Defra uses survey data, including the results from the farm practices survey, to build assumptions and understand more about land that has not been entered into schemes.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2024 to Question 7017 on Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Official Cars, if he will name which specific senior officials have access to a Government car; and whether those senior officials had access to a Government car before the 2024 general election.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

For security reasons specific details of allocations including make and model of vehicles are not issued.

The arrangements relating to the usage of vehicles in the Government Car Service are set out in the Civil Service Management Code.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2024 to Question 7016 on Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Official Cars, whether either of the two vehicles are electric cars.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

For security reasons specific details of allocations including make and model of vehicles are not issued.

The arrangements relating to the usage of vehicles in the Government Car Service are set out in the Civil Service Management Code.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward the start date of the proposed bottle deposit and return scheme.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government is committed to creating a circular economy that: uses our resources as efficiently and productively as possible, minimises environmental impacts, accelerates our progress on Net Zero, supports economic growth, and creates new jobs.

This Government is also committed to delivering the Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers in October 2027, as agreed with the devolved Governments of the UK, and in accordance with the Joint Policy Statement published in April 2024.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to repeal the 2031 deadline for registering public rights of way.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Ministers are considering the further implementation of the rights of way reform programme.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce response times for applications to the Sustainable Farming Incentive.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Sustainable Farming Incentive has been expanded to now include Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier actions, with around a further 80 new actions now available for customers to select. The scheme is in the late stages of the controlled rollout, something always normally undertaken when new schemes are implemented to make sure that everything is working as expected for everyone. This allows the Rural Payments Agency to monitor all aspects closely, covering not only the technical elements of the application process but also including customer guidance and support. carrying out additional checks on all applications before issuing agreements. These checks are being scaled back as we move through this initial controlled period, and the number of agreements being offered has increased since the start of October.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many registered XL bully dogs are aged (1) 0 or 1 years, (2) 2 or 3 years, (3) 4 or 5 years, (4) 5 or 6 years, (5) 7 or 8 years, (6) 9 or 10 years, (7) 11 years or more.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The table below provides a breakdown of registered XL Bully dogs by the ages requested.

*Please note that 5 year old dogs have been included in both age ranges.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to encourage the Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture to include the ornamental sector of horticulture within its remit.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture (TIAH) is an independent industry led organisation. Although ornamental horticulture is not within TIAH’s initial scope, through the Environmental Horticulture Group, they have been working with the sector in areas where there are common issues and working towards longer term inclusion.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve the enforcement of animal welfare penalty notices.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Enforcement authorities have been able to issue penalty notices for a range of animal health and welfare offences since 1 January 2024. At the end of each financial year, enforcement authorities are required to submit an annual report to Defra on how many penalty notices they have issued. The first annual report from enforcement authorities on penalty notices issued is to be submitted to Defra by June 2025.

Defra is funding training to enforcement authorities such as local authorities and the police to support the effective implementation of penalty notices within their enforcement regime and their effective use as an enforcement tool.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to strengthen animal welfare.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. That is exactly what we will do, and we will be outlining more detail in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to publish the results of the consultation entitled the Fur market in Great Britain, published on 31 May 2021.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Ministers are reviewing policies, which will be announced in due course, including the consultation on the Fur Market in Great Britain. Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee 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.

Labour Government will introduce the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he expects to agree new phytosanitary arrangements with the EU for (a) agricultural and (b) horticultural businesses.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Following their meeting in Brussels on 2 October, the President of the European Commission and the Prime Minister have agreed to strengthen the relationship between the EU and UK. The UK and EU are like-minded partners with similarly high standards. The Government has already committed to seek to negotiate a veterinary/sanitary and phytosanitary agreement to help boost trade and deliver benefits to businesses and consumers in the UK and the EU. The Government is unable to speculate on timings before we have begun formal discussions with the EU.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of conducting a review into the food labelling system.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra is in the process of conducting a Post Implementation Review of the Food Information Regulations 2014 and the Country of Origin of Certain Meats Regulations 2015 to assess their success against their origin policy objectives.

Furthermore, we plan to publish a summary of responses to a recent public consultation on fairer food labelling.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much revenue has been generated from charging Irish operators using the red lane through Northern Ireland ports, as set out in paragraph 132 of the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper (CP1021).

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government is committed to ensuring the smooth flow of trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Charging arrangements for Irish operators using the red lane are not currently in place, the new Government are looking into this matter and will provide an update in due course.

Found: soils could be protected as a resource and re-used via accelerated development of the proposed Defra

Found: Alliance on the Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (England) Regulations 2024 and response by the Department

Found: Draft Windsor Framework (Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals) Regulations 2024 and Response from the Department

Found: Supplementary evidence from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) We have

Found: parliament.uk /eacom Rt Hon Steve Reed MP Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Department

Found: London SW1P 4DF T: +44 (0) 3459 335577 E: correspondence.section@defra.gov.uk W: gov.uk/defra

Found: raise more money, but the impact of that on the countryside, despite your commitment to save the DEFRA

Found: the Department for Food, Environment and Rural AffairsECC/24-25Restricted: For Committee use only Department

Found: ADAS UK Ltd, Helsby, UK. 3.DEFRA (2023) 2021 UK greenhouse gas emissions: final figures - data tables

Found: MET0055 - Methane Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs Written Evidence

Found: 000 0 000 -0 043 Levelling up Housing and Communities NICs reversal -0.237 0.000 0.000 0.000 -0.237 Department

Found: absolutely admire everything you are saying, but how are you going to ensure that departments like DEFRA

Found: The extension would include closer collaboration with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural

Found: Advisors 16,000 16,000 From the Department for Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA

Found: For both instruments, the Committee asked the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 3.19 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, if she will publish an allocation breakdown of the £20.4 billion spending on research and development for 2025-26.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

To fully harness the potential of the UK's excellent science base and to foster a dynamic investment economy, the Budget protects record levels of government research and development (R&D) investment with £20.4 billion allocated in 2025-26. This is allocated as per the table below.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, if her Department will publish a tabular summary of Capital DEL allocated in the Budget to research and development by Department.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

To fully harness the potential of the UK's excellent science base and to foster a dynamic investment economy, the Budget protects record levels of government research and development (R&D) investment with £20.4 billion allocated in 2025-26. This is allocated as per the table below.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the completion status is of each (a) key delivery objective and (b) activity in the UK REACH work programme for 2023-24.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), acting as the UK REACH Agency, submitted to Defra in April this year their annual report which detailed the completion status of key delivery objectives and activities contained in the 2023-24 UK REACH work programme. Once approved by Ministers, the annual report will be published on HSE’s website.

Found: Department for Culture, Media and Sport Department for Education Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Department

Found: Department of Health and Social Care is working across Government to achieve this, including with the Department

Found: Hiding in plain sight . 166 DEFRA, DHSC. 2021.

Found: Department for Culture, Media and Sport Department for Education Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Department

Found: Framework: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) 222 Circular Ecology, Defra

Found: (11) DEFRA.

Found: recycling techniques” shall have the meaning given to it in the document published jointly by the Department

Found: Drought orders are determined by the Defra Secretary of State in England or Welsh Ministers for sites

Found: an exemption from providing a sustainability statement for the period covered by this report by the Department

Found: conversion factors used to produce CO2 outputs for travel have been taken from those produced by DEFRA

Found: encouraged to report findings of dead wild birds using the online reporting system or by calling the Defra

Found: hurstspit2lymington@environment-agency.gov.uk Any media who want to attend the drop-in sessions please contact the Defra

Found: pesticides to inform future regulatory reform; |deliver the agreed work programme for UK REACH; |support Defra

Found: Committee on 30 October 2024, 1 1th Report, 2024 (Session 6) 3Consultation 8. 9.The Scottish Government and DEFRA

Found: Action : DEFRA to lead with MMO/Scottish Government/CAA to pull together UK position on deposition of

Found: Similarly, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is funding a project to develop