Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

There is currently no joint programme of work between Department of Transport and Defra to reduce the number of wildlife-related road accidents.

Defra published the Residual Waste Infrastructure Capacity Note and an accompanying statement on 30 December 2024. This statement set out that government will only back new Energy from Waste projects that meet strict conditions. Proposals for new facilities will have to demonstrate a clearly defined domestic residual waste treatment capacity need to facilitate the diversion of residual waste away from landfill, or enable the replacement of older, less-efficient facilities. Additionally, new facilities will have to maximise efficiency and support the delivery of economic growth, net zero and the move to a circular economy.

We are considering how best to reflect the approach in this statement in the new set of national policies for development management which we have committed to producing, and in updates to National Policy Statements.

Defra has no current plans to review wildlife legislation for (a) enforcing or (b) prosecuting wildlife crime while recognising there are obvious challenges for enforcement of such activity and successfully bringing prosecutions. For example, the crimes often occur in remote areas of our countryside where there may not be a witness. Wildlife crime, though, is unacceptable and significant sanctions are already available for judges to hand down to those convicted. Anyone who commits an offence under existing wildlife legislation can face up to a six-month custodial sentence and/or an unlimited fine.

In terms of prosecutions, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) provides legal guidance on wildlife crime which is available to all its prosecutors to assist them in dealing with these cases. Defra also supports the valuable work of the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU). It is a principal funder of the Unit which helps prevent and detect wildlife crime by obtaining and disseminating intelligence, undertaking analysis, and directly assisting law enforcers in their investigations. The NWCU provides training to police officers across the UK. This reflects the National Police Chiefs' Council wildlife crime strategy and provides comprehensive training in UK wildlife crime priorities and emerging trends.

Defra recognises the view of many stakeholders that the complexity and disparate nature of wildlife legislation is a factor in the challenges experienced in successfully prosecuting wildlife offences. The overriding recommendation of the 2015 Law Commission report into wildlife legislation was that wildlife laws in this country need to be consolidated. While we have no immediate plans, we support the Commission’s call for consolidation. We will pursue opportunities to streamline legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows, to achieve more consistency and clarity.

Under the Simpler Recycling reforms, all local authorities in England must provide weekly food waste collections from households by 31 March 2026, unless a transitional arrangement applies (a later date set in legislation).

We have invested over £340 million to date to support councils as they get ready for weekly food collections. We have also published guidance to help local authorities and funded sector specialists WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) to provide further resources and support. This includes guidance on good practice when delivering services to householders and communications guidance for household food waste collections.

We have consulted and engaged extensively with local authorities throughout the development of this policy. This has included focused working groups, sector events and holding monthly stakeholder forums. We meet monthly with local authority waste network chairs to partner on delivery of these reforms. We are aware of some specific delivery challenges faced by some local authorities to meet these new obligations and are working with local authority waste networks and the wider industry to provide additional support where we can. We will continue to monitor progress and work with the sector to deliver these reforms.

The most recent estimate of the population of Hen Harriers in Lancashire is 13 successfully breeding females, which produced 42 young this year.

The Secretary of State for Defra has not assessed the potential ecological impact of animal road casualties on native wildlife populations in general. However, studies have shown that road traffic collisions are one of the factors in the decline in species such as the hedgehog.

The distinguished jumping spider (Attulus distinguendus) is found on the northern section of Swanscombe Peninsula, Kent, which is one of only two locations in the UK where it can be found, the other being Thurrock Marshes. Its prevalence is extremely low, and it is a critically endangered species due to habitat loss.

The Government published a Final Impact Assessment for the deposit return scheme (DRS) in England and Northern Ireland alongside the regulations in January 2025.

The UK has strong laws in place to protect the environment. Contravention of many of these is a criminal offence. Convictions are sought to punish significant or persistent environmental offending.

There is currently no active monitoring carried out by, or funded by, Defra. However, current agri-environment schemes provide funding for farmers to provide suitable habitat to support Cirl Bunting.

The £816 million of funding announced in the spending review is funding dedicated to supporting delivery of the statutory tree canopy and woodland cover target and increasing tree planting rates across England.

Recognising the importance of woodland management we have recently opened the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier scheme for new applications. It includes an expanded woodland management offer, with funding for a variety of management actions and woodland types. Woodland managers can apply for funding to produce a woodland management plan and will then receive advice from Forestry Commission to agree the management of their woodland in the scheme.

When determining any planning application, it is the responsibility of the local planning authority to ensure that protected species are fully considered and that ecological surveys have been carried out where appropriate. Natural England has issued Standing Advice to assist both local planning authorities and developers in deciding whether there is a reasonable likelihood of protected species being present on a proposed development site. It provides detailed advice on those protected species most often affected by development to enable an assessment to be made of the suitability of a protected species survey and, where appropriate, a mitigation strategy to protect the species affected by the development.

To help integrate nature into new development, the government has also amended the National Planning Policy Framework. This encourages the incorporation of features, such as swift bricks and hedgehog highways, to protect threatened species through local plans and decisions on planning applications.

Defra has reviewed the report’s recommendations and considered the feasibility of actions to take forward while ensuring balance between existing priorities and our statutory obligations. As the criminal case for the Sycamore Gap tree has shown, our judicial system takes illegal tree felling seriously: those that cause illegal damage will be held to account. In addition, our most important trees, those of ancient and veteran status, are considered irreplaceable habitats and protected in planning policy. Local authorities may also grant specific protections on individual trees of high value through Tree Preservation Orders. We are continuing to focus on improving the implementation of planning protections to ensure that our most important trees of ancient and veteran status are protected in both practice and policy.

In May 2025, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) released the Third Special Protection Areas (SPAs) Review (Phase 2), assessing the UK’s SPA network and its protection of bird species. The report offers guidance from JNCC and the UK’s four statutory conservation bodies, which administrations must consider. Ministers and agencies, including Natural England (NE), are reviewing it. A key focus is to ensure that existing sites are in favourable condition, but the Government may also, if necessary, direct NE to implement the report’s recommendations, including designating new SPAs.

Expanding our trees, woodlands and forests is an important tool at our disposal for reversing reductions in our woodland biodiversity.

Establishing native woodland has made the greatest contribution to the increase in priority habitats in recent years, and we will continue to improve the condition and increase the extent of our most precious woodland habitats, such as irreplaceable ancient woodlands. We have pledged £816 million for tree planting and woodland creation up to 2030, benefiting biodiversity and setting us on a path to contributing 100,000 hectares of wildlife-rich woodland to the statutory habitats target by 2042.

The England Woodland Creation Grant provides additional payments for the creation of native woodland and to buffer and connect existing ancient and native woodland. New payments have been introduced to Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier to support the improvement of woodland and the management and restoration of ancient woodland. Over 2000ha of ancient woodland habitat has been brought into this ancient woodland option since its introduction.

We are already taking a range of actions to support woodland biodiversity and will set out further details in the upcoming Environment Improvement Plan.

The National Forestry Inventory shows only 9% of England’s native woodlands are in favourable ecological condition, with the majority of the remaining 90% in intermediate condition. In England, we have four legally binding targets for biodiversity: to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030; to reverse declines by at least 10% by 2042, when compared with 2030; to reduce the risk of national species extinction by 2042; and to restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat, also by 2042.

To support these goals, grant schemes like the England Woodland Creation Offer incentivise high-biodiversity woodland creation and natural regeneration. Environmental Land Management Schemes, including Countryside Stewardship, fund woodland improvements such as invasive non-native species control, coppicing, deadwood habitat creation, and restoration of ancient woodland sites. We are also investing in research by Forest Research on how woodland creation can reconnect fragmented habitats to benefit diverse species.

When considering a felling licence application the Forestry Commission will judge the proposals against the UK Forestry Standard, the government’s technical guide to sustainable forest management, available at The UK Forestry Standard - GOV.UK. There is no requirement for the applicant to prove why they should be allowed to fell trees, it is for the Forestry Commission to provide reasons why it should not grant a licence.

The grounds for refusing a felling licence are based on the statutory criteria set out in section 10(2) of the Forestry Act 1967 which states: “Subject to the provisions of this Act (and, in particular, to their duty to take advice under section 37(3), the Forestry Commission may on any such application grant the licence, or grant it subject to conditions, or refuse it, but shall grant it unconditionally except in a case where it appears to them to be expedient to do otherwise:

(a) in the interests of good forestry or agriculture or of the amenities of the district;

(b) for the purpose of complying with their duty of promoting the establishment and maintenance of adequate reserves of growing trees.”

The Forestry Commission’s approach is to work constructively with applicants to resolve issues and facilitate responsible woodland management. Refusal is therefore considered a measure of last resort.

Forestry is a devolved matter and so this answer is for England only. The Forestry Commission granted 3,437 felling licences in 2024. No felling licence applications were refused.

Forestry is a devolved matter and so this answer is for England only. The Forestry Commission granted 3,437 felling licences in 2024. No felling licence applications were refused.

This Government does not collect data on the number or classification of trees felled. However, when considering a felling licence application the Forestry Commission would expect the application to comply with good forestry practice.

There are a range of legal methods that can be used to deter gulls to prevent or at least minimise problems in urban areas. Natural England has issued this guidance on managing wild birds using non-lethal measures. It has also piloted two organisational licences with Bath and Northeast Somerset Council; and Worcester Council for the purposes of urban gull management. It has invited and encouraged other councils to apply if they are experiencing gull issues and offered advice. Furthermore, Natural England colleagues have spoken directly to local authorities and presented to council environmental health officers through webinars hosted by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. While current Defra Ministers have not held discussions with counterparts in the devolved Governments on this matter, a Natural England representative attended the recent Scottish ‘Gull Summit’ to share learning on how Natural England is working with local authorities on managing gulls and providing licensing support.

The Forestry Commission has not refused any felling licence applications in the past 5 years. However, in 2019 one application was refused as the felling would lead to a loss of woodland containing veteran and future veteran oaks. The felling of these would be against the ‘interests of good forestry… and the amenities of the district’ which meant that it was not compliant with the UK Forestry Standard.

The Darwin Plus budget for 2025-26 is maintaining spending levels to support biodiversity across the UK Overseas Territories. This includes funding to sustain existing projects and award new projects. The Secretary of State announced funding to 43 new Darwin Plus projects with a lifetime value of £7.9 million in her speech at Countdown to COP30 on 9 October.

Funding for Darwin Plus beyond March 2026 remains subject to Defra business planning processes. Updates on future funding rounds will be published on the Darwin Plus website as soon as more information becomes available.

In 2024, Defra published independent research by the ICF - UK Forestry Workforce & Skills Research - KT0201. It showed that the forestry workforce had grown steadily over the past decade, with around 24,000 people employed in the core forestry sector as of 2023 and that continued investment in forestry apprenticeships and workforce development tools were required.

The Forestry-Sector-Skills-Plan-2025.pdf, published in early 2025, identifies specific actions such as the Level 6 Professional Foresters apprenticeship to address the gap in skills in the sector. Defra and Forestry Commission are now working with key stakeholders to deliver the specific actions it sets out.

Sapling availability has also been addressed through this project. Forestry Commission publish the Tree Supply Report and Tree Nursery Directories annually to bring visibility to the market. Defra and Forestry Commission work closely with the nurseries to assess trends in the market. In the 24/25 planting season, 161 million saplings were produced which is around 1 million more than the previous year. The Nature for Climate Fund funded grants this year of up to: £2 million capital investment in tree production through the Tree Production Capital Grant; £1.5 million supporting innovation in tree production through the Tree Production Innovation Fund and £0.6 million supporting tree seed sourcing through the Seed Sourcing Grant.

Plastic pollution is one of the greatest environmental challenges that we face today – it litters our beaches, threatens wildlife and contributes towards climate change.

The UK Government works closely with the Scottish Government on plastic pollution and beach litter is monitored across the UK under the UK Marine Strategy. Annual reports on UK beach litter are published online: Annual beach litter reports (2023) - ME4168. Monitoring data is also reported in line with our obligations under the OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic and is used in the OSPAR beach litter assessment: Abundance, Composition and Trends of Beach Litter.

UK Government and the Devolved Governments have taken action to address some of the most commonly-found beach litter items – for example, legislation to restrict the supply of certain single-use plastic items has been introduced across UK nations.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires all development to utilise Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) where they could have drainage impacts. These systems should be appropriate to the nature and scale of the proposed development. See paragraphs 181 and 182 of the NPPF.

The current legal and regulatory framework associated with SuDS adoption, maintenance and enforcement is via conditions attached to planning permissions. We intend to consult on National Planning Policy related to decision making later this year, including policies on flood risk and SuDS. The government also recognises the importance of long-term maintenance of SuDS.

The regulations set rules requiring all supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores and newsagents that sell drinks that are in the scheme to host a return point, unless they qualify for an exemption.

A new organisation called UK Deposit Management Organisation Ltd (UK DMO) has been appointed to run the scheme. It’s a not-for-profit group, led by businesses.

UK DMO is responsible for ensuring there is a comprehensive network of return points so that consumers are easily able to return their containers, including in rural areas.

The DMO will undertake regular reviews of the return point network to consider the number, location and accessibility of return points.

Defra’s ‘Air Pollution in the UK report 2024’ which includes the annual assessment of compliance with the Air Quality Standards Regulations, was published on 30 September 2025. This contains information specific to the Greater Manchester Urban Area.

We agreed an £86m investment led clean air plan for Greater Manchester in January 2025 to address exceedances of nitrogen dioxide.  This will see the city benefit from cleaner buses; local traffic measures and upgrades to the taxi fleet to help clean up the region’s air. We are continuing to work closely with Greater Manchester Authorities to monitor its delivery and in order to ensure compliance with NO₂ limits in the shortest possible time.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires all development to utilise Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) where they could have drainage impacts. These systems should be appropriate to the nature and scale of the proposed development. See paragraphs 181 and 182 of the NPPF.

The current legal and regulatory framework associated with SuDS adoption, maintenance and enforcement is via conditions attached to planning permissions. We intend to consult on National Planning Policy related to decision making later this year, including policies on flood risk and SuDS. The government also recognises the importance of long-term maintenance of SuDS.

A new organisation called UK Deposit Management Organisation Ltd (UK DMO) will run the scheme. It’s a not-for-profit group, led by businesses. They were officially appointed in May 2025 (England & NI) and June 2025 (Scotland).

The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) across England, Northern Ireland and Scotland have been designed with interoperability in mind to ensure the schemes look and feel like one scheme in all three nations.

I and my officials remain in close working partnership with the Welsh Government as they develop further detail of their scheme, and it is reassuring that they have decided to align their scheme launch date with DRS in the rest of the UK.

Government will continue to work closely across the sector, and now with UK DMO, to ensure the smooth implementation of the DRS for businesses and consumers. We will also maintain regular engagement with retailers, producers and interested groups to monitor implementation progress.

Each nation has or will set out the costs of their schemes in their respective impact assessments. The full impact assessment for England and Northern Ireland was published when the regulations came into force in January of this year and can be found here.

Chalk streams are a source of national pride, and this Government is committed to protecting these iconic British waterways for future generations. We have announced an ambitious programme of reforms to clean up our rivers, lakes, and seas for good: we will ensure that chalk streams benefit from this era of reform.

Chalk streams are already recognised by decision makers in planning as valued landscapes and sites of biodiversity value. Local Nature Recovery Strategies, which are being rolled out across England, will enable decision makers to identify and protect chalk streams as areas of importance for nature. At present, 8 chalk streams have additional SSSI or SAC designation, which offers enhanced protection and the setting of bespoke environmental targets.

Defra policy officials continue to work with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government colleagues on swift brick policy, alongside wider nature and planning matters.

As part of our work to develop a set of national planning policies for decision making, the Government intends to consult on changes which require swift bricks to be incorporated into new buildings unless there are compelling reasons which preclude their use, or which would make them ineffective. This would strengthen significantly the planning policy expectations already in place, meaning – for example – that we would expect to see at least one swift brick in all new brick-built houses.

As an interim step ahead of the consultation, we have published updated Planning Practice Guidance setting out how swift bricks are expected to be used in new development, and signposting to further guidance including the British Industry Standard, Part 2 of the National Model Design Code, the Future Homes Hub Homes for Nature Guidance, and the RSPB’s Guide to Nestboxes.

All English and Welsh water and sewerage companies published their final Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMPs), which informed the 2024 periodic review.

These DWMPs were produced on a voluntary basis to industry-led guidance. The current cycle of DWMPs, which is now statutory, is supported by new Government guidance [Guidelines for Statutory Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMPs) - GOV.UK]. This cycle of DWMPs will inform the next periodic review and related water company infrastructure investment.

Phosphorus levels in treated wastewater are monitored by the Environment Agency (EA), and the discharge of phosphorus from wastewater treatment works is managed in accordance with discharge permit conditions, also enforced by the Environment Agency.

The Environmental Improvement Plan sets an interim target to reduce phosphorus loadings from treated wastewater into freshwaters in England by a 50% reduction by 31 Jan 2028.

This will be delivered – along with the long-term target of an 80% reduction by 31 December 2038 – through upgrades to wastewater treatment works as part of the usual water company business planning cycle. The EA will support the upgrades by introducing new or strengthened phosphorus limits to wastewater treatment works’ permits, including at many smaller treatment works, requiring them to actively take steps to reduce phosphorus pollution for the first time.

Defra Ministers and officials have had numerous conversations with Ofwat about a range of issues, including in relation to the Price Review 2024.

A comprehensive review of the current grant provision to the Canal and River Trust was conducted between 2021 and 2023. The review examined a number of forward-looking scenarios using data provided by the Trust that included consideration of potential climate change impacts.

The Heather and Grass Management Code was published on 30th September 2025. The link can be found here: Heather and Grass Management Code - GOV.UK

There are currently no bathing waters designated by Defra in the Surrey Heath constituency. The Environment Agency undertakes regular monitoring of the water quality in Surrey Heath constituency; the assessment and proposed actions are set out in The Thames River Basin Management Plan. Impacts from wastewater pollution are highlighted as a key pressure resulting in many waterbodies not currently achieving good ecological status.

There have been significant pollution incidents at Camberley and Chobham Sewage Treatment Works in the last few years, and these are subject to ongoing Environment Agency investigations. The Environment Agency is currently transforming its regulatory approach including developing a larger specialised workforce and delivering a step change in inspections of Thames Water's permitted sites and associated enforcement.

Water company investment of over £10 billion will improve over 2,500 storm overflows, targeted at those affecting the most sensitive sites for ecological and human health. Protected Sites Strategies will also help improve biodiversity in our coastal areas.

Where a water body has been officially designated as a bathing water the Environment Agency will carry out regular testing of the water quality at each site, as well as inspecting for the presence of a range of pollutants. Information about water quality at each site is published online via the Swimfo service.

There are currently no bathing waters designated by Defra in the Surrey Heath constituency. The Environment Agency undertakes regular monitoring of the water quality in Surrey Heath constituency; the assessment and proposed actions are set out in The Thames River Basin Management Plan. Impacts from wastewater pollution are highlighted as a key pressure resulting in many waterbodies not currently achieving good ecological status.

There have been significant pollution incidents at Camberley and Chobham Sewage Treatment Works in the last few years, and these are subject to ongoing Environment Agency investigations. The Environment Agency is currently transforming its regulatory approach including developing a larger specialised workforce and delivering a step change in inspections of Thames Water's permitted sites and associated enforcement.

Water company investment of over £10 billion will improve over 2,500 storm overflows, targeted at those affecting the most sensitive sites for ecological and human health. Protected Sites Strategies will also help improve biodiversity in our coastal areas.

Where a water body has been officially designated as a bathing water the Environment Agency will carry out regular testing of the water quality at each site, as well as inspecting for the presence of a range of pollutants. Information about water quality at each site is published online via the Swimfo service.

There are currently no bathing waters designated by Defra in the Surrey Heath constituency. The Environment Agency undertakes regular monitoring of the water quality in Surrey Heath constituency; the assessment and proposed actions are set out in The Thames River Basin Management Plan. Impacts from wastewater pollution are highlighted as a key pressure resulting in many waterbodies not currently achieving good ecological status.

There have been significant pollution incidents at Camberley and Chobham Sewage Treatment Works in the last few years, and these are subject to ongoing Environment Agency investigations. The Environment Agency is currently transforming its regulatory approach including developing a larger specialised workforce and delivering a step change in inspections of Thames Water's permitted sites and associated enforcement.

Water company investment of over £10 billion will improve over 2,500 storm overflows, targeted at those affecting the most sensitive sites for ecological and human health. Protected Sites Strategies will also help improve biodiversity in our coastal areas.

Where a water body has been officially designated as a bathing water the Environment Agency will carry out regular testing of the water quality at each site, as well as inspecting for the presence of a range of pollutants. Information about water quality at each site is published online via the Swimfo service.

The Government intends to review the definition of irreplaceable habitats in due course, to ensure it remains robust.

Local councils are responsible for keeping streets clear of litter with the role of central Government to support local action. The Pride in Place Strategy sets out how Government will support local action by bringing forward statutory enforcement guidance on both littering and fly-tipping, modernising the code of practice that outlines the cleaning standards expected of local authorities, and refreshing best practice guidance on the powers available to local authorities to force land and building owners to clean up their premises.

We are introducing a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers due to go live in October 2027. Single-use drinks containers are some of the UK’s most commonly littered items, typically making up half of litter by volume. The Deposit Return Scheme is expected to drastically reduce litter.

Waste reforms will make it harder for organised criminals to exploit the waste system and that is why the Government is committed to introducing tighter controls on waste exemptions, introducing digital waste tracking from October 2026 beginning with waste receiving sites, and introducing new permit requirements for carriers, brokers and dealers. Connecting fragmented systems and digitising record-keeping will ultimately make it harder for rogue operators to compete in the industry and commit waste crime, from fly tipping to illegal waste sites to illegal waste shipments.

In Worcestershire, recent multi-agency work has resulted in the seizure of vehicles suspected of involvement in waste crime, thereby removing them off the road and preventing further illegal activity. Environment Agency investigators continue to gather evidence of suspected offenders with a view to pursuing enforcement action.