Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

We are the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people’s day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.



Secretary of State

 Portrait

Emma Reynolds
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Shadow Ministers / Spokeperson
Liberal Democrat
Tim Farron (LD - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Conservative
Victoria Atkins (Con - Louth and Horncastle)
Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Liberal Democrat
Baroness Grender (LD - Life peer)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Scottish National Party
Seamus Logan (SNP - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Green Party
Adrian Ramsay (Green - Waveney Valley)
Green Spokesperson (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Robbie Moore (Con - Keighley and Ilkley)
Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Lord Blencathra (Con - Life peer)
Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Lord Roborough (Con - Excepted Hereditary)
Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Neil Hudson (Con - Epping Forest)
Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ministers of State
Angela Eagle (Lab - Wallasey)
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab - Life peer)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Emma Hardy (Lab - Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Mary Creagh (Lab - Coventry East)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There are no upcoming events identified
Debates
Thursday 16th October 2025
Select Committee Docs
Wednesday 24th September 2025
13:00
Select Committee Inquiry
Thursday 11th September 2025
Written Answers
Friday 17th October 2025
Tree Planting
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy …
Secondary Legislation
Tuesday 16th September 2025
Environmental Protection (Wet Wipes Containing Plastic) (England) Regulations 2025
These Regulations, which apply in relation to England, prohibit persons from supplying or offering to supply wet wipes containing plastic …
Bills
Wednesday 4th September 2024
Water (Special Measures) Act 2025
A Bill to make provision about the regulation, governance and special administration of water companies.
Dept. Publications
Friday 17th October 2025
11:00

Research

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Commons Appearances

Oral Answers to Questions is a regularly scheduled appearance where the Secretary of State and junior minister will answer at the Dispatch Box questions from backbench MPs

Other Commons Chamber appearances can be:
  • Urgent Questions where the Speaker has selected a question to which a Minister must reply that day
  • Adjornment Debates a 30 minute debate attended by a Minister that concludes the day in Parliament.
  • Oral Statements informing the Commons of a significant development, where backbench MP's can then question the Minister making the statement.

Westminster Hall debates are performed in response to backbench MPs or e-petitions asking for a Minister to address a detailed issue

Written Statements are made when a current event is not sufficiently significant to require an Oral Statement, but the House is required to be informed.

Most Recent Commons Appearances by Category
Sep. 04
Oral Questions
Jan. 30
Urgent Questions
Oct. 15
Written Statements
Sep. 11
Adjournment Debate
View All Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Commons Contibutions

Bills currently before Parliament

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs does not have Bills currently before Parliament


Acts of Parliament created in the 2024 Parliament


A Bill to make provision about the regulation, governance and special administration of water companies.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 24th February 2025 and was enacted into law.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - Secondary Legislation

These Regulations, which apply in relation to England, prohibit persons from supplying or offering to supply wet wipes containing plastic (see definitions in regulation 2).
These Regulations amend the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/158) (“the 2021 Regulations”), which regulate the burning of specified vegetation on peatland in England.
View All Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secondary Legislation

Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Trending Petitions
Petition Open
30,024 Signatures
(9,533 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
10,744 Signatures
(1,511 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
8,355 Signatures
(604 in the last 7 days)
Petitions with most signatures
Petition Open
30,024 Signatures
(9,533 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
21,319 Signatures
(231 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
10,744 Signatures
(1,511 in the last 7 days)
Petition Debates Contributed
109,019
Petition Closed
21 May 2025
closed 4 months, 4 weeks ago

In modern society, we believe more consideration needs to be given to animal welfare and how livestock is treated and culled.

We believe non-stun slaughter is barbaric and doesn't fit in with our culture and modern-day values and should be banned, as some EU nations have done.

We think the UK Government must ban all cages for laying hens as soon as possible.

We think it should also ban the use of all cage and crates for all farmed animals including:
• farrowing crates for sows
• individual calf pens
• cages for other birds, including partridges, pheasants and quail

104,341
Petition Closed
22 May 2025
closed 4 months, 3 weeks ago

Chris Packham, Ruth Tingay and Mark Avery (Wild Justice) believe that driven grouse shooting is bad for people, the environment and wildlife. People; we think grouse shooting is economically insignificant when contrasted with other real and potential uses of the UK’s extensive uplands.

View All Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Petitions

Departmental Select Committee

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Commons Select Committees are a formally established cross-party group of backbench MPs tasked with holding a Government department to account.

At any time there will be number of ongoing investigations into the work of the Department, or issues which fall within the oversight of the Department. Witnesses can be summoned from within the Government and outside to assist in these inquiries.

Select Committee findings are reported to the Commons, printed, and published on the Parliament website. The government then usually has 60 days to reply to the committee's recommendations.


11 Members of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Alistair Carmichael Portrait
Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 9th September 2024
Charlie Dewhirst Portrait
Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Sarah Bool Portrait
Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Henry Tufnell Portrait
Henry Tufnell (Labour - Mid and South Pembrokeshire)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Tim Roca Portrait
Tim Roca (Labour - Macclesfield)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Jenny Riddell-Carpenter Portrait
Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Andrew Pakes Portrait
Andrew Pakes (Labour (Co-op) - Peterborough)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Josh Newbury Portrait
Josh Newbury (Labour - Cannock Chase)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Jayne Kirkham Portrait
Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Sarah Dyke Portrait
Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Helena Dollimore Portrait
Helena Dollimore (Labour (Co-op) - Hastings and Rye)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee: Upcoming Events
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee - Oral evidence
Animal and plant health
21 Oct 2025, 9:30 a.m.
At 10:00am: Oral evidence
Katie Pettifer - Chief Executive at Food Standards Agency (FSA)
Geoff Ogle - Chief Executive at Food Standards Scotland (FSS)

View calendar - Save to Calendar
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee: Previous Inquiries
Air Quality: follow up Labour in the food supply chain The work of DEFRA COVID-19 and food supply Rural Communities Milk prices Appointment of Jonson Cox as Chair of Ofwat Dog Control and Welfare Draft Water Bill Air Quality Desinewed Meat Tree Health and Plant Biosecurity Flood Funding Future Flood and Water Management Legislation Farming in the Uplands Marine Policy Statement Draft National Policy Statement on Waste Water Welfare of Laying Hens Directive—Implications for the egg industry EU proposals for the dairy sector and the future of the dairy industry Implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy: Domestic Fisheries Management Outcome of the independent Farming Regulation Task Force Draft Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill Draft National Policy Statement for Hazardous Waste EU proposals for reform of the Common Fisheries Policy Defra Annual Report and Accounts 2010-11 Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency Draft British Waterways Board (Transfer of Functions) Order 2012 and the Draft Inland Waterways Advisory Council (Abolition) Order 2012 Orders under the Public Bodies Act 2011 Bovine TB Vaccine Draft Wild Animals in Circuses Bill CAP Implementation 2014-2020 Insurance for flooding The Elliott review Primates as pets Winter Floods Pre-appointment hearing with proposed Chairman of Natural England Departmental Annual Report 2012-13 Food Security Waste management in England Rural Payments Agency Work of Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency Appointment hearing for preferred candidate for Chair of the Environment Agency Horse welfare Defra's responsibility for fracking Defra performance in 2013-14 Food security: demand, consumption and waste Food supply networks Rural broadband and digital-only services Dairy prices Work of the Committee 2010-15 CAP payments to farmers EFRA topics Dairy prices inquiry Defra performance in 2014-15 inquiry Common Agricultural Policy inquiry Defra's responsibilities for air quality inquiry Farmgate prices inquiry Beef grading prices inquiry Food waste in England inquiry Rural tourism in England inquiry Forestry in England inquiry Environment Agency Chair pre-appointment hearing Work of Defra evidence sessions Winter floods 2015-16 inquiry Future flood prevention inquiry The work of Defra inquiry Farmgate prices: follow-up evidence session Brexit: Trade in food inquiry The work of Defra inquiry Improving air quality Work of the Environment Agency inquiry 2 Sisters and Standards in Poultry Processing inquiry Fisheries inquiry Performance of the Rural Payments Agency inquiry Defra's plans to improve air quality Feeding the nation: labour constraints inquiry Post-legislative scrutiny: Flood and Water Management Act 2010 inquiry Countryside Stewardship Scheme one-off session Improving air quality joint inquiry Countryside and Environmental Stewardship schemes inquiry The new farming programme inquiry Rural broadband and digital only services inquiry General licences for controlling wild birds inquiry Environment Bill inquiry Beef prices inquiry Agriculture, achieving net-zero emissions inquiry Peatland inquiry Puppy smuggling inquiry Draft National Policy Statement for Water Resources Infrastructure inquiry Pre-appointment hearing with the Government’s preferred candidate for Chair of Natural England inquiry Plastic food and drink packaging inquiry Coastal flooding and adaptation to climate change inquiry Work of the Food Standards Agency inquiry Pre-appointment hearing for the Chair of Natural England inquiry Scrutiny of the draft Environment (Principles and Governance) Bill inquiry Farm Inspection and Regulation Review inquiry Dangerous Dogs: Breed Specific Legislation inquiry Regulation of the Water Industry inquiry Brand Britain: Promoting and Marketing British food and drink inquiry Proposed merger of Asda and Sainsbury’s inquiry Agriculture Bill inquiry Scrutiny of the Fisheries Bill inquiry Is Defra ready for Brexit? inquiry The Work of the Chief Veterinary Officer inquiry Work of DEFRA: Health and Harmony inquiry Work of the Rural Payments Agency inquiry Work and Role of the Groceries Code Adjudicator inquiry Fur trade in the UK inquiry Trade in sugar post-Brexit inquiry Work of the Chief Scientific Adviser: Defra inquiry Labour constraints inquiry Draft Animal Welfare Bill inquiry Air Quality Public Sector Procurement of Food Government support to the dairy sector during the COVID-19 pandemic Work of Defra Work of the Environment Agency Marine Mammals Work of the Environment Agency Pre-appointment hearing: Chair of the Environment Agency Environmental Land Management Scheme: Progress Update Food Security Species Reintroduction UK-Norway Framework Fisheries Agreement Soil Health Post-pandemic health and welfare concerns of companion animals, including abuse and mutilation Resources and Waste provisional Common Framework Pet Smuggling Tenant Farmers Fairness in the food supply chain UK trade policy: food and agriculture Urban Green Spaces Education and Careers in Land-based Sectors Common Framework on Food and Feed Safety and Hygiene Work of the Department and its Arm's Length Bodies The future of farming Reforming the water sector Fairness in the food supply chain Animal and plant health Environmental Land Management and the agricultural transition Fisheries and the marine environment Preventing waste and enabling a circular economy Climate and weather resilience Moving animals across borders COVID-19 and food supply: follow up Seafood and Meat Exports to the EU Agriculture Bill Agriculture, achieving net-zero emissions Proposed merger of Asda and Sainsbury’s Brand Britain: Promoting and Marketing British food and drink Coastal flooding and adaptation to climate change Countryside and Environmental Stewardship schemes General licences for controlling wild birds Is Defra ready for Brexit? Labour constraints The new farming programme Peatland Plastic food and drink packaging Puppy smuggling Rural broadband and digital only services Scrutiny of the draft Environment (Principles and Governance) Bill Scrutiny of the Fisheries Bill Draft National Policy Statement for Water Resources Infrastructure The work of Defra Work of the Food Standards Agency Beef prices Environment Bill

50 most recent Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department

10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take (a) legislative and (b) other steps to reduce levels of (i) environmental planning conditions and (ii) biodiversity net gain requirements to help support horticulture businesses.

The Government has stated its intention to consult on changes to the planning policy framework later this year.

On BNG, the Government recently consulted on options to improve the implementation of biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development. Responses are being analysed, including from Horticulture stakeholders, and the outcome of the consultation will be published in due course.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of issuing guidance to local authorities on non-lethal deterrents for managing urban gull populations that comply with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Natural England has previously issued this guidance on managing wild birds using non-lethal measures. Neither Defra nor Natural England has assessed the merits of developing further targeted guidance for local authorities on this matter but we understand that NatureScot has recently updated its guidance and published data on the impacts of licensed activity on gull populations in Scotland. Natural England has also, this year, commenced a project on large gull management at the regional and national scale regarding both urban and rural gull populations.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
13th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help reduce landfill use by 2028.

We are developing policy options for the near elimination of biodegradable municipal waste to landfill, following publication of a call for evidence and a summary of responses published earlier this year.

The Collection and Packaging Reforms – Simpler Recycling, Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) and a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) – will help stimulate investment in recycling services across the UK and support our ambition to recycle 65% of municipal waste by 2035. The Circular Economy Strategy for England, which we plan to publish in the coming months, will contain further proposals to reduce our reliance on landfill.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with the British Pest Control Association on its document entitled A manifesto for public health pest management, published in June 2024.

No Minister at Defra has held discussions with the British Pest Control Association on its document entitled ‘A manifesto for public health pest management’, published in June 2024.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps her Department has taken to support low-income families with water bills in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government expects water companies to ensure support is available for vulnerable customers who are struggling to pay their bills. We are working with industry to keep current support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported. We welcome the commitment from companies to more than double the number of customers that will receive help with their bills through existing social tariffs – from 4% in 2020-25 to 9% by 2030.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to work with the Secretary of State for Transport to reduce the number of wildlife-related road accidents.

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

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
14th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made progress on the Residual Waste Infrastructure Capacity Note.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of wildlife legislation for (a) enforcing and (b) prosecuting wildlife crime.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to consolidate wildlife legislation into a single statute that would provide equal protections to different forms of wildlife.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the preparedness of local authorities in England to collect food waste separately to household waste from March 2026.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made a recent estimate of the population of Hen Harriers in Lancashire.

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

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential ecological impact of animal road casualties on native wildlife populations.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2025 to Question HL7834 on New Towns: Planning Permission, if she will set out in which designated parts of the Swanscombe Peninsula were jumping spiders discovered; and what were their prevalence.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a comparative assessment of the potential impact of the deposit return scheme that will be used in (a) Wales and (b) the rest of the UK on the (i) economy and (ii) environment.

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

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to make ecocide a criminal offence.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to monitor the population of Cirl Buntings in (a) Devon and (b) Cornwall.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of the £816 million set aside for tree planting over the Spending Review period he plans to spend on the management of existing woodlands.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department provides guidance or best practice to local authorities on integrating animal protection measures into local transport and infrastructure planning.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered implementing the recommendations made in the Tree Council’s report entitled Protecting trees of high social, cultural and environmental value, published in April 2025.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to instruct Natural England to develop proposals for new Special Protection Areas for vulnerable bird species.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle reductions in biodiversity in existing woodlands; and what steps she plans to take through the Environmental Improvement Plan to monitor this.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the ecological condition of UK woodlands; and what steps his Department is taking to mitigate the decline in (a) plant, (b) bird, (c) mammal, (d) butterfly and (e) other woodland biodiversity.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria are applied by Forestry Commission England when determining whether to refuse an application for a felling licence.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many felling licences were granted by Forestry Commission England in 2024.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for felling licences were refused by Forestry Commission England in 2024.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many felling licences granted by Forestry Commission England in 2024 permitted the felling of ancient trees.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support local authorities to prevent gulls nesting in urban areas; and whether she has had discussions with her counterparts in the devolved Administrations on this matter.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for felling licences were refused by Forestry Commission England in the last five years due to the potential impact of felling on ancient woodland remnants within plantations on ancient woodland sites.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department's planned budget is for the Darwin Plus programme in financial year 2025-26.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) workforce capacity and (b) resources available to deliver large-scale community tree planting programmes.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with her Scottish counterpart on the potential impact of plastic pollution on beaches in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) Inverness, Skye and West Ross Shire constituency.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2025 to Question 52410 on Sewers, if she will set out the current (a) legal and (b) regulatory framework governing the (i) adoption, (ii) maintenance and (iii) enforcement of sustainable drainage schemes.

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.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
13th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that the proposed deposit return scheme has adequate collection zones in Lincolnshire.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of progress towards meeting 2026 air quality compliance limits in Greater Manchester.

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.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2025 to Question 52410 on Sewers, if she will set out the current obligations for housing developers are in respect of the installation of sustainable drainage schemes.

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.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of operating different deposit return scheme frameworks in different parts of the UK on costs for (a) producers and (b) retailers.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of designating all chalk streams as protected habitats under a bespoke legal framework.

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.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2025 to Question 32775 on Swifts: Conservation, what recent progress has been made in those discussions; and what steps she is taking to help increase uptake.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the £104 billion investment in water and sewage infrastructure announced in July 2025 is aligned with figures proposed in water companies’ most recent Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans.

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.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to expand phosphorus reduction targets to include smaller upstream wastewater treatment works.

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.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with Ofwat on funding within the 2024 Price Review (AMP8) period for (a) potable-mains renewal, (b) additional isolation valves and (c) pressure management in the (i) North Wiltshire and (ii) South Cotswolds supply areas; and whether those programmes are aligned to local plan housing trajectories.

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

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
13th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department made an assessment of the potential long-term impact of climate change on the canal network before reducing the level of funding for the Canal and River Trust.

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.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2025 to Question 29795 on Moorland and Peatlands: Controlled Burning, whether she expects the new Heather and Grass Management Code to be implemented before the start of the heather burning season on 1 October 2025.

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

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to (a) reduce sewage discharges and (b) prevent blue-green algae blooms in designated swimming areas in Surrey Heath constituency.

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.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to improve real time monitoring of water quality in (a) rivers and (b) lakes to support safe access for swimmers in Surrey Heath constituency.

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.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of sewage discharges on (a) recreational swimming and (b) public access to (i) rivers and (ii) lakes in Surrey Heath constituency.

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.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2 September 2025 to Question 69569 on Grasslands: Conservation, when she plans to start the review of irreplaceable habitats.

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

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle littering.

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.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle illegal waste activities in (a) Worcestershire and (b) England.

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.

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