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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether zoo animals being transferred between the UK and EU countries will be covered by the new sanitary and phytosanitary agreement.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Our priority is to secure a long-term UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement aimed at reducing trade barriers to enable the safe and efficient movement of goods, including zoo animals. As announced at the UK-EU Leaders’ Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area. With the principles and framework of a deal agreed, we will now negotiate the detail of an agreement that reduces administrative burden by streamlining SPS checks and certification, while upholding the UK’s commitment to ensure its biosecurity is protected within this future framework.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to produce updated public guidance on the ban on primates from April 2026.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Accompanying guidance to the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024 was published on 10 July 2025.

The guidance can be found at:

• Licensing process for keeping primates - GOV.UK
• Licence conditions for primate keepers (Schedule 1) - GOV.UK
• Callitrichids: licence conditions for keepers (Annex A) - GOV.UK

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many vehicles were seized in relation to waste crime offences in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire in each of the last five years.

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

0 vehicles have been seized in relation to waste crime offences by the Environment Agency (EA) within the Fylde region over the last five years.

Within Lancashire a total of 12 vehicles were seized within the last five years. This included 7 vehicles seized and crushed in 2022, with an additional 1 vehicle seized and returned to its owner in 2022. In 2023 a further 3 vehicles were seized, followed by another 1 vehicle in 2024.

Please note this response is based on EA data and does not include local authority data on vehicles crushed

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve the monitoring of marine mammal strandings.

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

The UK Government funds the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP), operating since 1990, it annually reports upon threats facing marine mammals through carrying out post-mortems on stranded animals: CSIP.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 in reducing the number of dangerous wild animals being kept in private homes.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

The main purpose of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 (the DWAA) is to ensure that where private individuals keep such animals, including on a farm, they do so in circumstances which create no risk to the public.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve soil health.

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

We are actively working to improve soil health across England by measuring and monitoring the national condition of soil, encouraging the uptake of sustainable soil management practices and protecting soil to be resilient to climate change impacts.

Monitoring soil health is essential for evaluating changes to soil and identifying improvements to soil health. Through the Natural Capital Ecosystem Assessment Programme we are gathering data to build a robust national baseline of soil health in England and to develop a Healthy Soil Indicator under the Outcome Indicator Framework – this indicator will assess and monitor soil health.

Through our agri-environment schemes we are paying farmers for actions that protect and improve soil health and promote sustainable soil management, for example the use of herbal leys, planting cover crops, and no-till farming.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department have made of the effectiveness of local authorities in enforcing the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Defra has completed a post-implementation review (PIR) of the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, including consideration of enforcement, which can be found here.

The Government is considering the findings of the PIR and will be outlining more detail on next steps in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April to Question 46551 on Thames Water, what recent progress Ofwat has made in its enforcement case investigation into Thames Water's potential breach of its Water Industry National Environmental Programme obligations.

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

It is not appropriate for the Government to comment on an ongoing investigation.

We have a system of independent environmental and economic regulation, and the recently introduced Water (Special Measures) Act provides the most significant increase in enforcement powers for the regulators in a decade, giving them the teeth they need to take tougher action against water companies in the next investment period.  This includes powers for Ofwat to set rules on remuneration, governance, and financial reporting.

We expect Ofwat to proceed swiftly with ongoing investigations to hold water companies to account on poor performance and to drive improvements which benefit customers and the environment.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the introduction of bans on enriched cages for laying hens in European countries.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

The Government is committed to upholding our high animal welfare standards as part of wider trade policy.

We remain firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The use of cages for laying hens is an issue which we are currently considering very carefully.

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Prime Minister announced that we will be publishing an animal welfare strategy later this year.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve the monitoring of marine mammal bycatch incidents.

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

The UK Government funds a comprehensive bycatch monitoring programme which provides essential observer data on incidents of sensitive species bycatch, including marine mammals. This programme reports annually on estimated rates of sensitive species bycatch in fisheries around the UK and will continue to collect and report this data.

The Government also funds Clean Catch which is a collaborative research programme dedicated to better monitoring, reducing, and, where possible, eliminating bycatch of sensitive species in UK fisheries. Clean Catch run several projects to improve monitoring of marine mammal bycatch. These include a self-reporting app for fishermen to record bycatch, trials of Remote Electronic Monitoring, and a recent report on fishermen’s views on barriers to, and opportunities for, improved engagement in addressing sensitive species bycatch.

Links:

Bycatch Monitoring Programme

Clean Catch REM

Clean Catch app

Clean Catch report

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether farmers in Higher Level Stewardship schemes will be able to apply for the new Sustainable Farming Incentive schemes.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Our approach to transitioning farmers from existing agreements into the new schemes is under review and the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) is currently closed for new applications. We will provide further details about the reformed SFI in summer 2025.

We encourage those with existing Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreements to continue with this scheme. We’re investing £30 million to increase HLS payment rates so farmers in HLS agreements can continue to restore habitats, support rare species, preserve historic features and maintain traditional landscape features in our iconic countryside.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Environment Agency on the potential impact of storm overflow discharge into the River Great Ouse on levels of water cleanliness, in the context of low river levels caused by a lack of rainfall.

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

The Government is committed to taking a systematic approach to improving drainage and wastewater systems. This means looking at how these systems affect the environment, local communities, and other key priorities like flood prevention, economic growth, and urban development. Through this, we can ensure policies and services work better together to deliver real benefits for people and nature.

Through our landmark Water (Special Measures) Act, we will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry as a first important step in enabling wider, transformative change across the water sector.

Anglian Water has AMP8 obligations to reduce overflows, with investigations in Huntingdon, Offord Cluny, and St Ives. In Ramsey, Anglian have committed to reducing overflows to protect the environment. Full details of obligations are in the Water Industry National Environment Programme, downloadable via PR24 Water Industry National Environment Programme.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to help support the (a) development and (b) deployment of (i) robotic and (ii) automated fruit-picking technologies.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

The Government recognises that automation in horticulture (including robotic and automated fruit picking technologies) is a highly productive and valuable component of our wider agricultural system.

Defra is supporting the development and deployment of robotic and automated fruit-picking technologies through targeted investment with the Farming Innovation Programme of £15 million into the development of horticultural robotics, automation and engineering innovation to date.

Furthermore, the Government has allocated at least £200 million to the Farming Innovation Programme until 2030, which will continue to enable agri-tech innovation and growth, including technologies that will benefit the horticultural sector.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to introduce mandatory method-of-production labelling for animal products.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

On 12 June 2025, we published the summary of responses and the Government response to the fairer food labelling consultation, which was undertaken last year by the previous Government. The response is available here on GOV.UK.

We will consider the potential role of method of production labelling reform as part of the ongoing development of the Government’s animal welfare strategy.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to provide financial support for the delivery of long-term sustainable drainage systems.

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

The revised National Planning Policy Framework we published on 12 December 2024 amended an existing paragraph regarding incorporating sustainable drainage systems in new development to make clear that developments of all sizes are expected to make use of sustainable drainage techniques where the development could have drainage impacts.

National Planning Guidance is clear that local authorities should be satisfied that all Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) have clear maintenance and adoption arrangements in place for the lifetime of a development; however, the cost of delivery of SuDS would be covered by the developer.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps has he taken to reduce regulations on (a) small-scale abattoirs and (b) other rural food producers in Sussex.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Defra is working closely with industry stakeholders and the Food Standards Agency to maintain high standards of public and animal health while identifying opportunities to ease regulatory and administrative burdens on small-scale abattoirs and rural food producers, including those in Sussex.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to build flood defence capabilities in Southampton Test constituency.

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

The Environment Agency (EA) and Southampton City Council (SCC) have developed proposals for a flood defence scheme on the western bank of the lower River Itchen. This proposal will need approximately £100 million to be progressed. Although some Flood Risk Management Grant funding is available, the scheme will not progress unless further investment can be identified. The EA will review the status of the scheme, to see if the funding situation has changed, after the current Government consultation on flood defence funding for England has concluded and is implemented from April 2026.

Alongside SCC’s Renaissance Vision, the EA will continue to support the Authority in developing suitable flood defence projects. The existing Southampton Coastal Strategy will be reviewed alongside revised flood model data by 2028 which will better identify future flood risk needs to support a growing and thriving city.

Flood defence funding has previously been invested in property flood resilience to 55 properties in the St Denys area and for a Southampton schools surface water resilience study.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of agricultural automation technologies on the future resilience of the fruit and horticulture sector.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

The Government recognises that accelerating the application of automation in horticulture is key to delivering growth, sustainability and resilience. Increasing the application of automation in priority farming sectors such as horticulture is a key objective for Agri-Tech within the Government’s Industrial Strategy Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan. Automation would also have the potential to reduce (though not eliminate) reliance on seasonal migrant labour. As part of the Industrial Strategy, this Government has allocated at least £200 million to the Farming Innovation Programme until 2030, which will continue to enable agri-tech innovation and growth. This includes research and development into the applications of automation in the horticulture sector.

Defra has reviewed the role of automation in horticulture. It found that a range of new innovations and technologies, including automation, could boost productivity and resilience, but barriers like cost and access to funding remain.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of enacting Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 on the (a) uptake and (b) effectiveness of sustainable drainage systems on new developments.

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

The Government is strongly committed to improving the implementation of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and we are looking at what additional steps might be taken to support this.

We have made some immediate changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to support increased delivery of SuDS. The NPPF now requires all development to utilise 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.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 July 2025 to Question 67577 on Dangerous Dogs: Lancashire, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce instances of dog attacks.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to encourage responsible dog ownership, to ensure dog control issues are addressed before they escalate and to make sure the full force of the law is applied. As part of this work, we have reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce to explore measures to promote responsible ownership across all breeds of dog. We look forward to receiving the findings and recommendations from the taskforce in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to prevent supermarkets from cancelling orders from vertical farms at short notice.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

The Government is committed to tackling unfairness in the supply chain wherever it exists, which includes practices such as cancelling orders at short notice. Using the 'Fair Dealings' powers in the Agriculture Act 2020 we can introduce regulations to increase transparency and protect growers, including those with vertical horticulture systems, from unfair commercial practices.

We are already making progress on developing ‘Fair Dealing’ regulations for the fresh produce sector, which will cover growers that sell directly to retail. These regulations could require that contracts include clear rules on notice periods, fair termination clauses and processes for changing agreed terms.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to add meadows to the list of irreplaceable habitats in England.

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

Irreplaceable habitat includes some of England’s most ecologically valuable habitats. The list of irreplaceable habitats in the biodiversity net gain regulations reflects the non-exhaustive list of examples of irreplaceable habitat in the National Planning Policy Framework. Given the breadth of habitats which could be considered irreplaceable, the Government plans in due course to review the definition of irreplaceable habitats to ensure it is robust and comprehensive to support decision makers.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) supermarkets and (b) food producers to mitigate the risk of shortages in key food staples.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Defra works with industry and across Government to monitor risks that may arise and carries out extensive, regular and ongoing engagement with supermarkets and producers in preparedness for, and response to, issues with the potential to cause disruption to food supply chains.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential economic merits of implementing circular economy models.

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

This Government is committed to moving to a circular economy – a future where we keep our resources are in use for longer, waste is reduced, we accelerate the path to net zero, we stimulate innovation, create thousands of green jobs, and unlock economic opportunities across every region of the country. As part of that, the Government is currently considering the actions that can be taken to move us towards a circular economy, which we plan to publish for consultation in the coming autumn.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of checks for illegally imported meat at the Port of Dover.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Defra is working closely with the Home Office and the Food Standards Agency to tackle this issue with the support of Border Force, Port Health Authorities and local authorities, to ensure that operations around illegal meat imports are as efficient as possible.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to increase the level of funding provided to Dover Port Health Authority to carry out pro-active vehicle spot checks.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Defra is providing £3.1 million to Dover Port Health Authority for the financial year 2025/26, in addition to investing over £9 million since 2022.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost to the public purse was of maintaining the Dover Bastion Point facility in each year since it was first in public use.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

The information requested is commercially sensitive and therefore cannot be released.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of vehicles checked for illegally imported meat entering through the Port of Dover.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

We are working with the Home Office and Border Force to ensure that operations around illegal meat imports are as efficient as possible and have invested significantly in additional operational capacity at the port of Dover (£3.1 million planned this financial year in addition to £9 million since 2022).

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of levels of resourcing for Border Force on food security.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Border Force’s resources are continually assessed to balance all pressures. Resources are deployed dynamically through intelligence and data to intervene any potential threats.

Defra works with industry and across Government to monitor risks that may arise. This includes extensive, regular and ongoing engagement in preparedness for, and response to, issues with the potential to cause disruption to food supply chains.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure the long-term resilience of food supply chains.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

The UK has a resilient food supply chain and is equipped to deal with situations with the potential to cause disruption. Defra and the Food Standards Agency have joint responsibility for food as a Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) sector. Defra assesses the potential risks to the food supply chain, as outlined in the National Risk Register (NRR). Defra works with Cabinet Office, as leads for the NRR, and the wider resilience and CNI community across Government to ensure impacts to food supply are considered in risk assessments and contingency planning.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether swift bricks count towards biodiversity net gain.

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

No, expenditure on swift bricks cannot be counted towards biodiversity net gain (BNG) units which must be calculated using the main Statutory Biodiversity Net Gain metric or the small sites version of it.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will establish a long-term resource use target through the circular economy strategy.

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

This Government is committed to moving to a circular economy – a future where we keep our resources in use for longer, waste is reduced, we accelerate the path to net zero. Moving away from the linear make, use and throw model is vital to meeting our Net Zero and Environment Targets. The Government recognises the importance of assessing the impacts of our interventions and will consult on options for this when we publish the proposals for our Circular Economy Strategy for England in the coming autumn.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2025 to Question 64498 on Waste Disposal: Fixed Penalties, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of instances of local authorities using fly-tipping powers to fine households for breaches of waste receptacle offences that would not permit a waste receptacle fine under the harm to local amenity test.

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

This Government has not made an assessment of the potential implications for the department’s policies of instances of local authorities using fly-tipping powers to fine households for breaches of waste receptacle offences that would not permit a waste receptacle fine under the harm to local amenity test.

The principles of the Regulators Code apply to enforcement action carried out by local authorities. This includes that regulatory activity should be carried out in a way which is proportionate, transparent, accountable and consistent.

We are seeking powers in the Crime and Policing Bill to provide statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance to support councils to consistently, appropriately and effectively exercise existing enforcement powers.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of facilities in public disabled toilets to meet the needs of stoma care users.

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

The Government oversees policy and legislation with respect to the safe management of waste and litter as well as the protection of drains and sewers. This however does not extend to compelling or explicitly encouraging local authorities with regard to types of waste receptacles or their placement. These decisions are for local authorities to make.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to provide (a) financial and (b) other support to local authorities to help improve surface water drainage.

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

We are investing £4.2 billion over three years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29, to construct new flood schemes, including surface water schemes, and maintain and repair existing defences across the country. This builds on the £2.65 billion that we are investing in 2024/25 and 2025/26. The full list of over 700 schemes to benefit from fresh funding this year was announced on 31 March 2025 and can be found here.

The Government launched a consultation on 3 June on proposals to reform the way we fund flood and coastal defences. We will make it simpler for all risk management authorities to calculate their funding. The proposals would see the first £3 million of all projects fully funded. This would speed up delivery of vital schemes and ensure money was distributed more effectively across the country – including for surface water management schemes. The consultation has now closed, and we will publish our response in due course.

The Government is strongly committed to improving the implementation of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), looking at what additional steps might be taken to support this. We have made some immediate changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to support increased delivery of SuDS where they could have drainage impacts and require all development to utilise SuDS where they could have drainage impacts. In June this year, the Government introduced new national standards.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost to the public purse was of renting the Dover Bastion Point facility in each year since it was first in public use.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

The information requested is commercially sensitive and therefore cannot be released.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of National Landscapes in protecting rare (a) habitats and (b) species.

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

National Landscapes are home to some of our most important habitats and species and taking action in these places will be crucial if we are to meet our Environmental Improvement Plan targets for nature’s recovery.

We have recently published the Protected Landscapes Targets and Outcomes Framework Progress Report which details progress towards our national targets for nature recovery being made in our National Landscapes and National Parks. This is the first report on progress towards the targets set in the Protected Landscapes Targets and Outcomes Framework.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to publish the animal welfare strategy.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

This Government was elected on a mandate to improve animal welfare. The Prime Minister announced that we will be publishing an animal welfare strategy later this year.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to enforce the ban on glue traps.

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

The Glue Traps (Offences) Act 2022 bans glue trap use in England in all but the most exceptional, licensable circumstances. It came into force in 2024. Nothing in the law prevents sale of glue traps in England. However, only pest controllers with a licence can legally use them for rodent control.

The police enforce against illegal use of glue traps. All wildlife crime police officers in England are able to access the National Wildlife Crime Unit’s (NWCU) DISC Hub which provides updates regarding national wildlife crime issues. Comprehensive briefing on glue traps legislation has been available on this Hub since the Act came into force. If a police officer needs to urgently know the legislation, they have the correct pathway to the information they need and should take the appropriate enforcement action. Natural England meanwhile is the licensing authority for the use of glue traps for rodent control. Its officers will enforce against breaches of licensed use and Natural England is suitably resourced to fulfil this function.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has allocated funding to (a) local authorities and (b) other responsible organisations to (i) maintain and (ii) improve rural walking paths.

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

The Government recognises the vital role that public rights of way play in promoting access to nature, encouraging active travel, and supporting community wellbeing. Responsibility for managing and maintaining these routes lies with local highway authorities, who must ensure that paths are clear of obstructions and accessible to all users.

Each authority is required to maintain a Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP), which outlines their strategy for enhancing the local rights of way network. These plans include assessments of the network’s current condition and are made publicly available on the authority’s website. ROWIPs serve as valuable tools for identifying local needs and priorities, including opportunities to improve accessibility for people with disabilities, families, and underrepresented groups.

Local authorities are uniquely positioned to understand the specific needs of their communities and to allocate resources effectively. Their local insight ensures that improvements to the rights of way network are both targeted and impactful.

The Government continues to collaborate with partners to support responsible access and promote inclusive enjoyment of the natural environment.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to prevent supermarkets from being able to cancel orders from vertical farms at short notice.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

The Government is committed to tackling unfairness in the supply chain wherever it exists, which includes practices such as cancelling orders at short notice. Using the 'Fair Dealings' powers in the Agriculture Act 2020 we can introduce regulations to increase transparency and protect growers, including those with vertical horticulture systems, from unfair commercial practices.

We are already making progress on developing ‘Fair Dealing’ regulations for the fresh produce sector, which will cover growers that sell directly to retail. These regulations could require that contracts include clear rules on notice periods, fair termination clauses and processes for changing agreed terms.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in reducing dog-related injuries and fatalities.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Defra is continuing to engage closely with the Police, local authorities, and rescue and rehoming organisations to monitor the impacts of the XL Bully dog ban.

We are also working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to explore measures to reduce dog attacks and promote responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog. We have reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce and look forward to receiving their findings and recommendations in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of mandatory animal welfare labelling for products from pasture-fed livestock on (a) farmers and (b) consumers.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

On 12 June 2025, we published the summary of responses and the Government response to the fairer food labelling consultation, which was undertaken last year by the previous government. The response is available here on GOV.UK.

We will consider the potential role of method of production labelling reform as part of the ongoing development of the Government’s animal welfare strategy.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to stop promotion by UK-based companies of overseas venues that use abusive practices against animals for entertainment.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Defra is continuing to engage with stakeholders including the tourism industry and animal welfare groups to explore both legislative and non-legislative options to stop the advertising and offering of sale in England and Northern Ireland, of low-welfare animal activities abroad.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support hedgehog conservation initiatives in Lincolnshire.

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

The Greater Lincolnshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) demonstrates strong local commitment to hedgehog conservation. Following online public consultation, where hedgehogs emerged as one of the most frequently mentioned priority species, the draft LNRS includes specific actions to support hedgehog recovery. These targeted measures include creating suitable feeding habitats, encouraging property owners to leave gaps in fencing to improve garden connectivity, and building hibernacula to provide essential winter shelter.

Nationally, there are several projects underway which will enable the conservation of our hedgehogs. The first National Hedgehog Conservation Strategy has been published by the People’s Trust for Endangered Species and The British Hedgehog Preservation Society. Natural England (NE), the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Forestry England all contributed to the strategy, which highlights the factors causing a decline in native hedgehog populations. In addition, NE is co-funding the National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme. The information gathered will also produce insights into the factors causing hedgehog population decline, leading to the implementation of practical conservation measures to address this challenge.

These hedgehog-specific initiatives complement broader environmental improvements in Lincolnshire, including the designation of the Lincolnshire Coronation Coast National Nature Reserve - the first in the new King's Series. Such landscape-scale conservation efforts create the connected habitats that hedgehogs and other wildlife need to thrive.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support small abattoirs.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Defra recognises the vital role smaller abattoirs play in supporting local livestock producers and maintaining a resilient and competitive food supply chain.

Defra works closely with industry stakeholders including through the Small Abattoirs Working Group and the Small Abattoirs Task and Finish Group. These groups bring together government and industry representatives on a regular basis and provide a forum for identifying the challenges and opportunities that the sector faces, and for collaborating on practical solutions to support the long-term sustainability of small and medium sized abattoirs.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many long-tailed macaques have been imported into the UK for pre-clinical pharmaceutical testing since 5 July 2025.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Defra records the total number of macaques imported for scientific research but does not record the number of animals imported specifically for pre-clinical pharmaceutical testing.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to enact Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

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

The Government is strongly committed to improving the implementation of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and we are looking at what additional steps might be taken to support this

Better delivery of SuDS may be achieved by continuing to improve the current planning policy-based approach and looking at ways of improving the approach to adoption and maintenance, rather than commencing schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. A final decision on this matter will be made in the coming months.

We intend to consult on national planning policy related to decision making later this year, including policies on flood risk and SuDS. Also, this year, we will consult on ending freehold estates, which will include options to reduce the prevalence of private management arrangements for community assets, including SuDS.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to introduce a public awareness campaign on the impact of domestic pesticide usage on wildlife.

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

All authorised plant protection products have statutory conditions of use that must be followed by all users, and strict, science-based regulation is supplemented with policies to encourage safe and minimal use. In March this year, the government published the UK Pesticides National Action Plan (NAP) 2025, which sets out the actions that all four UK governments will take to reduce the potential harm from pesticide use.

Through events such as Bees Needs Week, the government highlights what the public can do to help pollinators – including thinking carefully about whether to use pesticides.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with animal welfare organisations on the potential merits of phasing out the use of enriched cages for laying hens.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

We remain firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The use of cages and other close confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which we are currently considering very carefully.

The Department has initiated a series of meetings with key stakeholders, including animal welfare organisations, as part of the development of an animal welfare strategy to be published later this year.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reservoir levels at Grafham Water on available water resources.

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

The Environment Agency (EA) has confirmed with Anglian Water that Grafham Water reservoir is 76% full as of the 19th of August, lower than preferred for this time of year. Rainfall in July saw previous high consumer demand return to more normal levels. Anglian Water are best placed to comment on their ability to service their customers but have assured the EA that they are following their Drought Plan actions, including sharing water efficiency messages and preparing for potential restrictions (for example, Temporary Use Bans) if required. The EA is working with Anglian Water to consider options for refilling the reservoir over the winter months. Due to low river water levels within some of the river systems in East Anglia, some private abstractors are currently unable to abstract water, as set out within their individual licenses. However, Grafham Water operates to supply only Anglian Water consumers and is not subject to the same license restrictions.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he is taking steps to introduce Equine Establishment Numbers for (a) horse and (b) other equine-based establishments.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

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

The SPS agreement, outlined at the UK-EU Leader’s Summit on 19 May 2025, will establish a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, aimed at facilitating the safe and efficient movement of trade. The SPS Agreement will cover sanitary rules and the regulation of live animals, including animal health conditions governing the movement and importation of Equidae. The SPS Agreement is built on a commitment for the UK to regulate consistently with the EU on specific SPS rules. Defra is currently working to establish what implementation of the SPS Agreement will involve for equines.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to mandate the update the UK Food Security Report annually.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

The UK Food Security Report is published once every three years, fulfilling the duty in the Agriculture Act 2020. The next one will be published in 2027.

On 15 July 2025 the Government announced that it is committing to a new annual food security statistics publication to be published in the years between the triennial UK Food Security Report, starting this year. It will be a more frequent and focused publication, designed to ensure that key UK food security analysis is made public in order to capture emerging trends, and to support both policymakers and the public.

This new annual publication is a separate product to the UK Food Security Report and is not fulfilling the legislative duty.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Ofwat on the performance of Thames Water.

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

The Secretary of State meets with stakeholders regularly such as Ofwat to discuss a range of issues.

The Government will continue to work with water sector regulators to hold water companies to account on poor performance and drive improvements which benefit customers and the environment.

As part of our Plan for Change, we’ve delivered on our promise to put water companies under special measures through the introduction of The Water (Special Measures) Act which will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses to benefit from largest flood defence investment programme in history, updated on 2 July 2025, on what evidential basis the £7.9 billion commitment over 10 years represents (a) a record level of investment and (b) the largest flood defence investment programme in history; and whether this level of funding represents an increase in funding on an annual basis.

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

Delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change, we’re investing a record £2.65 billion over two years (2024/25 and 2025/26) to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. We’re committing a further £4.2 billion over three years from April 2026, an increase of 5% compared to current investment levels, as announced at Spending Review 2025. These investments compare to an annual average of £1.09 billion spent under the previous government between 2021/22 and 2023/24.

On 16 June we announced a £7.9 billion capital commitment into flood defences for the next 10 years, to March 2036. This commitment represents a record level of capital investment and is the largest flood defence investment programme in history, both in terms of its total amount and the 10-year duration of the commitment.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with devolved Administrations on the consistency of on-farm animal welfare inspections across the United Kingdom.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Animal welfare is a devolved matter in the UK. This means that responsibility for animal welfare policy in the individual nations is the responsibility of the relevant nations’ Ministers.

However, Defra works closely with the devolved Governments on a range of shared priorities and will discuss any relevant matters as necessary such as animal welfare inspections.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to encourage the uptake of (a) outdoor farrowing and (b) other higher welfare rearing systems for pigs.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving the lives of farm animals and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway supports farmers to improve the health and welfare of their livestock through funded vet visits as well as targeted grants such as the Animal Health & Welfare Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF25). The FETF provides grants to farmers, including pig keepers, of between £1,000 and £25,000 towards the cost of a list of equipment items that deliver improvements in the health and welfare of their animals. The item list includes kit specifically intended to improve and upgrade pig housing such as outdoor farrowing arks, automatic curtain systems and LED lighting. This follows the FETF24 offer in which funding for over 800 farrowing arks was claimed by pig keepers. We continue to work with industry as part of the Pathway to encourage improvements in pig welfare.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many employees in his Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Defra publishes organogram data for Senior Civil Servants here: Organogram of Staff Roles & Salaries - data.gov.uk.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the closure of small abattoirs on food (a) safety and (b) security.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Ensuring the safety of food that enters the supply chain is of vital importance to the Government. Likewise, the Government considers food security a matter of national security and is committed to maintaining a resilient and diverse food supply chain.

The contribution smaller abattoirs make to the UK food supply chain for meat products in England, is approximately 7% of overall production and 0.3% of throughput. While we have seen the closure of several smaller abattoirs in recent years, this has not impacted national food security or food supply. The national abattoir network remains resilient, continuing to deliver high-quality and safe meat products.

Nonetheless, we recognise that small abattoirs play an important role in supporting regional food systems, providing routes to market for local producers, particularly those rearing native and rare breeds and sustaining diversity in the meat processing sector.

While the Government does not intervene in individual business decisions, it is committed to working with the smaller abattoir sector to help, where possible, mitigate pressures that these abattoirs face.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help expand the network of small abattoirs in (a) the South East and (b) England.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

England benefits from an established and resilient meat processing sector which continues to deliver high-quality products, supporting food supply and food security. The Government has full confidence this will continue.

While the Government does not intervene in individual business decisions, it is dedicated to working collaboratively with the sector to help, where possible, alleviate pressures faced by small abattoirs. Defra remains committed to supporting initiatives that enhance accessibility to slaughter facilities in the South East and more widely across England.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with representatives of the fruit-growing sector on access to innovation funding for harvesting technologies.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

We recognise the specific needs of the horticulture sector, and Defra ministers and officials meet regularly with a variety of growers from across the sector, including representatives from the fruit-growing sector, to discuss a wide range of issues to help us understand how best to support the sector.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing long term funding through (a) grants and (b) discounts to small abattoirs.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Defra recognises the vital role smaller abattoirs play in supporting local livestock producers and maintaining a resilient and competitive food supply chain.

We continue to work to simplify and rationalise our grant funding from 2026 onwards following the Spending Review and ensuing business planning to ensure our grants are targeted towards those who need them most and where they can deliver the most benefit for food security and nature. Any future opportunities will be announced in due course.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is conducting an evaluation of the support to abattoirs provided via the current discount scheme which is in its tenth financial year of operation. The FSA Board reviewed progress at its public meeting on 18 June, informed by a paper prepared in the light of stakeholder engagement and economic analysis. The Board noted the importance of the discount to the viability of small abattoirs and how these businesses can support the interests of consumers, businesses and the wider rural economy. The FSA will continue engagement with stakeholders and assess the impact of any proposals for change arising from the evaluation. The paper and a video of the Board meeting can be viewed at:

https://www.food.gov.uk/board-papers/fsa-board-meeting-june-2025-agenda-and-papers

https://www.food.gov.uk/about-us/fsa-board-meetings#video-of-the-most-recent-fsa-board-meetings

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the proportion of soil carbon stored within national landscapes.

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

Natural England estimates that 649,485,339 tonnes of carbon are stored below ground in National Landscapes. Source – Spatial Prioritisation of Below Ground Carbon Storage 2023 (England) | Natural England Open Data Geoportal.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that dogs are removed from unfit owners.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, it is an offence to cause any animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for its welfare. Anyone who is cruel to an animal, or does not provide for its welfare, may be banned from owning animals. They may also face an unlimited fine, be sent to prison, or both.

Local authorities and the police have powers under the 2006 Act to investigate allegations of cruelty, poor welfare, or neglect of animals. Where necessary, they may also take possession of animals to protect them from harm.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of designating Dover Port Health Authority as the lead authority for checking for illegal meat imports at the Port of Dover.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Defra is working with the Home Office, Border Force and Dover Port Health Authority to ensure that operations around illegal meat imports are as efficient as possible. Border Force is the Government agency responsible for combatting all illegal imports.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to introduce extended producer responsibility regulations for fashion retailers.

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

The Government has convened a Circular Economy Taskforce of experts to help develop the first ever Circular Economy Strategy for England, which it plans to publish for consultation in the coming autumn.

The Circular Economy Taskforce will initially focus on six sectors that have the greatest potential to grow the economy, one of which is Textiles. The Circular Economy Taskforce recognises the importance of an extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme for textiles. As we develop the strategy, we will consider the evidence for action right across the economy and evaluate what interventions may be needed, including but not limited to EPR.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to help tackle animal beatings in Cambridgeshire.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Enforcement of animal welfare standards is primarily delivered through the powers available under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which makes it an offence to cause any animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for its welfare.

The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 amended the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to increase the sentences available to our courts for the most serious cases of animal cruelty. Anyone who is cruel to an animal face being sent to prison for up to five years, or receiving an unlimited fine, or both.

Local authorities have powers under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to intervene where an animal is suspected to be suffering on any land, public or private.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding is available for residents to plant trees in urban areas.

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

Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund provides support for urban trees through grants including the Community Forest’s Trees for Climate programme and also the Trees Outside Woodland Fund.

The Trees Outside Woodland Fund launched in June 2025, administered by the Tree Council and funded by Defra. It offered grants between £10,000 and £40,000 to support tree planting in urban and peri-urban areas across England. The fund was open to local authorities and registered charities with a turnover exceeding £100,000, and projects must be completed by 2 March 2026. Applications were open from 10 June to 31 October 2025. The funds are now fully allocated for this financial year.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to support a consumer right to repair through the Circular Economy Strategy.

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

Defra recognises that repair and reuse are fundamental tenets of any circular economy, and a successful transition aims to eliminate waste and promote sustainability through reuse and resource efficiency. We will consider the evidence for appropriate action right across the economy as we develop the Circular Economy Strategy for England.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking with (a) Buckinghamshire Council and (b) Thames Valley Police to help reduce incidents of fly-tipping.

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

Local authorities are usually best placed to respond to fly-tipping problems in their area. Defra chairs the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group (NFTPG), through which we work with a wide range of interested parties, including local authorities and National Police Chiefs Council, to share good practice with regards to preventing fly-tipping. The NFTPG has developed various practical tools including a guide on how councils and others can set up and run effective local partnerships to tackle fly-tipping. These are available at: https://nftpg.com/.

We also encourage councils to make good use of their enforcement powers. We are seeking powers in the Crime and Policing Bill to provide statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance to support councils to consistently, appropriately and effectively exercise their existing powers. We have also announced a review of council powers to seize and crush vehicles of suspected fly-tippers, to identify how we could help councils make better use of this tool.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what actions he is taking to mitigate the potential impact of the built environment on bat populations.

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

All bats, including their breeding sites and resting places, are protected under UK and international law.

This strict legal protection makes it an offence to deliberately capture, injure, or kill bats; to damage or destroy a breeding or resting place; or to obstruct access to a resting or sheltering place. Local Planning Authorities require a bat survey to be completed if a proposed development is likely to negatively affect bats or their habitats. Appropriate measures must be taken by developers to avoid, mitigate and, as a last resort, compensate for any negative effects on bats that could be caused by any proposed development. An example of a compensatory measure could be the erection of a bat box, whilst a mitigation measure could include carrying out works to a summer roost site in the winter when bats are not present.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework we published in December expects developments to minimise impacts on and provide net gains for biodiversity, including by establishing coherent ecological networks that are more resilient to current and future pressures and through incorporating features that support priority or threatened species such as bats.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support responsible dog ownership.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to encourage responsible dog ownership, to ensure dog control issues are addressed before they escalate and to make sure the full force of the law is applied. As part of this work, we have reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce to explore measures to promote responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog. The taskforce is considering four themes: education, training for both dogs and their owners, enforcement, and improving data on dog attacks. We look forward to receiving the findings and recommendations from the taskforce in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help tackle dog on dog attacks.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to encourage responsible dog ownership, to ensure dog control issues are addressed before they escalate and to make sure the full force of the law is applied. As part of this work, we have reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce to explore measures to promote responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog. The taskforce is considering four themes: education, training for both dogs and their owners, enforcement, and improving data on dog attacks. We look forward to receiving the findings and recommendations from the taskforce in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support his Department has provided to small and medium-sized food producers to help manage the costs of the extended producer responsibility scheme.

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

The Government has provided a comprehensive package of support to small and medium-sized food producers to manage costs under the extended producer responsibility for packaging scheme (pEPR). A de-minimis threshold exempts producers with turnover below £2 million and placing less than 50 tonnes of packaging on the market from cost obligations, thereby shielding around 70 per cent of small producers from pEPR fees.

Practical support is delivered via a monthly Business Readiness Forum, sector-specific events and a regular newsletter, while collaboration with the Environment Agency also provides guidance and support. The Department continues to encourage small producers to reduce packaging use and adopt reusable systems to further lower pEPR-related costs.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve the welfare of farm animals transported within the UK.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

All farm animals transported in the UK are protected by comprehensive legal requirements aimed at protecting their welfare. These include the provision of sufficient space, feed and water, ensuring that vehicles used are fit for purpose and secure and that all drivers/attendants are appropriately trained to maintain the welfare of animals in their care. Animals must be fit for transport, and all transporters are required to ensure that, when transporting animals, they do so in a way that avoids causing pain, suffering or distress. The legislation is supplemented by guidance on GOV.UK, including specific advice on transporting animals in extreme weather.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to add (a) bale breakers, (b) handheld (i) pH and (ii) EC meters, (c) in situ soil sensors, (d) wireless data loggers and (e) fogging units for in-house propagation with (A) irrigation and (B) nutrition feeding capabilities to the future of farming equipment list.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

The latest round of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund closed for applications on 10/07/25. We are continuing to work to simplify and rationalise our grant funding from 2026 onwards following the Spending Review and ensuing business planning to ensure our grants are targeted towards those who need them most and where they can deliver the most benefit for food security and nature.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will confirm whether it plans to maintain the Smaller Abattoir Fund.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

Defra recognises the vital role smaller abattoirs play in supporting local livestock producers and maintaining a resilient and competitive food supply chain.

The Government will continue to work to simplify and rationalise our grant funding from 2026 onwards following the Spending Review and subsequent business planning to ensure our grants are targeted towards those who need them most and where they can deliver the most benefit for food security and nature.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether systems are in place to (a) record and (b) monitor the (i) tonnage, (ii) quality and (iii) composition of post-consumer textile exports from the UK to Ghana; and what evidence exporters are required to submit on (A) sorting, (B) reuse and (C) disposal practices in destination countries.

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

Exporters of waste textiles must provide information on where the waste is being exported to, and the operation the waste will be subject to at its final destination.

UK legislation requires that those involved in the shipments of textile waste take all necessary steps to ensure that it is managed in an environmentally sound manner throughout its shipment and in its country of destination. Exporters operating in contravention of the requirements of the UK’s legislation can face a two-year jail term and an unlimited fine. The four UK regulators for waste exports conduct proactive, risk based and intelligence-led interventions and compliance activities to prevent illegal waste shipments before they leave the UK.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to use technology to apprehend (a) fly tippers and (b) other people dropping litter across the countryside.

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

Local authorities are usually best placed to respond to fly-tipping and littering problems in their area, and we encourage them to make good use of the enforcement powers at their disposal. We are conducting a review of their powers to seize and crush vehicles of suspected fly-tippers to identify how we could help councils make better use of this tool, such as by using innovative techniques like drones and mobile CCTV cameras.

Defra also chairs the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group (NFTPG), through which we work with a wide range of interested parties, including local authorities, to share good practice with regards to preventing fly-tipping, including on private land. The NFTPG has developed various practical tools including best practice case studies highlighting the use of technology such as CCTV to tackle fly-tipping. These are available at: https://nftpg.com/.

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

Found: Steve Reed MP Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: who already face higher health risks.13 The UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra

Found: As set out in our initial evidence, a 2018 study into ultrafines recommended further work for DEFRA,

Found: However, the existence of this presumption does not appear to be widely recognised within Defra and

Found: uncertainties over their genetic heritage, led to their official categorisation as feral wild boar in a 2008 DEFRA

Found: Despite an increase in illegal meat imports and the current risk of an outbreak as high, Defra appear

Found: interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment, is mentioned across Defra

Found: The NPA believes that the relevant teams within Defra and APHA, as well as the ministerial team, do

Found: National Audit Office inquiry is on the actions of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra

Found: Government must ensure coordination across departments and agencies (e.g., Defra, DHSC, UKHSA, and The

Found: by The Pirbright Institute (TAD0008) Report by the National Audit Office (NAO) to examine whether Defra

Found: There is already effective communication between DEFRA, APHA, FSA, AHDB, NPA, farmers and private vets

Found: We believe this position can be further capitalised on by Defra to more fully align and engage all parts

Found: animal disease risk management While there has been a marked improvement in collaboration between APHA/Defra

Found: significant factor in the spread of conditions such as lumpy skin disease and Bluetongue, and we encourage Defra

Found: We support their recommendations and urge Defra to act swiftly to mobilise resources to deliver these

Found: In the recently published NAO report, Defra and APHA reported that they would struggle to manage a more

Found: lines between government departments (including the human health services and different parts of DEFRA

Found: Geoffrey, I am writing to let you know that, following the announcement by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: Meanwhile, DfT, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and Natural England are

Found: Management Organisation, Natural Resources Wales, Natural England, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: DEFRA projections to 230013 are for a sea level rise of 0.6 to 4.5 m.

Found: Letter from Baroness Sheehan to SoS for DESNZ and Defra on Climate and Nature Announcement 03.09.25 Correspondence

Found: Letter from Defra Minister of State to Baroness Sheehan on FCP Progress 01.09.2025 Correspondence

Found: Letter from Defra Minister for Water and Flooding to Baroness Sheehan on Indoor Air Quality 01.09.2025

Found: Letter from SoS for Defra to Baroness Sheehan on 27.11.2024 Oral Evidence Session 18.07.2025 Correspondence

Found: previous year and a 20.4% increase over five years (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs [DEFRA

Found: In 2023 the DEFRA funded fly-tipping analyst, seconded to the National Rural Crime Unit, met with both

Found: Defra has not estimated the cost of clearing other waste loads since 2016/17, when the estimated cost

Found: We are dependent on annual DEFRA statistics on fly tipping, but as we know this contains extraordinarily

Found: Cannabis-growing byproducts and toxic chemical waste  Human waste from portable toilet providers 3 Defra

Found: have had in excess of thirty meetings with environmental regulators, namely EA, NRW, SEPA, HMRC, Defra

Found: statutory purposes of the relevant area – particularly in the context of the questions posed in the DEFRA

Found: Just to clarify, the answering Department would be DEFRA. Q5 Chair: That is fine.

Found: planning abilities should address the need for in-house heritage expertise. 5 • Ensuring DEFRA

Found: How often do DEFRA, the IPA, the DLUHC, and Transport, for example, consider the impact of their policies

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has set a target for reducing the number of deaths attributable to particulate air pollution.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There is not currently a Government target to reduce the number of deaths attributable to particulate air pollution. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs set two targets for particulate matter, an emissions reduction target and a Population Exposure Reduction Target, which will continue to reduce peoples’ average exposure across the country. The Department of Health and Social Care will continue to work across Government to reduce people’s exposure to pollutants harmful to health.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Food Standards Agency (a) inspection charges and (b) regulations on small abattoirs.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) conducts and charges for official controls, namely inspections, which help ensure that food hygiene and animal welfare standards are met in accordance with a legal framework, which has been in place for many years. The controls are an intrinsic component in our food system which provides reassurance for the wider food industry and consumers as well as trading partners to facilitate meat exports.

Information on the 2025/26 charge rates for official controls conducted in meat premises is available on the FSA’s website at the following link:

https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/charges-for-controls-in-meat-premises

As in previous years, the impact of charges is offset by a taxpayer-funded discount which provides the greatest proportional support to smaller businesses. The impact of the support on different sized food businesses in England and Wales for 2025/26 is set out in the Cost Data Slides the FSA has published. The FSA is currently conducting an evaluation of the support provided via the discount and will assess the impact of any changes it might propose in the light of this evaluation.

The FSA recognises the regulatory and administrative challenges smaller abattoir operations face. We proactively identify and engage with local issues working closely with industry stakeholders and participating in national forums such as the Partnership Working Group led by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Through these collaborations, we explore opportunities to ease burdens on small-scale operators, such as reducing daily administration by introducing a daily diary to replace numerous operational checks, while maintaining high standards of public and animal health.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to publish a climate action plan that is in line with the (a) Climate Change Act 2008 and (b) Climate Change Committee’s independent assessment of the third national adaption programme.

Answered by Kerry McCarthy

We will deliver an updated Carbon Budgets and Growth Delivery Plan by October 2025 which outlines the policies needed to deliver Carbon Budgets 4-6 and our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) on a pathway to net zero. Defra is also exploring stronger climate resilience objectives ahead of the next National Adaptation Programme in 2028. We welcome the Climate Change Committee’s 2025 Progress Report. The government will consider their recommendations and respond by October.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government has funded any (a) local authorities and (b) arm’s length bodies for the purposes of waste management in the jurisdiction of Birmingham City Council from 11 March 2025.

Answered by Jim McMahon

Councils in England, including Birmingham City Council, are funded for waste services via the Local Government Finance Settlement. In the Settlement for 2025-26, Birmingham City Council received an overall 9.8% increase in Core Spending Power from £1,337.5 million in 2024-25 to £1,468.8 million in 2025-26. Details of the 2025-26 Settlement can be found here. The Government also agreed Exceptional Financial Support in-principle for Birmingham City Council of £180 million for 2025-26.

In addition to this, local government in England is expected to receive £1.1 billion of new funding in 2025-26 through the implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) scheme to support local collection and disposal services, including recycling services.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is also providing transitional resource funding to councils in England, including Birmingham City Council, for weekly food waste collections. Councils will receive their allocations for this financial year in the coming weeks.

Found: 10 billion litres of water per year to data centres.260 For context, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: restoration levy must be treated as additional to the core funding of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: restoration levy must be treated as additional to the core funding of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

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

Found: restoration levy must be treated as additional to the core funding of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: Turning to the issue of farmer mental health, Defra has a dedicated team to look at the particular set

Found: FROMLORDKATZMBEGOVERNMENTWHIPS’OFFICE GOVERNMENTWHIPCO,DEFRA,DWP,KODO,HO,TIOLSEOFLORDS NIO,SO.ANDWOLONDONSWIAOPW

Found: Mathews (Deutsche Bank) Preparers/Users • Mike Sunderland (DfE) • Ian Webber (IPO) • Pam Beadman (DEFRA

Found: Mathews (Deutsche Bank) Preparers/Users • Mike Sunderland (DfE) • Ian Webber (IPO) • Pam Beadman (DEFRA

Found: Murray (CIPFA) Preparers/Users • Mike Sunderland (DfE) • Ian Webber (IPO) • Pam Beadman (DEFRA

Found: provisional assessment of the impacts on the justice system as part of Section 174 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: Both the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: A DEFRA report out today, shows there’s been a disproportionate impact on smaller businesses.

Found: Agricultural Practice for farmers, growers and land managers and other supplementary guidance from DEFRA

Found: Slurry is spread in accordance with the Defra Code of Good Agricultural Practice and a manure management

Found: confirmation is in place that the recipient will spread the slurry and manure to land in accordance with the Defra

Found: Defra Chief Plant Health Officer Professor Nicola Spence said: “We are very encouraged by the fact that

Found: 2024 as requested. 23 May 2024 Settlement agreement made as part of Public Inquiry 4 August 2025 Defra

Found: Name of project Policy responsibility Agricultural tenancies Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: tools to solve environmental problems supporting incident response Our research programmes Joint Defra

Found: We work as part of the Defra group (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs), with the rest

Found: We work as part of the Defra group (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs), with the rest

Found: We work as part of the Defra group (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs), with the rest

Found: Futures team in 2024-2025, as part of a broader initiative to develop a horizon scanning capability at Defra

Found: biodiversity credits sales scheme is run by Natural England on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: Defra reviewed this methodology and concluded that the use of the COMEAP methodology is not generally

Found: _______________________________________ APHA is an Executive Agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: APHA is an Executive Agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and also works

Found: (Defra) Local Air Quality Management best practice guidance.

Found: Most documents produced by Defra will be protected by Crown Copyright.

Found: Turning to the issue of farmer mental health, Defra has a dedicated team to look at the particular set

Found: is a popular travel destination, and an ongoing FMD outbreak there is being closely monitored by Defra

Found: Natural Capital Committee, Defra. 9 Jobstvogt, N., Townsend, M., Witte, U., & Hanley, N. (2014).

Found: Defra contact No. MB102 Task 3A, report No. 22.

Found: SEPA submitted the final data for Scotland to DEFRA in August 2020 and the data was subsequently included

Found: SEPA submitted the final data for Scotland to DEFRA in August 2020 and the data was subsequently included

Found: Members’ Bill, introduced by Dr Danny Chambers MP and is supported by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: Members’ Bill, introduced by Dr Danny Chambers MP and is supported by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs