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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made on the roll-out of badger TB vaccination programmes.

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

Significant progress has been made in rolling out badger vaccination as part of our strategy to eradicate bovine TB. Large-scale vaccination is being delivered by Animal and Plant Health Agency field teams, alongside a farming community-led initiative in East Sussex, demonstrating that vaccination is practical at scale, including in areas where culling has previously taken place.

In 2024, over 4,000 badgers were vaccinated across England, the highest annual total to date. Further work includes a new project led by the National Farmers’ Union which is now underway in Cornwall to explore scalable and cost-effective approaches to vaccination delivery, and the establishment of a new badger vaccination field force from next year to further accelerate rollout in areas where bovine TB incidence remains high and is worsening.

Work on a comprehensive new bovine TB strategy is progressing at pace, and together with these measures, will help drive down disease rates, protect farmers’ livelihoods, and support our commitment to end the badger cull by the end of this Parliament.

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 protect the (a) animal and (b) plant export sector from risks posed by illegal meat imports.

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

Defra is working with the Home Office, Border Force and Dover Port Health Authority to ensure that operations around detecting illegal meat imports are as effective as possible and have allocated this financial year £3.1 million to Dover Port Health Authority. We are also working with port and airport operators to ensure travellers are aware of the new restrictions on bringing in animal products for personal use. In most cases there is no risk to plant exports as a result of the animal disease risk posed by illegal meat imports, with the exception of the export of hay and straw.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department’s policies of the level of harvest yields in 2025.

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

Our fantastic British farmers are world-leaders and carefully plan their planting to suit the weather, their soil type, and their long-term agronomic strategy.

We continue to engage and work closely with industry and to monitor domestic food production, including harvest. The UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG), which was established under the Devolution Framework, brings Defra and Devolved Governments together to monitor the UK market across all key agricultural commodities.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of raising the minimum juice content for cider to 50%.

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

The Government has not assessed an increase to the minimum juice content for cider. Engagement with the sector has suggested that an increase to 50% is not supported by the industry and is not what consumers in the UK would expect from their cider products.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of holding a summit to support the zoos and aquarium industry.

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

Defra is responsible for ensuring zoos and aquariums provide the highest levels of welfare for the animals they keep, as well as delivering conservation and education. The Government published new Standards of Modern Zoo Practice for Great Britain on 24 May 2025, which will come into force from May 2027. The new Standards support zoos and aquariums in ensuring animals in their collections are being kept in line with latest in best zoo practice.

Following publication of the new Standards in May, the Animal Welfare Minister - Baroness Hayman of Ullock – held a zoos roundtable on 25 June, to discuss implementation of the new Standards, and what more Defra could do to help support zoos and aquariums adapt to the new Standards.

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 economic impact of an outbreak of African swine fever on the (a) pig industry and (b) related exports.

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

An outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) could have a significant impact on the UK’s £8 billion pig industry, as well as its annual pork and pork product exports worth £600 million. Exact costs to industry and on trade would be determined by a number of factors including geographic location, husbandry system, epidemiology of the outbreak and whether wildlife were involved.

The practical impacts of a reasonable worst-case scenario outbreak of ASF were assessed in 2023 for the National Risk Register which is available on 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 discussions she is having with (a) farming bodies and (b) animal welfare organisations on the potential for phasing out the use of farrowing crates by indoor pig farms.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 5 September 2025 to the hon. Member for Ashfield, PQ 73693.

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 meat imported illegally into the UK is seized at the border.

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

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

Defra is working closely with the Home Office and the Food Standards Agency to tackle meat smuggling, with the support of Border Force, port health authorities and local authorities.

Defra has committed £3.1 million for Dover Port Health Authority to work in partnership with Border Force in seizing meat smuggled via the Port of Dover in 2025/26, additional to over £9m of funding provided to date.

Defra is considering the recommendations in the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s report on meat smuggling.

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 issue guidance to local authorities on the procurement of food that is locally produced or certified to higher environment standards.

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

Defra is responsible for the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services (GBSF), which set the requirements for sourcing, cooking, and serving of food for central Government and executive agencies in England. Local authorities are encouraged to comply with these where possible. Further, we have already published a new national procurement policy statement which sets expectations for Government contracts to favour products certified to high environmental standards that we think high-quality British producers are well-placed to meet.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps she has taken to ensure that imported meat products are slaughtered to animal welfare standards equivalent to those in the UK.

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

The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter. Under existing legislation, imports of meat must meet standards at least equivalent to welfare at slaughter requirements set out in assimilated Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing.

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 tackle the illegal importation of puppies and kittens.

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

As outlined in our manifesto, the Government is committed to ending puppy smuggling. That is why we are supporting the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill.

The Bill successfully completed its Second Reading in the House of Lords on 5 September 2025. We are fully supportive of this Bill and would like to see it pass through the House of Lords as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many countryside stewardship agreements are due to conclude without replacement in Rutland and Stamford constituency in the next year.

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

We are aware of the concerns raised by farmers and stakeholders regarding farmers whose current agreements expire at the end of the year and are considering how we can support the continued delivery of environmental outcomes through environmental land management schemes.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of puppy smuggling.

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

Due to the illegal nature of this activity, we cannot know the true extent of puppy and kitten smuggling operations. The Animal and Plant Health Agency plays a critical role in monitoring and intercepting animals that do not meet legal importation standards including those that are underage.

As outlined in our manifesto, the Government is committed to ending puppy smuggling. That is why we are supporting the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill. We are fully supportive of this Bill and would like to see it pass through the House of Lords as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many incidents of animal welfare abuse have been recorded on intensive livestock farms in (a) England and (b) Norfolk in each of the last five years.

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

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) carries out regulatory duties and monitors compliance with animal welfare legislation through proactive and reactive inspections.

The outcome of all animal welfare inspections is recorded on APHA systems according to a scoring system, where A and B scores indicate compliance, and C and D scores indicate non-compliance. The D score indicates specifically that the non-compliance identified resulted in unnecessary suffering.

This data is not in the public domain.

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 11 September 2025 to Question 75506 on the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs: Finance, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of delivering funding beyond 2025-26 to the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs.

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

My officials continue to work closely with the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs in delivering the 25/26 grant. Any assessment of the potential merits of providing further funding beyond 25/26 will form part of future spending decisions.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she made of the potential impact of agricultural cooperatives on the rural economy.

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

The Government strongly supports the benefits co-operatives can bring and recognises the important role they play in rural communities. For instance, through collaborating farmers and growers can benefit from peer to peer learning, being able to share equipment and being able to act at scale.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of (a) overseas and (b) domestic Ministerial official flights by his Department are (i) carbon offset and (ii) use Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

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

No flights were offset and we cannot provide data on the use of sustainable aviation fuel on flights as this detail is not available through our travel booking contract.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure that Councils have effective supply chains in place to enable them to provide a weekly food waste collection service to all households by 31 March 2026.

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

We are aware of concerns about delivery timelines and pressure on supply chains for vehicles and containers. We are engaging with key stakeholders across the sector and welcome input to help us understand the challenges and ensure successful delivery.

Defra is working with WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) to scope interventions to address bottlenecks in supply chains. For instance, WRAP recently published procurement guidance for food waste: Weekly food waste implementation supplementary procurement guidance | WRAP.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to respond to Written Question 74702 on Sustainable Farming Incentive.

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

Question 74702 was answered on 22 September 2025.

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 answer Question 74602 on UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland.

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

Question 74602 was answered on 15 September 2025

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with Northumbrian Water on sewage from storm overflows in the Ouseburn.

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

Ministers and officials have regular discussions with a range of stakeholders, including water companies, on many issues related to the water sector including sewage pollution.

This Government has put in place the building blocks to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas.

The Water (Special Measures) Act introduced independent monitoring of every sewerage outlet, with water companies required to publish real-time data for all emergency overflows. This matches the pre-existing duty for storm overflows and create an unprecedented level of transparency. This will meet the Government commitment to ensure monitoring of every outlet.

The Independent Water Commission has examined how to strengthen the regulation and delivery of water services to better support long-term water security, sustainable growth, and environmental protection. The Former Secretary of State provided an Oral Statement to Parliament in response to the final report.

As Part of Price Review 24, which runs from 2025-2030, Northumbrian Water will be investing £1.1 billion to reduce the use of storm overflows by delivering on 159 spill reduction schemes. Northumbrian Water across 2025-2030 will undertake multiple site specific investigations in respect of the effects of intermittent discharges in respect of Environment Act objectives.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on (a) the management of foot and mouth disease and (b) recent restrictions on (i) meat and (ii) dairy imports.

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

Defra and the European Commission regularly exchange information in relation to (a) the management of foot and mouth disease outbreaks in the European Union in 2025 and (b) the import restrictions on meat and dairy products that we put in place to protect UK farmers. This information includes details of surveillance, testing, movements of animals and goods, and other outbreak controls.

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 her Department has made of the adequacy of wild bird and mammal surveillance for highly pathogenic avian influenza on UK coastlines; and whether she plans to increase funding for carcass testing in 2025–26.

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

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) avian influenza national reference laboratory carries out year-round surveillance for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in dead wild birds and influenza of avian origin in wild mammals. Including surveillance in marine mammals in coordination with APHA’s Diseases of Wildlife Scheme (DoWS) and the UK Cetacean Stranding Investigation Programme. The results of which can be viewed on APHA’s interactive map and data dashboard. The thresholds for collection for wild birds for HPAI surveillance and case definition for influenza of avian origin in mammals are regularly reviewed, together with the need for additional targeted surveillance at discrete locations or in specific populations, including coastal locations to align with the sensitivity of surveillance required.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many days were lost to sickness absence by civil servants in their Department (a) in total and (b) on average per employee between 5 July 2024 and 4 July 2025.

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

Sickness absence data for the Civil Service, including departmental breakdowns is published annually, and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absence.

The next update will be for the year ending 31st March 2025.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the opportunities for the promotion of industrial hemp.

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

Growers are the best judge of what planting is suited to their land type and long-term agronomic strategy, but Defra recognises the valuable addition industrial hemp can be to some farms as a break crop.

Defra and the Home Office have listened carefully to experienced growers, and we believe that the changes to the Home Office hemp licensing system, currently in delivery, will be key to unlocking the crop’s huge potential. These reforms will enable an expansion of the growing area, better alignment of licences with the farming calendar and rotation planning, and an increase in the number of varieties growers can access.

Defra has also commissioned several studies looking at hemp cultivation, to better understand how the crop can contribute to achieving environmentally sustainable actions.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage farmers and growers to produce fast-growing willow coppice and miscanthus to be used as an energy source for power stations such as Drax.

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

While we anticipate that demand for SRC and miscanthus will grow in the coming decades, it is not Government policy to prescribe which crops farmers should prioritise. British farmers know their own land best - carefully planning their planting to suit the weather, their soil type, and their long-term agronomic strategy. We will continue to support farmers, so they can make the right decisions for them and the productivity of their land. Government only provides support for electricity generation from sustainable biomass. The detailed sourcing of sustainable biomass by power stations is a commercial decision for the companies concerned.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to protect Dartmoor ponies.

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

In Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier, now open for applications, we have removed the competition between cattle and ponies as recommended in the Dartmoor review. We provide payment for grazing with both, and both are eligible under the native breeds at risk supplement. The new offer also clarifies that ponies are exempt from stock removal requirements, recognising that removal of ponies from moorland is neither feasible nor desirable in most circumstances.

The moorland offer will be subject to monitoring and evaluation. Any change in the pony population during this time will be investigated and further mitigations will be explored if necessary.

In addition to monitoring the moorland offer, Defra supports conservation of livestock and equines, including the Dartmoor Pony, by monitoring populations of native breeds, with data published in the annual UK National Breed inventory. Defra also protects eligible native breeds at risk from culling during notifiable disease outbreaks.

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 require chewing gum manufacturers to disclose the full composition of gum base on product labels.

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

Current food labelling rules permit manufacturers to list ‘gum base’ as an ingredient, where ‘gum base’ means gum preparations used in the manufacture of gum base for chewing gum. Manufacturers can provide more descriptive information relating to ingredients contained in the ‘gum base’ if they wish but this is not a requirement. There are currently no plans to amend the legislation.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hayman of Ullock on 11 September (HL10233), whether they aim to have legislation as a result of a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU fully implemented and taking effect in 2027.

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

As stated in the response to HL10233, the Government’s aim is to conclude negotiations and have legislative arrangements in place no later than 2027. We will update Parliament when an implementation plan has been agreed with the EU.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing subsidies to support farmers to (a) introduce and (b) maintain beekeeping.

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

Figures from the annual hive count suggests that the number of beekeepers has remained relatively stable and is not declining. Defra supports beekeepers through the work of the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit which operates our bee pest surveillance programmes and provides free training and advice to beekeepers, including on pest and disease recognition. Effective pest and disease control is important for preventing spread to other apiaries and pollinators.

Defra supports pollinators through the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Landscape Recovery, in that the schemes offer a choice of support for more regenerative approaches to farming, and creation or restoration of habitats in appropriate areas. We are working closely with farmers and industry stakeholders to design a future SFI offer that fairly and responsibly directs funding, and further information about the reformed SFI will be provided shortly.

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 provide subsidies for farmers who diversify into beekeeping.

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

Figures from the annual hive count suggests that the number of beekeepers has remained relatively stable and is not declining. Defra supports beekeepers through the work of the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit which operates our bee pest surveillance programmes and provides free training and advice to beekeepers, including on pest and disease recognition. Effective pest and disease control is important for preventing spread to other apiaries and pollinators.

Defra supports pollinators through the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Landscape Recovery, in that the schemes offer a choice of support for more regenerative approaches to farming, and creation or restoration of habitats in appropriate areas. We are working closely with farmers and industry stakeholders to design a future SFI offer that fairly and responsibly directs funding, and further information about the reformed SFI will be provided shortly.

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 farming organisations on subsidies for beekeeping.

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

Figures from the annual hive count suggests that the number of beekeepers has remained relatively stable and is not declining. Defra supports beekeepers through the work of the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit which operates our bee pest surveillance programmes and provides free training and advice to beekeepers, including on pest and disease recognition. Effective pest and disease control is important for preventing spread to other apiaries and pollinators.

Defra supports pollinators through the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Landscape Recovery, in that the schemes offer a choice of support for more regenerative approaches to farming, and creation or restoration of habitats in appropriate areas. We are working closely with farmers and industry stakeholders to design a future SFI offer that fairly and responsibly directs funding, and further information about the reformed SFI will be provided shortly.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has considered introducing method of production labelling for pork products to help consumers that are seeking to avoid products from farrowing crates.

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

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

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.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what purposes their Department has used artificial intelligence in the last year.

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

In the last 12 months, Defra has explored the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across a range of areas to improve delivery of public services, strengthen resilience, and support innovation. AI has been deployed in habitat maps, such as Living England, and peatland restoration projects, such as AI4Peat, to enhance biodiversity monitoring, and in the Environment Agency’s FloodAI trial to improve flood forecasting, strengthen early warning systems, and protect critical infrastructure.

Before any application is deployed, the department considers data and security protection risks to ensure AI is applied responsibly. Guidance on the safe, effective, and responsible adoption of AI can be found in the Government’s AI Playbook.

The department also acknowledges the mandatory obligation under the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS) to report where algorithms are used in decision-making. As of September 2025, Defra has published several ATRS records, including Local Authority Waste Collection Cost Groupings, Hello Lamp Post, and Living England, covering algorithmic tools in environmental protection and public engagement.

The department is also piloting the use of artificial intelligence to analyse open sources online for emerging civil contingencies risks and issues.

Internally, the department has piloted AI-powered tools to automate the migration of legacy IT systems to modern cloud environments and rolled out Microsoft Copilot Chat to streamline day-to-day tasks, improve productivity, and support staff in working more efficiently.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing vaccination as part of the national bovine TB control strategy.

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

An assessment of the potential merits of vaccination was made by a reconvened panel of independent experts, led by Professor Sir Charles Godfray. The panel’s updated report, published on 4 September 2025, considered the latest evidence on both cattle and badger vaccination, and will inform the development of the refreshed bovine TB strategy for England.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Foot and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of compliance with conservation obligations on scheduled monuments located within agricultural land; and what steps he is taking to ensure that land management practices are compatible with heritage protection legislation.

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

Scheduled Monuments are protected via the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. Since 2013, positive management of Scheduled Monuments located within agricultural land, promoted through Defra’s agri-environment schemes, has helped to remove approximately 700 from Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register. Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier has measures to support such practices, further information is available at Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) - 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 her Department has made of the potential impact of requiring Secretary of State sign-off for the cutting of firebreaks in Sites of Specific Scientific Interest during crisis situations on managing ongoing fires.

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

Consent for operations such as firebreaks on a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) will need to be obtained from Natural England. However, when responding to an emergency, it is a “reasonable excuse” under the relevant section (section 28P(4)(b)) of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981) for a SSSI owner or occupier to undertake operations without seeking section 28E consent. Natural England must be informed of the details of the emergency itself and the operations undertaken as soon as practical after they have been carried out.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether land that is (a) owned by the National Trust and (b) a Site of Specific Scientific Interest requires Secretary of State approval before implementing proactive fire prevention methods.

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

Consent from the Secretary of State is not required unless the SSSI concerned is also a common, in which case some actions like fencing may require Secretary of State consent as per the Commons Act 2006. The National Trust is an owner/occupier with the same legal rights and responsibilities as other owner/occupiers.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps her Department has taken to help protect populations of the (a) House Sparrow and (b) Song Thrush in the South East.

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

This Government is committed to restoring and protecting nature. 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. The actions to reach these targets will support our priority native bird species such as house sparrow and song thrush.

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) will work together to drive action including to create or restore habitats that will enable wildlife to recover and thrive. In early 2024 we introduced mandatory biodiversity net gain, to ensure development has a measurably positive impact (a 10% net gain’) on biodiversity, compared to what was there before development. Responsible authorities are also required to consider national environmental objectives when preparing their LNRS, including the target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030. LNRS will map specific proposals for habitat creation and improvement that will support many species, including the house sparrow and song thrush.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator for supporting producers with (a) non-compliant and (b) missing written milk purchase contracts under the regulations.

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

The Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator (ASCA) is responsible for enforcing regulations developed under the Agriculture Act 2020 'Fair Dealing' powers (section 29). Regulations introduced using these powers promote fair contractual dealing and contribute to a more equitable relationship between producers and purchasers. To date, the powers have been used to create the Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024 (FDOM24) and the Fair Dealing Obligations (Pigs) Regulations 2025 (FDOP25).

The ASCA can investigate relevant complaints around compliance with these regulations, including ensuring parties agree a written contract as mandated by the FDOMM24. The ASCA also aims to be a convener across supply chains, working with producers and purchasers to improve business relationships and behaviours around contracts.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure biosolids used as fertiliser do not contain (a) per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and (b) microplastics.

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

We recognise the need to ensure the safe and sustainable use of sludge in agriculture to help clean up our waterways and promote healthy soil. We will continue to work constructively with stakeholders on our ongoing review of the regulatory framework to ensure it is fit-for-purpose.

The Government has been working with water companies under their Chemical Investigations Programme (CIP), to improve the evidence base on the behaviour and fate of contaminants during treatment processes. CIP phase 4 will include a Groundwater, Soil and Biosolids investigation. This will explore the fate and behaviour of multiple chemical compounds, including PFAS substances and microplastics, to establish whether detected substances may pose a risk to long-term soil health, groundwater quality and the wider environment.

This work will help inform possible and future measures to mitigate contaminants in the environment. We discuss the progress of this work on a frequent basis.

Earlier this year, we published this Option Appraisal for Intentionally Added Microplastics, which provides a welcome addition to our sum of knowledge on the options to protect human health and the UK environment from the risks of microplastics. We are considering the results of this study.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department plans to allocate funding for seafish-related (a) skills and (b) other training for the 2025-26 financial year.

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

Seafish were eligible to apply for skills and training-related funding through the recently closed Fisheries and Seafood Scheme (FaSS). The Marine Management Organisation is currently reviewing and testing eligibility of applications submitted under the scheme. Outcomes of all FaSS applications will be communicated once the assessment process is complete.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of national and regional carcass disposal capacity available for use during an avian influenza outbreak in 2025–26.

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

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has contracts in place to manage carcass transport and disposal during disease outbreaks such as avian influenza. The Agency works with contractors across Great Britain which currently have sufficient
disposal capacity based on current planning assumptions.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to improve communications with registered and unregistered bird keepers when avian influenza control zones are established.

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

Defra continues to support bird keepers to manage and prepare for avian influenza outbreaks.

Defra uses several channels of communication with bird keepers. A dedicated avian influenza page on GOV.UK is regularly updated with the latest information. We also issue national, local and trade press releases to ensure the latest information is communicated through the media.

All poultry or other captive bird keepers in England (with the exception of certain psittacines and passerines) are legally required to register with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) via the Kept Bird Register. This enables the Government to communicate directly and promptly with bird keepers about biosecurity measures to help protect their birds and reduce the risk of disease spread.

Following confirmation of an avian influenza outbreak, all registered bird keepers within disease control zones receive text messages or email alerts about the measures in the zones. In addition, anyone can subscribe to APHA’s free animal disease alerts service to receive updates on risk levels, latest guidance and new cases across Great Britain, regardless of whether they keep birds.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, he will list the programmes his Department (a) provides and (b) supports to tackle (i) isolation, (ii) social exclusion and (iii) mental health well-being for rural young people.

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

In 2025-26, Defra is providing £1.712 million to support local actions that address the needs of rural communities, some of which is used to support actions to tackle rural isolation, social exclusion and the mental health and well-being needs of young people in rural areas.

Since May 2024, Defra has funded the Farmer Welfare Grant, providing £500k to support projects that improve the mental health and wellbeing of farmers in England. One recipient of the grant, the Lincolnshire Rural Support Network (LRSN), is using its funds to deliver support to young farmers. Their support includes Installing an LRSN volunteer link worker into every Young Farmers Club in Lincolnshire; Formal Mental health and wellbeing awareness raising sessions delivered to 16 Young Farmers Clubs, Impact Group, and Riseholme College; and Recruitment and integration of two Emotional Wellbeing Workers into the Young Farmers Clubs and Riseholme Agricultural college.

The Government is committed to increasing access to nature for all, especially young people, and recognises the importance for young people’s health and wellbeing. In 2024, Defra invested £4.45 million in a second phase of the Generation Green programme, enabling over 25,000 disadvantaged children and young people to experience the natural environment.

Defra also leads a cross-Government Children and Nature Working Group to share best practices on improving outcomes for young people through nature. The £16 million Access for All programme has funded inclusive facilities like pedal and play areas for young people.

Green Social Prescribing and wider nature-based activities have been shown to improve mental health in both adults and young people. Natural England works at a national and local level to embed Green Social Prescribing into NHS health services.

Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework is a strategic tool which provides local authorities with principles, standards, guidance, and data to improve the lives of people and communities through nature, including access to nature, improving health and wellbeing, and building climate resilience. This includes providing comprehensive geospatial data on the quality of green and blue space, index of multiple deprivation and health, enabling local authorities to target action where its most needed.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to reduce disparities in accepted materials for recycling across different local authorities.

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

The Simpler Recycling reforms will ensure that across England, people will be able to recycle the same materials, whether at home, work or school.

Every household and workplace (businesses and relevant non-domestic premises like schools and hospitals) across England will be able to recycle the same materials in the following core waste streams: metal, glass, plastic (including cartons), paper and card, food waste, and garden waste (for households only).

These reforms will make recycling easier and ensure there is a comprehensive, consistent service across England. This will reduce confusion with recycling to improve recycling rates, ensuring there is more recycled material in the products we buy, and that the UK recycling industry will grow.

Simpler Recycling will be implemented as follows:

• Simpler Recycling has now come into effect for all workplaces with 10 or more full-time equivalent employees in England. This requires workplaces to separately recycle dry mixed recycling (plastic, metal, glass), paper and card, and food waste. We are keen to hear from stakeholders on how they are implementing the changes required.

• By 31 March 2026, local authorities will be required to collect the core recyclable waste streams from all households in England. This includes introducing weekly food waste collections for all homes, unless a transitional arrangement applies (affected local authorities have a later implementation date set in regulations).

• Micro-firms (workplaces with fewer than 10 employees), have until 31 March 2027 to comply, and plastic film collections from all households and workplaces will also be required by then.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of strengthening criminal penalties for illegally killing hen harriers.

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

Bird of prey persecution is a national wildlife crime priority. Where any wild bird of prey is killed illegally the full force of the law should apply to proven perpetrators of the crime. The Government recognises that some stakeholders are often disappointed with the sentences that are passed down for such criminal acts but significant sanctions are already available for judges to hand down to those convicted of illegally killing birds of prey. Anyone who commits an offence under existing legislation such as the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 could face up to a six-month custodial sentence and/or an unlimited fine. Sentencing of those convicted of wildlife crimes remains a matter for judges, and these decisions are rightly taken independently of Government.

Defra therefore has no current plans to strengthen the maximum penalties for illegally killing hen harriers.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations she has received from the Campaign for National Parks on the effectiveness of the Protected Landscapes Duty, introduced under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, in promoting (a) earlier consideration of environmental aspects of planning proposals, (b) cleaner rivers, (c) improved public transport for rural communities, (d) stronger local economies, (d) more wildlife and biodiversity recovery and (e) fairer public access to nature; and whether the impact of the Protected Landscapes Duty has fulfilled the principal recommendations of the 2019 Glover Review.

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

The Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Defra and MHCLG Secretaries of State and the Minister for Nature received a letter from the Campaign for National Parks on 7 October 2025 titled ‘Do not weaken the laws protecting National Parks and National Landscapes’. We will respond in due course.

The Government is working with a range of partners to consider the impact of the Protected Landscapes Duty. The duty is intended to facilitate better outcomes for England’s Protected Landscapes, which are in line with their statutory purposes.

The Government has published guidance on the Protected Landscapes duty to ensure public bodies operating in these areas, including water companies, deliver better environmental outcomes working together with Protected Landscape organisations.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to replace or roll over the Countryside Stewardship agreements terminating at the end of this year.

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

We are aware of the concerns raised by farmers and stakeholders regarding farmers whose current Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier agreements expire at the end of the year and are considering how we can support continued delivery of environmental outcomes through environmental land management schemes.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to end the culling of badgers.

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

Work is progressing at pace on a comprehensive new bovine TB strategy, to drivedown bovine TB rates to save cattle and farmers’ livelihoods and end the badger cull by the end of this parliament.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what data his Department holds on whether any areas of Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency exceeded the nitrogen dioxide annual mean limit in 2023.

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

No exceedances of the annual mean limit value for nitrogen dioxide were reported in 2023 in the Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency from data held by the Department.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help tackle harm to pollinators in the West Midlands.

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

Pollinators are an essential part of our environment and play a crucial role in food production. Following the conclusion of our National Pollinator Strategy in 2024, we will be designing and delivering a refreshed Pollinator Action Plan, that sits underneath our broader Environmental Improvement Plan. This will set out key actions for pollinators across every area in England, including the West Midlands.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many incidents involving dangerous dogs have been reported in Lincolnshire in each of the last 10 years.

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

Defra does not hold this data. This information may be collected by the NHS, individual police forces or local authorities.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to publish the updated cross-government contingency plan for outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza; and whether that plan includes arrangements for (a) local authority resourcing and (b) mutual aid.

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

The UK contingency plan for exotic notifiable diseases of animals explains how UK Governments and departments work together in responding to exotic animal disease outbreaks. It is updated every year, with the next update due later this autumn. The plan also outlines the arrangements of support and resources made available for Local Authorities at times of disease outbreak. This support also includes the provision of Mutual Aid agreements. This could involve the facilitation and co–ordination of arrangements with Local Resilience Forums, with additional support provided where the local response has been or may be overwhelmed.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with the UK’s trading partners on certification and surveillance requirements to enable the use of avian influenza vaccination in poultry while maintaining export access.

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

The joint industry and cross-government highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) Vaccine Taskforce has published a report proposing a number of next steps to close critical knowledge gaps before publishing a final recommendation. These actions include exploring a targeted turkey vaccination trial, proactive engagement with trading partners, and working to build surveillance and laboratory capacity. Defra and the Devolved Governments, working with industry, will give careful consideration to these in determining next steps.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria her Department plans to use to determine whether to pilot targeted vaccination of poultry against highly pathogenic avian influenza.

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

The joint industry and cross-government highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) Vaccine Taskforce has published a report proposing a number of next steps to close critical knowledge gaps before publishing a final recommendation. These actions include exploring a targeted turkey vaccination trial, proactive engagement with trading partners, and working to build surveillance and laboratory capacity. Defra and the Devolved Governments, working with industry, will give careful consideration to these in determining next steps.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help preserve Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Ashfield constituency.

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

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) continue to be one of the most effective tools for protecting and enhancing biodiversity and deliver a wide range of health and socio-economic benefits.

Natural England has an ongoing programme to assess the condition of SSSI features and implement restoration actions. Recent work in Ashfield includes monitoring at Teversal Pastures SSSI, where two units with species-rich neutral grassland are in favourable condition and managed through a Countryside Stewardship Mid-tier scheme consented by Natural England. At Friezeland Grassland SSSI, monitoring led to a new Countryside Stewardship scheme with capital works to restore lowland neutral grassland. Natural England also monitored Annesley Woodhouse Quarries SSSI, leading to a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier scheme to increase grazing and management.

In the 2024 autumn budget we allocated £13m to Protected Site Strategies which will develop spatial restoration plans for priority sites, such as Sherwood Forest in the adjoining district of Newark and Sherwood. These strategies will put in place action to restore protected sites and manage the impact of environmental harm.

The Nature Restoration Fund in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill will allow a more strategic approach to SSSI restoration and deliver improved environmental outcomes.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of food inflation on household budgets.

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

UK consumer food prices depend on a range of factors including agri-food import prices, domestic agricultural prices, domestic labour and manufacturing costs, and Sterling exchange rates. Changes in food prices are dependent on changes in one or more of these factors.

The latest available OECD data (up to 2023) shows that food prices in the UK remained lower than in most advanced economies and the lowest among G7 countries. After the USA, UK households spend the lowest share of their income on food and non-alcoholic drinks in the G7. In fiscal year end 2024, households spent 11.3% of their income on food, rising to 14.3% for the lowest 20% by income. Over the last ten years these figures have been relatively stable, barring the impact of coronavirus in 2020-22.

Through our Plan for Change we are going further and faster to put more money in people's pockets.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will request that the UK is able to diverge from the EU in relation to animal welfare standards in the dynamic alignment requirement of the EU-UK Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement.

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

The agreement will cover SPS standards and controls and also wider agrifood rules related to food labelling, organics, and key marketing standards and compositional standards.

The EU has accepted there will need to be a number of areas where we need to retain our own rules. The details of these are subject to negotiation, but we have been clear about the importance of being able to set high animal welfare standards, support public health, and support the use of new and innovative technologies.

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 assessment she has made of the potential impact of a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement with the EU on enforcement of the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024.

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

The agreement will cover SPS standards and controls and also wider agrifood rules related to food labelling, organics, and key marketing standards and compositional standards.

The EU has accepted there will need to be a number of areas where we need to retain our own rules. The details of these are subject to negotiation, but we have been clear about the importance of being able to set high animal welfare standards, support public health, and support the use of new and innovative technologies.

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 assessment she has made of the potential impact of the EU-UK SPS agreement on (a) the Government's commitment to improve animal welfare and (b) the Government's forthcoming animal welfare strategy.

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

The agreement will cover SPS standards and controls and also wider agrifood rules related to food labelling, organics, and key marketing standards and compositional standards.

The EU has accepted there will need to be a number of areas where we need to retain our own rules. The details of these are subject to negotiation, but we have been clear about the importance of being able to set high animal welfare standards, support public health, and support the use of new and innovative technologies.

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 she is taking to repair and restore footbridges along the Jubilee River; and what estimate she has made of the associated cost to the taxpayer.

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

The Jubilee River is part of the Maidenhead, Windsor and Eaton Flood Alleviation Scheme which is operated and maintained by the Environment Agency. Footbridges along the Jubilee River are the responsibility of the respective local authorities including Buckinghamshire Council, Slough Council and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. The Environment Agency works closely with these councils; however, questions relating to plans to repair and restore these footbridges should be directed to the respective local authority, not the Environment Agency.

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 support local authorities in dealing with abandoned vehicles.

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

Councils have a duty to remove abandoned vehicles from land in the open air and roads (including private roads). Guidance to help councils comply with this duty is available here: Abandoned vehicles: local authority responsibilities - GOV.UK

Councils can take enforcement action against people who abandon vehicles by issuing a fixed penalty notice or prosecuting them.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her counterparts in the devolved Administrations since her appointment.

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

Since her appointment the Secretary of State has held meetings to discuss a range of shared priorities with the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands in the Scottish Government, and the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs in the Welsh Government.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator has (a) received information on purchasers not explaining variable price changes within seven days of a price review and (b) taken steps to ensure producers receive (i) timely and (ii) transparent pricing information.

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

Under the Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024, purchasers must explain variable price changes within 7 days of a price review. The Regulations now apply to all milk purchase contracts.

Breaches can be reported to the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator (ASCA).

Whilst it is not appropriate to provide the details of any live investigations, to date, ASCA has received 1 formal complaint about a non-compliant milk contract (currently under investigation).

ASCA has also received a number of informal ‘in confidence’ concerns raised by producers across a range of issues. Where able to do so without revealing the identity of a producer, ASCA will raise these concerns directly with a milk purchaser.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on how many occasions the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator has undertaken enforcement action when a purchaser has not provided a compliant written milk contract.

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

Under the Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024, purchasers must explain variable price changes within 7 days of a price review. The Regulations now apply to all milk purchase contracts.

Breaches can be reported to the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator (ASCA).

Whilst it is not appropriate to provide the details of any live investigations, to date, ASCA has received 1 formal complaint about a non-compliant milk contract (currently under investigation).

ASCA has also received a number of informal ‘in confidence’ concerns raised by producers across a range of issues. Where able to do so without revealing the identity of a producer, ASCA will raise these concerns directly with a milk purchaser.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the number of residential properties built after 1 January 2009 in designated flood risk areas that are ineligible for support under the Flood Re scheme in (a) the UK and (b) Taunton and Wellington constituency.

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

Flood Re does not apply to homes built after 2009, as that would be inconsistent with current planning policy. Planning policy is clear that inappropriate development in floodplains should be avoided. Where development is necessary in a flood risk area, it should be made flood resistant, resilient and safe for their lifetime, without increasing flood risk elsewhere.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to increase urban wildlife habitat.

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

Nature Towns and Cities, a new initiative, supported by Defra, is committed to bringing the benefits of nature and greenspace to everyone in the UK. It has recently awarded £15.4 million to 19 partnerships, covering 40 towns/cities, enabling local authorities, working with their communities to transform their urban environment for people and nature. Birmingham has successfully become the UK’s first official Nature City, with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole collectively becoming the first Nature Towns.

Natural England’s Green Infrasturcture (GI) Standards include an urban nature recovery standard to expand and connect habitats and species in urban/urban fringe areas and reverse the decline in biodiversity. The GI Mapping Database provides a layered view of England’s green/blue spaces. Designed to support planning, policy, and nature recovery efforts by visualizing how natural assets are distributed and accessed.

Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) are a flagship measure in the Environment Act. A good example which is centred around urban nature recovery is NATURE FOR ALL. A Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Greater Manchester.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to meet the leadership of the National Farmers' Union.

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

As part of their Ministerial responsibilities, both the Secretary of State and her farming Minister meet routinely with farming organisations.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to meet the (a) President and (b) Vice President of the Ulster Farmers' Union.

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

As part of their Ministerial responsibilities, both the Secretary of State and her farming Minister meet routinely with farming organisations.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to meet the leadership of the Countryside Alliance.

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

As part of their Ministerial responsibilities, both the Secretary of State and her farming Minister meet routinely with farming organisations.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to publish the cross-Government nature strategy.

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

Defra will set out its timeline for publishing the Cross Government Nature Strategy (GCNS) 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 (a) promote competition and (b) expand consumer choice in the water sector.

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

Ofwat has a primary duty set out in Section 2 of the Water Industry Act 1991 to carry out its relevant functions in the way it considers best to protect the interests of consumers by, where appropriate, promoting effective competition.

There are existing competitive markets in the sector. All businesses in England are already able to choose their water retailer as part of the business retail market. Housing developers also have flexibility over whether they contract with incumbent water companies or 'New Appointments and Variations’. Both of these markets can provide an improved level of service to customers.

The Independent Water Commission makes a number of recommendations intended to strengthen competition within the water sector and protect consumers. The Government has already announced immediate actions, such as the creation of a water ombudsman to protect consumers in disputes. A White Paper setting out further detail will be published and consulted on this autumn, forming the basis of a new water bill.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund will open for applications.

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

The Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund is a £360 million long-term investment, delivered over 12 years. We are working closely with industry to identify priority areas for support and to ensure funding is targeted where it will have the greatest impact. Following the conclusion of this engagement phase, we will establish and confirm timelines for the scheme’s launch. This will not open before March 2026 but will be communicated once finalised.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Environment Agency on the adequacy of the level of flood preparedness in Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency.

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

The Environment Agency (EA) is supporting 26 flood groups across Cambridgeshire, alongside Cambridgeshire County Council, to be prepared for flooding by creating a flood plan and access to a flood kit. There are two active flood groups in the Ely and East Cambridgeshire area: Cottenham, and Little Downham and Pymoor.

Regarding the ongoing inspection, maintenance, and repair of the raised earth embankments river defences in the area, a risk-based approach has been adopted to ensure resources are directed to where they provide the most flood risk benefit.

To prepare better for the future, the EA has several strategic projects focused on improving long term flood resilience, these include Fens 2100+ and the Cranbrook/Counter Drain project. Fens 2100+ is developing a long-term plan to manage future flood risk in the Fens and the Cranbrook/Counter Drain project is working on water storage proposals through the restoration of sand and gravel workings.

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 local authorities on flood preparedness.

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

The Floods Resilience Taskforce meets quarterly to coordinate and drive forward work on national flood resilience by national and local government, including representatives from Local Resilience Forums, Mayoral Authorities and MHCLG. It met on 8 September and reviewed preparedness for flooding this autumn and winter.

The Taskforce discussed the risk of flooding and the improvements made by Taskforce members to prepare, respond and recover. They also discussed national flood modelling and forecasting, communication of flood warnings, exercising of the National Flood Response Centre and improving the awareness of flood schemes.

Lead local flood authorities (unitary and county authorities) are required to manage local flood risks from surface water, groundwater and ordinary watercourses. Local flood risks should be identified and managed as part of a local flood risk management strategy.

The Environment Agency and Defra will continue to work with their partners in local authorities to improve flood readiness, including Lead Local Flood Authorities.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Floods Resilience Taskforce is taking to prepare for potential floods in winter 2025-26.

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

The Flood Resilience Taskforce, which brings together national and local government, emergency services and other partners, met on 8 September and reviewed preparedness for flooding this autumn and winter.

The Taskforce discussed the risk of flooding and the improvements made by Taskforce members to prepare, respond and recover, including improvements to national flood modelling and forecasting, communication of flood warnings, exercising of the National Flood Response Centre and improving the awareness of schemes to support those affected by flooding.

The Taskforce concluded that at local and national levels, preparedness for flooding has overall increased compared to September 2024. Taskforce members will continue to work throughout the autumn and winter to protect communities.

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 has taken to mitigate the impact of flooding on households ahead of winter 2025-26.

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

We are investing a record £2.65 billion over two years for the construction of new flood schemes, and the maintenance and repair of existing ones. Around 1,000 projects will receive fresh funding in 24/25 and 25/26.

Flood Action Week, running from 13th of October, will inform the public how to understand their flood risk and the actions they can take. This will include raising awareness of the flood warning service, what to do when they receive a warning, and the benefits of taking property flood resilience measures.

The Flood Resilience Taskforce, which brings together national and local government, emergency services and other partners, met on 5 September and reviewed preparedness for flooding in autumn and winter, The Taskforce considered improvements to national flood modelling and forecasting, communication of flood warnings and improving awareness of schemes to support those affected by flooding.

The Taskforce concluded that at local and national levels, preparedness for flooding has overall increased compared to September 2024. Taskforce members will continue to work throughout the autumn and winter to protect communities.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to establish a registration scheme for UK vessels to provide ring-fenced funds to tackle the issue of abandoned end of life boats.

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

The Government recognises that end of life recreational vessels are a source of litter and pollution when abandoned and is leading an action in the OSPAR Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter to improve the management of end-of-life recreational vessels. As part of this work, the Government commissioned research on the number of vessels reaching end-of-life across the North East Atlantic area, and on policy options to reduce the issue of marine litter from abandoned vessels. This research is being used to inform the development of best practice guidance.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help tackle the issue of abandoned boats in UK rivers.

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

Responsibility for operational matters on regulated rivers rests with the navigation authorities that own them and includes dealing with abandoned boats. The Government does not have a role in that. Navigation authorities have statutory powers to remove such boats when they deem it necessary and appropriate, but only statutory duties to do so where they present an environmental or navigation risk. Where there is no navigation authority for a river, responsibility for removing boats falls to riparian landowners and local authorities.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the readiness of (a) her Department and (b) the Animal and Plant Health Agency for any potential increase in the number of Avian Influenza cases in the next 6 months.

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

APHA regularly monitors the prevalence and spread of avian influenza, supported by epidemiological modelling, during critical disease transmission periods. This information is used to help with scenario planning and the allocation of resource. APHA also keeps readiness to respond under review in its animal disease readiness index.

Defra has robust, well-established protocols for exotic disease response, outlined in its annually updated Contingency Plan for Exotic Notifiable Diseases, including how resource might be increased to deal with additional demand through mutual aid across Government.

As a department Defra has strengthened its approach to resilience over the past few years. This approach has been reviewed by the Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA), who said it was well-structured, comprehensive, aligned with key frameworks, and supported by strong governance, communication, and lessons management processes.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding her Department plans to provide for plastic reprocessing infrastructure in each of the next three years; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of that funding on (a) trends in the level of (i) landfill, (ii) incineration and (iii) domestic recycling capacity.

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

Defra currently has no plans to fund plastics reprocessing infrastructure. There are existing mechanisms including the market-based Packaging Waste Recycling Notes (PRN) system to provide direct funding to the reprocessing sector.

This year sees the start of Defra’s packaging reforms. Simpler Recycling mandates that all local authorities and businesses in England collect the same core set of materials for recycling. These reforms will support private investment in infrastructure, including plastics, by building certainty and guaranteeing supply of materials for recycling. Simpler Recycling requirements will be extended to flexible plastics by 31 March 2027.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support (a) design innovation and (b) the recyclability of plastic products to help accelerate the the transition to a circular economy for plastics.

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, we see investment in critical infrastructure and green jobs, our economy prospers, and nature thrives.

The Government has convened a Circular Economy Taskforce of experts to help develop the first ever Circular Economy Strategy for England, which we plan to publish for consultation in the coming months. As we develop our Circular Economy Strategy for England, we will consider the evidence for further action that can be taken to address the challenges associated with plastic products. We recognise the importance of managing and reducing plastic waste, and in taking a whole-economy approach.

To support the recyclability of plastic products, the Government funds the UK Plastics Pact (UKPP) through the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP). Pact Members cover the entire plastics value chain and are responsible for the majority of plastic packaging sold through UK supermarkets, and around two thirds of total plastic packaging placed on the UK market. Members of the Pact have increased the average recycled content of their packaging from 8.5% to 26% since 2018.

In parallel, our reforms to the packaging sector and recycling collection systems will clamp down on plastic pollution and litter and clean up our environment with packaging for Extended Producer Responsibility in particular incentivising the use of less packaging and more recyclable packaging.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) reviewed research on the potential (i) environmental and (ii) health impact of (A) microplastics and (B) nanoplastics on (1) ecosystems and (2) food chains.

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

In 2022, Defra initiated a research project to investigate the risks of intentionally added microplastics, which reviewed the emissions from microplastics, and the risks they pose both to human health and the environment. Earlier this year, we published this Option Appraisal for Intentionally Added Microplastics, which provides a welcome addition to our sum of knowledge on the options to protect human health and the UK environment from the risks of microplastics.

The Environment Agency (EA) is supporting collaborative research which will support future policy and regulatory decisions on microplastics and nanoplastics by extension. This includes six investigations with the water industry under the Chemical Investigations Programme, considering generation of microplastics within wastewater treatment works through breakdown of plastic equipment, emerging sewage treatment technologies, and pathways of microplastics from biosolids applied to land to soils and groundwater. The EA is also conducting research into tyre wear particles and associated chemicals – one report has been published this year and another is due to be published later this year. The EA is also supporting National Highways and academic partners on research into microplastics generated during driving and strategies to intercept them in highway runoff. While the EA’s research is driven by environmental risk, the data could benefit public health risk assessment by the relevant bodies.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) continues to monitor and assess emerging data regarding microplastics in food. The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products, and the Environment (COT), an independent scientific committee that provides advice to the FSA and other Government departments is currently considering the issue of microplastics. The COT has previously concluded that the available data was insufficient for a complete assessment. The FSA is keeping the issue of microplastics under review as new evidence becomes available.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what process her Department uses to reallocate unused licences that allow fishing for bass.

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

Bass authorisations are administered by the Marine Management Organisation. They are separate to fishing vessel licences and allocated to the vessel with a track record of landing bass between 1 July 2015 to 30 September 2016. Unless approved by MMO to transfer an authorisation to another vessel under specific circumstances, bass authorisations cannot be transferred between individuals. A review of the current bass authorisation system is underway.

Found: As outlined in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ response to the Committee’s report

Found: ScotEID are also providing the Defra Digital, Data, Technology and Security (DDTS) team with support

Found: Ask DEFRA and the Countryside Stewardship teams.

Found: Letter from the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating

Found: already begun work to consider how this could be delivered, coordinating closely with colleagues in Defra

Found: work on coastal policy in the Home Office, the Ministry of Defence, and the Department for Environment , Food and Rural Affairs

Found: Letter from the Interim Permanent Secretary of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: Letter from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating to the Government response

Found: delivered by UKRI, in partnership with the Global Food Security Programme, BBSRC, ESRC, MRC, NERC, DEFRA

Found: ministerial meeting registers during the last term of government (January 2020 – June 2024) found that at DEFRA

Found: No advertising for junk foods, UFPs etc AND To complete the package we need DEFRA to fully fund the threatened

Found: WCI0019 - Waste Crime Defra Written Evidence

Found: In 2023, I did some work with DEFRA on behalf of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (of

Found: DEFRA Fly-tipping statistics for England, 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK allows a comparison to be drawn with

Found: National Flytipping Prevention Group website (currently hosted and maintained by CIWM, previously by Defra

Found: (attached) at a meeting with representatives of the tyre recycling industry and staff from Defra

Found: . – Process: submit via DEFRA/APHA (or DAERA) to India’s competent authority; seek recognition at zone

Found: DHSC and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) must seek to increase resilience

Found: The FCDO is working closely with other government departments, including DEFRA, DBT, DESNZ and DHSC

Found: DEFRA? DBT?

Found: Norgrove, Chair UK Statistics Authority; Claire Moriarty, Permanent Secretary Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Found: DEFRA analyses those figures on behalf of all Departments, to work out the carbon savings.

Found: DEFRA analyses those figures on behalf of all Departments, to work out the carbon savings.

Found: governance, investment, and regulatory arrangements; the roles of the EA, local authorities, and Defra

Found: closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive, we are concerned about the disruption to progress as Defra

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on sites intended for building that have previously been used as dumps for fly ash.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should ensure that a site is suitable for its proposed use taking account of ground conditions and any risks arising from land instability and contamination. This includes risks arising from natural hazards or former activities such as mining, and any proposals for mitigation including land remediation (as well as potential impacts on the natural environment arising from that remediation). My Department continues to work closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on matters relating to meeting our shared ambition to deliver 1.5 million new homes in this Parliament while improving and protecting the environment.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the number of civil servants working from home for three days a week or more is increasing or decreasing.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Data on Civil Service Headquarters (HQ) occupancy is collected and published quarterly on GOV.UK for all HQ buildings of Whitehall Departments, Office for Scotland, Office for Wales and Northern Ireland Office.

Data for the latest period for which data is available is copied below. No other information on occupancy data or workforce attendance is gathered centrally.

Departments manage their own arrangements for monitoring workforce attendance. Heads of departments have agreed that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on water safety education for primary school children.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Departmental officials had discussions with their Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs counterparts in drawing up the new relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance. The department has made water safety and the Water Safety Code part of statutory health education, taught as part of RSHE. It is included within the new topic of ‘personal safety’. The new curriculum comes into force from September 2026. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.

Swimming and water safety are also compulsory elements of the primary physical education curriculum at key stages 1 and 2.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of changing the English indices of deprivation to include rurality as a factor.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The most recent iteration of the English Indices of Deprivation was published in September 2019 and all data tables and resources are available online here - https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-indices-of-deprivation-2019

The department is currently working on an update and confirmed recently that the English Indices of Deprivation 2025 will be published within a provisional October/November 2025 timeframe. This has been published on GOV.UK.

As part of this work, DEFRA has contributed funding to investigate rural deprivation. This collaborative project is considering what deprivation in rural areas is, data sources and methods to help quantify it and more formal guidance on the use of the Indices and their application to rural areas. A report on rural deprivation will form part of the updated English Indices of Deprivation release.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure timely public health messaging on avian influenza in coastal tourist areas during periods of increased seabird mortality.

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

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have a range of communication messages ready for use for avian influenza.

For coastal tourist areas, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has created guidance relating to wild birds. Guidance relating to reporting dead wild birds is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/report-dead-wild-birds

In addition, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ guidance on the removal and disposal of dead wild birds is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/removing-and-disposing-of-dead-wild-birds#removing-dead-wild-birds-on-public-land-private-land-and-managed-estates

The UKHSA has also published broader public health guidance on the general risk, not specific to wild birds, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/avian-influenza-bird-flu-advice-for-the-public-on-staying-safe/avian-influenza-bird-flu-advice-for-the-public-on-staying-safe-by-minimising-contact-with-wild-birds

Land managers and local authorities are also able to use a range of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ communication messages, including posters, to spread these messages, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/avian-influenza-bird-flu-posters-for-land-managers

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has issued revised guidance on assessing the potential local dimension of future announcements undertaken in a pre-election period.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Elections guidance for civil servants is kept under review and will be published in advance of local elections in 2026.

Found: 2024 3 Institute of Health Equity, Fair Society, Healthy Lives: The Marmot Review, page 130 4 DEFRA

Found: Environmental Audit Committee has called on the government to publish a timeline for ratification. 40 Defra

Found: Incidence of TB Source: Defra, Tuberculosis (TB) in cattle in Great Britain: TB in cattle in Great

Found: It is administered by PackUK, a body within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme

Make all dog microchips linked to a single DEFRA-run database. Every change of keeper, rescue intake, or pound release must be logged by both parties. Keepers, rescues, and councils must maintain up-to-date records so every dog can be traced quickly.

Found: A single DEFRA register, with keeper updates required by law, would close loopholes, improve welfare,

Found: To support the government’s long-term aims for the UK, Defra had targets for England of at least 7,500

Found: Funding is derived from the Defra budget, however, we transfer the funds (alongside accounting

Found: Understand key pests of concern Exporters or Govt Authorities may contact help-desks in Defra, Animal

Found: Time-saving tools: Power BI automation in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs saves

Found: Main Estimates 2019-20RDEL (excluding depreciation)n/aMachinery of Government changeMoG Transfer from DEFRA

Found: BCT, London. 7.1.10 Defra (2023). The Statutory Biodiversity Metric User Guide (draft).

Found: the Design Manual For Roads and Bridges (DMRB)23 or the 1% of the critical level or load used by Defra

Found: animal origin) illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) caught fish Before you apply You must: give Defra

Found: Defra have worked with the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) to offer one-year extensions to eligible Countryside

Found: DEFRA Environmental Permitting – Core Guidance (revised March 2020) 23.

Found: The Inspector will not assess the merits of the appeal on the basis of a summary alone. 8 Defra Environmental

Found: quality protocol - aggregates from inert waste October 2013 CD6.3 Regulators’ Code April 2014 CD6.4 DEFRA

Found: Health and Safety Executive, local authorities, the emergency services, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: to the transport, storage and handling of recycled aggregates This Quality Protocol was funded by Defra

Found: us at WasteDutyofCare@defra.gov.uk or ResourceEfficiencyAndCircularEconomy@gov.wales www.gov.uk/defra

Found: environmental-management/waste) published by the Environment Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: lang=en Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at: Defra, Environmental Permitting

Found: This will be reviewed next Spring following any relevant changes brought in under the proposed EA/DEFRA

Found: When an appeal is received, Defra (Department for Food & Rural Affairs), DAERA (Department of Agriculture

Found: Design Surveys, ref BDS-05-25-01 (May 2025) ▪ Wessex Water Sewer Asset Records (September 2024) ▪ DEFRA

Found: The Noise Action Plan, published by DEFRA, identifies top priority areas for noise reduction in Bristol

Found: academic institutions, landowners, public bodies, non-profit organisations, farmer clusters the following Defra

Found: between £10,000 and £1.5 million).Estimate how much cash funding you or your partners or other non-Defra

Found: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) provides details of Government Buying

Found: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) provides details of Government Buying

Found: Public Transport

Found: Security and Net Zero The Mining Remediation Authority 05/08/2025 CY - Minewater Scheme - Additions DEFRA

Found: The Mining Remediation Authority 07/08/2025 Contract Hire Vehicles Environment Delivery - Metals - DEFRA

Found: class="govuk-table__cell">Fares - Public Transport

Found: mandates compliance with the Government Buying Standards, as set out by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: mandates compliance with the Government Buying Standards, as set out by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: BEIS), the Ethics Group of the National DNA Database (Home Office), the Science Advisory Council (Defra

Found: We also share this with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Found: Surface Disposal Facility Visit CoRWM 05 & 06/11/24 CoRWM NWS workshop CoRWM 12/11/2024 CoRWM DEFRA

Found: The Review is the result of close collaboration between the Environment Agency, Defra, Flood Re, the

Found: an overlap with the general area of work Professor Monks was involved in at Defra

Found: condition— “Marine Noise Registry” means the database developed and maintained by JNCC on behalf of Defra

Found: condition— (a) “Marine Noise Registry” means the database developed and maintained by JNCC on behalf of Defra

Found: Defra and the Secretary of State will determine the drought order application and the Environment Agency

Found: Defra and the Devolved Governments have appointed Dr Michael Keil and Mr Ian Dickie to the Adaptation

Found: Under the agreement by Defra, Natural England, the Environment Agency and Southern Water, the water company

Found: In the UK, any suspicion of rabies must be reported to APHA by calling the Defra Rural Services Helpline

Found: Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research; AI, Artificial Intelligence; PPL, Project Licence; DEFRA

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

Found: data from UK Department for Transport, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: (DEFRA) Cc: [Redacted text]@nfus.org.uk> Subject:

Found: Treasury Secretary of State forDefence (MOD) Secretary of State for Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA

Found: Personal data] [Redacted – Regulation 11(2) – Personal data] Agri Food Chain Directorate Defra

Found: balance), producing even greater stress in birds. 1-2 hours is the range of lairage time stipulated by DEFRA

Found: data from UK Department for Transport, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Found: recognised that the Scottish Government had limited control of some aspects, however members noted that DEFRA

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