Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 with (a) devolved administrations, (b) conservation organisations and (c) local communities to facilitate effective species reintroduction programmes.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra enables and facilitates effective species reintroduction programmes through its arms-length bodies.
Regarding (a), Natural England, Natural Resources Wales and NatureScot meet quarterly to discuss species reintroductions. The England Species Reintroduction Taskforce and the National Species Reintroduction Forum (for Scotland) collaborate informally, with representatives attending each other's meetings to improve knowledge exchange. The Taskforce is beginning a formal collaboration with NatureScot on two key projects: developing a database for UK species reintroduction projects and developing a framework and guidance for conservation introduction.
Regarding (b), Natural England has a key role in advising partners including conservation organisations on species reintroductions, including as formal partners and funding some projects through the Species Recovery Programme. Natural England advice ranges from ensuring the Reintroductions Code is being followed to bringing stakeholders together to discuss individual projects. Forestry England works in partnership with conservation organisations to deliver nature recovery projects – including species reintroductions - in the nation’s forests.
Regarding (c), a requirement of the Code is to undertake effective engagement and consultation with stakeholders. This includes encouraging projects to engage with local communities to help create mutual understanding, offer a sense of shared purpose and benefits, and reduce the risk of future conflicts.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 protect hedgehog populations.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Government-led action is focused on addressing the main known drivers of hedgehog decline including habitat loss and fragmentation due to removal of field margins, hedgerows and scrub; the use of herbicides and insecticide; and road traffic.
The Environment Act 2021 introduced several policies, such as Biodiversity Net Gain, Local Nature Recovery Strategies, and a strengthened biodiversity duty on public authorities, which will work together to support the creation and restoration of habitats which will support a range of species including hedgehogs and their prey species.
Natural England is co-funding the National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme. The information gathered will produce insights into the factors causing hedgehog population decline, leading to the implementation of future practical conservation measures to address this challenge.
Asked by: Rachel Gilmour (Liberal Democrat - Tiverton and Minehead)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to introduce regulatory limits on the volume of water extracted out at sea, following the 2025 UN Ocean Conference.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is committed to protecting the natural environment and will consider any relevant issues and options as they arise.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Scottish Government on the inclusion of species-rich meadows in the list of irreplaceable habitats in Scotland.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Planning is a devolved matter. The National Planning Policy Framework sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these should be applied, including policy on the protection of irreplaceable habitat.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
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 cooperation with devolved Administrations on the protection of irreplaceable habitats.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Planning is a devolved matter. The National Planning Policy Framework sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these should be applied, including policy on the protection of irreplaceable habitat.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is funding UK-wide research into mountain hare conservation.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Nature conservation in the UK is mainly a devolved responsibility. We are therefore not currently funding any UK-wide research into mountain hare conservation.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the introduced ring-fenced Water Restoration Fund on local water improvement projects.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Water Restoration Fund, which launched in April 2024, was established to reinvest water company environmental fines and penalties back into projects to improve the water environment. Successful applicants have been notified, with a total of £11 million due to be invested into local projects to improve our waterways. A detailed evaluation will be produced following completion of the Fund, assessing the impact of the projects.
The Water Restoration Fund will continue as originally planned, with the £11 million of funding based on water company fines and penalties from April 2022 until October 2023. Going forwards, this Government has announced that over £100 million in fines and penalties levied against water companies since October 2023, as well as future fines and penalties, will be reinvested into projects to clean up our waters. Further details on the projects and programmes that this funding will go towards will be set out later in the year.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Water Restoration Fund will be continued after the first round of payments have been awarded.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Water Restoration Fund, which launched in April 2024, was established to reinvest water company environmental fines and penalties back into projects to improve the water environment. Successful applicants have been notified, with a total of £11 million due to be invested into local projects to improve our waterways. A detailed evaluation will be produced following completion of the Fund, assessing the impact of the projects.
The Water Restoration Fund will continue as originally planned, with the £11 million of funding based on water company fines and penalties from April 2022 until October 2023. Going forwards, this Government has announced that over £100 million in fines and penalties levied against water companies since October 2023, as well as future fines and penalties, will be reinvested into projects to clean up our waters. Further details on the projects and programmes that this funding will go towards will be set out later in the year.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is funding UK-wide research into otter conservation.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Nature conservation in the UK is mainly a devolved responsibility. We are therefore not currently funding any UK-wide research into otter conservation.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether landfill sites in England will receive waste from Scotland following the Scottish Government’s decision to ban landfill in that country.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I met with Gillian Martin MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy in the Scottish Government on 3rd July 2025 to discuss this important issue.
The Scottish Government has assured me that they do not believe that it is acceptable for a large amount of waste to be transported from Scotland to England and they are working closely with Scottish Local Authorities to prevent this outcome.
Defra officials are continuing to engage with those in the Scottish Government on potential impacts to England that may arise from implementation of the Scottish landfill ban.