Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Department has made of the potential regulatory implications of treating water stress and water efficiency as separate classifications; and whether her Department plans to require Ofwat to link leakage performance to water stress designations.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra has not made any assessment of the regulatory implications of treating water stress and water efficiency as separate classifications. The department defines serious water stress as ‘the current household demand for water is a high proportion of the current effective rainfall which is available to meet that demand; or, the future household demand for water is likely to be a high proportion of the effective rainfall which is likely to be available to meet that demand’ and water efficiency as practices that reduce the demand on potable water.
The department does not plan to link leakage performance to water stress designations as we continue to drive reform in both individual areas.
Defra concluded a consultation on revising the water efficiency standards in the Building Regulations in December last year. As part of our response to the consultation, Defra will be assessing how water stressed classifications are used to drive water efficiency in homes.
In the Water White Paper released this month, Defra committed to enabling smart metering implementation, which includes reviewing how charging scenarios differ for water stress classified areas and the ways in which this drives water efficiency.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 she has made of the accuracy of data provided by flood gauges in Shropshire.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) operates a national maintenance and data assurance programme for its river gauging station network. This includes routine inspection, calibration and maintenance, alongside systematic data quality checks to monitor performance and identify any issues requiring intervention.
These activities are supported by live remote monitoring, providing confidence that river level and flow data remain accurate and reliable. Together, they ensure that gauging stations can be trusted to support the EA’s flood warning services across England, including in Shropshire.
Flood warnings are not based on gauging data alone. They are informed by multiple data sources, modelling outputs and forecasts, combined with the professional judgement and experience of trained flood warning staff, providing a robust and resilient approach to protecting communities.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 (a) maintain and (b) ensure the accuracy of flood gauges.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) operates a national maintenance and data assurance programme for its river gauging station network. This includes routine inspection, calibration and maintenance, alongside systematic data quality checks to monitor performance and identify any issues requiring intervention.
These activities are supported by live remote monitoring, providing confidence that river level and flow data remain accurate and reliable. Together, they ensure that gauging stations can be trusted to support the EA’s flood warning services across England, including in Shropshire.
Flood warnings are not based on gauging data alone. They are informed by multiple data sources, modelling outputs and forecasts, combined with the professional judgement and experience of trained flood warning staff, providing a robust and resilient approach to protecting communities.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
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 made a recent assessment of the adequacy of regulations on sewage sludge.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the need to ensure the safe and sustainable use of sludge in agriculture to help clean up our waterways and promote healthy soil.
Noting the Independent Water Commission’s recommendation for reform, in early 2026 we will consult on reforms to how sewage sludge use in agriculture is regulated, including whether this should be included in the Environmental Permitting Regime.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
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 potential implications for her policies of the East of England APPG and Local Government East's report entitled Opportunity East One Year On, published on 19 November 2025.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Opportunity East: One Year On makes a strong case for the East of England and the role it can play in driving growth and prosperity, and we welcome the efforts of the APPG and Local Government East in raising the profile of the region and highlighting its great potential. We will consider the report with interest as we take forward our mission to kickstart growth across the country.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
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 19 January 2026, to question 105593 on River Great Ouse: Flood Control, by when will the list of projects to receive Government funding in 26/27 be determined.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Delivering on the Plan for Change, this Government is investing at least £10.5 billion until 2036 to construct new flood schemes and repair existing defences, protecting communities from the devastating impacts of climate change.
The final list of schemes to benefit in 2026/27 is due to be published on GOV.UK in March 2026.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 16 December 2025 to Question 94728 on DEFRA: Redundancy Pay, whether the Chief Secretary to the Treasury approved the exit package of up to £350,000.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Flood Re is a company limited by guarantee. It does not receive any grant funding from the Government. As such, no Government funding has been spent on exit packages at Flood Re.
Under the previous Government, Flood Re was granted an exemption from the civil service pay remit guidance for three years, up to and including the 2026-27 pay year. It has also received pay delegation for a limited number of senior positions over the same period.
Flood Re has confirmed that this payment reflected contractual entitlements. As such, it would not be classed as a special severance payment requiring Chief Secretary to the Treasury approval.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 develop a strategy (a) to help tackle surface water flooding and (b) ensure water industry regulatory compliance.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) has a strategic overview role for all sources of flooding, which includes surface water. This is set out in the National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England (FCERM Strategy). The EA has a legal duty to review the current FCERM Strategy in 2026.
Responsibility for surface water flooding is shared across risk management authorities, including lead local flood authorities, water companies and the EA. The Government is supporting this through policy reform, investment and improved coordination. This includes enabling better rainwater management, including sustainable drainage systems, improving data sharing and supporting local strategies where surface water flood risk is greatest. A new three-year £4.2 billion Floods and Coastal Risk Management Investment Programme will also start in April 2026.
The Government is strengthening water industry regulation by increasing scrutiny, identifying failures and providing the intelligence for enforcement and remedial action. The EA is increasing compliance and enforcement activity, supported by additional funding and tougher powers, to ensure water companies meet their environmental obligations.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
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 15 September (HL10372), what estimate they have made of the (1) initial, and (2) ongoing, costs of complying with the phase three food labelling requirements under the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government considered the practical and cost impacts of Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme Phase Three labelling requirements through detailed conversations with industry. However, based on previous experience showing the difficulty of accurately estimating labelling costs due to variability in business practices, we did not seek to quantify Phase Three cost estimates prior to it commencing. The data in the Impact Assessment on the costs of GB-Wide ‘Not for EU’ labelling published alongside the Marking of Retail Goods Regulations provides some context, however.
Businesses have already successfully carried out Phase Three, and we continue to monitor the market and work closely with industry across the United Kingdom to implement the Windsor Framework.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
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 15 September (HL10371), what estimate they have made of the (1) initial, and (2) ongoing, costs of complying with the phase three food labelling requirements under the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government considered the practical and cost impacts of Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme Phase Three labelling requirements through detailed conversations with industry. However, based on previous experience showing the difficulty of accurately estimating labelling costs due to variability in business practices, we did not seek to quantify Phase Three cost estimates prior to it commencing. The data in the Impact Assessment on the costs of GB-Wide ‘Not for EU’ labelling published alongside the Marking of Retail Goods Regulations provides some context, however.
Businesses have already successfully carried out Phase Three, and we continue to monitor the market and work closely with industry across the United Kingdom to implement the Windsor Framework.