Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - 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 14 April (HL16149), what documents, meetings or processes are referred to by the phrase “performance reviews with CCW”; how many such reviews have taken place since 1 January 2023; on what dates they took place; what aspects of the Consumer Council for Water’s performance were assessed, including delivery of objectives, value for money and complaints handling; and whether the written outputs of those reviews will be published.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra's oversight of CCW includes engagement on governance and performance against objectives, from official to ministerial level, in line with the Arm’s Length Body Sponsorship Code of Good Practice.
The Consumer Council for Water’s Annual Report and Accounts (ARA) for 2023-24 and 2024-25 were published on 2 June 2026 and provide a detailed overview of CCW's business performance and activities over these years. This Government requires non-department public bodies to produce ARA reports to provide transparency, accountability, and financial performance reporting to Parliament, sponsoring departments, and the public.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government for what reason they instructed the Consumer Council for Water to cease providing alternative dispute resolution services with immediate effect on 24 April.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
On 20 April 2026, Defra instructed the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) to cease provision of the adjudication element of the Alternative Dispute Resolution service, which had been operated through a third party. This was because CCW does not have the statutory power to undertake adjudication activities or charge for them.
As a result, continuing the adjudication function was not consistent with CCW’s legal powers or regularity requirements. This service was therefore ceased promptly to ensure compliance. with legal and financial governance requirements.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have instructed the Consumer Council for Water to refund any fees, levies, or other sums paid by water companies in respect of the alternative dispute resolution service it operated through a third party; what the total sum to be refunded is; how that sum is broken down by company and financial year; and from what budget any refunds will be made.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
On 20 April 2026, Defra instructed the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) to cease provision of the adjudication element of the Alternative Dispute Resolution service it had been operating through a third party, on the basis that CCW does not have the statutory power to conduct adjudication activities or to charge for them. CCW’s published Annual Report and Accounts set out provisions to refund subscribing water companies £34k for 2023–24 and £114k for 2024–25. As part of ongoing engagement on this matter, water companies will consider how best to allocate any refunds to support their respective community funds.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for integrating citizen science into current environmental monitoring frameworks.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Citizen Science is highly integrated into Defra group’s environmental monitoring frameworks and provides vital evidence to deliver nature’s recovery.
The Environment Agency is encouraging citizen science use as part of an integrated evidence base. It works with partners to facilitate the use of citizen science data where it will add most value, such as in monitoring the water environment.
Meanwhile, Natural England is leading non-governmental and third sector organisations to develop collaborative monitoring across national frameworks and local decision-making, aligning volunteer, organisational and technological contributions to meet needs.
The Joint Nature Conservation Committee supports and jointly funds UK-wide long-term biodiversity monitoring, focusing on bats, birds, butterflies, vascular plants, and pollinators. All these schemes make extensive use of Citizen Science to provide a cost effective, yet high quality, signal of change.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support is available to farmers seeking to transition from intensive systems to higher welfare production models.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) provides grants for commercial livestock farmers of between £1,000 and £25,000 towards the cost of a list of equipment items that support higher welfare production. The latest round closed on the 12th of May, and applications are currently being processed. This follows the FETF25 round in which £16.7 million was offered to farmers to support investment in animal health and welfare equipment and technology.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of Collapse of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) would lead to substantial oceanic carbon release and additional global warming, published on 27 March, whether they plan to update their models of the climate change impacts on the AMOC.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) as a key component within the Earth’s climate system and its relevance to the UK's long-term climate risks. We are aware of recent scientific evidence indicating an increased likelihood of major weakening or potential loss of function of the AMOC this century, which would have significant climatic impacts, including effects on regional weather patterns and the global carbon cycle.
Through the Met Office and the Hadley Centre Climate Programme, the UK undertakes world-leading research into ocean circulation, climate tipping points, and Earth system feedbacks, including the AMOC. In light of evolving scientific evidence, HMG is actively updating and expanding UK climate projections through the new, Defra funded, UK Climate Information Programme (UKCI), led by Met Office. Meanwhile, work is continuing to improve representation of key processes relevant to AMOC behaviour, including ocean–carbon cycle interactions, freshwater inputs from ice melt, and ocean mixing. UKCI is due to enter its inception phase later in 2026, and will provide world leading information on climate change, including the AMOC.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons why the Consumer Council for Water's (CCW's) annual report and accounts for 2023–24 and 2024–25 have not yet been published; and whether any issues regarding CCW's governance, internal control, regularity, propriety, remuneration, expenses or audit have been raised by the National Audit Office, the council's board or officials in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The delay on CCW’s annual report and accounts for 2023-24 and 2024-25 is due to an issue requiring clarification regarding charging. CCW are cooperating with the National Audit Office and are working closely to ensure a sign-off on the accounts is completed as soon as possible. CCW has stated they have not gone over budget. Defra regularly carries out performance reviews with CCW, as required by the CCW Framework Document, to ensure CCW is delivering on its objectives and providing value for money, including on complaints handling. Putting customers first is a key pillar of the Government's White Paper and Defra will continue working with CCW to deliver strengthened consumer advocacy.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to publish proposals for Stage 4 fisheries management measures for marine protected areas.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Stage 4 Marine Protected Areas are sites designated to protect highly mobile species such as seabirds and harbour porpoise. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has been talking to stakeholders about options for managing the impacts of fishing on these sites. The MMO is now analysing all the feedback it has received, including through an earlier call for evidence, and will decide on what management measures it thinks is needed to protect these species.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will review the potential for the industrial hemp sector to create skilled jobs and support rural employment across the UK.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the industrial hemp sector has huge potential across the UK to unlock new revenue streams beyond its value as an agricultural commodity such as textiles, sustainable building materials, biofuels and manufactured items.
The Defra-funded Centre for High Carbon Capture Cropping (CHCCC) project, run by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany, will continue to bring together businesses, growers, experts and other stakeholders across a range of high carbon capture cropping options, including hemp. The project will evaluate economic returns and validate anticipated climate change mitigation and emissions outcomes by discussion, rigorous testing and life cycle analysis.
Industry input will continue to be key to policy development, ensuring government policies are practical and deliver improvements that support growth in the sector.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce reliance on high-density or industrialised farming systems in order to improve animal welfare standards.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There are a number of different farming systems in use in England and farms of all sizes have a role to play in promoting sustainable agriculture. All farms, regardless of size and type of production system, must comply with comprehensive legislation aimed at protecting animal health and welfare.
The Government remains firmly committed to improving animal welfare and wants to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. Ministers recently met with several representatives of various farming sectors to discuss the Animal Welfare Strategy. This outlines the Government’s plans to improve farm animal welfare including through transitioning away from intensive confinement systems such as cages or crates.