Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 reduce sewage in rivers.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas.
That is why we are placing water companies under special measures through the Water (Special Measures) Act, which will strengthen regulation, including delivering new powers to ban the payment of bonuses for polluting water bosses and bringing criminal charges against persistent law breakers.
We are also carrying out a full review of the water sector. The Independent Water Commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, will make recommendations to shape further legislation to transform how our water system works and clean up our waterways for good. A public Call for Evidence went live on 27 February for 8 weeks, with all interested parties invited to share their views. This Call for Evidence will play a key role in shaping the Commission’s thinking going forward and into the review's final recommendations to the UK and Welsh Governments.
This forms the next stage in the Government’s approach to ensuring we have a sufficiently robust and stable regulatory framework to attract the investment needed to clean up our waterways, speed up infrastructure delivery to support house building and restore public confidence in the sector.
As part of Price Review 24, Water companies are investing £12 billion, a record amount, to improve nearly 3,000 storm overflows across England and Wales, with OfWat requiring them to reduce spills by 45% compared to 2021 levels.
The regulators will continue to take action if any illegality is identified. They have launched the largest criminal and civil investigations into water company sewage discharges ever. As part of their investigations, Ofwat has proposed fines of £168 million against three water companies. This investigation is a priority for Ofwat, and it will continue to work as quickly as possible on their investigations into all remaining companies.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made as assessment of the potential impact of RNA pesticides on the bee population.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra has not made an assessment of the potential impact of RNA pesticides on the bee population. At present, there are no RNA interference plant protection products (PPPs) authorised for use in GB.
Should anyone wish to market an RNA interference PPP for professional use in GB, they must first submit an application to the independent regulator, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), who would complete a thorough risk assessment before making a decision on authorisation. Any application would need to meet the data requirements outlined in GB’s PPP regulations (more information can be found on HSE’s website: Data Requirements Introduction and Index).
All active substances and commercial products must show no unacceptable effects on people or wildlife. This includes an evaluation of the effect on bees; if this is failed, then no authorisation is given.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 hold discussions with his counterparts in the devolved Administrations on levels of bovine tuberculosis cases across the UK.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Inter-ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural affairs recognise the importance of working together to tackle bovine TB. Further information about this group and its priorities can be found on GOV.UK at: Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs communiqué: 16 September 2024 - GOV.UK.
Chief Veterinary Officers from all four administrations of the United Kingdom also meet regularly to discuss bovine TB, as do policy officials. These meetings provide an opportunity for each administration to update on policy developments, statistical analysis of TB prevalence in each administration, and to exchange ideas on TB control.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 implications for his policies of trends in the number of dairy farmers in the last ten years.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Information relating to the question on the number of UK dairy producers can be found publicly available here: (Livestock populations in the UK, Latest UK milk prices and composition of milk, Structure of the agricultural industry in England and the UK at June, Results by size of Farm in the UK)
From 2021 to 2023, data on the milk production-to-supply ratio showed a stable trend, consistently remaining at 105%. This indicates the UK produces a milk surplus, exceeding domestic consumption needs. The production-to-supply ratio is generally understood as a broad measure of national self-sufficiency, indicating the ability of UK agriculture to meet consumer demand. We lack detailed farm type and labour data for the UK, however, hold this for England. While not all dairy herds are on these holdings, the majority are. Over the last decade (2014 – 2023), the number of dairy farm holdings in England decreased by 24%, while the number of agricultural workers on holdings classified as dairy farm type decreased by 15%. Although production of milk in the UK has increased in the last decade, the number of UK producers and employment on English dairy farms has fallen.
Defra Officials Statistics: Agriculture in the UK 2023 Chapter 14: The food chain
Defra Officials Statistics: Numbers of holdings and agricultural activity by farm type at 1 June each year in England
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help tackle bee harm.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Bee health is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.
Harm to honeybees can be caused by several different means including pests and diseases, invasive non-native species and poor husbandry practices by beekeepers. Defra supports a range of actions to help tackle harm.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit (NBU) deliver the Defra Bee Health Programme which includes management and control of honeybee pests and diseases. The NBU also provide free training and advice to beekeepers, including on pest and disease recognition. Defra works in partnership with beekeeping stakeholders under the Healthy Bees Plan 2030 to improve honeybee health and husbandry.
Yellow-legged hornet (YLH), an invasive non-native species is a threat to pollinating insects including honeybees. There are established populations of these hornets in Europe and since 2016 there have been regular incursions into GB. Defra takes action against confirmed findings of YLH to prevent this species from becoming established.
The Government is committed to ending the use of those neonicotinoid pesticides that are known to carry substantial risks to pollinator populations. The recent Defra policy statement, released on 21 December, sets out plans to take forward that commitment.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 tackle illegal puppy farms.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As outlined in our manifesto, the Government will bring an end to puppy farming. We are considering the most effective way to deliver this commitment and will be setting out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 Official Controls Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on trends in the level of trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Northern Ireland goods move freely to Great Britain and are unaffected by regulation 2017/625. Regulation 2017/625 is explicitly disapplied for goods moved via the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 adequacy of the condition of water supplied by Thames Water.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Drinking Water quality in England is regulated through the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations. The Drinking Water Inspectorate is the enforcing regulator. The Regulations require a programme of random samples to be taken from consumers’ taps, and the results are reported to the Inspectorate. Any breaches are investigated by the company and assessed by the Inspectorate and enforcement action taken as appropriate.
Thames is required to notify the Inspectorate of any unusual event which could be a risk to consumers - each event is investigated by the Inspectorate, and enforcement action taken as required. The Inspectorate assessed 61 events reported by Thames Water in 2024.
Thames Water adopts a water safety planning approach to drinking water, in line with the WHO recommendations. This ensures risks are identified and mitigated before there is any impact on consumers.
In 2024, the Inspectorate completed technical audits at seven sites and conducted a further desktop audit of bespoke network assets. There are currently 26 improvement notices issued by the Inspectorate to improve water quality across Thames’ asset base.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 implications for his policies of the outbreak of TB in Northern Irish farms.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Policy on bovine tuberculosis (TB) is devolved to Governments in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Administration is able to adopt specific animal health policies in certain cases which are different from the other UK Administrations, in order to achieve the aim of bovine TB eradication in Northern Ireland.
Defra liaises closely with all three devolved administrations, including Northern Ireland, on matters of common interest. It is important that all four administrations can learn from our collective experiences, and we have effective arrangements in place to make sure that happens.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 adequacy of the safety of zoos.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Secretary of State’s Standards of Modern Zoo Practice (the Zoo Standards) set out, amongst other things, requirements which licensed zoos in England are expected to meet with regard to public and animal safety. Defra is currently working to update the Zoo Standards, including considering updates to public safety requirements. Updated Zoo Standards will be published shortly.
Zoos must also comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 which ensures the safety of staff. The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) also publish Health & Safety Guidelines for Zoos & Aquariums which focus on the health and safety of employers, employees and the public within zoos.