Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
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 established criteria to assess progress on climate adaptation.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra actively monitors progress against the actions in the third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3) through regular internal monitoring across government. The department is developing a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework to support the implementation of NAP3. Progress on adaptation is also assessed externally: by the end of April, the Climate Change Committee will publish its next biennial report on progress in adapting to climate change.
In addition, Defra working with other Government departments including the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury, use the cross-government director level Climate Resilience Steering Board to ensure that climate adaptation is embedded into policy- and decision-making across government. The Board oversees strategic, cross-cutting climate adaptation and resilience issues to increase UK resilience to climate change
My department is exploring how to set out stronger objectives to drive action to increase our preparedness for the impacts of climate change up to and beyond the next National Adaptation Programme in 2028.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what degree of global temperature increase his Department's climate adaptation plans are intended for.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is the lead department for domestic adaptation to climate change, and as such it is responsible for coordinating requirements set out in the UK Climate Change Act 2008. Defra is the owning department for about half of the 61 risks and opportunities identified in the third Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA3) and works closely with the departments who own the remaining risks.
The assessment of risks and opportunities in CCRA3 was based on global warming scenarios of 2ºC and 4ºC. The Government’s climate adaptation plans, as set out in the third National Adaptation Programme, follow the advice of the Climate Change Committee to plan for 2ºC. The Government remains flexible and responsive in our its approach, assessing for different scenarios.
The department is exploring how to set out stronger objectives to drive action to increase our preparedness for the impacts of climate change up to and beyond the next National Adaptation Programme in 2028.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
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 a global temperature increase that is more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels on Government-owned infrastructure.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The third Climate Change Risk Assessment considered the impacts of climate change in the context of 2ºC and 4ºC global warming scenarios across the economy, including Government-owned infrastructure. Defra continues to work with other government departments, including Cabinet Office, to assess the potential impacts of global temperature increases on Government-owned infrastructure and to take action to improve its resilience.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which organisations will be consulted as part of the development of the Government's Food Strategy; and whether the expert panel will include representatives from the (a) sustainable food and (b) farming sectors.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As part of the development of the food strategy there will be multiple routes for stakeholders to share ideas and input into the strategy. The Food Strategy Advisory Board represents the first step in a wider stakeholder engagement plan which will continue to ensure and demonstrate the joined-up and systems-wide approach for the food strategy. The membership of the Food Strategy Advisory board was published on gov.uk on 21 March 2025 (Leading food experts join Government food strategy to restore pride in British food - GOV.UK).
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
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 introduce a close season for the shooting of hares.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only, with the potential for relevant policy to extend and apply to Wales.
While the Government has no immediate plan to introduce a close season for hares in England, the policy remains under consideration as part of the Government’s plans to introduce the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
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 plans to publish (a) the Elephant Welfare Group's report, (b) the Government's response to the Elephant Welfare Group's report; and what his Department's policy is on the future of elephants in UK zoos.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government’s policy on the keeping of elephants in zoos will be set out with the publication of the new Standards of Modern Zoo Practice for Great Britain. The new Standards, which will replace the current Secretary of State’s Standards of Modern Zoo Practice, will be published shortly.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for publishing the welfare standards and guidance to accompany the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024; and which stakeholders he plans to consult on the guidance before it is published.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The accompanying guidance to the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024 has been developed taking into account views from the consultation undertaken in 2023 and relevant experts. The guidance will be published shortly.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
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 implement an immediate moratorium on import permits for hunting trophies of (a) polar bears and (b) other endangered species.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We committed to a ban on the import of hunting trophies of endangered animals in our manifesto and we will deliver on this. We are currently engaging with a range of stakeholders in order to decide on the most effective approach.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
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 Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on the development of a national methane action plan.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We do not believe we need a methane action plan, as it is already covered in our existing delivery Plan for Carbon Budgets. We will publish an updated Plan that will outline the policies and proposals needed to meet Carbon Budgets 4-6 and the 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution on a pathway to net zero in due course. This will include key methane policies covering the period up to 2030 that will contribute towards the Global Methane Pledge.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero work closely together on common climate change and environmental issues including around methane.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment (a) his Department and (b) its arms length bodies have made of the potential impact of the Water Industry National Environment Programme on carbon emissions.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ofwat published their final determinations for Price Review 2024 (PR24) on 19 December, which included a confirmed £104 billion of water company expenditure between 2025 and 2030. £24 billion will be invested to improve the environment and Ofwat have confirmed this will put the sector on track to meet net zero targets by 2050.
For the period between 2025-2030, Ofwat have provided percentage estimates of the emissions reductions water companies are expected to deliver. These can be found within Ofwat's publicly available PR24 company specific documents available on their website: Final determinations in the 2024 price review - Ofwat. Water companies will report on the emission reductions from schemes, using real time data to demonstrate the impact.
Ofwat have also introduced price control deliverables (PCDs) for PR24 – a financial incentive mechanism to incentivise companies to deliver projects on time, and if projects are not delivered, funding is returned to customers. This includes a PCD on climate change resilience to incentivise delivery by companies.