Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of reductions to overseas aid on Jordan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Jordan is one of the UK's most trusted allies and important humanitarian partners in the region. The Minister for International Development made Jordan her first official visit overseas in her new role in March 2025, and discussed the future UK-Jordan official development assistance budget with her counterpart HE Zeina Toukan, Minister for Planning and International Cooperation during the inaugural UK-Jordan Development and Growth Dialogue in May. While reductions in the UK overseas aid budget for Jordan are consistent with the gradual reduction in the UK official development assistance (ODA) budget over the next few years, we will continue to support stability and self-sufficiency for Jordan and tackle drivers of migration through our development and broader work.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much and what proportion of the overseas aid budget is spent domestically.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Honourable Member to the figures here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-on-international-development-final-uk-oda-spend-2024.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much and what proportion of the overseas aid budget is spent on asylum seekers in the UK.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer of 9 June to Question 56044.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether Emma Reynolds MP participated in any meetings with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs on the impact of inheritance tax changes on farmers since 1 July 2024.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Treasury Ministers take part in internal and external meetings routinely on a range of subjects relating to the department’s responsibilities and their specific portfolios.
As the Minister responsible for the UK tax system, the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury’s portfolio of responsibilities includes inheritance tax. My rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs has not been the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury. She was Parliamentary Secretary at HM Treasury and the Department of Work and Pensions from 9 July 2024 to 14 January 2025. She was Economic Secretary to the Treasury from 14 January 2025 to 5 September 2025.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
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 capacity of Thames Water to prevent sewage discharges.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government has put down the building blocks to clean up England’s rivers, lakes and seas. We are rebuilding the water network to slash pollution levels, backed by a record £104 billion of investment, which includes over £10 billion to reduce sewage discharges from over 2,500 storm overflows in England.
Over 2025-30, Thames Water are expected to deliver a 29% reduction in spills from storm overflows and reduce pollution incidents by 30%. They are also expected to invest £1.2 billion to prevent harmful nutrients polluting rivers.
As part of the Environment Act 2021, a duty has been created for water and sewerage companies in England and Wales, including Thames Water, to produce Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMPs).
These plans will help sewerage companies to fully assess the capacity of the drainage and wastewater network, develop collaborative solutions to current problems and future issues and bring together key stakeholders including local authorities and industry regulators.
We are introducing root and branch reform so that the water sector works for the British people. Working in partnership with water companies, investors and communities, the Government will introduce a new water reform bill early this Parliament.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
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 Ofwat in protecting consumers from bill increases where a water company becomes insolvent.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ofwat’s price review process sets limits on what water companies can charge customers, ensuring bills reflect only efficient costs required to deliver services and meet statutory obligations. It does not allow companies to pass on costs incurred outside normal business operations, including those related to financial distress.
In the event of insolvency, Ofwat can initiate a Special Administration Regime to maintain service continuity and protect consumers. Price controls remain in place regardless of ownership changes, safeguarding customers from disproportionate bill increases.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Ofwat on lessons learned from the financial position of Thames Water.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ofwat is an independent regulator that monitors the financial position of water companies, taking action when companies need to strengthen their long-term financial resilience.
The Secretary of State meets with stakeholders regularly such as Ofwat to discuss a range of issues: Defra: ministerial overseas travel, and meetings - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) farmers and (b) farming organisations on a timescale for banning cages for livestock.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Department has engaged with key stakeholders as part of the development of our overarching approach to animal welfare.
The use of cages and other close confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which we are currently considering very carefully.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
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 publish an impact assessment for banning cages for livestock animals.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 29 April 2025 to the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole, PQ UIN 47556.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding is available to farmers to support them in the transition away from the use of cages for livestock animals.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
Defra remains firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and will continue to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare Grant recently offered funding support to commercial laying hen and pullet keepers in England, to refurbish or replace existing housing to improve health and welfare, including those transitioning from colony cages to high welfare non-cage systems. Initial applications closed on 18 September 2024, and all applicants have been contacted to notify them of next steps.
The use of cages and other close confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which the department continues to consider very carefully.