Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have died while attempting to cross the English Channel to the UK illegally in each year since 2020.

Answered by Michael Tomlinson

The Home Office is aware of a total of 69 persons known to have died while attempting to cross the English Channel in small boats since 2020:

2020: 6 deaths reported

2021: 34 deaths reported

2022: 4 deaths reported

2023: 12 deaths reported

2024: 13 deaths reported (as at 30 April 2024)

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 make an assessment of the potential impact of the draft Agriculture (Delinked Payments) (Reductions) (England) Regulations 2024 on the incomes of farmers.

Answered by Mark Spencer

As part of our transition away from Direct Payments, the draft Agriculture (Delinked Payments) (Reductions) (England) Regulations 2024 will apply reductions to delinked payments in 2024. However, this money is not being lost to the sector. The overall farming budget in England is being maintained at an average of £2.4 billion per year across this Parliament. The money released from the reductions is being reinvested in our other schemes for farmers and land managers. This means farmers can access funding which will help reduce costs and improve productivity and resilience, as well as benefitting the environment.

Analysis of the impacts of removing Direct Payments was included in the Government’s 2019 farming evidence compendium and 2021 and 2022 Agriculture in the UK Evidence Packs.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the time taken to bring forward legislation to amend the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 on the enforcement sector.

Answered by Mike Freer

On 17 July 2023, following a review of the fees that enforcement agents and High Court Enforcement Officers can recover when using the taking control of goods procedure, we announced that we intended to amend the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 to uplift such fees by 5%. We also announced that we would consult on reforms that aimed to encourage earlier and cheaper settlement of debt. We said that we would implement any reforms and the fee uplifts at the same time, in order to balance the need to ensure that there is a sustainable enforcement industry with making sure that those facing enforcement action are treated fairly. That consultation closed on 6 December 2023.

We received detailed feedback from a wide range of stakeholders and the Enforcement Conduct Board have been consulted. A response to the consultation will be published and a timetable for implementation will be announced in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will make an assessment with the Enforcement Conduct Board of the potential merits of introducing regulatory changes relating to the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 separately to implementing the uplift to the fees recoverable for (a) High Court and (b) non-High Court enforcement.

Answered by Mike Freer

On 17 July 2023, following a review of the fees that enforcement agents and High Court Enforcement Officers can recover when using the taking control of goods procedure, we announced that we intended to amend the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 to uplift such fees by 5%. We also announced that we would consult on reforms that aimed to encourage earlier and cheaper settlement of debt. We said that we would implement any reforms and the fee uplifts at the same time, in order to balance the need to ensure that there is a sustainable enforcement industry with making sure that those facing enforcement action are treated fairly. That consultation closed on 6 December 2023.

We received detailed feedback from a wide range of stakeholders and the Enforcement Conduct Board have been consulted. A response to the consultation will be published and a timetable for implementation will be announced in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his planned timetable is for bringing forward legislative proposals to amend the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014.

Answered by Mike Freer

On 17 July 2023, following a review of the fees that enforcement agents and High Court Enforcement Officers can recover when using the taking control of goods procedure, we announced that we intended to amend the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 to uplift such fees by 5%. We also announced that we would consult on reforms that aimed to encourage earlier and cheaper settlement of debt. We said that we would implement any reforms and the fee uplifts at the same time, in order to balance the need to ensure that there is a sustainable enforcement industry with making sure that those facing enforcement action are treated fairly. That consultation closed on 6 December 2023.

We received detailed feedback from a wide range of stakeholders and the Enforcement Conduct Board have been consulted. A response to the consultation will be published and a timetable for implementation will be announced in due course.

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 make an assessment of the adequacy of his Department's guidance on hedge laying; and if he will include roadside hedges in the Countryside Stewardship grant BN5: Hedgerow laying.

Answered by Mark Spencer

Under action BN5, support is available to farmers to lay roadside hedgerows where the farmer has management control of both sides of the hedgerow. In January we set out a commitment to introduce a cycle of reviews for scheme actions from 2025, which will include BN5. The current guidance is clear and as part of the cycle of reviews, we will assess the suitability of the guidance, including taking into account any farmer or stakeholder feedback we receive.

We will be publishing voluntary guidance to support the expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive offer in the summer.

Found: Johnson Alicia Kearns Catherine McKinnell Caroline Nokes Iain Stewart Robin Walker Sir Bill Wiggin

Found: Wednesday 8 November 2023 Members present Sir Bill Wiggin, in the Chair Jo Churchill Steve Double

Found: Current members Attendance Sir Bill Wiggin (Conservative, North Herefordshire) (Chair) 20 of 22 (added

Found: Member Date of publicationSummary of offence Recommendation Consequential outcome (if applicable) Bill Wiggin

Found: Conservative, Worcester) Administration— Sir Charles Walker MP (Conservative, Broxbourne) Selection— Sir Bill Wiggin

Found: Philip Hollobone Sir James Duddridge Miss Sarah Dines Anthony Mangnall Robert Jenrick Sir Bill Wiggin

Found: Hollobone Nick Fletcher James Grundy Brendan Clarke-Smith Lia Nici Adam Afriyie Bob Seely Sir Bill Wiggin

Found: Hollobone Nick Fletcher James Grundy Brendan Clarke-Smith Lia Nici Adam Afriyie Bob Seely Sir Bill Wiggin

Found: Hollobone Nick Fletcher James Grundy Brendan Clarke-Smith Lia Nici Adam Afriyie Bob Seely Sir Bill Wiggin