Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department is making on implementing the Animal Welfare strategy.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Animal Welfare Strategy sets out the priority issues that this Government will address, focusing on the changes and improvements that Defra aim to achieve by 2030 to improve the lives of millions of animals across the UK.
This Government is determined to deliver these reforms and has already undertaken a number of consultations on phasing out cages for laying hens, improving lamb welfare and trail hunting. Defra are now analysing the responses to these consultations. A call for evidence on gamebirds was also recently published.
This Government has published Animal Welfare Committee Opinions on breeding in commercial livestock and responsible sourcing of fur. The department have also held the first meeting of the fur working group to explore concerns and the different ways in which they could be addressed.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency has been commissioned to conduct a review of the evidence relating to mole traps; corvid traps; and the spring traps listed on the Spring Trap Approval Order as it applies in England. This review is underway and is expected to conclude by April 2027.
As set out in the strategy Defra are working with industry, keepers and farmers to improve resilience to a changing climate. This summer, the department met with the pig sector on this and also with the meat chicken industry to discuss the impact of the heatwaves and to hear from them about the effectiveness of the mitigations they have put in place since the 2022 heatwave.
Defra is continuing to progress implementation of the strategy in a phased way.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of data centres on the natural environment.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency works with government and the data centre sector to ensure environmental considerations are reflected in planning and decision-making. They also engage with developers and planning authorities to help identify environmental constraints and opportunities at an early stage, supporting sustainable development while protecting water resources, habitats and wider environmental quality. Where appropriate, developments are also subject to environmental permitting, abstraction licensing or other regulatory requirements.
All new developments, including data centres, must consider local environmental impacts, such as water availability. New data centres will only be supplied with water where the relevant water company assesses that sufficient water resources are available.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help restore nature and biodiversity.
Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is investing in action for habitats and species to achieve biodiversity targets set in the Environment Act and Environmental Improvement Plan. Since 2023, action has been taken on an area twice the size of the Isle of Wight to create or restore wildlife-rich habitat
The new £30 million Wildlife-rich Habitat Fund is expected to deliver thousands of hectares of new habitat across England’s Protected Landscapes and we announced our largest ever investment in threatened species recovery. £90 million over three years, including £60 million for the Species Recovery Programme and £30 million for recovery on the national forest estate.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help improve preparation for droughts and wildfires in woods and forests in the context of the recent extreme temperatures.
Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Forestry Commission works with woodland owners and managers to improve resilience to droughts and wildfires through its practice guidance, Lantra accredited training, communications and financial support. The Government funds measures through Countryside Stewardship to improve woodland resilience, including support for fire and fuel breaks and wildfire management. It also supports climate-resilient woodland creation through appropriate species selection, woodland design and long-term management.
Forestry England works closely with Fire and Rescue Services and landowners to prevent and prepare for wildfires through vegetation management, fire and fuel breaks, emergency response planning, weather monitoring and public awareness campaigns, while the Forestry Commission provides advice and communications during periods of high wildfire risk.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to improve the quality of water for recreational use.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Clean Water Bill will deliver cleaner rivers, lakes, and seas by providing the legislative tools to ensure targets are ambitious, enabling pre-pipe solutions to reduce spills, and consolidating and strengthening agricultural pollution rules.
The Public Health Water Taskforce, a scientific and technical advisory group with expertise in public health and water, will provide independent advice to Government on public health risks associated with recreational water quality and opportunities for mitigation. This work will inform future policy.
The EA has action plans in place to identify and deliver cross-sector improvements where bathing water quality is not meeting satisfactory standards.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2026 to Question 117363 on Water: Waste Disposal, whether she will publish an overview of the initial investigation of Extended Producer Responsibility for wastewater.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government’s initial analysis of Extended Producer Responsibility for wastewater concluded that whilst a regime could be an effective means of raising revenue, there remained data gaps around pollutants of concern (including points of origin and pathways into the environment) that would require further investigation to develop. The Government is focused on taking immediate action to tackle the causes of pollution head on. For example, in November 2025, the Government legislated to ban the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic in England. Furthermore, over the next five years over £10bn is being spent on storm overflows investment in England, improving over 2,500 storm overflows to reduce spills. Nearly £5bn is also being invested in upgrades at wastewater treatment works to remove phosphorus.
As recommended by the Independent Water Commission, the Government is considering reforms to the Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations 1994 which would allow wastewater treatment standards to be strengthened. Reforms, coupled with shifting the focus towards ‘pre-pipe’ solutions, such as rainwater management and tackling sewer misuse, will help drive the improvements we want to see in wastewater management and consequently, in environmental protection.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in reference to the her Department's White Paper entitled A new vision for water, whether her Department has made further consideration of an Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for the water industry.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is considering a range of reforms, to fix our broken water system. Delivering better outcomes and a more sustainable approach to drainage and wastewater management is a key consideration.
Extended Producer Responsibility can be an effective means of raising the funds to tackle pollution, and the government has undertaken initial investigation of Extended Producer Responsibility for wastewater.
Whilst Extended Producer Responsibility could be an effective means of raising revenue, we want to better address the root causes of pollution head on. Shifting the focus towards ‘pre-pipe’ solutions, such as rainwater management and tackling sewer misuse. For example, in November 2025, the government legislated to ban the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic in England.
Additionally, over the next five years, over £10bn is being spent on storm overflows investment in England, improving over 2,500 storm overflows to reduce spills. In addition, nearly £5bn is being invested in upgrades at wastewater treatment works to remove phosphorus.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the supermarket industry on tackling food waste in supermarkets.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Defra funds the groundbreaking UK Food and Drink Pact, a voluntary agreement with industry to tackle food waste in supply chains. The Pact has developed the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap, which helps businesses to identify and measure their surplus and waste and take steps to reduce it. Through the Pact, we have regular engagement with food businesses, including supermarkets, to better understand and overcome the barriers to tackling food waste.
Defra also supports retailers and food businesses to play a key role in making sure their products help consumers to waste less food at home. This includes through appropriate storage advice, packaging design, and how food is labelled.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to Question 24274, tabled by the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
An answer to Question 24274 was published on 20 May 2024. I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of extending right to repair rules to include all electrical products.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has updated the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Regulations for a range of products, including household fridges, washing machines and televisions, to support the reparability of these products in order to increase their lifespan. They include requirements that spare parts are available for a specified minimum number of years after the placing of new products on the market, provision of information to assist with repairs and that parts can be replaced with the use of commonly available tools.
We will continue to work with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on future implementation of minimum Ecodesign requirements in Great Britain as set out in the energy-related products policy framework, published in November 2021. This will include considering whether to broaden the eco-design requirements to a wider range of electrical products.
Our plan is to continue to increase our resource efficiency and take forward that the right to repair is reflected in the Government’s Energy-related Products Policy Framework.