Asked by: Chris Hinchliff (Labour - North East Hertfordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her department expects to be able to publish the fully updated data and mapping for Agricultural Land Classifications in England.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A new predictive Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) map for England has been created to replace the existing 1960s provisional ALC map. The 1960s provisional ALC map does not show ALC Grade 3 subdivision into subgrade 3a and 3b and reflects a superseded ALC methodology.
The Predictive ALC map was announced on the 18 March 2026 in the publication of the Land Use Framework (LUF).
This Predictive ALC map reflects the currently available soil and ALC data, prepared in line with the ALC methodology published in the 2025 Defra and Welsh Government Joint Report (JP069) Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales: Guidelines for grading the quality of agricultural land - JP069.
The Predictive ALC map, technical annex and mapping layer will be published this Spring. The final publication sits with Defra.
Asked by: Chris Hinchliff (Labour - North East Hertfordshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support the chemical industry.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The chemicals sector underpins almost all other manufacturing in the UK and is fundamental to maximising growth. It also helps stimulates productivity across the economy to drive forward the government’s growth mission. This is reflected by the identification of chemicals as a foundational industry within the Industrial Strategy. Our modern Industrial Strategy will implement targeted policy interventions to drive long-term sustainable, inclusive and secure growth.
Our commitment to the chemicals sector was demonstrated in our recent intervention to safeguard critical chemical production and jobs at INEOS in Grangemouth.
Asked by: Chris Hinchliff (Labour - North East Hertfordshire)
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 meet the nature targets set out in the Environment Act 2021.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is clear that nature and development can go hand in hand.
The Land Use Framework shows we have enough land to achieve our priorities if we make better decisions about how we use it. We can restore nature and meet our housing and clean energy targets.