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 ensure that Environmental Land Management schemes include funding for (a) integrated, evidence-based management of predation pressure and (b) specialist farmer advisory support to improve the effectiveness of agri-environment measures for breeding wader recovery, including the Eurasian Curlew.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Support for specific species is primarily delivered via Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier where land managers can benefit from 1:1 advice and support from Natural England Advisers. In addition to the payments for the correct land management for Curlew, Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier also includes capital grants for specialised predator fencing to protect nesting sites.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the England Tree Action Plan will review and improve the scope and effectiveness of Tree Preservation Orders.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government committed in the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 to publish a new Trees Action Plan for England in 2026. The Trees Action Plan will set out how the Government will invest in tree planting and the forestry sector to achieve our 2030 interim tree canopy and woodland cover target, improve the resilience and condition of our trees and woodlands, and deliver multiple benefits for nature, climate, people and the economy.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the England Tree Action Plan will include a new legal protection and designation system for (a) important and (b) heritage trees.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government committed in the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 to publish a new Trees Action Plan for England in 2026. The Trees Action Plan will set out how the Government will invest in tree planting and the forestry sector to achieve our 2030 interim tree canopy and woodland cover target, improve the resilience and condition of our trees and woodlands, and deliver multiple benefits for nature, climate, people and the economy.

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 23 January 2026 to question 106695, what discussions she has had Natural England on restricting access to Sites of Special Scientific Interest, including at Hoads Wood in 2023.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Environment Agency is continuing to temporarily restrict vehicular access to Hoads Wood Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and, alongside Kent Police, is leading the criminal investigation into the illegal dumping of waste.

The primary legal framework for protecting SSSIs is the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which places a duty on public bodies to conserve and enhance SSSI features and controls operations likely to cause damage. Landowners and occupiers must obtain consent from Natural England (NE) before carrying out listed activities, including vehicle use. NE has enforcement powers to prevent or stop harm, including issuing stop notices, making byelaws and taking action against those who intentionally or recklessly damage SSSI features.

Additional powers are available under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, which allows authorities to make Traffic Regulation Orders to protect SSSIs, with offences for non-compliance. The Police can also prosecute off-road vehicle use (including over SSSI land) under the Road Traffic Act 1988 and may seize vehicles under the Police Reform Act 2002 where use causes, or is likely to cause, alarm, distress or annoyance.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on which date was Natural England first notified of organised criminal activity in Hoads Wood Special Site of Scientific Interest.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Natural England (NE) does not hold a record of a specific date on which it was first notified of organised criminal activity at Hoads Wood SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest. NE visited the site in February 2020 with Ashford Borough Council and Kent County Council. Kent Police were also present to advise on the risks following reports of illegal activity.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many instances of fly tipping have been recorded on the public forest estate in each of the last 10 years.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Glastonbury and Somerton on 10 April 2026, PQ UIN 125371.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if a Special Representative for important trees will be appointed to champion them at a political level, as recommended in the Government-sponsored Tree Council report, published in 2025.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Defra-funded report led by the Tree Council and Forest Research provides a range of recommendations for improving the protection and stewardship of ‘important’ trees. The Government is carefully considering its recommendations, including their feasibility and potential impacts, balancing our approach with our existing priorities and statutory obligations. We will set out actions to protect important trees in the new Trees Action Plan which will be published this year.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has evaluated the effectiveness of the new Crisis and Resilience Fund at tackling furniture poverty in Cornwall.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Crisis and Resilience Fund launched in April 2026, and therefore no evaluation has taken place yet.

The Department is planning to evaluate the Crisis and Resilience Fund across England, including the full range of discretionary support provided through the Fund, such as assistance with essential furniture and white goods. This evaluation is expected to launch by September 2026.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to incorporate (a) ponds, (b) small lakes, (c) headwater streams and (d) other small waters into the Water Framework Directive as part of ongoing reforms to the regulatory framework for water.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We committed in the recently published Water White Paper to explore setting new ambitious targets for the water environment. As part of these explorations, we are considering a wide range of suggestions from stakeholders, including calls to monitor small water bodies and to set high ecological status objectives.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a High Ecological Status target for the highest-quality waterbodies in England, as part of upcoming reforms to Water Environment targets.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We committed in the recently published Water White Paper to explore setting new ambitious targets for the water environment. As part of these explorations, we are considering a wide range of suggestions from stakeholders, including calls to monitor small water bodies and to set high ecological status objectives.

Government response to Israel’s actions in the West Bank and Gaza

Communications blackout and human rights in Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Draft Code of Practice on Services, public functions and associations

Rosebank oil field

Bermuda and oil industry tax

Further education

Interception of Global Sumud Flotilla vessels in international waters

Payment of employment tribunal awards

US sanctions on Cuba

Hillsborough Law

Seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz

International Workers’ Memorial Day 2026

Found: Griffiths (Conservative, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) (added 3 Mar 2025) 21 of 46 (45.7%) Chris Hinchliff

Found: Perkins (Chair); Julia Buckley; Jonathan Davies; Carla Denyer; Barry Gardiner; Sarah Gibson; Chris Hinchliff

Found: Perkins (Chair); Julia Buckley; Jonathan Davies; Carla Denyer; Barry Gardiner; Sarah Gibson; Chris Hinchliff

Found: present: Mr Toby Perkins (Chair); Julia Buckley; Jonathan Davies; Carla Denyer; Barry Gardiner; Chris Hinchliff

Found: Liberal Democrat; Chippenham) Alison Griffiths (Conservative; Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) Chris Hinchliff

Found: Liberal Democrat; Chippenham) Alison Griffiths (Conservative; Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) Chris Hinchliff