Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made in response to the increase in fertiliser prices paid by livestock farmers since January 2025; and what support is being made available to those farmers.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Government is aware of the current price increase for fertiliser due to the conflict in the Gulf. Defra is working closely with industry and farmers to understand risks and issues, and options for action where needed. We have provided guidance to support farmers to use fertilisers more efficiently such as the nutrient management planning tool and promoting AHDB guidance to help farmers use fertilisers more profitably.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of disruption to fertiliser supply chains through the Strait of Hormuz on UK food production for the 2027 harvest.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The fertiliser market is a global market, and while UK supply is sufficient for this season, the market price in the UK is strongly influenced by international prices for fertiliser and by the value of the pound. As well as domestic production, the UK typically imports fertiliser products from a wide range of countries which means the supply chain has remained dynamic in sourcing product, while maintaining a good diversity of nutrient supply. Food security is built on supply from diverse sources, strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the proportion of UK nitrogen fertiliser requirements that are currently met by domestic production, and what steps her Department is taking to reduce import dependency.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Supply of nitrogen fertiliser to the UK is competitive and the proportion that is met by domestic production varies from year to year. Current fertiliser regulations are outdated and don’t support the marketing of new and innovative products. We are consulting on new regulations to strengthen future fertiliser supply, protect the environment, and diversify supply for farmers. Defra has also committed £120 million in funding in 2026 to trial new technologies and drive innovation in the agriculture sector including for efficient nutrient management.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the current status is of her Department’s consultation on fertiliser regulation, and when its conclusions are expected to be published.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Defra, together with devolved Governments have launched a joint consultation and call for evidence on proposals to modernise UK fertilisers legislation. Current fertiliser regulations are widely seen as outdated and could do more to support fertiliser supply resilience and protect the environment, as well as being more agile to enable new products to enter the market. The consultation closes on 10 June 2026, and Defra in conjunction with the devolved Governments will analyse the responses and publish the outcome in due course.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the number of training opportunities for vets.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Defra officials have been working on strategies to ensure an adequate supply of veterinary surgeons across government and the wider sector, including the development of training programmes and working alongside veterinary schools. This is combined with ensuring swift recognition of new veterinary schools, with five having been founded since 2015; one of these being accredited since Labour took office (and three having their first cohorts being partway through the course).
In September 2026, the Animal and Plant Health Agency will launch their first Veterinary Graduate Programme. This will attract graduates interested in government work and develop their skills over the year of the programme to become Senior Veterinary Inspectors. Alongside this, the Food Standards Agency has a programme to build its Official Veterinarian reserves.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
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 adequacy of the Environment Agency's flood modelling in relation to the decommissioning of the Black Sluice Pumping Station.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra keeps the Environment Agency’s (EA) flood risk modelling under review to ensure it remains robust and appropriate for managing flood risk.
Following flooding in the Black Sluice, or South Forty Foot Drain, catchment in January 2025, the EA published an Evidence Based Review in May 2025. This review identified the need for a detailed assessment of flood modelling associated with the decommissioning of the Black Sluice Pumping Station. In response, additional work was commissioned later that month to examine the 2016 Black Sluice Catchment Works modelling and to assess how modelling assumptions compared with the circumstances of the January 2025 flooding event. This work also considered other factors that contributed to the flooding. The technical modelling assessment has been undertaken by consultants, Mott MacDonald, and has been completed with final reports being prepared for publication in summer 2026.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the adequacy of maintenance works on Ousemere Lode, Billingborough; and what steps the Environment Agency is taking to reduce flood risk in that area.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) keeps maintenance arrangements for Ousemere Lode, Billingborough under review as part of its ongoing assessment of flood risk management. Ousemere Lode is regularly inspected and maintained through routine activities, including seasonal grass cutting, weed removal and targeted tree management to maintain channel capacity.
Following flooding in January 2025, the EA published an Evidence Based Review which identified exceptional rainfall falling on frozen ground as the primary cause of flooding. The review noted that improved maintenance of local roadside drainage could have reduced the depth and duration of flooding. These findings are being further examined through technical modelling undertaken by external specialists, with final reports expected in summer 2026. In parallel, the EA is working with the local community, including a newly established flood action group, to identify measures to improve resilience.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
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 flood defences in Grantham and Bourne constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) works to reduce flood risk across the Grantham and Bourne constituency, which includes the Upper River Witham, South Forty Foot Drain, Upper River Slea, River Welland and East Glen catchments.
Work is underway to improve flood risk modelling for the Upper River Witham, with outputs under review to strengthen understanding of risk and inform investment. The Upper Witham Strategic Review, including Grantham, has been identified as a potential future project, with initial assessment work expected from 2027.
In the Fenland areas of the constituency, including the South Forty Foot Drain and Welland Fens, the EA has helped develop the Fens 2100+ programme, which has published baseline reports and a Case for Change to inform long-term flood risk management and climate adaptation.
The Department also supports Lincolnshire County Council’s Defra-funded Project Groundwater, installing water level monitors in Bourne and Lower Bitchfield to support local flood action planning.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Competition and Market Authority’s final report of March 26th 2026, what Impact Assessment the Department has undertaken on the veterinary market reforms; and what assessment the Government has made on the potential effect of those reforms on the veterinary industry and market provision.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Defra welcomes the Competition and Market Authority’s (CMA’s) investigation into the veterinary market for household pets and the publication of its final report on 24 March. Defra will consider the findings alongside the responses to the public consultation on reforming the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (VSA) which closed on 25 March. A formal response to the CMA’s final report will be published in due course.
Defra will produce an impact assessment as part of the legislative process related to proposed reform of the VSA.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the proportion of the £104 billion of private investment referred to in ‘A new vision for water’, published January 2026, that will be spent across each region of England and Wales.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ofwat, the independent economic regulator, monitors and reports on water company spending and financing through its annual performance report and its monitoring and financial resilience report. These documents are publicly available.
Ofwat’s five-yearly ‘price review’ sets the price, investment and service package for water companies in England and Wales. Ofwat’s Price Review 2024 (PR24) final determination by water company can be found here: Final determinations in the 2024 price review - Ofwat. This publication sets out the investment programme by water company, and therefore by region.
The Government has set out its new vision for water through a White Paper published on 20 January 2026. The White Paper sets out once in a generation reforms that will transform the water system for good, with a renewed focus on securing a fair deal for customers, investors, and the environment, to rebuild trust and secure a water system that works for everyone.