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 - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (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 - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (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 - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (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 - Minister of State (Department 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 - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (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.
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 mechanisms are in place to ensure that water companies deliver the improvements promised through the £104 billion of private investment referred to in ‘A new vision for water’, published January 2026.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (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.
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 he is taking to help farmers with cashflow.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Input costs for fuel, feed and fertiliser are worryingly high. We are monitoring the situation closely. To ease cashflow concerns, in England we have announced bringing forward half of the Direct Payment to July from December. We have powers in the Agriculture Act to help sectors if necessary.
We have just announced £30 Million to help farmers add value to their products, and we have boosted Countryside Stewardship payment rates by an average of 30%. We will shortly launch the Sustainable Farming Incentive, for which farmers will receive quarterly payments.
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, when he plans to publish the National Food Strategy white paper; and whether that white paper will assess the impact of solar farm developments on agricultural land.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
We expect to publish the Government Food Strategy shortly. The Strategy will set out the Government's ambition and priorities for the food system, considering the evidence set out in Henry Dimbleby's independent review last year. The white paper will not include an assessment of the impacts of solar farm developments on agricultural land.
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, whether his Department is able to take steps to prevent off-road vehicles causing damage and disruption to footpaths in rural villages.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
Driving a motorised vehicle on a footpath, bridleway or restricted byway without the landowner’s consent is a criminal offence and enforcement is a matter for the police.
An offence under the Criminal Damage Act 1971 may have been committed if damage is caused.
The maintenance of public rights of way is a local issue. Local highway authorities have statutory duties to record and keep public rights of way open and it is the authority’s responsibility to prevent the stopping-up or obstruction of public rights of way.