Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
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 provide guidance to parish councils when (a) national warnings and (b) restrictions are issued.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Guidance on national warnings, including the Emergency Alert system is available online. The Environment Agency issue local warnings for flooding, and alerts for forecast poor air quality were introduced in August. For guidance on water restrictions, see the relevant water company website.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has considered extending the requirement to make fish farm inspection reports publicly available to all farmed animals.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 1 July 2026 to the Hon. Member for Leeds South West and Morley.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
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 adequacy of protected geographical indication labelling on a) fresh meat and b) fresh fish packaging.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Geographical indications (GIs) protect the names of products whose qualities, reputation or characteristics are linked to a particular place.
The Government has not formally assessed the adequacy of GI labelling on either fresh meat or fresh fish packaging. However, once a GI name has been protected, only genuine products can use that name and the appropriate GI logo in their labelling and advertising. We consider current GI labelling requirements to be clear to producers and informative to consumers. Where mislabelling or inadequate labelling comes to light, the Government takes steps to ensure corrective action protects producer and consumer interests.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
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 reduce environmental harm caused by glass‑reinforced plastic pollution in protected landscapes.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Waste producers should ensure that they abide by appropriate regulations and the Waste Duty of Care Code of Practice when disposing of glass reinforced plastic waste. Appropriate management of waste in accordance with relevant legislation will ensure that risks of harm to the environment and human health are minimised.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
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 introduce a timetable to end the emergency authorisation of neonicotinoid pesticides.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This government remains committed to ending the use in England of the three neonicotinoid pesticides (thiamethoxam, clothianidin, imidacloprid) that threaten vital pollinators, including through emergency authorisations.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published updated guidance for emergency authorisations of pesticides. This update clarifies and strengthens the existing guidance to ensure that future emergency authorisations take full account of the risks that pesticides may pose including to pollinators.
Negotiations are also underway on a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement with the EU. Any further action, such as potential legislative options, can be considered once the new pesticides regulatory framework for Great Britain is agreed.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he will extend the regulation of pharmaceuticals and chemicals to ensure that they are licensed only where they do not have a negative impact on the natural environment.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
On 1 December 2025, Defra published the revised Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2025. The EIP 2025 is the department’s long-term plan for improving the natural environment and enjoyment of it. It includes prioritised delivery actions to minimise environmental risks posed by chemicals. The EIP sets out Defra’s approach to managing chemicals risks.
All authorised veterinary medicines undergo a robust environmental risk assessment under internationally agreed guidelines. Products are approved only where benefits outweigh risks, including environmental impacts. While current frameworks assume negligible exposure for companion animals, emerging evidence is informing international updates, with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate contributing research to inform this process.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he will ban the use in veterinary medicine of any active pesticide substance deemed too harmful for use on crops.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
This Government does not currently plan to introduce a blanket ban on veterinary use of active substances restricted in crop protection.
Veterinary medicines and pesticides are regulated under distinct frameworks, reflecting differences in use, exposure and risk.
All veterinary medicines are subject to a robust, science‑based benefit–risk assessment by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and authorised only where benefits outweigh risks, including to the environment.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she will take legislative steps to stop nitrates and phosphates entering protected landscapes.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025, we set out an ambitious target to reduce total nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution from agriculture to the water environment by at least 18% in catchments containing protected sites in unfavourable condition due to nutrient pollution by December 2030.
The government is developing the strongest programme on record for tackling water pollution from agriculture by using all the levers available including a commitment to consolidate the agricultural water regulatory framework into a single, clear and robust regulation and strengthen standards. We also set out plans for consultation on extending environmental permitting to dairy and intensive beef farms.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
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 take legislative steps to ensure that all new washing machines are fitted with a 50-micron microfibre filter by 2030.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises growing concerns around microplastics, including microfibre release from textiles, and is committed to building a strong evidence base to inform effective interventions to protect human health and the environment. It is supporting research and engagement with stakeholders, including on the potential role of technologies such as microfibre filters.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take legislative steps to ensure that storm overflows cause no environmental harm in protected landscapes by 2035.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water companies must take action to address storm overflow spills. Between 2025 and 2030, over ÂŁ10bn, a historic amount, is being invested in improving nearly 2,500 storm overflows across England, targeted at those affecting the most sensitive sites for ecological and human health.
To deliver on the Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan, we are expecting ÂŁ60bn of investment to be delivered across England by 2050, which should ensure that no storm overflow is permitted to operate outside of unusually heavy rainfall or to cause any adverse ecological harm.