Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
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 29 April 2026 to Question HL16697 on Agriculture: Reservoirs, what assessment she has made of whether the current rate of large raised reservoir construction is sufficient to meet future agricultural water demand.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises that improved agricultural water resilience, is essential. The Environment Agency's (EA) National Framework for Water Resources 2025 sets out the future water needs of key sectors, including agriculture, to inform long-term water resources planning.
The Government is supporting the development of new farm reservoirs. The EA supported Water Resources East to publish new Farm Reservoir Guidance. Local Resource Options studies are also enabling small groups of farmers and growers to identify local projects including irrigation reservoirs.
Government recently announced funding of up to £15m through a new Water Management Grant for on-farm reservoirs.
We're also making changes through the planning system to make it easier for farmers to build on-farm reservoirs through express support for domestic food production in the revised National Planning Policy Framework and by bringing forward the publication of revised planning practice guidance on these to September.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
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 support farmers to improve water resilience through on-farm reservoirs.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises that improved agricultural water resilience, is essential. The Environment Agency's (EA) National Framework for Water Resources 2025 sets out the future water needs of key sectors, including agriculture, to inform long-term water resources planning.
The Government is supporting the development of new farm reservoirs. The EA supported Water Resources East to publish new Farm Reservoir Guidance. Local Resource Options studies are also enabling small groups of farmers and growers to identify local projects including irrigation reservoirs.
Government recently announced funding of up to £15m through a new Water Management Grant for on-farm reservoirs.
We're also making changes through the planning system to make it easier for farmers to build on-farm reservoirs through express support for domestic food production in the revised National Planning Policy Framework and by bringing forward the publication of revised planning practice guidance on these to September.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
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 potential impact of not commencing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 on surface water flood risk from new housing developments.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is strongly committed to improving the implementation of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS).
The National Planning Policy Framework requires developments to utilise SuDS where they could have drainage impacts.
Better delivery of SuDS may be achieved by continuing to improve the current planning policy-based approach and looking at ways of improving the approach to adoption and maintenance, rather than commencing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
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 potential impact of uncertainty over the future of Flood Re on mortgage availability for properties at high risk of flooding.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In July 2026, Flood Re and Government announced a package of reforms to ensure the scheme remains sustainable, fair and focused on its original purpose of supporting those most in need while preparing the market for the future so that Flood Re can achieve its mission by 2039 as planned.
Flood Re will work with insurers and lenders to introduce Flood Performance Certificates, an essential part of this transition by 2039. These certificates will help households better understand their flood risk and ensure that if they take action to make their homes more resilient it is reflected in their insurance premiums as well as in lending decisions.
Flood Re is a reinsurance scheme for insurance companies, rather than a household-facing product. The Government and Flood Re will work closely with insurers as reforms are implemented to ensure clear communication to households.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
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 improve consumer awareness of whether a property is insured through Flood Re.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In July 2026, Flood Re and Government announced a package of reforms to ensure the scheme remains sustainable, fair and focused on its original purpose of supporting those most in need while preparing the market for the future so that Flood Re can achieve its mission by 2039 as planned.
Flood Re will work with insurers and lenders to introduce Flood Performance Certificates, an essential part of this transition by 2039. These certificates will help households better understand their flood risk and ensure that if they take action to make their homes more resilient it is reflected in their insurance premiums as well as in lending decisions.
Flood Re is a reinsurance scheme for insurance companies, rather than a household-facing product. The Government and Flood Re will work closely with insurers as reforms are implemented to ensure clear communication to households.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
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 potential impact on small and medium-sized developers of the withdrawal of water neutrality requirements and associated credit schemes; and whether he plans to introduce a refund or compensation mechanism for developers who purchased credits in good faith before the policy change.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water Neutrality has only been applied in Sussex North and Defra has not run any credit schemes for water neutrality in Sussex North.
Natural England withdrew its position statement advising water neutrality for new development in the Sussex North region in October 2025 following close joint working with Southern Water, the Environment Agency, Defra and environmental partners. This work has delivered a robust package of measures that protects the Arun Valley’s internationally important wetlands while allowing sustainable housing growth to resume, unblocking around 21,000 homes. By ending a four‑year pause and restoring certainty to the planning system, the withdrawal supports small and medium‑sized developers by allowing stalled development to proceed again.
We recognise that some developers engaged with local water neutrality mitigation schemes, including the purchase of water credits, in good faith during the period in which the approach to water neutrality applied. Defra does not operate or hold a financial interest in these schemes, which have been developed and managed by local authorities or private providers. As such, questions relating to refunds or compensation are a matter for the relevant scheme operators, who are best placed to advise on their individual policies and arrangements.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether academies and free schools will be classed as public settings for the purpose of the Government's ambition that half of all food served in public settings is either locally sourced or certified to higher environmental standards.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Government is open to considering all lawful means of achieving its ambition that half of all food purchased across the public sector should be locally produced or certified to higher environmental standards. Approximately half the £4.9bn annual spend on public sector food and catering in England is attributable to education settings, which represents a significant opportunity to deliver healthy outcomes for the public, contribute to sustainability goals and support domestic growth.
Defra has published a new national procurement policy statement. It sets expectations for Government contracts to favour products certified to high environmental standards that we think high-quality British producers are well-placed to meet.
Further, the Government is currently assessing what food the public sector buys and where it comes from. This will help inform our future approach on public sector food procurement, including for state-funded education settings.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Deposit Return Scheme on small retailers in rural areas.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Defra published the Final Impact Assessment on DRS, including its assessment of impact on retailers, for England and Northern Ireland in 2024. This can be found at: The Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers (England and Northern Ireland) Regulations 2024.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
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 ensure that exemption arrangements under the Deposit Return Scheme are accessible to rural retailers.
Answered by Mary Creagh
The regulations set out rules requiring all grocery retailers that sell drinks that are included in the scheme to host a return point, unless they qualify for an exemption.
Retailers, including those in rural communities, will be able to apply to the deposit management organisation, Exchange for Change, for an exemption to operating a return point on their premises if they qualify under the relevant criteria. These include being in close proximity to another return point or not having suitable premises for operating a return point safely.
Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)
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 promote water literacy training.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra works closely with Waterwise, an independent not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation who are spearheading the Water Literacy Training Pilot, which aims to equip professionals with the knowledge and tools to play their part in tackling water scarcity and its environmental impact in the UK, and to support their pilot and consider next steps.