Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
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 a joined-up response to preventing avoidable deaths due to drowning.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water safety is a cross-government issue involving a wide range of departments and organisations. In July, I convened a cross-government roundtable to strengthen collaboration, and we will continue working with partners to support water safety and help prevent avoidable drowning deaths.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
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 protect moorland from wildfires.
Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is committed to rewetting peatlands where it can reduce the likelihood of severe and sustained wildfire.
In 2025, we amended the Heather and Grass etc Burning (England) Regulations 2021, expanding restrictions on unnecessary burning practices, to enhance protection of upland deep peat and improve the resilience of our moorlands. Wetter, healthy-functioning peatlands are more resilient to the impacts of wildfire and deliver benefits for biodiversity and water security.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
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 have discussions with the Prime Minister on appointing a minister responsible for drowning prevention.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water safety and drowning prevention are of critical importance and involve a range of organisations and government departments. Defra works with navigation authorities, regulators, water companies and other government departments to improve coordination, information sharing and preparedness.
In July, I convened a cross-government roundtable to discuss water safety and ensure departments and key partners are working together to reinforce the importance of water safety and strengthen collaboration to help keep people safe around water.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to undertake a coordinated response to prevent avoidable deaths due to drowning.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Responsibility for water safety and drowning prevention is shared across government, local authorities, emergency services, regulators, education partners and asset owners.
I convened a roundtable in July with ministers and representatives from across government to reinforce the importance of keeping people safe around water. I was clear that all organisations must keep working to reduce risks.
The Government recognises the importance of working collectively to reduce drowning. It supports collaborative efforts through organisations such as the National Water Safety Forum, which brings together partners to reduce water-related deaths and associated harms.
The Government will carefully consider the UK Drowning Prevention Strategy 2026–2036 to identify that we are collectively doing all we reasonably can to support this vital work.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of Yorkshire Water’s policy of not providing information signage or lifesaving equipment near open water.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I convened a roundtable in July with ministers and representatives from across government to reinforce the importance of keeping people safe around water. I was clear that all organisations must keep working to reduce risks.
Following the roundtable, I wrote to water companies, Defra’s arm’s-length bodies and local authorities responsible for designated bathing waters, reiterating the importance of taking appropriate steps to keep people safe around water and seeking further information about their ongoing work.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
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 restore moorland damaged by wildfire.
Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Restoring our peatlands contributes to wildfire resilience, as restored, healthy, and functioning peatlands help to prevent the spread of wildfire.
The Government has provided significant funding of up to £3.2 million for wildfire recovery in Fylingdales, North Yorkshire, as part of the extension to the Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme, which is now scheduled to end in March 2027. The funding will repair 17 kilometres of firebreaks dug to contain the blaze, stabilise damaged slopes, restore key peatland species such as sphagnum moss and reinstate public rights of way across the moor.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of introducing a presumption against building onshore wind developments on deep peat on the Government’s (a) biodiversity and (b) peatland restoration targets.
Answered by Mary Creagh
The Government has considered the impact of planning regulation around wind farm development on peatland restoration and biodiversity.
The Government recognises the importance of England’s peatlands for biodiversity, water, and carbon storage. That’s why we are investing significantly in protecting and restoring nature, including peatlands.
There are existing protections for peatland habitats within the National Policy Planning Framework. In addition, this Government recently consulted on updated National Policy Statements for renewable energy development, which included updated guidance around peatland and onshore wind developments.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department’s policies of the level of harvest yields in 2025.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Our fantastic British farmers are world-leaders and carefully plan their planting to suit the weather, their soil type, and their long-term agronomic strategy.
We continue to engage and work closely with industry and to monitor domestic food production, including harvest. The UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG), which was established under the Devolution Framework, brings Defra and Devolved Governments together to monitor the UK market across all key agricultural commodities.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many social media accounts his Department operates; and how much his Department spent on social media (a) subscriptions and (b) advertisements on each social media platform in each of the last three years.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
The Government communicates across a range of media channels in order to reach its target audience effectively. Channels are selected based on whether they will reach the intended audience on a specific issue to have the most impact. Social media is an essential part of government communications and is used to inform the public directly about matters which may affect their lives or interests. Defra currently operates 18 accounts across its policy areas and functions. To our knowledge, Defra does not have regular social media subscriptions. Departmental marketing spend for the last 3 years on social advertisements is detailed below:
DEFRA Social Investment by year (H1/H2) | |||||
2021 | META | Next Door | Total | ||
H1 Jan-Jun | £24,047 | £127,757 | £1,088 |
| £152,892 |
H2 Jul-Dec |
| £66,756 |
|
| £66,756 |
2022 | META | Next Door | Total | ||
H1 Jan-Jun | £7,045 | £176,713 |
|
| £183,758 |
H2 Jul-Dec |
| £44,114 |
|
| £44,114 |
2023 | META | Next Door | Total | ||
H1 Jan-Jun |
| £94,121 |
|
| £94,121 |
H2 Jul-Dec | £3,570 | £125,930 |
|
| £129,500 |
2024 | META | Next Door | Total | ||
H1 Jan-Jun |
| £174,872 |
| £11,785 | £186,657 |
H2 Jul-Dec |
| £60,320 |
|
| £60,320 |
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