Kerry McCarthy

The government introduced new support packages for students starting postgraduate master’s degree courses from the 2016/17 academic year onwards and postgraduate doctoral degree courses from 2018/19 onwards. These loans are not based on income and are intended as a contribution to the cost of study. They can be used by students according to their personal circumstances to cover the costs of fees and living costs, including childcare. The new support packages have provided a significant uplift in support for postgraduate students while ensuring the student support system remains financially sustainable.

Students studying on postgraduate courses can apply for loans towards their course fees and living costs up to £12,858 in 2025/26 for new students undertaking postgraduate master’s degree courses and up to £30,301 in 2025/26 for new students undertaking postgraduate doctoral degree courses.

Postgraduate students are eligible for a different package of support to undergraduate students to help with course fees and living costs, including childcare. These students are therefore not eligible to receive the childcare grant.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review will be informed by evidence, data and input from experts, stakeholders and the public, including over 7,000 responses to the call for evidence, and a range of research and polling.

The Review’s interim report demonstrates a continued support for a high quality, knowledge-rich curriculum that drives excellence in education across a broad range of subjects and pathways.

The Review set out that it would consider whether there is sufficient coverage of knowledge and skills that are essential to prepare children and young people for future life and to thrive in a fast-changing world.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review is independent and ongoing. The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in autumn, at which point the government will respond.

The government is working with education experts, teachers, and parents to ensure the very best for children.

The government introduced new support packages for students starting postgraduate master’s degree courses from the 2016/17 academic year onwards and postgraduate doctoral degree courses from 2018/19 onwards. These loans are not based on income and are intended as a contribution to the cost of study. They can be used by students according to their personal circumstances to cover the costs of fees and living costs, including childcare. These support packages have provided a significant uplift in support for postgraduate students while ensuring the student support system remains financially sustainable.

However, a student would not be eligible for a doctoral loan if they are in receipt of stipends.

Postgraduate students are eligible for a different package of support to undergraduate students to help with course fees and living costs, including childcare. These students are therefore not eligible to receive the childcare grant.

The Government is committed to scaling stable, high integrity markets to mobilise investment in nature recovery and sustainable farming. As detailed in the Summary of Responses to the consultation on Voluntary Carbon and Nature Market integrity, simple and proportionate guardrails, supported by and co-created with business, are critical in ensuring these markets develop with integrity.

We are actively exploring opportunities to streamline and strengthen nature market governance, building on the work of the UK Nature Investment Standards, sponsored by Defra and led by the British Standards Institution. The standards provide clear, consistent, consensus-based criteria for high integrity nature markets, with two new market standards for the supply of biodiversity and nutrient reduction benefits launched in March. The Government also signalled that suppliers should self-assess against the standards for a minimum period of two years while the market matures, during which time we will take steps to move towards accredited, independent certification.

These are critical steps in transitioning to a high-integrity governance framework for UK nature markets, alongside which we are also considering options for proportionate market oversight and coordination. This includes exploration of a potential business-led market oversight pilot, following the recommendations from Dan Corry's independent review of environmental regulation last year.

Defra works closely with the Devolved Governments to ensure, as far as possible, a consistent framework for nature markets for use across the UK, including in the South East of England.

This Government is committed to transitioning towards a circular economy where resources are kept in use for longer and waste is designed out. This systemic change, with investment in green jobs and vital infrastructure, builds a path to economic growth, progress towards Net Zero, restoration of nature, and a more resilient economy.

We intend to publish the Circular Economy Growth Plan soon. The Plan will set out how the Government will deliver a more circular and more prosperous economy. Meanwhile we continue to push forward new policy and delivery to deliver on the Government’s circular economy ambitions.

Funding for Environmental Land Management Schemes will increase by 150% from £800 million in 23/24 to £2 billion by 28/29 and we are working actively to target this to help address water pollution, protect nature, and support thriving biodiversity across our landscapes. Innovation and systems change - for example, providing £63 million worth of grants in 2025 -2026 to spark innovation and develop solutions through the Farming Innovation Programme.

Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) is designed to address the specific needs of each farm, offering local expert advice, training, and grant support that benefit water quality, such as fencing to prevent livestock from entering watercourses, and improving drainage systems to manage runoff more effectively.

Defra will soon launch a free-to-use, nutrient management planning tool for Great Britain (NMPT-GB) for farmers and advisers over this winter. The tool will help them to plan and manage nutrient use on their land.

The first meeting of the Farming and Food Partnership Board took place on 25 March 2026 with an initial membership of seven industry leads and experts. This initial group includes representation across farming and food as well as the retail and out of home markets. The first meeting considered the need for additional members ahead of the next Board meeting.

The first meeting also agreed task and finish sub-groups would be useful to help deliver the Board’s mission and objectives, alongside the sector groups developing Sector Growth Plans. Defra expects the nature of these task and finish groups to emerge as the Board gets into its work plan for the coming year. These groups will provide an opportunity for a wider range of stakeholders to engage with the work of the Board, and that could include organic and sustainable farming representation.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the Horticulture Sector Growth Plan integrates expertise in sustainability, agroecology and nature friendly farming. This expertise will shape the plan’s approach to productivity, innovation and nature friendly farming, including the transition away from peat. Delivering this transition will require the appropriate primary legislative and supporting mechanisms to be in place to provide a clear and enforceable basis.

The establishment of the new Farming and Food Partnership Board and its oversight of sector growth plans is a key part of that process. Following its first meeting, the Board has invited the Horticulture Expert Growers Group to work with the Fruit & Veg Coalition and the Environmental Horticulture Group and immediately begin work on the first Sector Growth Plan for the horticultural sector. This will ensure that the expertise and insights of the horticultural industry are fully considered by the Board.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the Horticulture Sector Growth Plan integrates expertise in sustainability, agroecology and nature friendly farming. This expertise will shape the plan’s approach to productivity, innovation and nature friendly farming, including the transition away from peat. Delivering this transition will require the appropriate primary legislative and supporting mechanisms to be in place to provide a clear and enforceable basis.

The establishment of the new Farming and Food Partnership Board and its oversight of sector growth plans is a key part of that process. Following its first meeting, the Board has invited the Horticulture Expert Growers Group to work with the Fruit & Veg Coalition and the Environmental Horticulture Group and immediately begin work on the first Sector Growth Plan for the horticultural sector. This will ensure that the expertise and insights of the horticultural industry are fully considered by the Board.

The Government is committed to tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and addressing associated human rights abuses in global seafood supply chains. The UK has robust regulations in place, including catch certification and traceability requirements, to prevent fish caught through IUU practices from entering the UK market.

The Government currently has no plans to increase specific scrutiny of squid imports from China, nor have we undertaken a species‑specific risk assessment of jumbo flying squid or Argentine shortfin squid. This reflects our assessment that existing controls apply equally across relevant imports and provide appropriate safeguards proportionate to the level of risk identified. Defra will keep its approach under review.

In relation to the South-West Atlantic, Defra continues to seek progress on establishing more coordinated management of high seas fishing activity through relevant international fora. The Government liaise closely with the Falklands Islands Government in relation to this.

The Government is committed to tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and addressing associated human rights abuses in global seafood supply chains. The UK has robust regulations in place, including catch certification and traceability requirements, to prevent fish caught through IUU practices from entering the UK market.

The Government currently has no plans to increase specific scrutiny of squid imports from China, nor have we undertaken a species‑specific risk assessment of jumbo flying squid or Argentine shortfin squid. This reflects our assessment that existing controls apply equally across relevant imports and provide appropriate safeguards proportionate to the level of risk identified. Defra will keep its approach under review.

In relation to the South-West Atlantic, Defra continues to seek progress on establishing more coordinated management of high seas fishing activity through relevant international fora. The Government liaise closely with the Falklands Islands Government in relation to this.

The UK has a resilient food supply chain and is equipped to deal with situations with the potential to cause disruption. Food security is built on supply from diverse sources, strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes. Whilst the UK has a high degree of food security, the UK Food Security Report 2024 shows that food security cannot be taken for granted. Climate and geopolitical volatility have weakened aspects of food supply stability since 2021, although food availability or the quantity of food available to the UK has been maintained thanks to continued resilience in food production and the global trading system. Defra works with industry and across Government to monitor risks that may arise. This includes extensive, regular and ongoing engagement in preparedness for, and response to, issues with the potential to cause disruption.

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), to which the UK is party, requires that waste containing POPs above certain thresholds be destroyed, rather than landfilled. Research by the Environment Agency (EA) in 2021 revealed that waste upholstered domestic seating contains POP flame retardant chemicals above the legal thresholds. Local authorities are responsible for managing this waste in accordance with legal requirements, and they would hold information on their costs of doing so.

The revised Environmental Improvement Plan, published 1 December 2025, includes a commitment to reform UK REACH, to enable protections that address chemical pollution to be applied more quickly, efficiently and in a way that is more aligned with our closest trading partners, especially the EU, by December 2028.

The UK recognises the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation.

The Government is carefully considering the best regulatory approach to address deforestation in UK supply chains; we will set out this approach in due course. We need to balance a range of factors, including the broader policy landscape and relevant international frameworks.

We recognise the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation. We also recognise that this sense of urgency and need for clarity is shared by business.

This Government believes it is at its best when it works in partnership with business, civil society, trade unions, and communities.

We will set out our approach to address deforestation in the UK’s supply chains in due course and engage with stakeholders on this approach.

The Government is committed to the horticulture sector and its role in providing fresh home‑grown produce that helps to feed the nation.

In December 2025, the Secretary of State announced the Farming & Food Partnership Board in response to the independent Farming Profitability Review led by Baroness Minette Batters. The Board will bring together farming, food, retail, finance and Government to take a strategic farm‑to‑fork approach to improving farming profitability and strengthening UK food production. It will oversee sector plans aimed at boosting productivity, reducing costs and opening new markets in ways that support health and environmental goals, with the first plan focused on the horticulture sector.

The Government recognises the importance of providing access to the outdoors for people’s health and wellbeing and is working to ensure that this access is safe and appropriate. As part of this, Defra has committed in its new Environmental Improvement Plan to create 9 new National River Walks, one in every region of England. The Mersey Valley Way will be the first of those nine new walks.

Public access onto around 3,400 miles of our regulated inland waterways, including several of the larger rivers, is available through the licensing regimes of the navigation authorities that own or manage them. Defra is considering its approach to improving access onto unregulated inland waterways and is committed to working with stakeholders as this develops. The Environment Agency has published advice on how to stay safe while visiting waterways.

Reducing the amount of biodegradable waste being sent to landfill has a key part to play in tackling climate change. In February 2025, Defra published a summary of responses to the call for evidence on the near elimination of biodegradable municipal waste to landfill from 2028. We are developing options.

We recognise the importance of organic farming. The new SFI offer will continue to support sustainable farming by strengthening the environmental foundations of farm profitability. Healthy soil, clean water and thriving pollinators are essential to our long‑term food security.

Farmers and food businesses will also have a stronger voice through the new Farming and Food Partnership Board, which will focus on removing barriers to investment, improving supply chains and supporting homegrown British produce.

We have worked with Stakeholders to develop more detail on the new SFI offer, which will be announced at the NFU Conference in February, ahead of publishing full scheme details before the first application window opens in June.

We are working closely with other departments to coordinate delivery of the Government’s methane reduction commitments. Alongside the Carbon Budget Growth Delivery Plan, we published our Methane Action Plan detailing historic progress on methane abatement and key abating policies, building on the £63 billion announced at the 2025 Spending Review for clean energy, climate and nature.

Through these plans, we are working closely with DESNZ and are exploring ways to reduce livestock emissions including through methane suppressing feed products (MSFPs). Reducing methane emissions in the waste sector is also a key focus. As we move away from the Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme, we will work with DESNZ to increase methane capture from landfill gas sites and are exploring a long-term methane capture scheme with a suitable transition plan.

This is a devolved matter, and this response applies to England only.

Defra regularly reviews the administration and outcomes associated with the School Milk Subsidy Scheme, most recently following the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition’s assessment report of health benefits and risks of consuming plant-based drinks published in July 2025.

Only milk and relevant dairy products are currently eligible for subsidy in the School Milk Subsidy Scheme and there are no plans to extend the scheme to include fortified plant-based alternatives.

The Government recognises that some children with clinical and dietary needs are unable to consume milk and expects schools to make reasonable adjustments for those with specific needs.

This is a devolved matter, and this response applies to England only.

Milk and relevant dairy products only are eligible under the School Milk Subsidy Scheme. There are no plans to amend the scheme requirements to include non-dairy drinks or associated products.

The Government recognises that some children with clinical and dietary needs are unable to consume milk and expects schools to make reasonable adjustments for those with such specific needs.

The Government have no current plans to prevent the import of farmed octopus products to the UK. Defra is not aware of any plans to establish octopus farming in the UK. Any such plans would be subject to relevant existing regulatory regimes.

The UK and the EU share the common commitment to tackle deforestation in supply chains. The UK is continuing to monitor and engage with international frameworks on deforestation, including measures such as the EU Deforestation Regulation, and their impact on global supply chains which will inform any UK measure.

We recognise the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation. The Government is currently considering its approach to forest risk commodities and will set out plans in due course.

The UK recognises the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation.

The Government is carefully considering the best regulatory approach to address deforestation in UK supply chains; we will set out this approach in due course. We need to balance a range of factors, including the broader policy landscape and relevant international frameworks.

Defra routinely conducts and updates assessments on a range of threats. The Government publishes assessments in the National Risk Register and Chronic Risks Analysis, including on biodiversity loss and its interactions with ecosystems, on GOV.UK.