Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost to the public purse was of spending by (a) her Department and (b) Natural England on (i) the upland Brood Management Scheme and (ii) the Southern Reintroduction project; and how many hen harrier chicks fledged under each of those schemes.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
These programmes were created as part of the Joint Action Plan for the Recovery of the English Hen Harrier Population, put in place in 2016.
The Hen Harrier brood management trial and the Southern Reintroduction project were funded by Defra and led by Natural England as part of the Hen Harrier Action Plan. Natural England spent £80,800 over the five-year (2019-2023) brood management trial. During the trial 15 nests were brood-managed, and 58 chicks were subsequently released.
Natural England spent £572,272 on the Southern Reintroduction project between March 2021 and October 2025. No chicks fledged in this period. The decision was taken to close the Southern Reintroduction programme this year.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 31 October 2025 to Question 85203 on Peatlands: Fires, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the response by the National Fire Chiefs Council of 23 May 2025 to her Department's consultation entitled Heather and Grass Burning in England.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As set out in my answer of 31 October, the National Fire Chiefs’ Council (NFCC) responded to Defra’s consultation on heather and grass burning in England earlier this year. Their response is published on their website.
The NFCC’s response was considered as part of the consultation analysis exercise. I also met with representatives from the NFCC and Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) to discuss their response prior to finalising the amendments to the Heather and Grass etc Burning (England) Regulations 2021. Defra, NFCC and FRS continue to work together in this area.
Defra is not involved with the IDEAL UK FIRE project but will consider the outcomes of this study when fully published, as with all new evidence in this area.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 3 November 2025 to Question 85821 on Controlled Burning, what discussions she has had with the Natural Environment Research Council on the publication of its study on the role of prescribed burns in reducing wildfires; and whether her Department has contributed to that study.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As set out in my answer of 31 October, the National Fire Chiefs’ Council (NFCC) responded to Defra’s consultation on heather and grass burning in England earlier this year. Their response is published on their website.
The NFCC’s response was considered as part of the consultation analysis exercise. I also met with representatives from the NFCC and Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) to discuss their response prior to finalising the amendments to the Heather and Grass etc Burning (England) Regulations 2021. Defra, NFCC and FRS continue to work together in this area.
Defra is not involved with the IDEAL UK FIRE project but will consider the outcomes of this study when fully published, as with all new evidence in this area.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 ongoing Natural Environment Research Council study on the role of prescribed burns in reducing wildfires.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra will consider the outcomes of this study when published, as with all new evidence in this area.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 19 September 2025 to Question 76603 on Peatlands: Fires, whether (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have received representations from the National Fire Chiefs Council on that issue.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) responded to Defra’s consultation on heather and grass burning in England earlier this year. Their response is published on their website: 250523-Heather-and-Grass-Burning-in-England-Consultation-Response-FINAL.pdf.
I also met with NFCC to discuss their consultation response, prior to the amendments to the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 being finalised. Defra and NFCC, as well as representatives from various Fire and Rescue Services, continue to work together in this area.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 the (a) ban on controlled heather burning on deep peat and (b) definition of deep peat on the risk of wildfires.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Evidence shows that burning is damaging to peatlands and can increase their long-term vulnerability to wildfires. The amendments to The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 significantly increase the area of peatland protected, helping to reduce the impacts of wildfire in the future.
The Government’s full response to the public consultation, which includes sections on wildfire and peat depth, can be found here - Summary of responses and government response - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 8 September 2025 to Question 69834 on Water Charges, whether households can request that the smart element of smart water meters is deinstalled.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Smart water meters provide an increased regularity of data, in comparison to standard meters, which enables water companies to identify leaks in the property and can help incentivise more water efficient behaviours assisting in reducing overall water consumption. If customers are concerned about their bills increasing, many companies offer the option to switch to the lowest tariff if they find that their metered bill is more expensive.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 69834 on Water Charges, whether participation in tariff pilots is optional.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
All water companies have committed to carrying out a charging trial by 2030. Ofwat has set good practice principles for the charging trials, which all companies must follow.
In designing their trials, companies are required to consult with the Consumer Council for Water to ensure that safeguards are in place to protect vulnerable consumers or exclude them from trials where appropriate. This means that customers who may be struggling to pay their water bills are protected whilst the trials are carried out.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 8 September 2025 to Question 72871 on Social Tariffs, whether the increase in customers on social tariffs will result in increased bills for other customers.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Statutory guidance requires companies to balance their support for low-income households against the interests of other customers.
In their business plans for the period between 2025–2030, some companies have committed to shareholder contributions to financial support schemes such as social tariffs and matched debt repayments.
The projected number of customers on social tariffs between 2025-2030 has already been factored into price controls; any additional increase will not affect bill levels for other customers.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 10 July 2025 to Question 64768 on Water: Prices, what estimate Ofwat has made of the average increase in water bills for homes with gardens affected by seasonal water metering.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ofwat has not conducted a specific bill impact assessment for homes with gardens for companies trialling this method of charging.
South West Water estimated that 55% of household customers would save on its seasonal saver tariff and 95% of customers would save on its summer peak tariff; South West Water has designed the trial to be revenue neutral within the trial groups. Anglian Water has estimated that 2 out of every 3 customers would be no worse off or marginally better off under its seasonal tariffs, compared with its standard charge.