Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
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 effectiveness of the Veterinary Surgeons Act.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra acknowledges the calls from industry, stakeholders and the general public to update the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (VSA) and its many potential benefits.
Currently, Defra officials are actively engaging with key stakeholders, including the BVA (British Veterinary Association), the RCVS (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons), BVNA (British Veterinary Nursing Association), and the Vet Schools Council to review opportunities for reform of the sector.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
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 introduced ring-fenced Water Restoration Fund on local water improvement projects.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Water Restoration Fund, which launched in April 2024, was established to reinvest water company environmental fines and penalties back into projects to improve the water environment. Successful applicants have been notified, with a total of £11 million due to be invested into local projects to improve our waterways. A detailed evaluation will be produced following completion of the Fund, assessing the impact of the projects.
The Water Restoration Fund will continue as originally planned, with the £11 million of funding based on water company fines and penalties from April 2022 until October 2023. Going forwards, this Government has announced that over £100 million in fines and penalties levied against water companies since October 2023, as well as future fines and penalties, will be reinvested into projects to clean up our waters. Further details on the projects and programmes that this funding will go towards will be set out later in the year.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Water Restoration Fund will be continued after the first round of payments have been awarded.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Water Restoration Fund, which launched in April 2024, was established to reinvest water company environmental fines and penalties back into projects to improve the water environment. Successful applicants have been notified, with a total of £11 million due to be invested into local projects to improve our waterways. A detailed evaluation will be produced following completion of the Fund, assessing the impact of the projects.
The Water Restoration Fund will continue as originally planned, with the £11 million of funding based on water company fines and penalties from April 2022 until October 2023. Going forwards, this Government has announced that over £100 million in fines and penalties levied against water companies since October 2023, as well as future fines and penalties, will be reinvested into projects to clean up our waters. Further details on the projects and programmes that this funding will go towards will be set out later in the year.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
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 2 July 2025 to Question 62667 on Animal and Plant Health Agency, whether those investments include (a) biosecurity and (b) the redevelopment of the Animal and Plant Health Agency headquarters.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are making a record investment into the nation’s biosecurity capabilities, and in turn our national security. In June the Government announced over £1 billion in funding for biosecurity over the current parliament from the Spending Review. This includes the necessary funding to make progress with building the National Biosecurity Centre at the Animal & Plant Health Agency’s Weybridge site.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) Thames Water and (b) Ofwat since the withdrawal of KKR from discussions on an equity recapitalisation deal.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government and Ofwat – the financial regulator for the water sector – are carefully monitoring the situation at Thames Water, and Ofwat is working closely with the company to strengthen its long-term financial resilience within the context of its licence and broader statutory obligations. Thames Water is running an equity raise and has indicated that it will need a new capital structure requiring both more equity and a significant reduction in the level of debt and we are monitoring this process closely.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
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 prevent the collapse of Thames Water.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government and Ofwat – the financial regulator for the water sector – are carefully monitoring the situation at Thames Water, and Ofwat is working closely with the company to strengthen its long-term financial resilience within the context of its licence and broader statutory obligations. Thames Water is running an equity raise and has indicated that it will need a new capital structure requiring both more equity and a significant reduction in the level of debt and we are monitoring this process closely.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the National Audit Office’s report entitled Resilience to animal diseases, published on 4 June 2025, what assessment his Department has made of failing to implement the statutory digital equine ID system on the risk of (a) disease preparedness, (b) livestock traceability and (c) biosecurity measures at the border.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.
Defra recognises the importance of a robust equine identification and traceability regime. The current paper-based system supports disease outbreak management, public health and biosecurity. Biosecurity is also protected by the UK’s imports requirements and imports health certificates for equines.
Defra has no current plans to implement statutory digital equine identification.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to paragraphs 8 and 10 of the National Audit Office’s report entitled Resilience to animal diseases, published on 4 June 2025, what plans his Department has to (a) deliver an effective digital identification system for horses, (b) enforce the Equine Identification (England) Regulations 2018 and (c) upgrade the Central Equine Database.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.
The Government recognises the importance of the equine sector to the UK economy and of improving equine identification and traceability.
The SPS agreement, outlined at the UK-EU Leader’s Summit on 19 May 2025, will establish a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, aimed at facilitating the safe and efficient movement of trade. The SPS Agreement will cover sanitary rules and the regulation of live animals, including animal health conditions governing the movement and importation of Equidae.
Enforcement of Equine Identification (England) Regulations 2018 lies with within the responsibilities of the Local Authorities.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on when the full redevelopment of the Animal and Plant Health Agency headquarters in Weybridge will be completed.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is making good progress with the redevelopment of the APHA Weybridge site. Planning consent is in place, construction of interim science facilities is underway, work is proceeding on the design of the main National Biosecurity Centre and with the appointment of construction partners. The main construction works are expected to begin in 2027, be completed by 2032 with licensing and commission complete by 2034.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report by the National Audit Office entitled Resilience to Animal Diseases, published on 4 June 2025, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the UK's preparedness to respond to a major animal disease outbreak.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra and APHA actively assisted the National Audit Office in the collation of the data and information used to inform their report and will carefully work through the findings and recommendations to inform a plan for improvement. The National Audit Office will monitor progress against the recommendations at approximately 6 monthly intervals and we look forward to working with them on this. We are committed to improving biosecurity and resilience to animal diseases.