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 her Department plans to provide Port Health Authorities with statutory powers to (a) stop, (b) search and (c) seize illegal meat imports.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 2011 already give port health authorities in England, search and seize powers in relation to animal products. Defra is considering the recommendations in this area in the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s report on meat smuggling and will respond shortly.
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 her Department is taking to improve public awareness of the rules on importing products of animal origin; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the models used in New Zealand.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is mindful of international examples, such as models used in New Zealand, when considering approaches for improving public awareness of rules for importing products of animal origin. Defra has worked in partnership with other Government departments, ports, airports and international travel operators to improve public awareness of the rules. Defra has issued public communications about the rules via press release, social media and GOV.UK, and published posters for operational partners to display.
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 she has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing national taskforce to tackle illegal imports of (a) meat and (b) animal products.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is considering this recommendation in the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s report on meat smuggling.
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 her Department is taking to increase public awareness of the steps people whose homes are at risk of flooding should take to help mitigate that risk.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We welcome the publication of the Environmental Audit Committee's ‘Flood resilience in England’ report on 13 October. The department is considering its recommendations, including a national audit of flood resilience assets and on increasing public awareness of both flood risk and public bodies’ statutory duties.
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 her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of commissioning a national audit of flood resilience assets.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We welcome the publication of the Environmental Audit Committee's ‘Flood resilience in England’ report on 13 October. The department is considering its recommendations, including a national audit of flood resilience assets and on increasing public awareness of both flood risk and public bodies’ statutory duties.
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 her Department is taking to increase public awareness of the statutory duties of public bodies with relation to flooding.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We welcome the publication of the Environmental Audit Committee's ‘Flood resilience in England’ report on 13 October. The department is considering its recommendations, including a national audit of flood resilience assets and on increasing public awareness of both flood risk and public bodies’ statutory duties.
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 her Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the (a) Property Flood Resilience Scheme and (b) Flood Re in supporting people affected by flooding.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
From April 2024 to March 2025, around 350 properties were better protected by Property Flood Resilience measures under the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Investment Programme.
Flood Re supported over 346,000 household policies in 2024/25, with 650,000 properties benefitting since launch. Flood Re’s second Quinquennial Review, published July 2024, recommends measures to improve efficiency and support transition to a risk-reflective insurance market by 2039. These will be considered by the Secretary of State.
Last month, I met senior insurance leaders to explore industry support for customers, ensuring access to affordable coverage and fair claims, especially for households at high flood risk.
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 her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of creating a statutory duty for fire and rescue services to respond to flooding.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is currently assessing the basis for a statutory duty for Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) in England to respond to flooding. This includes consideration of dedicated funding for training, equipment, and operational planning.
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, how many (a) fines and (b) prosecutions have resulted from the illegal importation of products of animal origin in each of the last three years.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra does not hold this information.
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, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing the model of improving public awareness of the rules on importing products of animal origin that is used in Australia.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is mindful of international examples, such as models used in Australia, when considering approaches for improving public awareness of rules for importing products of animal origin. Defra has worked in partnership with other government departments, ports, airports and international travel operators to improve public awareness of the rules. Defra has issued public communications about the rules via press release, social media and GOV.UK, and published posters for operational partners to display.