Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference oral contribution of 23 April 2025 by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Official Report, column 1141, how much funding has been approved for projects under the Water Restoration Fund in the latest funding round.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Water Restoration Fund, which launched in April last year, is reinvesting funding based on water company environmental fines and penalties into projects to improve the water environment. The Water Restoration Fund funding is based on water company fines and penalties from April 2022 until October 2023.

Up to £11 million of funding was made available on a competitive basis to support a range of water restoration projects.

Following a rigorous assessment process, I am pleased to say that current applicants to the Water Restoration Fund have been contacted regarding the outcome of their application. Further details regarding which projects have been successful and specific funding allocations per project will be shared in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference oral contribution of 23 April 2025 by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Official Report, column 1141, if his Department will maintain the Water Restoration Fund for this Parliament and beyond.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The water restoration fund is currently active.

Defra is evaluating how water company fines and penalties can be reinvested in improvements to the water environment.

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 press notice by Ofwat entitled Ofwat approves £104bn upgrade to accelerate delivery of cleaner rivers and seas and secure long-term drinking water supplies for customers, published 19 December 2024, what discussions his Department has had with Ofwat on its planned timetable for releasing additional funding for the water system.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Ofwat on a range of issues, including ensuring companies properly carry out and finance their statutory functions.

The price controls set as part of Price Review 2024 came into effect on 1st April 2025. In their Final Determinations, Ofwat set expenditure allowances which fund companies to meet their statutory and regulatory requirements and deliver their performance commitments over the 2025-30 period.

The £104 billion funding package is the highest level of investment in the water sector since privatisation and is set to be the second largest private sector investment programme for this Parliament, which will contribute to the delivery of key elements of the Government’s Plan for Change and Mission Objectives.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the projects funded by the Water Restoration Fund since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Water Restoration Fund, which launched in April last year, is reinvesting funding based on water company environmental fines and penalties into projects to improve the water environment. The Water Restoration Fund funding is based on water company fines and penalties from April 2022 until October 2023.

Up to £11 million of funding was made available on a competitive basis to support a range of water restoration projects.

Following a rigorous assessment process, I am pleased to say that current applicants to the Water Restoration Fund have been contacted regarding the outcome of their application. Further details regarding which projects have been successful and project publication procedures will be shared in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference oral contribution of 23 April 2025 by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Official Report, columns 1136 and 1165, what proportion of the planned funding for the water system from the private sector had been secured by 23 April 2025.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The price controls set as part of Price Review 2024 came into effect on 1st April 2025. In their Final Determinations, Ofwat set expenditure allowances which fund companies to meet their statutory and regulatory requirements and deliver their performance commitments over the 2025-30 period.

The £104 billion funding package is the highest level of investment in the water sector since privatisation and is set to be the second largest private sector investment programme for this Parliament, which will contribute to the delivery of key elements of the Government’s Plan for Change and Mission Objectives.

The £104 billion expenditure planned over the next 5 years comes from expenditure by the water companies, which are required to maintain, improve and build new infrastructure like pipes and treatment plants. Customers pay for the reasonable costs of these investments through their water bills but over a long period of time, not as the costs arise. As the money to meet these costs is collected over time, water companies need to raise the finance to pay for the investment upfront. This finance comes from investors in the form of debt and equity.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proposals he plans bring forward to enforce the ban on live exports to slaughter under the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024 specifically for Equidae.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on 11 April 2025 to PQ 43550 and 43549.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help tackle the sale of illegal nicotine pouches.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In Great Britain, nicotine pouches are currently regulated under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, meaning they are subject to general product safety requirements enforced by Trading Standards, including labelling with safety information and instructions for use.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will enhance the regulation of nicotine pouches by providing powers to restrict product packaging and flavours. Powers in the bill will also allow the Government to limit the amount of nicotine in a pouch, as well as ban any other ingredient that might be harmful.

The Government is taking a range of action to tackle illegal nicotine pouches and protect young people from potential harms. The bill will strengthen enforcement and crack down on rogue retailers by enabling the introduction of a retail licensing scheme in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The bill also provides powers to develop a new registration system for all tobacco, vape, and nicotine products. This will help Trading Standards to enforce our rules on product requirements and support improving consumer safety.

Alongside the bill, the Government has announced £10 million of new funding in 2025/26 to Trading Standards, to tackle illicit and underage sales, and to support the implementation of the measures in the bill. This funding will be used to boost the Trading Standards workforce by recruiting approximately 80 new apprentices.

Found: _1 Charlie Dewhirst Dr Neil Hudson .

Found: _1 Charlie Dewhirst Dr Neil Hudson .

Found: _1 Charlie Dewhirst Dr Neil Hudson .

Found: _1 Charlie Dewhirst Dr Neil Hudson .

Found: _1 Charlie Dewhirst Dr Neil Hudson .

Found: _1 Charlie Dewhirst Dr Neil Hudson .

Found: _1 Charlie Dewhirst Dr Neil Hudson .