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 he will make it his policy to include a ban on the importation of product where antibiotics have been used as growth promoters in all future international trade deals.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have been clear that we will only ever sign trade agreements which align with the UK’s national interests, and we will always uphold our high food standards.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make it his policy to prohibit the import of Bovine Somatotropin-treated dairy products in trade deals.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Our approach to trade deals ensures all agri-food products must comply with our sanitary and phytosanitary standards and wider import requirements to be placed on the UK market. There is no import ban in the UK on dairy products from cows treated with bovine somatotropin, however consignments must be accompanied by animal and public health certification and come from approved countries and establishments. We will not change this in any trade deal.
The UK prohibits the use of artificial growth hormones, beta-agonists such as ractopamine and anything other than potable water to decontaminate poultry carcasses in both domestic production and imported meat products.
We will continue to maintain our existing high standards for animal health and food hygiene, ensuring that imported products comply with our import requirements.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make it his policy to prohibit the import of chlorine-washed poultry in trade deals.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Our approach to trade deals ensures all agri-food products must comply with our sanitary and phytosanitary standards and wider import requirements to be placed on the UK market. There is no import ban in the UK on dairy products from cows treated with bovine somatotropin, however consignments must be accompanied by animal and public health certification and come from approved countries and establishments. We will not change this in any trade deal.
The UK prohibits the use of artificial growth hormones, beta-agonists such as ractopamine and anything other than potable water to decontaminate poultry carcasses in both domestic production and imported meat products.
We will continue to maintain our existing high standards for animal health and food hygiene, ensuring that imported products comply with our import requirements.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make it his policy to prohibit the import of ractopamine-treated pork in trade deals.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Our approach to trade deals ensures all agri-food products must comply with our sanitary and phytosanitary standards and wider import requirements to be placed on the UK market. There is no import ban in the UK on dairy products from cows treated with bovine somatotropin, however consignments must be accompanied by animal and public health certification and come from approved countries and establishments. We will not change this in any trade deal.
The UK prohibits the use of artificial growth hormones, beta-agonists such as ractopamine and anything other than potable water to decontaminate poultry carcasses in both domestic production and imported meat products.
We will continue to maintain our existing high standards for animal health and food hygiene, ensuring that imported products comply with our import requirements.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make it his policy to prohibit the import of hormone-treated beef in trade deals.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Our approach to trade deals ensures all agri-food products must comply with our sanitary and phytosanitary standards and wider import requirements to be placed on the UK market. There is no import ban in the UK on dairy products from cows treated with bovine somatotropin, however consignments must be accompanied by animal and public health certification and come from approved countries and establishments. We will not change this in any trade deal.
The UK prohibits the use of artificial growth hormones, beta-agonists such as ractopamine and anything other than potable water to decontaminate poultry carcasses in both domestic production and imported meat products.
We will continue to maintain our existing high standards for animal health and food hygiene, ensuring that imported products comply with our import requirements.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Oral Statement of 8 May 2025 on Trade Negotiations, Official Report, columns 897-899, whether food imports under the UK-US Free Trade Agreement of (a) ractopamine-treated pork (b) Bovine Somatotropin-treated dairy and (c) products where antibiotics have been used as growth promoters will be prohibited.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
On 8 May, the UK government announced a landmark economic deal with the United States, making the UK the first country to get an agreement with President Trump.
We have agreed new reciprocal market access on beef - with UK farmers given a guaranteed quota for 13,000 metric tonnes of beef exports at a very low tariff rate. Imports of hormone treated beef will remain illegal. Our approach to this trade deal has ensured that any agricultural imports coming into the UK will meet the highest food standards.
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 rainfall patterns in 2025 on domestic food production.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK has a resilient food supply chain that has frequently demonstrated its ability to adapt when required.
The Met Office’s 3-month weather outlook for May, June and July indicates near average rainfall is most likely for the UK but with a slightly higher than normal chance of wet weather. Defra is aware of the current concerns around the ongoing dry conditions. However, it is too early to understand the impact of this period of dry weather on livestock, horticulture and crop plantings and the subsequent impact this may have on yield and quality later in the year at harvest time.
We continue to engage and work closely with the industry and to monitor the weather impacts on domestic food production, through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG), which was established by Defra and the Devolved Administrations to monitor the UK market across all key agricultural commodities.
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 Equidae were recorded entering the UK via (a) Fishguard (b) Holyhead (c) Cairnryan (d) Birkenhead and (e) other ports in each year since 2023.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The table shows the number of equids imported into GB with the port of entry recorded as Birkenhead, Cairnryan, Fishguard, or Holyhead, and the number of equids imported into GB with the port of entry recorded as a port other than those specified.
For the year 2023, there were 355 consignments where the third party did not record the number of equids on the notifications
Arrival Year | Port of Entry | Number of Equids |
2023 | Birkenhead | - |
Cairnryan | 5 | |
Fishguard | 167 | |
Holyhead | 9,911 | |
Other Ports | 13,837 | |
2023 Total | 23,920 | |
2024 | Birkenhead | 32 |
Cairnryan | 74 | |
Fishguard | 869 | |
Holyhead | 12,944 | |
Other Ports | 13,934 | |
2024 Total | 27,853 | |
2025 | Birkenhead | 94 |
Cairnryan | 20 | |
Fishguard | 580 | |
Holyhead | 3,330 | |
Other Ports | 4,457 | |
2025 Total | 8,481 | |
Grand Total | 60,254 | |
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 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.
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 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.