Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 protect freshwater invertebrates from pesticides used in veterinary tick and flea treatments.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is taking a range of actions to address the levels of fipronil and imidacloprid being detected in UK waterways.
Through its leadership of the cross‑Government Pharmaceuticals in the Environment Group, the VMD has published a roadmap focusing on improving public awareness and promoting responsible use and disposal of topical flea and tick treatments.
To strengthen the evidence base, the VMD is funding research into environmental exposure pathways and pet owner behaviours and is working with environment agencies to improve monitoring data.
The VMD is also undertaking an evidence‑based review of distribution categories for veterinary medicines containing fipronil or imidacloprid.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 permitting the use of active substances in pesticides that are banned for outdoor agricultural use in veterinary tick and flea treatments.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is taking a range of actions to address the levels of fipronil and imidacloprid being detected in UK waterways.
Through its leadership of the cross‑Government Pharmaceuticals in the Environment Group, the VMD has published a roadmap focusing on improving public awareness and promoting responsible use and disposal of topical flea and tick treatments.
To strengthen the evidence base, the VMD is funding research into environmental exposure pathways and pet owner behaviours and is working with environment agencies to improve monitoring data.
The VMD is also undertaking an evidence‑based review of distribution categories for veterinary medicines containing fipronil or imidacloprid.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether a consultation on ending the routine culling of male chicks through in-ovo sexing is under consideration.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As stated in the recently published Animal Welfare Strategy the Government would like to see an end to the practice of killing day-old chicks and we will be working with the UK egg industry to this end. The Government welcomes industry’s interest in the development of day zero sexing technology.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 commit to developing a roadmap for the transition to in-ovo sexing in the UK egg industry.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As stated in the recently published Animal Welfare Strategy the Government would like to see an end to the practice of killing day-old chicks and we will be working with the UK egg industry to this end. The Government welcomes industry’s interest in the development of day zero sexing technology.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to publish a formal consultation on how a transition to in-ovo sexing would be implemented.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As stated in the recently published Animal Welfare Strategy the Government would like to see an end to the practice of killing day-old chicks and we will be working with the UK egg industry to this end. The Government welcomes industry’s interest in the development of day zero sexing technology.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 climate change on wildlife.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Under the UK Climate Change Act 2008, the Government must complete a Climate Change Risk Assessment every five years, followed by a National Adaptation Programme outlining how identified risks will be addressed. The fourth Climate Change Risk Assessment will be published in 2027, informed by the independent assessment and advice provided by the Climate Change Committee. This will include a Technical Report outlining UK climate risks, including risks to terrestrial, coastal, freshwater, marine and soil ecosystems, and a Well-Adapted UK Report that will advise on how to address them.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 develop a strategy (a) to help tackle surface water flooding and (b) ensure water industry regulatory compliance.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) has a strategic overview role for all sources of flooding, which includes surface water. This is set out in the National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England (FCERM Strategy). The EA has a legal duty to review the current FCERM Strategy in 2026.
Responsibility for surface water flooding is shared across risk management authorities, including lead local flood authorities, water companies and the EA. The Government is supporting this through policy reform, investment and improved coordination. This includes enabling better rainwater management, including sustainable drainage systems, improving data sharing and supporting local strategies where surface water flood risk is greatest. A new three-year £4.2 billion Floods and Coastal Risk Management Investment Programme will also start in April 2026.
The Government is strengthening water industry regulation by increasing scrutiny, identifying failures and providing the intelligence for enforcement and remedial action. The EA is increasing compliance and enforcement activity, supported by additional funding and tougher powers, to ensure water companies meet their environmental obligations.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the cost of flood protection measures to businesses which regularly flood in (a) the King's Staith area in York and (b) all other areas.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The properties along the historic Kings Staith waterfront are the lowest lying properties in the city and have no permanent flood wall defences due to heritage, buildability and economic reasons. Many of these properties now benefit from individual property flood resilience measures, which are an important intervention to reduce the likelihood and implications of flooding, and aid recovery in line with National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy.
In the York Flood Alleviation Programme, the average installation cost of property level protection measures is £15,000.
The Government does not hold national data on the cost of flood protection measures specifically to businesses across all areas, as costs are determined on a property-by-property basis, through approved project business cases. Where Government funding is provided, costs and any business contributions are agreed locally as part of those schemes rather than through a single published estimate.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that flood protection infrastructure, including the Foss Barrier in York, is regularly inspected and maintained.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency regularly inspects and reports on the condition of flood risk management assets across England.
Environment Agency assets are prioritised for funding as part of the annual allocation process. Where appropriate, third-party asset owners are advised on necessary remedial action. Whilst responsibility for third party assets remains with the asset owner, the Environment Agency may by exception use Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCRM) funding to carry out maintenance or repairs where it regards this is urgent to safeguard the public.
For 2025–26, £72 million has been reprioritised from the national flood risk investment programme to maintain flood assets, benefiting around an extra 14,500 properties.
The Foss Barrier is a complex asset with an extensive inspection and maintenance regime. Around 100 days of maintenance activity are carried out each year at the Foss Barrier to inspect its condition, optimise performance, prevent failure and inform maintenance.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps is she taking to reduce drought in York and North Yorkshire over the summer season.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Yorkshire's water resources have fully recovered after a notably wet autumn and early winter. The likelihood of a return to drought conditions in 2026 are now the same as they are in the late winter of any recent year. The Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water, and other organisations are reviewing their drought response plans. This will include exploring all options for balancing the need for security of drinking water, for water needed by industry and agriculture, and to maintain the significant leisure industry in a region with two national parks. These needs for water resources must always balance with protecting the valuable habitats and environment of Yorkshire.