Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will appoint an expert in animal welfare to the Food Strategy board.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Members of the Food Strategy Advisory Board were selected as senior leaders who have a broad range of experience across the food system and reflect the diversity of the sector. Membership has been finalised. We are not looking to expand it at this time.
The Board represents just one aspect of our engagement with stakeholders across the food supply system. The food strategy will articulate the outcomes required to deliver food system change.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
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 his Department's press release entitled Avian Influenza Prevention Zone housing measures lifted, published on 12 May 2025, when the General Licence 45 for gamebird release in and near to special protection areas in England will be reissued.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There are currently no plans to reissue General Licence 45 for gamebird release on and near to Special Protection Areas in England. Anyone intending to release gamebirds on or near a Special Protection Area should apply to Natural England for an individual licence.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
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 secure additional funding for Internal Drainage Boards in (a) England, (b) Norfolk and (c) South West Norfolk constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the important role of internal drainage boards (IDBs). We increased the IDB Fund to £91 million. This will reduce future costs and improve assets and water level management across 400,000ha of farmland and benefiting over 91,000 properties. In Norfolk 32 projects have received grants (£10.6 million), 8 of which (£2.32 million) are in South West Norfolk constituency.
The Government also announced £5 million in 2025/26 for those local authorities most impacted by IDB levies. Given local pressures, we are launching research to review IDB costs and funding, including whether any changes are needed to the funding model.
Protecting communities from the dangers of flooding is one of Defra’s top priorities. This government is investing a record £2.65 billion over two years (2024/25 and 2025/26) for the construction of new flood schemes, and the maintenance and repair of existing ones. Of this £49.6 million is being invested in Norfolk.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
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 mitigate the costs to (a) local councils and (b) landowners of internal drainage boards; and what steps he is taking to ensure that (i) South West Norfolk and (ii) Norfolk are protected from flooding.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the important role of internal drainage boards (IDBs). We increased the IDB Fund to £91 million. This will reduce future costs and improve assets and water level management across 400,000ha of farmland and benefiting over 91,000 properties. In Norfolk 32 projects have received grants (£10.6 million), 8 of which (£2.32 million) are in South West Norfolk constituency.
The Government also announced £5 million in 2025/26 for those local authorities most impacted by IDB levies. Given local pressures, we are launching research to review IDB costs and funding, including whether any changes are needed to the funding model.
Protecting communities from the dangers of flooding is one of Defra’s top priorities. This government is investing a record £2.65 billion over two years (2024/25 and 2025/26) for the construction of new flood schemes, and the maintenance and repair of existing ones. Of this £49.6 million is being invested in Norfolk.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
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 support councils who pay the Internal Drainage Board levy.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the important role of internal drainage boards (IDBs). We increased the IDB Fund to £91 million. This will reduce future costs and improve assets and water level management across 400,000ha of farmland and benefiting over 91,000 properties. In Norfolk 32 projects have received grants (£10.6 million), 8 of which (£2.32 million) are in South West Norfolk constituency.
The Government also announced £5 million in 2025/26 for those local authorities most impacted by IDB levies. Given local pressures, we are launching research to review IDB costs and funding, including whether any changes are needed to the funding model.
Protecting communities from the dangers of flooding is one of Defra’s top priorities. This government is investing a record £2.65 billion over two years (2024/25 and 2025/26) for the construction of new flood schemes, and the maintenance and repair of existing ones. Of this £49.6 million is being invested in Norfolk.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding his Department is providing to farmers of broiler hens to (a) replace and upgrade housing to help improve animal health and welfare and (b) help improve the control of pollutive emissions.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There is currently no funding available for replacing broiler housing. However, on 29 May 2025, eligible broiler farmers will be able to apply for grants of between £1,000 and £25,000, through the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund, towards the cost of a list of items to make improvements to existing housing. Listed grant items address a range of health and welfare issues including ventilation, enrichment, and biosecurity.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding his Department provides to farmers for laying hens.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare Grant was recently offered to commercial laying hen and pullet keepers in England. It supports these farmers to improve the health, welfare, and productivity of their flocks through access to £22.6 million in grants towards the cost of upgrading their housing. Applications closed on 18 September 2024 and all applicants have been contacted to notify them of next steps.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress he has made in the development of the new Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra will be working closely with farmers and industry stakeholders to design a future SFI offer that fairly and responsibly directs funding. This future SFI offer will build on what has made SFI effective so far. Further details about the reformed SFI offer will be announced following the spending review in summer 2025.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with (a) farmers and (b) landowners on the Land Use Framework.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recently closed its consultation on land use in England. The responses to this consultation will inform the development of the Land Use Framework, scheduled to be published later this year.
The consultation process included engagement events such as regional workshops and ministerial roundtables where stakeholders, including farmers and landowners, were invited to give their views on land use.
We intend to continue to engage on land use up to, and beyond, the Framework’s publication.
Asked by: Terry Jermy (Labour - South West Norfolk)
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 adequacy of the condition of chalk streams in Norfolk.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is committed to the protection and restoration of our cherished chalk streams. Recent investment has enabled a comprehensive assessment of chalk streams in Norfolk and additional monitoring. Of the 11 chalk waterbodies in Norfolk, the majority are classified as having moderate ecological status. These classifications are based on a range of pressures, including water quality, hydrological regime, and geomorphological condition. Comprehensive classification data can be accessed via the Catchment Data Explorer: Anglian River Basin District | Catchment Data Explorer
Following this assessment, the Environment Agency (EA) has developed operational plans for Norfolk’s chalk streams, outlining the current condition of the rivers, identifying key pressures, and setting catchment-scale priorities in line with local and national environmental strategies.
The EA is using its regulatory powers and the Asset Management Planning process to deliver a range of measures to ensure water companies reduce water abstraction pressures and improve water treatment on the Rivers Heacham, Ingol, Gaywood and Nar. The EA is also using partnership funding to work with farmers and catchment partners to reduce diffuse pollution risks and deliver habitat improvement projects at both a site and landscape scale. Through the Flood and Coastal Risk Management and Water Environment Improvement Fund we are investing in projects to restore Norfolk’s priority chalk habitats.