Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
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 support livestock farmers affected by bluetongue with fallen stock costs.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra recognises the challenges bluetongue presents for livestock keepers and is continuing to review the support available to farmers affected by the disease. Farmers can access funded veterinary advice through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
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 open the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2027 in time for agreements to commence from 1 April 2027 and minimise gaps in environmental payments for farmers with schemes expiring after February 2027.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is working to bring forward the 2027 SFI offer as early as possible and details will be published in due course. Eligible farmers who did not obtain an SFI26 agreement will have another opportunity to apply in 2027. Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier remains available through its expression-of-interest process for appropriate land and activities.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
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 Office for Environmental Protection's report entitled A review of Environment Agency inspections in the waste operations and installations sector in England, published 14 May 2025, what steps she is taking in response to the findings on the quality of Environment Agency waste site inspections; and by what date she plans to report back to the Office for Environmental Protection on progress.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government Response to the OEP’s report was published on 15 September and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-the-office-for-environmental-protection-review-of-environment-agency-inspections-of-waste-operations-and-installations-in-engla/government-response-to-the-office-for-environmental-protection-review-of-environment-agency-inspections-in-the-waste-operations-and-installations-sect. The response sets out how the Environment Agency and the government are continuing to strengthen the effectiveness, consistency and transparency of the EA’s inspection and compliance regime for waste operations and installations.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
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 require environmental permits for highway runoff discharges from the Strategic Road Network.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There are currently no plans to require environmental permits for all Strategic Road Network highway runoff discharges. Existing permitting powers would be applied where appropriate.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
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 review the voluntary agreement between the Environment Agency and National Highways on the management of highway runoff pollution.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is committed to accelerating action on water pollution, including highway run-off. The upcoming Water Bill will drive significant reform of the water system, with implications for all relevant organisations.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many of Henry Dimbleby’s recommendations in his National Food Strategy (2021) the Government has acted upon.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is acting on many of the issues identified by Henry Dimbleby. Through the ambitions set out in the Good Food Cycle, this Government is working towards a healthier, more affordable, sustainable and resilient food system which ensures access to safe, affordable healthy, convenient and appealing food options for everyone, with a particular focus on vulnerable and low-income households.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which public body is responsible for managing wild deer populations in built-up residential areas in England.
Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
No assessment has been made or is planned regarding the adequacy of the policy statement in respect of addressing deer impacts in residential or peri-urban areas in England.
It is the responsibility of the landowner or landowners of the land on which the issue occurs to arrange for management measures to be carried out. Local authorities also have a role to play regarding management of deer on public land for which they have responsibility.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the adequacy of the Deer impacts policy statement for England in addressing deer impacts in residential and peri-urban areas.
Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
No assessment has been made or is planned regarding the adequacy of the policy statement in respect of addressing deer impacts in residential or peri-urban areas in England.
It is the responsibility of the landowner or landowners of the land on which the issue occurs to arrange for management measures to be carried out. Local authorities also have a role to play regarding management of deer on public land for which they have responsibility.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, further to the Answer of 14 September 2026 to Question 27413 on water companies' finances, what regulatory action Ofwat has taken in respect of water companies whose gearing ratio exceeds 70 per cent; and whether Ofwat has used its powers under the Water Industry Act 1991 to intervene in the management of any such company on financial resilience grounds.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ofwat has used its cash lock-up provisions, which prohibit dividend payments if companies lose their investment-grade credit rating, on Thames Water, Southern Water and South East Water.
As noted in the Water White Paper, we are considering whether further measures are necessary to ensure companies do not accumulate unmanageable levels of debt.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, further to the Answer of 14 September 2026 to Question 27413 on water companies' finances, what regulatory action Ofwat has taken in respect of water companies whose gearing ratio exceeds 70 per cent; and whether Ofwat has used its powers under the Water Industry Act 1991 to intervene in the management of any such company on financial resilience grounds.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ofwat has used its cash lock-up provisions, which prohibit dividend payments if companies lose their investment-grade credit rating, on Thames Water, Southern Water and South East Water.
As noted in the Water White Paper, we are considering whether further measures are necessary to ensure companies do not accumulate unmanageable levels of debt.