Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many civil servants are employed through Skilled Worker visas in (1) the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (2) Natural England, and (3) Environment Agency.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra does not employ any civil servants through Skilled Worker visas as the department is not a sponsoring organisation.
As Natural England (NE) and the Environment Agency (EA) are non‑departmental public bodies (arm’s‑length bodies), they do not employ civil servants.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with (a) Ministerial colleagues and (b) external partners on the 25-year conservation plan for Akrotiri Salt Lake in the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Sovereign Base Areas Administration oversees the conservation plan for the Akrotiri Salt Lake, specifically through the ‘Akrotiri Peninsular Environmental Management Plan’. This was prepared in 2012 with the input and cooperation of local communities, non-Government organisations, and agencies of the Republic of Cyprus. Activity within this plan has been undertaken with technical and project support from cross-Government partners, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Asked by: Peter Fortune (Conservative - Bromley and Biggin Hill)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much their department spent on X and xAI since July 2024.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 29 January 2026 to the hon. Member for Windsor, UIN 106863.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 28 January (HL Deb col 923) indicating that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will shortly publish a perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) plan, (1) whether they plan to consult health experts and campaigners in addition to industry, (2) whether they are using the precautionary principle in considering the use and environmental presence of PFAS, and (3) when the plan will be published.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government published the PFAS Plan on 3 February 2026.
The plan will serve as a platform to engage further with industry, other bodies, and the public on PFAS. This will include engagement with health experts and campaigners.
In addressing the risks posed by PFAS, the Government has given due regard to the environmental principles policy statement, pursuant to the Environment Act 2021. This includes the integration, prevention, rectification at source, ‘polluter pays’ principle, and the precautionary principles.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the environmental and health impacts of their School Food guidance in the context of the 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission; and how she plans to respond to the Commission’s Planetary Health Diet recommendations.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department is committed to raising the healthiest generation ever and encourages schools to have a whole school approach to healthy eating.
We are continuing our work to revise the School Food Standards and are engaging experts across the sector, including academics and nutrition professionals. We are also taking account of the emerging themes from recent research and papers as we progress the review.
We are also working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to support on the outcomes of their government Food Strategy. Additionally, schools can voluntarily follow the government buying standards
Asked by: Lord Bird (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to reduce regional differences in life expectancy; and what steps they are taking to account for housing, employment and environmental factors in health policy.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to increasing the amount of time people spend in good health and to preventing premature deaths, with an ambitious commitment to halve the healthy life expectancy gap between the richest and poorest regions.
Our 10-Year Health Plan for England sets out a reimagined service designed to tackle inequalities in both access and outcomes, as well as to give everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from, the means to engage with the health service on their own terms.
The 10-Year Health Plan and the Environmental Improvement Plan set out how the Government will take action to reduce exposure to harmful emissions of air pollutants. This includes action on domestic burning, on which the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have recently launched a consultation.
The 10-Year Health Plan also sets out actions to address poor quality housing and improve the standard of rented homes, alongside £15 billion of investment announced in the Warm Homes Plan. £5 billion of this will be targeted at low-income and fuel poor households. This will help to make homes warmer, more comfortable, and more energy-efficient, which in turn will improve health and reduce health inequalities.
Further to this, the Government recognises that good-quality employment is an important determinant of good health. Sir Charlie Mayfield has submitted the Keep Britain Working review, which highlights how crucial it is to support people to stay healthy and in work.
In partnership with the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Work and Pensions, we are rapidly translating Sir Charlie’s key recommendations into action.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
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 (a) bring awareness to and (b) help address the potential adverse impact of poor ambient air quality.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan sets out actions to reduce people’s exposure to harmful emissions, improve public understanding of air pollution, and strengthen how air quality information is communicated. The Department continues to work with partners across the Government and the health system to ensure the public receives clear, evidence-based advice and that air quality becomes part of everyday conversations.
In line with commitments in both the 10-Year Health Plan and the Environmental Improvement Plan, the Department of Health and Social Care is working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and across Government to reduce the health harms associated with poor ambient air quality.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on delivering national targets for ambient air including by sharing data.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Department of Health and Social Care ministers engage regularly with ministerial colleagues on air quality. The 10-Year Health Plan for England details action the Government will take to reduce the health harms of air pollution. This includes the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ refreshed Environmental Improvement Plan which sets out action to further improve air quality in England including through revised interim targets.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of vaping devices that (a) contain and (b) can be configured to contain more than the standard 2ml tank capacity through (i) interchangeable and (ii) modular components on public health.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will stop vapes and nicotine products from being deliberately branded, promoted, and advertised to children and provides the Government with new powers to restrict the packaging, device appearance, and display of vapes and other nicotine products to stop the next generation from becoming hooked on nicotine.
On 8 October 2025, we launched a Call for Evidence which sought evidence on the size and shape of vapes, vape tanks, and the components of vaping products, including pods, puff-count capacity, and nicotine delivery.
We are now reviewing the responses, and these will help inform decisions around our future regulatory approach once the Tobacco and Vapes Bill has been enacted.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, as part of their upcoming Circular Economy Growth Plan, will consider evidence across a range of interventions, including but not limited to the regulation of product features to support increased recyclability.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many civil servants employed by their Department work in roles primarily focused on (a) transgender policy, (b) diversity, (c) equity and (d) inclusion; and at what annual salary cost.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The team responsible for policies relating to equity, diversity, and inclusion do not align roles to single protected characteristics. As of 31 December 2025, there were six employees (with a full-time equivalent of 6.0) on payroll in this team. The annual salary for the six employees totalled £302,927.