Asked by: Anna Gelderd (Labour - South East Cornwall)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions she has had with the Governor of the Bank of England on the potential impact of climate and nature-related risks on (a) the economy and (b) financial stability; and what steps her Department is taking to coordinate with the Bank of England in response to those risks.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Treasury has a comprehensive framework for assessing and managing risks to the economic outlook and to financial stability. This includes systematic monitoring through internal risk monitors, risk governance forums, and collaboration with other government departments such as the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in relation to the impacts of climate change and nature related risks.
The Chancellor’s latest remit and recommendations letter to the Financial Policy Committee (FPC) asks the Committee to consider how climate-related risks could affect financial stability over the near and long term, and to continue to assess the materiality of nature-related risks to its primary objective. The remits for the FPC and Prudential Regulation Committee also make clear that they should support the Government’s approach to accelerate the transition to a climate-resilient, nature-positive and net zero economy.
HMT and the Bank of England meet regularly to discuss the financial stability outlook.
Asked by: Connor Naismith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what additional powers, resources and funding her Department plans to provide to local authorities to support enforcement, prevention and community-led initiatives to reduce littering ahead of the implementation of the Deposit Return Scheme in 2027.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Local authorities already have powers to take enforcement action against littering offenders. Anyone caught littering may be prosecuted in a magistrates’ court, which can lead to a criminal record and a fine of up to £2,500 on conviction. Instead of prosecuting, local authorities may decide to issue a fixed penalty (on-the-spot fine) of up to £500. Local authorities also have powers to issue a civil penalty to the keeper of a vehicle from which litter has been thrown. This helps them respond to littering incidents when they cannot identify the specific individual who dropped litter from a vehicle.
To support local authorities to make good use of their fixed penalty powers for littering and related offences, which will reduce littering, we have laid new Statutory Guidance, Litter enforcement powers: when and how to use them, in Parliament. Local authorities will need to have regard to this guidance when using their powers. The guidance is available: Litter enforcement powers: when and how to use them - GOV.UK
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will be issuing a small grant payment to local authorities in England to support them to familiarise themselves with the Litter Enforcement Guidance.
We have also laid the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse statutory guidance in parliament which outlines the standards expected of local authorities and other duty bodies (e.g. National Highways) with regards to their duty to keep their land clear of litter and refuse. The guidance can be found on: Code of practice on litter and refuse - GOV.UK
Asked by: Lord Hart of Tenby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of amending the inspection regime for small and medium sized abattoirs to reduce cost and allow for a reduction in the Food Standards Agency’s inspection charges.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
All approved abattoirs are subject to the same regulatory framework for food safety and animal welfare controls which are set in assimilated European Union law and are currently prescriptive, and divergence could restrict British access to EU and other markets. Previous discussions with the meat industry on a two-tier system for large and small producers concluded that the risk of damaging relationships with international partners, who insist on the application of these regulations as the basis for trade, was too high.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) applies available flexibilities to small abattoir operators where possible, including reduced Official Veterinarian attendance at certain small abattoirs. The FSA has worked with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs on extending these regulatory flexibilities, however, these discussions are now part of wider negotiations on the sanitary and phytosanitary agreement.
The FSA review of its charging system has identified the importance of the small abattoir sector, and the FSA Board gave direction for the discount system to be focused on this sector.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to ensure that people in Yeovil constituency are aware of the health harms of air pollution.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Clean air is a key part of our shift from ‘sickness to prevention’ in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, which sets out action to further improve the quality of the air we breathe, including in Yeovil.
Alongside the 10-Year Health Plan, the Environmental Improvement Plan published in December 2025 by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs outlines commitments to improve the communication of air quality information.
Government action is being informed by the recommendations from the Air Quality Information System review report published in 2025, which specifically considered ways to increase public awareness about air pollution. We are taking steps to update the Daily Air Quality Index webpages, which are accessible to the public, to include more health specific advice and the introduction of an air quality alert system to provide advanced warning of pollution episodes.
We will continue to work closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to reduce the health harms of air pollution and to help make air quality part of everyday conversations, including in Yeovil.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department has spent on special severance payments in each of the last three years.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The total value of severance payments is set out in the department’s Annual Report and Accounts, which are available for the last three years.
Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her department has assessed the impact of noise levels from National Highway project’s on community groups.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
National Highways is responsible for assessing noise associated with individual road schemes as part of the planning process, alongside managing noise from the Strategic Road Network more generally. The Department sets out its expectations on what National Highways must do to mitigate noise from the Strategic Road Network as part of its Road Investment Strategies, and will shortly be publishing the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3).
In the case of transport noise, the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for assessing noise across England and conducts noise mapping as part of implementing the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006. National Highways’s noise mitigation work is focused on those areas defined by Defra as Noise Important Areas, within its Noise Action Plans.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much it is costing the police to house dogs that have been confiscated under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not hold data on the total cost to policing for housing dogs confiscated under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
I would refer the hon member to the response previously provided by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UIN: 74382.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action is being taken to help improve the availability of domestic abuse services in rural areas.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
In the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy, 'Freedom from Violence and Abuse’, we committed to developing a new cross-government statement on the commissioning of VAWG services. This will update the National Statement of Expectation, refresh the VAWG Commissioning Toolkit, and will improve the quality of commissioning. For England, the Safe Accommodation Duty for victims of domestic abuse, and the upcoming Duty to Collaborate for victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence, and serious violence, will ensure local areas are able to tailor their provision to their local community and duty holders should consider the needs of rural victims as part of this.
This financial year (2025/26) the Home Office has invested £6m into specialist helplines to support victims in their greatest time of need. The VAWG Helplines are established to be accessible wherever you are across England and Wales. They provide advice and support to victims and assist in signposting and referrals to appropriate local services.
Last year, the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) commenced a call for evidence across a network of rural stakeholders to inform understanding of the availability of support services and delivery methodologies that might be effective in rural areas. Defra will work to understand the findings of this evidence to help to confront the disparities in the provision of support so that every victim, whether in a city or a rural village, can access the help they need.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support ocean sciences and the growth of the blue economy.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government has a strong track record of supporting marine science, including through the £10 million ‘Biological influence on future ocean storage of carbon’ (BIO-Carbon) programme, funded by UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), which aims to better understand the role of ocean life in climate sequestration. NERC also supports and partners with the National Oceanography Centre and other marine delivery partners to underpin the UK’s marine science capabilities.
More widely, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) supports the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, supporting global efforts to tackle the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and food security. DEFRA also works to foster international ocean science co-operation on ocean sustainability issues, and is working closely with our fishing and seafood sectors to ensure they are profitable and sustainable. In addition, the investment provided by the £360 million Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, which will support the next generation of fishermen and coastal communities over the next 12 years.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who is the Minister responsible for the implementation of the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Baroness Hayman of Ullock was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with responsibility for animal welfare for England.