Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the annual budget was for (a) Natural England, (b) the Environment Agency, and (c) the Office for Environmental Protection in each year since 2005.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The annual budget figures for Natural England, the Environment Agency, and the Office for Environmental Protection in each year since 2005 can be found as follows.
Natural England’s actual spend data can be found in their Annual Report and Accounts, which are published here: Natural England annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK.
Environment Agency’s actual spend data can be found in their Annual Report and Accounts, which are published here: Environment Agency annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK.
The Office for Environmental Protection’s actual spend data can be found in their Annual Report and Accounts, which are published here: Our reports and publications | Office for Environmental Protection.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is paying the salary of the Second Permanent Secretary while he is on secondment to the Blavatnik School Of Government.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Nick Joicey is currently on secondment to a role at the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University. As is standard for secondments Defra continues to pay Mr Joicey’s salary and Defra is being reimbursed by Oxford University for his role there.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
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 cross-departmental decision-making between the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and the Northern Ireland Office in the implementation of the Veterinary Medicines Internal Market Scheme and the Veterinary Medicines Health Situations Scheme from 1 January 2026.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Cross-departmental decision-making arrangements are an internal Government matter.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Government Departments use a ministerial car.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Government Car Service (GCS) provides Departmental Pool Cars (DPC) to the following Government departments:
Attorney General’s Office
Cabinet Office
Department for Business and Trade
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Department for Education
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Department for Health and Social Care
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Department for Transport
Department for Work and Pensions
HM Treasury
Home Office
Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Ministry of Justice
Scotland Office
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how access to fresh food is being incorporated into the NHS Long Term Plan’s approach to tackling preventable diseases linked to diet.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government’s Eatwell Guide advises that people should eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, and wholegrain or higher-fibre foods, as well as less processed meat, and food and drink that is high in sugar, calories, saturated fat, and salt. This includes at least five portions of a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. Fresh, frozen, tinned, and dried fruit and vegetables all count. The Eatwell Guide indicates that many foods classified as ‘ultra processed’ such as crisps, biscuits, cakes, confectionery, and ice cream are not part of a healthy, balanced diet.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), alongside other Government departments, are funding research on a number of food system trials through the SALIENT programme. The programme prioritises interventions and partners that have the largest reach and the greatest potential to narrow health inequalities, both geographic and socio-economic. These trials include research on food and vegetable pricing in supermarkets and evaluating the effect of food pantries on food insecurity. DEFRA’s 2024 report on food insecurity also considered inequalities in access to a healthy, sustainable diet.
DHSC is working closely with DEFRA to develop their cross-Government Food Strategy, which aims to improve affordability and access to healthier food, to help both adults and children live longer, healthier lives. We are committed to making the healthier choice the easier choice.
Earlier this year, the Government committed to reviewing the School Food Standards to reflect the most recent Government dietary recommendations. Free school meals will also be extended to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026, including in rural areas. Our free breakfast clubs started with 750 early adopter schools in April 2025, and we have just announced the next wave of 500 schools, with 40% of pupils on free school meals to benefit from the programme from April 2026. The aim of these programmes is to ensure children receive nutritious meals at school and to remove barriers to opportunity.
Our Healthy Food Schemes, which comprises of Healthy Start, the School Fruit and Veg Scheme, and the Nursery Milk Scheme, provides support for those who need it the most to eat a healthy, balanced diet. Healthy Start provides funding to pregnant women, babies, and young children under four years old from very low-income households to support a healthier diet. In April 2026, the value of weekly payments will increase by 10%.
DHSC is working at pace to develop proposals set out in our 10-Year Health Plan commitments, to introduce mandatory healthier sales reporting for large food businesses and then set new targets to increase the healthiness of sales.
We will work closely with business to implement these commitments, and plan to conduct extensive engagement with industry and wider stakeholders throughout policy development. To assist us in the development of the mandatory reporting we will commence our formal engagement with businesses shortly. This will involve a series of workshops with a cross-sector industry working group.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
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 major retailers on improving access to affordable fresh food.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government’s Eatwell Guide advises that people should eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, and wholegrain or higher-fibre foods, as well as less processed meat, and food and drink that is high in sugar, calories, saturated fat, and salt. This includes at least five portions of a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. Fresh, frozen, tinned, and dried fruit and vegetables all count. The Eatwell Guide indicates that many foods classified as ‘ultra processed’ such as crisps, biscuits, cakes, confectionery, and ice cream are not part of a healthy, balanced diet.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), alongside other Government departments, are funding research on a number of food system trials through the SALIENT programme. The programme prioritises interventions and partners that have the largest reach and the greatest potential to narrow health inequalities, both geographic and socio-economic. These trials include research on food and vegetable pricing in supermarkets and evaluating the effect of food pantries on food insecurity. DEFRA’s 2024 report on food insecurity also considered inequalities in access to a healthy, sustainable diet.
DHSC is working closely with DEFRA to develop their cross-Government Food Strategy, which aims to improve affordability and access to healthier food, to help both adults and children live longer, healthier lives. We are committed to making the healthier choice the easier choice.
Earlier this year, the Government committed to reviewing the School Food Standards to reflect the most recent Government dietary recommendations. Free school meals will also be extended to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026, including in rural areas. Our free breakfast clubs started with 750 early adopter schools in April 2025, and we have just announced the next wave of 500 schools, with 40% of pupils on free school meals to benefit from the programme from April 2026. The aim of these programmes is to ensure children receive nutritious meals at school and to remove barriers to opportunity.
Our Healthy Food Schemes, which comprises of Healthy Start, the School Fruit and Veg Scheme, and the Nursery Milk Scheme, provides support for those who need it the most to eat a healthy, balanced diet. Healthy Start provides funding to pregnant women, babies, and young children under four years old from very low-income households to support a healthier diet. In April 2026, the value of weekly payments will increase by 10%.
DHSC is working at pace to develop proposals set out in our 10-Year Health Plan commitments, to introduce mandatory healthier sales reporting for large food businesses and then set new targets to increase the healthiness of sales.
We will work closely with business to implement these commitments, and plan to conduct extensive engagement with industry and wider stakeholders throughout policy development. To assist us in the development of the mandatory reporting we will commence our formal engagement with businesses shortly. This will involve a series of workshops with a cross-sector industry working group.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
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 limited access to affordable fresh food on health inequalities in rural areas.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government’s Eatwell Guide advises that people should eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, and wholegrain or higher-fibre foods, as well as less processed meat, and food and drink that is high in sugar, calories, saturated fat, and salt. This includes at least five portions of a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. Fresh, frozen, tinned, and dried fruit and vegetables all count. The Eatwell Guide indicates that many foods classified as ‘ultra processed’ such as crisps, biscuits, cakes, confectionery, and ice cream are not part of a healthy, balanced diet.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), alongside other Government departments, are funding research on a number of food system trials through the SALIENT programme. The programme prioritises interventions and partners that have the largest reach and the greatest potential to narrow health inequalities, both geographic and socio-economic. These trials include research on food and vegetable pricing in supermarkets and evaluating the effect of food pantries on food insecurity. DEFRA’s 2024 report on food insecurity also considered inequalities in access to a healthy, sustainable diet.
DHSC is working closely with DEFRA to develop their cross-Government Food Strategy, which aims to improve affordability and access to healthier food, to help both adults and children live longer, healthier lives. We are committed to making the healthier choice the easier choice.
Earlier this year, the Government committed to reviewing the School Food Standards to reflect the most recent Government dietary recommendations. Free school meals will also be extended to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026, including in rural areas. Our free breakfast clubs started with 750 early adopter schools in April 2025, and we have just announced the next wave of 500 schools, with 40% of pupils on free school meals to benefit from the programme from April 2026. The aim of these programmes is to ensure children receive nutritious meals at school and to remove barriers to opportunity.
Our Healthy Food Schemes, which comprises of Healthy Start, the School Fruit and Veg Scheme, and the Nursery Milk Scheme, provides support for those who need it the most to eat a healthy, balanced diet. Healthy Start provides funding to pregnant women, babies, and young children under four years old from very low-income households to support a healthier diet. In April 2026, the value of weekly payments will increase by 10%.
DHSC is working at pace to develop proposals set out in our 10-Year Health Plan commitments, to introduce mandatory healthier sales reporting for large food businesses and then set new targets to increase the healthiness of sales.
We will work closely with business to implement these commitments, and plan to conduct extensive engagement with industry and wider stakeholders throughout policy development. To assist us in the development of the mandatory reporting we will commence our formal engagement with businesses shortly. This will involve a series of workshops with a cross-sector industry working group.
Asked by: Caroline Johnson (Conservative - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
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 help tackle obesity in children.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is shocking that the latest data from the National Child Measurement Programme showed the highest prevalence of obesity seen in reception age children in England since the programme began, excluding the 2020/21 pandemic peak.
We recognise that prevention is almost always better, and cheaper, than a cure. As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan, we will take decisive action on the childhood obesity crisis, easing the strain on our National Health Service and creating the healthiest generation of children ever.
We are also restricting junk food advertising targeted at children, banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years of age, and ensuring the Soft Drinks Industry Levy remains fit for purpose. We are working closely with the Department for Education to update school food standards. To support families, we are expanding free school meals to all children with a parent in receipt of universal credit. The Healthy Start scheme, which aims to support those in greatest need, will have the value of its weekly payments uplifted by 10% from April 2026, boosting the ability to buy healthy food for those families who need it most.
In a world first, we will introduce mandatory healthy food sales reporting for large food businesses. We will set new targets to increase the healthiness of sales.
Our current promotion and advertising restrictions on less healthy food and drinks use the 2004/05 Nutrient Profile Model to determine which foods are ‘less healthy’. This is plainly out of date. We intend to update the standards applied to these restrictions and will consult on implementation in 2026.
We are also working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to develop their cross-Government Food Strategy, which will work to provide healthier, more easily accessible food to help both adults and children live longer, healthier lives.
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, if she will list the titles of all the events organised by Civil Service networks in his Department since 2017.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to provide an answer to Question 87476 on Pets: Shops.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A response was published to Question 87476 on Tuesday 18 November here: PQ 87476.