Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

We are the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people’s day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.



Secretary of State

 Portrait

Steve Reed
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Shadow Ministers / Spokeperson
Liberal Democrat
Tim Farron (LD - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Conservative
Victoria Atkins (Con - Louth and Horncastle)
Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Liberal Democrat
Baroness Grender (LD - Life peer)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Scottish National Party
Seamus Logan (SNP - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Robbie Moore (Con - Keighley and Ilkley)
Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Lord Blencathra (Con - Life peer)
Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Lord Roborough (Con - Excepted Hereditary)
Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Neil Hudson (Con - Epping Forest)
Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ministers of State
Daniel Zeichner (Lab - Cambridge)
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab - Life peer)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Emma Hardy (Lab - Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Mary Creagh (Lab - Coventry East)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There are no upcoming events identified
Debates
Tuesday 8th July 2025
Forest Risk Commodities
Lords Chamber
Select Committee Inquiry
Tuesday 20th May 2025
Preventing waste and enabling a circular economy

Much of the UK economy is still linear, based on the principles of using and disposing of products and the …

Written Answers
Thursday 10th July 2025
Water Charges: Finance
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what financial support his Department is providing for …
Secondary Legislation
Tuesday 8th July 2025
Marketing of Fruit Plant and Propagating Material (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
These Regulations amend the Marketing of Fruit Plant and Propagating Material (England) Regulations 2017 (“the Fruit Marketing Regulations”).
Bills
Wednesday 4th September 2024
Water (Special Measures) Act 2025
A Bill to make provision about the regulation, governance and special administration of water companies.
Dept. Publications
Friday 11th July 2025
09:21

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Commons Appearances

Oral Answers to Questions is a regularly scheduled appearance where the Secretary of State and junior minister will answer at the Dispatch Box questions from backbench MPs

Other Commons Chamber appearances can be:
  • Urgent Questions where the Speaker has selected a question to which a Minister must reply that day
  • Adjornment Debates a 30 minute debate attended by a Minister that concludes the day in Parliament.
  • Oral Statements informing the Commons of a significant development, where backbench MP's can then question the Minister making the statement.

Westminster Hall debates are performed in response to backbench MPs or e-petitions asking for a Minister to address a detailed issue

Written Statements are made when a current event is not sufficiently significant to require an Oral Statement, but the House is required to be informed.

Most Recent Commons Appearances by Category
Jun. 19
Oral Questions
Jan. 30
Urgent Questions
Jun. 30
Westminster Hall
View All Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Commons Contibutions

Bills currently before Parliament

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs does not have Bills currently before Parliament


Acts of Parliament created in the 2024 Parliament


A Bill to make provision about the regulation, governance and special administration of water companies.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 24th February 2025 and was enacted into law.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - Secondary Legislation

These Regulations amend the Marketing of Fruit Plant and Propagating Material (England) Regulations 2017 (“the Fruit Marketing Regulations”).
These Regulations make an amendment to the legislation relating to the marketing of poultrymeat as free-range in the event of measures being adopted which restrict continuous daytime access of poultry to open-air runs in order to protect public and animal health.
View All Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secondary Legislation

Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petitions with most signatures
Petition Debates Contributed
109,018
Petition Closed
21 May 2025
closed 1 month, 2 weeks ago

In modern society, we believe more consideration needs to be given to animal welfare and how livestock is treated and culled.

We believe non-stun slaughter is barbaric and doesn't fit in with our culture and modern-day values and should be banned, as some EU nations have done.

107,778
c. 481 added daily
108,185
(Estimated)
24 Jul 2025
closes in 1 week, 5 days

We think the UK Government must ban all cages for laying hens as soon as possible.

We think it should also ban the use of all cage and crates for all farmed animals including:
• farrowing crates for sows
• individual calf pens
• cages for other birds, including partridges, pheasants and quail

View All Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Petitions

Departmental Select Committee

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Commons Select Committees are a formally established cross-party group of backbench MPs tasked with holding a Government department to account.

At any time there will be number of ongoing investigations into the work of the Department, or issues which fall within the oversight of the Department. Witnesses can be summoned from within the Government and outside to assist in these inquiries.

Select Committee findings are reported to the Commons, printed, and published on the Parliament website. The government then usually has 60 days to reply to the committee's recommendations.


11 Members of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Alistair Carmichael Portrait
Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 9th September 2024
Charlie Dewhirst Portrait
Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Sarah Bool Portrait
Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Henry Tufnell Portrait
Henry Tufnell (Labour - Mid and South Pembrokeshire)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Tim Roca Portrait
Tim Roca (Labour - Macclesfield)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Jenny Riddell-Carpenter Portrait
Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Andrew Pakes Portrait
Andrew Pakes (Labour (Co-op) - Peterborough)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Josh Newbury Portrait
Josh Newbury (Labour - Cannock Chase)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Jayne Kirkham Portrait
Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Sarah Dyke Portrait
Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Helena Dollimore Portrait
Helena Dollimore (Labour (Co-op) - Hastings and Rye)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee: Upcoming Events
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee - Oral evidence
Reforming the water sector
15 Jul 2025, 9:30 a.m.
At 10:00am: Oral evidence
Sir Adrian Montague CBE - Chair at Thames Water
Chris Weston - CEO at Thames Water
Ian Pearson - Chair, Remuneration Committee at Thames Water

View calendar - Save to Calendar
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee: Previous Inquiries
Air Quality: follow up Labour in the food supply chain The work of DEFRA COVID-19 and food supply Rural Communities Milk prices Appointment of Jonson Cox as Chair of Ofwat Dog Control and Welfare Draft Water Bill Air Quality Desinewed Meat Tree Health and Plant Biosecurity Flood Funding Future Flood and Water Management Legislation Farming in the Uplands Marine Policy Statement Draft National Policy Statement on Waste Water Welfare of Laying Hens Directive—Implications for the egg industry EU proposals for the dairy sector and the future of the dairy industry Implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy: Domestic Fisheries Management Outcome of the independent Farming Regulation Task Force Draft Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill Draft National Policy Statement for Hazardous Waste EU proposals for reform of the Common Fisheries Policy Defra Annual Report and Accounts 2010-11 Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency Draft British Waterways Board (Transfer of Functions) Order 2012 and the Draft Inland Waterways Advisory Council (Abolition) Order 2012 Orders under the Public Bodies Act 2011 Bovine TB Vaccine Draft Wild Animals in Circuses Bill CAP Implementation 2014-2020 Insurance for flooding The Elliott review Primates as pets Winter Floods Pre-appointment hearing with proposed Chairman of Natural England Departmental Annual Report 2012-13 Food Security Waste management in England Rural Payments Agency Work of Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency Appointment hearing for preferred candidate for Chair of the Environment Agency Horse welfare Defra's responsibility for fracking Defra performance in 2013-14 Food security: demand, consumption and waste Food supply networks Rural broadband and digital-only services Dairy prices Work of the Committee 2010-15 CAP payments to farmers EFRA topics Dairy prices inquiry Defra performance in 2014-15 inquiry Common Agricultural Policy inquiry Defra's responsibilities for air quality inquiry Farmgate prices inquiry Beef grading prices inquiry Food waste in England inquiry Rural tourism in England inquiry Forestry in England inquiry Environment Agency Chair pre-appointment hearing Work of Defra evidence sessions Winter floods 2015-16 inquiry Future flood prevention inquiry The work of Defra inquiry Farmgate prices: follow-up evidence session Brexit: Trade in food inquiry The work of Defra inquiry Improving air quality Work of the Environment Agency inquiry 2 Sisters and Standards in Poultry Processing inquiry Fisheries inquiry Performance of the Rural Payments Agency inquiry Defra's plans to improve air quality Feeding the nation: labour constraints inquiry Post-legislative scrutiny: Flood and Water Management Act 2010 inquiry Countryside Stewardship Scheme one-off session Improving air quality joint inquiry Countryside and Environmental Stewardship schemes inquiry The new farming programme inquiry Rural broadband and digital only services inquiry General licences for controlling wild birds inquiry Environment Bill inquiry Beef prices inquiry Agriculture, achieving net-zero emissions inquiry Peatland inquiry Puppy smuggling inquiry Draft National Policy Statement for Water Resources Infrastructure inquiry Pre-appointment hearing with the Government’s preferred candidate for Chair of Natural England inquiry Plastic food and drink packaging inquiry Coastal flooding and adaptation to climate change inquiry Work of the Food Standards Agency inquiry Pre-appointment hearing for the Chair of Natural England inquiry Scrutiny of the draft Environment (Principles and Governance) Bill inquiry Farm Inspection and Regulation Review inquiry Dangerous Dogs: Breed Specific Legislation inquiry Regulation of the Water Industry inquiry Brand Britain: Promoting and Marketing British food and drink inquiry Proposed merger of Asda and Sainsbury’s inquiry Agriculture Bill inquiry Scrutiny of the Fisheries Bill inquiry Is Defra ready for Brexit? inquiry The Work of the Chief Veterinary Officer inquiry Work of DEFRA: Health and Harmony inquiry Work of the Rural Payments Agency inquiry Work and Role of the Groceries Code Adjudicator inquiry Fur trade in the UK inquiry Trade in sugar post-Brexit inquiry Work of the Chief Scientific Adviser: Defra inquiry Labour constraints inquiry Draft Animal Welfare Bill inquiry Air Quality Public Sector Procurement of Food Government support to the dairy sector during the COVID-19 pandemic Work of Defra Work of the Environment Agency Marine Mammals Work of the Environment Agency Pre-appointment hearing: Chair of the Environment Agency Environmental Land Management Scheme: Progress Update Food Security Species Reintroduction UK-Norway Framework Fisheries Agreement Soil Health Post-pandemic health and welfare concerns of companion animals, including abuse and mutilation Resources and Waste provisional Common Framework Pet Smuggling Tenant Farmers Fairness in the food supply chain UK trade policy: food and agriculture Urban Green Spaces Education and Careers in Land-based Sectors Common Framework on Food and Feed Safety and Hygiene Work of the Department and its Arm's Length Bodies The future of farming Reforming the water sector Fairness in the food supply chain Animal and plant health Environmental Land Management and the agricultural transition Fisheries and the marine environment Preventing waste and enabling a circular economy Moving animals across borders COVID-19 and food supply: follow up Seafood and Meat Exports to the EU Agriculture Bill Agriculture, achieving net-zero emissions Proposed merger of Asda and Sainsbury’s Brand Britain: Promoting and Marketing British food and drink Coastal flooding and adaptation to climate change Countryside and Environmental Stewardship schemes General licences for controlling wild birds Is Defra ready for Brexit? Labour constraints The new farming programme Peatland Plastic food and drink packaging Puppy smuggling Rural broadband and digital only services Scrutiny of the draft Environment (Principles and Governance) Bill Scrutiny of the Fisheries Bill Draft National Policy Statement for Water Resources Infrastructure The work of Defra Work of the Food Standards Agency Beef prices Environment Bill

50 most recent Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department

7th Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an estimate of the cost of introducing a not for EU labelling scheme for agri-food businesses in Fylde constituency.

Defra has published an impact assessment which sets out the likely costs to businesses. Due to the scope of products that need to be labelled from 1 July, and uncertainty as to the extent to which these products may be removed from sale in Northern Ireland and hence the scale of any requirement in Great Britain, it includes a ‘range’ for the potential cost to businesses.

As is set out in the Impact Assessment, the indicative cost to business of applying ‘not for EU’ labelling to a subset of product lines is significantly less than the whole scope and will vary depending on the product. We made the decision to introduce a targeted power, as opposed to a mandatory requirement for all goods, in order to prevent some of these costs to businesses.

Moreover, the non-monetised benefits - particularly safeguarding food security in Northern Ireland - will be a crucial part of maintaining a strong economy.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
7th Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 37521 on Import Controls, when was construction of the border control posts completed; and what was the total construction costs of those posts.

In line with the commitments we have made under the Windsor Framework, SPS inspection facilities are already operational in Northern Ireland at the ports of Foyle (18 April 25) and Warrenpoint (20 June 25). Construction and preparation of the new facilities are well underway at Belfast and Larne, and they are scheduled to be operationally ready at the end of July 2025.

The Government has committed to a maximum funding envelope of £192.3 million for all the facilities at each of the 4 ports. Of this envelope, Defra has spent £111.3 million up to the 30 June 2025.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
7th Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 37521 on Import controls, on what date the border control posts will become operational.

In line with the commitments we have made under the Windsor Framework, SPS inspection facilities are already operational in Northern Ireland at the ports of Foyle (18 April 25) and Warrenpoint (20 June 25). Construction and preparation of the new facilities are well underway at Belfast and Larne, and they are scheduled to be operationally ready at the end of July 2025.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
7th Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to lay the Activity Regulations required to give effect to the Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023; and which activities he plans to prioritise.

We continue to engage with stakeholders including the tourism industry and animal welfare groups to explore both legislative and non-legislative options to take forward changes to low-welfare activities abroad.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
7th Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2025 to Question 62667 on Animal and Plant Health Agency, whether those investments include (a) biosecurity and (b) the redevelopment of the Animal and Plant Health Agency headquarters.

We are making a record investment into the nation’s biosecurity capabilities, and in turn our national security. In June the Government announced over £1 billion in funding for biosecurity over the current parliament from the Spending Review. This includes the necessary funding to make progress with building the National Biosecurity Centre at the Animal & Plant Health Agency’s Weybridge site.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
7th Jul 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will lay a statutory instrument containing activity regulations to fully implement the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023.

We continue to engage with stakeholders including the tourism industry and animal welfare groups to explore both legislative and non-legislative options to take forward changes to low-welfare activities abroad.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
4th Jul 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government how many criminal convictions have been secured by regulators against Southern Water since privatisation.

Since the privatisation of water and sewerage companies in 1989, all ten Water and Sewerage companies which discharge into English waters have been convicted of criminal offences including Southern Water. Details of the enforcement action taken against water companies by regulators are available on the relevant regulators’ websites.

We will not let companies get away with illegal activity and where breaches are found, the regulators will not hesitate to hold companies to account. The Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 provides the most significant increase in enforcement powers for the regulators in a decade and ensures that imprisonment is always available as a sentencing option to the courts where investigations by the environmental regulators have been obstructed.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
4th Jul 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to propose legislation under which organisations with criminal convictions would be prevented from owning and controlling water supply and wastewater services.

This Government is committed to holding water companies to the highest standards of environmental and corporate responsibility. We are taking robust action to strengthen accountability and enforcement across the sector.

This includes the Water (Special Measures) Act, which delivers the most significant increase in enforcement powers for regulators in over a decade. Rules issued by Ofwat on fitness and propriety will require companies to test whether senior individuals meet specified standards and prevent the appointment of individuals to these roles where standards are not met.

In addition, the Environment Agency and Ofwat have also launched the largest criminal and civil investigations into water company discharges ever undertaken. These can lead to criminal prosecution and unlimited fines.

The Government is also conducting the largest review of the water sector since privatisation through the Independent Water Commission. This will examine how the sector can better deliver for customers and the environment, including the effectiveness of current ownership and governance arrangements. The Commission final report is due to be published this summer, and the Government will respond in due course.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to follow the recommendation in the report by the Animal Welfare Committee, Advice on emergency culling for the depopulation of poultry affected by high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) – consideration of ventilation shutdown (VSD), published in June 2023, that research should be undertaken to identify products that could be used as an in-feed or in-water sedative/anaesthetic/culling method as an alternative to ventilation shutdown as a culling method for poultry.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) leads government action on animal disease control in Great Britain. APHA and its contractors utilise a range of culling methods to humanely remove birds on infected premises where highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) or other notifiable disease has been confirmed.

One of the Animal Welfare Committee’s key recommendations was that ventilation shutdown should not be used for the culling of any poultry in disease control procedures due to the unacceptable impact on bird welfare.

Whole house gassing represents a better option, and this approach is deployed as a priority. Operational plans for the deployment of whole house gassing and other approved culling methods take account of the epidemiological risk for each case.

We are continuing to consider whether there are additional humane culling methods, such as high expansion nitrogen foam for poultry, that could be utilised but there are currently no plans for research into in-feed or in-water medications.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
7th Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assurance mechanisms his Department has implemented to help ensure the accuracy of AI-derived data that forms part of the new UK peat map.

The England Peat Map, produced by Natural England as part of the Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment Programme, went through a rigorous science assurance process across Natural England, Defra and external peer reviewers. This science assurance covered the scientific design of the map’s production, the collection of the field data used to drive the model and testing the final modelled analysis which produced the map.

The AI-derived data was reviewed and refined through checking in the field, using field survey data, and the methods by which this was done were reviewed by independent Defra group technical experts and external academics. This included reviewing the data inputted into the models, the models’ training and validation, the models’ application, the models’ outputs, and covered all the map layers produced including peat depth, extent and vegetation layers. Beta testing of outputs across Defra group users was initiated a year prior to release and feedback was used to refine the models.

Limitations and precautions associated with the use of AI in the project are discussed in the England Peat Map final report, available on Natural England’s Access to Evidence website.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
4th Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the licensing and regulation of animal rescue and rehoming centres.

Animal welfare is a devolved matter in the UK. This means that responsibility for animal welfare policy in the individual nations is the responsibility of the relevant nations’ Ministers.

However, Defra works closely with the devolved Governments on a range of shared priorities and will discuss any relevant matters as necessary.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
4th Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the licensing and regulation of animal rescue and rehoming centres.

Animal welfare is a devolved matter in the UK. This means that responsibility for animal welfare policy in the individual nations is the responsibility of the relevant nations’ Ministers.

However, Defra works closely with the devolved Governments on a range of shared priorities and will discuss any relevant matters as necessary.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
4th Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the licensing and regulation of animal rescue and rehoming centres.

Animal welfare is a devolved matter in the UK. This means that responsibility for animal welfare policy in the individual nations is the responsibility of the relevant nations’ Ministers.

However, Defra works closely with the devolved Governments on a range of shared priorities and will discuss any relevant matters as necessary.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
4th Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing stronger penalties for owners involved with dangerous dog incidents.

Under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, any dog that is dangerously out of control can be euthanised and their owners put in prison for up to 14 years and banned from ever owning a dog.

Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to explore measures to reduce dog attacks and promote responsible dog ownership. We have reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce and look forward to receiving their findings and recommendations in due course.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
1st Jul 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government how much plastic waste is exported to other countries, and what steps they will take to reduce the amount exported by disposing of the plastic sustainably.

Data on the amount of plastic packaging exported for recycling is published by the Environment Agency on the National Packaging Waste Database. 569,205 tonnes of plastic packaging waste was exported for recycling in 2024.

As part of the drive towards a circular economy we want to recycle more plastic waste and have developed policies aimed at stimulating investment in the UK’s own reprocessing capacity. Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging and a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers will significantly increase the volume of plastic material collected for recycling. In England, Simpler Recycling, will enable consistent, more streamlined separate collections of dry mixed recycling (plastic, metal, glass), paper and card, and food waste from all households, businesses and relevant non-domestic premises. Meanwhile, reforms such as the packaging regulations and the plastic packaging tax will ensure that more products are made from recycled materials in this country and will support investment in recycling in the UK.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
7th Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 July 2025 to Question 63361 on Floods: Huntingdon; what works the Environment Agency will undertake on the St Ives Staunch Sluice in the next two years.

A project is currently underway to ensure that the Environment Agency (EA) is able to maintain river levels for navigation. There is £2 million available for this work across two financial years 2025/26 and 2026/27. The full scope of the works has yet to be determined but the EA will continue to provide updates via their website, here: St Ives and Brownshill Staunch Sluices Information Page - Environment Agency - Citizen Space.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of reinstating the general licence conditions for the movement of exhibition poultry between Northern Ireland and Great Britain that were in place between 2012 and 2020.

Poultry can move from Northern Ireland to England under the general licence published on GOV.UK. Under the Windsor Framework, poultry moving from England to Northern Ireland are subject to the import rules in Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Bird gatherings, including shows and exhibitions, are not permitted within a disease control zone. Outside of these areas, bird gatherings are only permitted if licensed. Bird gatherings general licences have been made available by Defra and the devolved governments permitting certain bird gatherings, provided that the gathering has been notified to the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Great Britain and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland at least 7 days before the event and it meets all the requirements of the relevant general licence. Disease control is a devolved matter, and it is for the devolved governments to assess their disease risks and respond accordingly. Whist poultry (Galliforme or Anseriforme birds) gatherings are permitted in Northern Ireland, due to the heightened risk of avian influenza in Great Britain poultry gatherings remain prohibited in England, Wales and Scotland.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the potential impact of the (a) testing and (b) certification requirements for poultry under the Windsor Framework on non-commercial exhibition poultry breeders in Northern Ireland.

Poultry can move from Northern Ireland to England under the general licence published on GOV.UK. Under the Windsor Framework, poultry moving from England to Northern Ireland are subject to the import rules in Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Bird gatherings, including shows and exhibitions, are not permitted within a disease control zone. Outside of these areas, bird gatherings are only permitted if licensed. Bird gatherings general licences have been made available by Defra and the devolved governments permitting certain bird gatherings, provided that the gathering has been notified to the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Great Britain and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland at least 7 days before the event and it meets all the requirements of the relevant general licence. Disease control is a devolved matter, and it is for the devolved governments to assess their disease risks and respond accordingly. Whist poultry (Galliforme or Anseriforme birds) gatherings are permitted in Northern Ireland, due to the heightened risk of avian influenza in Great Britain poultry gatherings remain prohibited in England, Wales and Scotland.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the (a) Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland and (b) Animal and Plant Health Agency on creating an (i) affordable and (ii) proportionate export health certification process for non-commercial exhibition poultry breeders.

Poultry can move from Northern Ireland to England under the general licence published on GOV.UK. Under the Windsor Framework, poultry moving from England to Northern Ireland are subject to the import rules in Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Bird gatherings, including shows and exhibitions, are not permitted within a disease control zone. Outside of these areas, bird gatherings are only permitted if licensed. Bird gatherings general licences have been made available by Defra and the devolved governments permitting certain bird gatherings, provided that the gathering has been notified to the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Great Britain and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland at least 7 days before the event and it meets all the requirements of the relevant general licence. Disease control is a devolved matter, and it is for the devolved governments to assess their disease risks and respond accordingly. Whist poultry (Galliforme or Anseriforme birds) gatherings are permitted in Northern Ireland, due to the heightened risk of avian influenza in Great Britain poultry gatherings remain prohibited in England, Wales and Scotland.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the risk of exhibition poultry returning from short-term events in Great Britain to Northern Ireland; and whether he plans to introduce (a) veterinary checks and (b) reduced testing protocols.

Poultry can move from Northern Ireland to England under the general licence published on GOV.UK. Under the Windsor Framework, poultry moving from England to Northern Ireland are subject to the import rules in Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Bird gatherings, including shows and exhibitions, are not permitted within a disease control zone. Outside of these areas, bird gatherings are only permitted if licensed. Bird gatherings general licences have been made available by Defra and the devolved governments permitting certain bird gatherings, provided that the gathering has been notified to the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Great Britain and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland at least 7 days before the event and it meets all the requirements of the relevant general licence. Disease control is a devolved matter, and it is for the devolved governments to assess their disease risks and respond accordingly. Whist poultry (Galliforme or Anseriforme birds) gatherings are permitted in Northern Ireland, due to the heightened risk of avian influenza in Great Britain poultry gatherings remain prohibited in England, Wales and Scotland.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to introduce a movement protocol for non-commercial avian species used for (a) shows and (b) exhibitions.

Poultry can move from Northern Ireland to England under the general licence published on GOV.UK. Under the Windsor Framework, poultry moving from England to Northern Ireland are subject to the import rules in Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Bird gatherings, including shows and exhibitions, are not permitted within a disease control zone. Outside of these areas, bird gatherings are only permitted if licensed. Bird gatherings general licences have been made available by Defra and the devolved governments permitting certain bird gatherings, provided that the gathering has been notified to the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Great Britain and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland at least 7 days before the event and it meets all the requirements of the relevant general licence. Disease control is a devolved matter, and it is for the devolved governments to assess their disease risks and respond accordingly. Whist poultry (Galliforme or Anseriforme birds) gatherings are permitted in Northern Ireland, due to the heightened risk of avian influenza in Great Britain poultry gatherings remain prohibited in England, Wales and Scotland.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to provide financial assistance to hobbyist poultry breeders in Northern Ireland to meet veterinary certification costs for participation in shows in Great Britain.

Poultry can move from Northern Ireland to England under the general licence published on GOV.UK. Under the Windsor Framework, poultry moving from England to Northern Ireland are subject to the import rules in Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Bird gatherings, including shows and exhibitions, are not permitted within a disease control zone. Outside of these areas, bird gatherings are only permitted if licensed. Bird gatherings general licences have been made available by Defra and the devolved governments permitting certain bird gatherings, provided that the gathering has been notified to the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Great Britain and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland at least 7 days before the event and it meets all the requirements of the relevant general licence. Disease control is a devolved matter, and it is for the devolved governments to assess their disease risks and respond accordingly. Whist poultry (Galliforme or Anseriforme birds) gatherings are permitted in Northern Ireland, due to the heightened risk of avian influenza in Great Britain poultry gatherings remain prohibited in England, Wales and Scotland.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will allow exhibition poultry from Northern Ireland to return from short-term events in Great Britain under general licence subject to veterinary certification.

Poultry can move from Northern Ireland to England under the general licence published on GOV.UK. Under the Windsor Framework, poultry moving from England to Northern Ireland are subject to the import rules in Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Bird gatherings, including shows and exhibitions, are not permitted within a disease control zone. Outside of these areas, bird gatherings are only permitted if licensed. Bird gatherings general licences have been made available by Defra and the devolved governments permitting certain bird gatherings, provided that the gathering has been notified to the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Great Britain and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland at least 7 days before the event and it meets all the requirements of the relevant general licence. Disease control is a devolved matter, and it is for the devolved governments to assess their disease risks and respond accordingly. Whist poultry (Galliforme or Anseriforme birds) gatherings are permitted in Northern Ireland, due to the heightened risk of avian influenza in Great Britain poultry gatherings remain prohibited in England, Wales and Scotland.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered reforming the Licensing of Activities Involving Animals Regulations 2018 to introduce a tiered system that distinguishes between (a) low and (b) high volume breeders.

The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 require anyone in the business of breeding and selling dogs and/or who breeds three or more litters in a twelve-month period to hold a valid licence.

Defra has completed a post-implementation review of the Regulations which can be found here. The Government is considering the findings and will be outlining more detail on next steps in due course.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
1st Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) dogs and (b) cats were imported under commercial rules under the Ballai Directive in each month of 2024; and from which country.

In 2024, a total of 32391 dogs and 6226 cats were imported commercially under the Balai directive.

The attached two tables show all commercial imports of dogs and cats by country of origin and month of import.

The EU data may include animals that have originated from a non-EU country but have travelled through an EU Border Control Post (BCP). The database records the EU BCP Country as the Country of Origin for these imports.

The Rest of the World data does not include animals that have arrived through an EU BCP.

This information is drawn from external systems not directly controlled by the department and is a true reflection of the information that APHA has access to.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
1st Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) dogs and (b) cats were imported non commercially under the PETS Directive in each month of 2024.

In 2024, a total of 335451 dogs and 32804 cats were imported non-commercially through the PETS Directive. The table below shows the number of dogs and cats imported each month in 2024:

2024

Cats

Dogs

Total number of animals

January

3207

30358

33565

February

1860

15757

17617

March

2357

26879

29236

April

2700

30215

32915

May

2029

21536

23565

June

3015

26136

29151

July

2692

33145

35837

August

3828

50623

54451

September

2094

15426

17520

October

3154

29169

32323

November

2374

18546

20920

December

3494

37661

41155

Total

32804

335451

368255

The data provided is a summary of animals entering Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme via an approved route.

It does not include pet animals that enter other parts of the UK (such as Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands) or pet animals that enter Great Britain from other parts of the UK. It does not include any animals that enter Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme from the Republic of Ireland as these movements do not need to follow an approved route.

Data on the Pet Travel Scheme covers pets entering Great Britain and is based on information provided by pet checkers employed by approved carriers of pet animals and cannot be separated into EU and Rest of the World. This data can be subject to change due to when the carriers provide the data.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to increase access to nature for young people.

The Government is committed to increasing access to nature for all, especially young people. In 2024, Defra invested £4.45 million in a second phase of the Generation Green programme, enabling over 25,000 disadvantaged children and young people to experience the natural environment. While Environmental Land Management schemes don’t specifically target youth, a new three-year capital item supports educational access to farmland and woodland for school groups and care farming initiatives.

Defra also leads a cross-Government Children and Nature Working Group to share best practices on improving outcomes for young people through nature. The £16 million Access for All programme has funded inclusive facilities like pedal and play areas for young people.

Most of the 254,000-hectare public forest estate managed by Forestry England is open to the public, welcoming 313 million visits annually. England’s 15 Community Forests, supported by the Nature for Climate Fund, engage schools and community groups in tree planting and outdoor learning—53% of England’s population lives within 10 miles of one.

Additionally, on 15 May 2025, DCMS announced £4.7 million to increase access to outdoor learning. The competition for the Adventures Away from Home delivery partner is live and closes on 15 July 2025.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to protect service dogs from attacks by other dogs.

It is an offence under section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to allow a dog to attack an assistance dog. The maximum penalty for such an offence is three years imprisonment or an unlimited fine, or both.

Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to explore measures to reduce dog attacks and promote responsible dog ownership. We have reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce and look forward to receiving their findings and recommendations in due course.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of protections in place to prevent service dogs from attacks by other dogs.

It is an offence under section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to allow a dog to attack an assistance dog. The maximum penalty for such an offence is three years imprisonment or an unlimited fine, or both.

Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to explore measures to reduce dog attacks and promote responsible dog ownership. We have reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce and look forward to receiving their findings and recommendations in due course.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of penalties in place for dog-on-dog attacks involving service dogs.

It is an offence under section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to allow a dog to attack an assistance dog. The maximum penalty for such an offence is three years imprisonment or an unlimited fine, or both.

Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to explore measures to reduce dog attacks and promote responsible dog ownership. We have reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce and look forward to receiving their findings and recommendations in due course.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the monitoring of orders requiring dogs to be muzzled in public.

Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to encourage responsible dog ownership, to ensure dog control issues are addressed before they escalate and to make sure the full force of the law is applied. As part of this work, we have reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce to explore measures to promote responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog. This includes consideration of enforcement. We look forward to receiving the findings and recommendations from the taskforce in due course.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the enforcement of orders requiring dogs to be muzzled in public.

Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to encourage responsible dog ownership, to ensure dog control issues are addressed before they escalate and to make sure the full force of the law is applied. As part of this work, we have reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce to explore measures to promote responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog. This includes consideration of enforcement. We look forward to receiving the findings and recommendations from the taskforce in due course.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
4th Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he expects the Environment Agency’s report into the flooding in Ryde in October 2023 to be (a) completed and (b) published.

On becoming aware of a flood in its area, a lead local flood authority (LLFA) must investigate to the extent it considers it necessary or appropriate. This duty comes under section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. When a LLFA undertakes an investigation, it must publish the results.

The Environment Agency (EA) supported Defra to produce their new national guidance for LLFAs on investigating a flood, published in April 2025. This includes guidance on:

· typical criteria for deciding whether to instigate an investigation

· engaging with communities and partner organisations

· understanding the event

· developing suitable recommendations

· timescales for publication

The EA may be asked to contribute evidence and information to support the investigation, but they are not responsible for instigating it or for its completion.

The EA is also investigating a flooding event at Ryde that occurred in October 2023, but this is not a Section 19 investigation. This report was sent to stakeholders, including the hon. member for Isle of Wight East, on Tuesday 08 July 2025.

A summary of significant flood events is published in the Environment Agency’s Flood and coastal erosion risk management annual report.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
4th Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department monitors the time taken by the Environment Agency to (a) produce and (b) publish post-flood incident reports.

On becoming aware of a flood in its area, a lead local flood authority (LLFA) must investigate to the extent it considers it necessary or appropriate. This duty comes under section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. When a LLFA undertakes an investigation, it must publish the results.

The Environment Agency (EA) supported Defra to produce their new national guidance for LLFAs on investigating a flood, published in April 2025. This includes guidance on:

· typical criteria for deciding whether to instigate an investigation

· engaging with communities and partner organisations

· understanding the event

· developing suitable recommendations

· timescales for publication

The EA may be asked to contribute evidence and information to support the investigation, but they are not responsible for instigating it or for its completion.

The EA is also investigating a flooding event at Ryde that occurred in October 2023, but this is not a Section 19 investigation. This report was sent to stakeholders, including the hon. member for Isle of Wight East, on Tuesday 08 July 2025.

A summary of significant flood events is published in the Environment Agency’s Flood and coastal erosion risk management annual report.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
7th Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what financial support his Department is providing for people struggling with water bills.

The Government expects companies to hold themselves accountable for their commitment to end Water Poverty by 2030 and will work with the sector to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to this end.

We expect water companies to put robust support in place for vulnerable customers and keep current support schemes under review to ensure vulnerable customers are supported. These include bill discount schemes such as WaterSure and Social Tariffs as well as financial support measures to assist households to better manage their budgets and provide flexible payments including payment holidays, payment matching, benefit entitlement checks and money/debt advice referral arrangements.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
7th Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to introduce legally binding targets for the reduction of untreated sewage discharges into chalk streams.

Our Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan targets improvements at 75% of high-priority sites, including chalk streams. This ensures that they are prioritised for improvement from the £11 billion investment to upgrade nearly 3,000 storm overflows across the country.

The Plan, alongside the Water (Special Measures) Act, strengthens enforcement by giving regulators greater powers to hold polluters accountable. This marks the biggest boost in enforcement in a decade, helping protect these iconic British habitats for future generations.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the size of the badger population in (a) Lincolnshire and (b) the East Midlands.

The first major national badger population survey in a decade began in February, with the first round of fieldwork now concluded. Further surveying will resume later this year, to estimate badger abundance and population recovery.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what data his Department holds on water quality in (a) lakes and (b) rivers in Ashfield constituency.

The Environment Agency (EA) holds historical and current water quality data for the rivers and lakes (water bodies) in the Ashfield Constituency. The EA monitors different aspects of water quality data to classify the overall health of these water bodies. The Catchment Data Explorer system provides data and information on the lakes, rivers and groundwater waterbodies in England, including the physical, chemical and biological, properties of that water. The water body data relevant to the Ashfield constituency can be accessed via the following links; Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Sutton in Ashfield, Hucknall.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 June 2025 to Question 61181,on Coastal Erosion: Flood Control, how much capital funding for flood defence his Department has allocated for each year of the 10 year infrastructure programme.

Delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change, this Government is investing record levels in flood protection. We are investing £4.2 billion over three years (2026/27 to 2028/29) to construct new flood schemes and maintain and repair existing defences across the country.

Recognising the need to invest for the long-term, the Government is providing certainty over the budget for flood defences by committing £7.9 billion of capital (2026-27 to 2035-36) for a new 10-year floods investment programme, benefitting around 840,000 properties by 2035-36. This programme will launch in April 2026. The profile of spend will be determined in due course.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57663, on Water Charges: Social Tariffs, how social tariffs will be funded; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of social tariffs on the residential customer bills of people who are not on a social tariff.

Social Tariffs are voluntary schemes designed and administered by water companies to provide a discounted water bill to qualifying customers who are unable to pay their water bill in full.

These schemes are permitted to be funded through cross subsidies from customers under Section 44 Flood and Water Management Act 2010. The Government is working with industry and Ofwat to keep the current support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported and customer charges are fair and proportionate.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 June 2025 to Question 61181 on Coastal Erosion: Flood Control, whether the quantum of the £2.65 billion funding over 2024-25 and 2025-26 has been amended since 4 July 2024.

Delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change, this government announced in February 2025 that it will spend £2.65 billion over 2024/25 and 2025/26, an average of £1.33 billion per year.

This investment compares to £1.05 billion spent under the previous government in 2023/24 and £950 million in 2022/23.

This Government has also announced the largest flood programme in history – committing a record £7.9 billion capital investment as part of its landmark 10-year Infrastructure Strategy.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
4th Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the total life costs for the South East Strategic Reservoir Option.

Water companies have a statutory duty to provide a secure supply of water for customers, efficiently and economically and set out how they plan to continue to meet this duty to their customers through Water Resources Management Plans (WRMPs).

WRMPs are statutory and set out how each company will manage water supply and demand, including reducing leaks, sustainably for at least the next 25 years. Within their plans, water companies must consider all options, including demand management and new water resources including reservoirs and transfers to ensure they meet their duties to customers. Water companies must consult on their WRMPs and these are scrutinised by regulators, including the Environment Agency and Ofwat.

Water Resources South East, the regional water resources group of South East water companies, and Thames Water have published their water resources plans, including the analysis and cost information. The plans are available online:

www.wrse.org.uk/library/?documentTags=Regional+Plan and www.thameswater.co.uk/about-us/regulation/water-resources.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
4th Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether a cost benefit analysis has been carried out on the South East Strategic Reservoir Option.

Water companies have a statutory duty to provide a secure supply of water for customers, efficiently and economically and set out how they plan to continue to meet this duty to their customers through Water Resources Management Plans (WRMPs).

WRMPs are statutory and set out how each company will manage water supply and demand, including reducing leaks, sustainably for at least the next 25 years. Within their plans, water companies must consider all options, including demand management and new water resources including reservoirs and transfers to ensure they meet their duties to customers. Water companies must consult on their WRMPs and these are scrutinised by regulators, including the Environment Agency and Ofwat.

Water Resources South East, the regional water resources group of South East water companies, and Thames Water have published their water resources plans, including the analysis and cost information. The plans are available online:

www.wrse.org.uk/library/?documentTags=Regional+Plan and www.thameswater.co.uk/about-us/regulation/water-resources.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many hours the Marine Management Organisation have spent processing (a) harbour revision orders and (b) harbour empowerment orders in each of the last five years for which data is available.

Sub-part

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

Total

(a) harbour revision order

1,447.75

1,208.75

1,576.00

1,515.75

2,326.50

8,074.75

(b) harbour empowerment order

50.00

59.25

208.50

185.00

4.25

507.00 *

Total

1,497.75

1,268.00

1,784.50

1,700.75

2,330.75

8,074.75

(a) harbour revision order

£24,000.00

£20,000.00

£44,000.00

£74,319.00

£46,737.00

£209,056.00

(b) harbour empowerment order

£0.00

£0.00

£0.00

£0.00

£0.00

£0 *

Total

24,000.00

20,000.00

44,000.00

74,319.00

46,737.00

209,056.00

(a) Band 2

4,309.25

4,590.50

5,114.50

4,548.25

5,211.75

23,774.25

(b) Band 3

9,624.50

11,339.00

10,264.00

9,861.25

13,275.50

54,364.25

Total

13,933.75

15,929.50

15,378.50

14,409.50

18,487.25

78,138.50

* hours for the empowerment order, the fee was received in 2019 and was £4000.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much income the Marine Management Organisation have received from charges for (a) harbour revision orders and (b) harbour empowerment order applications in each of the last five years for which data is available.

Sub-part

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

Total

(a) harbour revision order

1,447.75

1,208.75

1,576.00

1,515.75

2,326.50

8,074.75

(b) harbour empowerment order

50.00

59.25

208.50

185.00

4.25

507.00 *

Total

1,497.75

1,268.00

1,784.50

1,700.75

2,330.75

8,074.75

(a) harbour revision order

£24,000.00

£20,000.00

£44,000.00

£74,319.00

£46,737.00

£209,056.00

(b) harbour empowerment order

£0.00

£0.00

£0.00

£0.00

£0.00

£0 *

Total

24,000.00

20,000.00

44,000.00

74,319.00

46,737.00

209,056.00

(a) Band 2

4,309.25

4,590.50

5,114.50

4,548.25

5,211.75

23,774.25

(b) Band 3

9,624.50

11,339.00

10,264.00

9,861.25

13,275.50

54,364.25

Total

13,933.75

15,929.50

15,378.50

14,409.50

18,487.25

78,138.50

* hours for the empowerment order, the fee was received in 2019 and was £4000.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many hours the Marine Management Organisation has spent determining (a) Band 2 and (b) Band 3 marine licence applications in each of the last five years for which data is available.

Sub-part

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

Total

(a) harbour revision order

1,447.75

1,208.75

1,576.00

1,515.75

2,326.50

8,074.75

(b) harbour empowerment order

50.00

59.25

208.50

185.00

4.25

507.00 *

Total

1,497.75

1,268.00

1,784.50

1,700.75

2,330.75

8,074.75

(a) harbour revision order

£24,000.00

£20,000.00

£44,000.00

£74,319.00

£46,737.00

£209,056.00

(b) harbour empowerment order

£0.00

£0.00

£0.00

£0.00

£0.00

£0 *

Total

24,000.00

20,000.00

44,000.00

74,319.00

46,737.00

209,056.00

(a) Band 2

4,309.25

4,590.50

5,114.50

4,548.25

5,211.75

23,774.25

(b) Band 3

9,624.50

11,339.00

10,264.00

9,861.25

13,275.50

54,364.25

Total

13,933.75

15,929.50

15,378.50

14,409.50

18,487.25

78,138.50

* hours for the empowerment order, the fee was received in 2019 and was £4000.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Environment Agency has spent on (a) mitigation and (b) compensation for flood defence projects in each of the last three years.

The table below shows the amount that the Environment Agency has spent on compensation payments in financial years 2023-24 and 2022-23. This data is based on costs incurred that were classified within transactional data as compensation payments, so may not be fully complete. To establish how much of these costs have been incurred through flood defence projects would fall into disproportionate costs. Data for 2024-25 is not available.

Financial year

£

2023-24

947,159.61

2022-23

2,158,643.80

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on the number of hours the Environment Agency has spent providing advice to the Marine Management Organisation on marine licence applications in each of the last five years.

The Environment Agency (EA) uses Oracle Time and Labour (OTL) compliance recording to record against their various workstreams. There are many different OTL codes that record the type of advice provided to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) for marine licence advice, from pre-planning advice to advice on significant infrastructure.

The table below shows the number of recorded OTL hours that the EA have spent providing all types of marine licence advice to the MMO from 2020-2025

Year

Hours recorded

2020-21

1359

2021-22

1103

2022-23

1150

2023-24

846

2024-25

1094.5

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many marine licenses were determined by the Marine Management Organisation for (a) removal of abandoned vessels, (b) firework displays, (c) maintenance of bridges or cantilevered structures, (d) installation of eco moorings and (e) coastal and flood defence works in each of the last five years for which data is available.

Sub-part

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

(a) Removal of abandoned vessels

0

0

0

0

0

0

(b) firework displays

0

0

0

0

0

0

(c) maintenance of bridges or cantilevered structures

14

13

24

22

22

10

(d) installation of eco moorings

0

1

0

1

0

0

(e) coastal and flood defence works in each of the last five years for which data is available

19

23

48

32

31

16

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)