Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

This government has considered the impact of changes to labelling costs across a range of sectors. The Government is committed to implementing the Windsor Framework in good faith, including commitments on the use of 'Not for EU labels', as well as taking all steps necessary to protect the UK internal market.

The recent ‘Balance Sheet Analysis’ publication highlights that average liquidity in the sector has been consistently improving over the latest five years of data and reached a 10-year high in the latest year of data (2022/23). This suggests that levels of debt in the farming sector are lower than average.

To confirm, we will deliver a resilient and healthy food system, with a new deal for farmers that works for farmers, food security and nature.

The only way to do this effectively is to listen to farmers and others with a stake in our food system, countryside and nature. We are doing this and assessing data and information about what is working and what is not before setting out detailed plans. We will confirm plans for further optimisation and rollout of farming grants and schemes shortly.

The Government does not believe the Scottish or Scandinavian models are the right approach in England. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 provides the public a right of access to areas of mountain, moor, heath, down, registered common land and coastal margin in England. We will be considering whether any changes are required to the current right to roam regime in due course.

This Government is committed to protecting communities across the country from the dangers of flooding. We will launch a Flood Resilience Taskforce to turbocharge the delivery of flood defences, drainage systems and natural flood management schemes.

We have inherited a floods investment programme which is behind schedule. Since 2021, around 300 flood defence schemes have been completed, investing £2.3bn to protect more than 88,000 properties. In addition, an aging asset base, inflation and last winter’s storms have affected the condition of our existing flood defences. Where a flood defence is below the required condition, the Environment Agency take measures to ensure that communities are not put at risk of flooding.

Moving forwards, we will be reviewing the programme with a view to ensuring flood risk management is fit for the challenges we face now and in the future within the constraints of an economically tight outlook.

Local authorities are required to report fly-tipping incidents and enforcement actions to Defra, which the department have published annually since 2012, at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/env24-fly-tipping-incidents-and-actions-taken-in-england. This data isn't available at a constituency level and excludes the majority of private-land incidents.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 22 July 2024 to the hon. Member for Battersea, PQ UIN 414.

The welfare of animals is currently protected by a suite of legislation including the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

The Government has committed to introducing the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation. As outlined in their manifesto, the Government intends to ban trail hunting and the import of hunting trophies, to end puppy smuggling and farming and to stop the use of snare traps.

Ministers are considering the most effective way to deliver these commitments and will set out next steps in due course.

This Government is committed to banning the sale, supply and manufacture of wet wipes containing plastic.

The Governments new Water (Special Measures) Bill delivers on Labour’s manifesto commitment to put water companies under tough special measures by strengthening regulation to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas more broadly, lakes and seas. Further legislation will build on this to fundamentally transform our water industry and protect British rivers and seas.

The Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme is an EU legacy scheme and legislation is in place which will close it on the 31st of December 2025. The Government has committed to championing British farming, whilst protecting the environment, and is currently considering the best way to support our farming sectors in the future, including horticulture.

The Government is in close contact with counterparts in the United States on the incidents of influenza of avian origin in cattle in the USA. We know that the strain of virus (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) strain B3.13) involved has not been detected in the UK from our bulk milk testing and wider surveillance.

Defra is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the Cabinet Office and with international partners to consider the potential routes of incursion, evidence of animal-to-animal spread and risks of animal-to-human spillover and to reviewed our well-tested surveillance and preparedness activities to detect and respond to any infection of cattle from influenza of avian origin in the future.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has assessed the risk to livestock in Great Britain from this outbreak of Influenza A (H5N1) of avian origin in livestock in the USA, as very low (event is very rare but cannot be excluded) (Avian influenza in cattle in USA (publishing.service.gov.uk). The FSA have assessed the risk to UK consumers from HPAI strain B3.13 in imported milk, dairy products, colostrum and colostrum-based products originating from US dairy cattle as very low with medium uncertainty (Rapid Risk Assessment: Risk to UK consumers from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 B3.13 in US dairy products | Food Standards Agency). The Human Animal Infections and Risk Surveillance group (HAIRS) consider that the HPAI B3.13 strain presents at most a very low risk with regard to spread from animals-to-humans in the UK HAIRS risk statement: Avian influenza A(H5N1) in livestock - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Defra has funded a research consortium at led by The Pirbright Institute and Imperial College to understand this unusual situation. In addition, we have published an Influenza A (H5N1) infection in mammals: suspect case definition and diagnostic testing criteria’ on gov.uk to support veterinary professionals and others in knowing when to report suspicion.

The Secretary of State had a call with Andrew Muir MLA, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs on his second full day (9 July) where they committed to constructive partnership working and identified early shared priorities to collaborate on including tackling water quality issues, and reducing waste and pollution in order to protect our natural resources and grow the economy.

The Secretary of State had a call with Mairi Gougeon MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands on his second full day (9 July) where they committed to constructive partnership working and identified early shared priorities to collaborate on including protecting our natural resources to grow the economy through circular economy measures; supporting farmers and improving food security; and, sharing information on land use reform and access to nature.

The Secretary of State had a call with Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs on his second full day (9 July) where they committed to constructive partnership working, and identified early shared priorities to collaborate on to protect our natural resources and grow the economy, including initiatives to build a circular economy and measures to improve the water quality in our shared rivers.

The Windsor Framework maintains the free flow of trade from GB to NI in the UK internal market. We are committed to implementing the Windsor Framework and protecting the UK internal market.

DAERA as the responsible administration, and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as the regulator, liaise with manufacturers and grower groups on issues around Plant Protection Products (PPPs) availability to ensure the impacts on the farming industry in both NI and GB are minimised where possible.

As set out in the Northern Ireland Protocol in the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, the Industrial Emissions Directive will only apply to those installations in Northern Ireland that contribute to the Single Electricity Market. As of 2022 this was four installations.

Industrial emissions policy is devolved to Northern Ireland. Defra continues to engage with the Northern Ireland Executive on industrial emissions policy through the ‘Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control – The Developing and Setting of Best Available Techniques Common Framework. Where rules in Northern Ireland change in alignment with the EU, the Framework provides governance structures and consensus-based processes for considering and managing the impact of these changes.

Coastal Partnership East is partnership of three local authorities responsible for part of the Norfolk and Suffolk coastline (East Suffolk Council, North Norfolk District Council and Great Yarmouth Borough Council), including Lowestoft. Coastal Partnership East made an estimate of the potential economic damages from future flooding events in Lowestoft. This was completed as part of a business case for a new barrier at Lowestoft submitted in April 2023, prepared by Coastal Partnership East using standard Environment Agency guidance and methodologies.

This estimated the future economic damages from tidal flooding, without the investment proposed in the business case, to be approximately £150m over the next 100 years. The economic damages from river and surface water flood risk was approximately £50m over 100 years.

The Environment Agency (EA) undertake a programme of ecological, water quality and chemical monitoring on the Somerset Frome according to the requirements defined by the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017 (WFD). This provides an understanding of the overall Ecological Status of the river. The EA act on the findings of this monitoring, to investigate any failures to meet the status required.

The WFD monitoring classification shows the Frome from its source to the confluence with the Maiden Bradley Brook as achieving poor ecological status. The Frome from Maiden Bradley Brook to the River Mells is achieving a moderate ecological status.

The reasons for not achieving good ecological status are a mixture of point and diffuse source pollution. This is elevating the nutrient levels in the water which in turn are affecting the plant and algal communities in the river. The results of the Environment Agency’s monitoring work indicate that sources are a mixture of treated sewage discharges from water company assets and from agricultural and land management practices.

Cleaning up our rivers, lakes and seas is a top government priority. Change has already begun – the Water (Special Measures) Bill, announced during the King’s Speech, delivers on our manifesto commitment to put water companies under special measures by strengthening regulation to clean up our waters. That change will take time. Over the coming weeks and months, the Government will outline further steps to reform the water sector and restore our rivers, lakes and seas to good health.

The kind of surface water flooding that Hastings experienced in 2023 generally occurs after extreme rainfall when water cannot immediately drain away or soak into the ground. It can happen very quickly, be difficult to predict and can be exacerbated by impermeable built environment and overwhelmed drainage capacity.

The responsibility for local flood risk management falls to lead local flood authorities (LLFA), in collaboration with water companies. The Government’s Flood Resilience Taskforce will deliver flood defences, drainage systems and natural flood management schemes. In addition, our Water Bill will put water companies under tough special measures where they do not meet performance expectations, by strengthening regulation as a first legislative step towards improving the sector.

When a flood occurs, LLFAs investigate which risk management authorities have relevant flood risk management functions and whether they have exercised those functions.

Defra and its agencies keep the spread of African swine fever (ASF) under continuous review and is prepared to rapidly implement import restrictions based on changing scientific and risk data. A finding of ASF in a wild boar in western Germany in 2024 represented a further move in disease distribution towards the United Kingdom, following similar movements elsewhere in Europe. While we consider that the overall risk of entry of ASF virus into the UK from all combined pathways remains at medium, the particular pathway of human-mediated transport of non-commercial, infected products from the EU is considered to be high risk (please see the latest Animal and Plant Health Agency’s risk assessment from June 2024 for more detail: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/667444bb64e554df3bd0dbed/Update_ASF_in_Europe_35.pdf).

UK safeguard measures are in place prohibiting live pigs, wild boar, or pork products from affected EU areas from entering Great Britain. There is also enforcement carried out by Border Force and Port Health Authority officers at seaports and airports.

To further safeguard Britain's biosecurity and pig industry, travellers are no longer allowed to bring pork products weighing over two kilograms into Great Britain, unless they are produced to the EU’s commercial standards and commercially packaged with an identification mark. These measures help limit possibly infected pig meat being brought into Great Britain through various means, such as in passengers’ luggage or in vehicles.

The Movement Assistance Scheme is available to support with the costs of moving live animals. The Government engages regularly with Northern Ireland stakeholders and would welcome engagement with those transporting poultry and livestock between Northern Ireland and Great Britain to understand how we can best support the sector.

The Windsor Framework (Implementation) Regulations 2024 were published along with accompanying Statutory Guidance for Northern Ireland departments. In line with this guidance, Defra is working with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland on the targeted subset of agri-food matters for which the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has responsibility.

The relevant competent authority is the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.

Appreciating the importance of the u10m fleet to our coastal communities, including those in Cornwall, Defra will look at ways to help the fleet to thrive and contribute more to economic growth and our food security.

The Water (Special Measures) Bill delivers on our manifesto commitment to put water companies under tough special measures by strengthening regulation and begin the work of cleaning up our rivers, lakes and seas.

As an immediate step, this Government will strengthen regulation to reverse the tide on the unacceptable destruction of our waterways, ensuring water companies deliver for customers and the environment and attract private-sector investment to upgrade our crumbling infrastructure.

Change will take time. The Government will outline further legislation to fundamentally transform our water industry and restore our rivers, lakes and seas to good health.

Several of Defra’s public bodies are Public Sector Research Establishments and form an integral part of the Defra group science system. They share, as part of their remit, a role in providing quality scientific evidence and expert advice to Government in their respective disciplines.

A key aim for this administration is to reset the UK government’s relationship with devolved governments in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland and EU and therefore look forward to discussions on a range of issues relating to the Windsor Framework, including State aid.

The Environment Agency (EA)’s current Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Capital Programme (2021-2027) includes 10 projects within the central Bedfordshire area, with a current estimated total project value of £3.5 million. This includes several schemes delivered by Central Bedfordshire Council to better manage surface water in locations which have experienced surface water flooding historically, including Blunham and Shefford. The EA is also completing a first stage appraisal of the flood risk to Leighton Buzzard to better understand the case for flood risk mitigation and the likelihood of achieving a cost beneficial solution. It expects this to be completed by autumn 2024.

The EA’s annual maintenance programme for main rivers in the catchment includes desiltation projects, vegetation clearance and flood defence improvements, and is funded by a combination of Government grant in aid and local flood funding.

The EA is also working in partnership with Central Bedfordshire Council, the Internal Drainage Board and Anglian Water to gather evidence about flooding during January 2024, following one of the wettest winters on record. This work will identify the causes of flooding and determine any necessary actions. The EA has also been engaging with communities to understand the impacts from these events.

The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain, which has coped well in responding to unprecedented challenges. Defra maintains a collaborative relationship with industry which allows us to effectively respond to disruption. This includes a Food Resilience Industry Forum, which can be stood-up at short notice should the need arise.

The Government is committed to protecting human health and the environment. We are currently considering the best approach to chemicals regulation in the UK.

Air pollution has a significant impact on our economy every year by reducing labour productivity and growth.

No specific assessment of air pollution and its impact on the natural environment in Newcastle-under-Lyme has been made recently nor the impact on the economy in North Staffordshire. However, a UK-wide risk assessment of the environmental impacts of the pollutants, ammonia, oxides of nitrogen and sulphur dioxide is made annually.

The results are summarised in the Air Pollution Trends Report (see: https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/reports/cat09/2401111009_Air_Pollution_Trends_Report_2023.pdf).

Specific results for UK designated habitats are viewable on the Air Pollution Information System website (see: https://www.apis.ac.uk/app).

In line with the commitments we have made, as we move to our new UK internal market system we will ensure that the only checks when goods move within the UK internal market system are those conducted by UK authorities as part of a risk-based or intelligence-led approach to tackle criminality, abuse of the scheme, smuggling and disease risks. But in order not to undermine that approach, as is the case across the UK we do not disclose the specific number or nature of interventions made by UK authorities.

No recent formal assessment has been made, although published Environment Agency data (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-activities-regulated-by-the-environment-agency-2022/review-of-activities-regulated-by-the-environment-agency-2022 ) shows that there are only a handful of serious pollution incidents from landfill sites each year. The regulatory framework in place is designed to serve operators and protect the local community. Where poor performance does occur the Environment Agency has a range of powers to bring sites back into compliance and, where necessary, to take enforcement action against operators. These enforcement powers include the use of civil sanction Stop Notices under the Regulatory and Enforcement Sanctions Act 2008, and the ability to suspend or revoke an environmental permit, or to close a site down where there is evidence of harm or risk to the environment or human health under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) 2016 Regulations, as well as to take criminal prosecutions under that legislation.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 23 July 2024 to the Rt Hon Member for Islington North, PQ 592.

The Secretary of State has already met with CEOs of all 16 water companies, including Southern Water, setting out his expectations from government going forward. He will have further conversations with water company chief executives in due course, including with Southern Water, on a range of issues, and will be sure to raise the experiences of those impacted by flooding and supply interruptions and scrutinise their plans to improve.

The Secretary of State has already met with CEOs of all 16 water companies, including Southern Water, setting out his expectations from government going forward. He will have further conversations with water company chief executives in due course, including with Southern Water, on a range of issues, and will be sure to raise the experiences of those impacted by flooding and supply interruptions and scrutinise their plans to improve.

The Secretary of State has already met with CEOs of all 16 water companies, including Southern Water, setting out his expectations from government going forward. He will have further conversations with water company chief executives in due course, including with Southern Water, on a range of issues, and will be sure to raise the experiences of those impacted by flooding and supply interruptions and scrutinise their plans to improve.

The Secretary of State has already met with CEOs of all 16 water companies, including Southern Water, setting out his expectations from government going forward. He will have further conversations with water company chief executives in due course, including with Southern Water, on a range of issues, and will be sure to raise the experiences of those impacted by flooding and supply interruptions and scrutinise their plans to improve.

In line with the Statutory Guidance that accompanied the Windsor Framework (Implementation) Regulations 2024, officials in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs are currently accountable to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for a targeted subset of agri-food matters focused on the movement of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) is a Non-Departmental Public Body and is funded through a statutory industry levy collected from farmers, growers and processors. AHDB delivers its work through sector plans that are formed through consultation with its levy payers. From 1 April 2024 levy rates have been raised by up to 25%, increasing AHDV’s annual budget by up to £10 million and boosting the level of support to the farming industry.

Levy payers greatly value AHDB’s independence and industry focus. This independence stems from the fact that AHDB does not receive direct funding from Defra. Defra officials continue to work closely with AHDB to ensure it is meeting its statutory obligations. There are ongoing discussions regarding opportunities for Defra and AHDB to co-fund mutually beneficial projects through a specific partnership arrangement.

The Agricultural Development Advisory Service (ADAS) is a privately owned agricultural and environmental consultancy and research business. It has access to Government funding through tendering on a commercial basis for Defra research and consultancy contracts – a recent example being ADAS securing the contract for the Countryside Stewardship Scheme monitoring programme.

We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and will work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards.

Ministers are reviewing policies, which will be announced in the usual way, including the consultation on the Fur Market in Great Britain. Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) on what constitutes responsible sourcing of fur. The report that they produce will support our understanding of the fur industry and help inform our next steps.

We have some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world and this Labour Government will introduce the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation.

The Environment Agency publishes an annual Review of Activities Regulated by the Environment Agency setting out details of enforcement action taken. The most recent of these reports was published in March this year and sets out statistics demonstrating the effectiveness of the regulatory activities of the Agency, including enforcement.

In relation to waste crime, the Environment Agency’s has a wide range of investigatory and enforcement powers, including powers of entry, powers to search and seize evidence and to access communications data. Further regulatory reform is underway. The Environment Agency also has powers to sanction offenders using Variable Monetary Penalties (VMPs).

In addition to the formal review, individual incidents and criminal investigation provide the regulators opportunity to learn lessons and identify further ways to frustrate the efforts of those who are determined to make profits, breaching environmental controls with no regard to their impact on the environment and local people.

Local authorities in England are required to report fly-tipping incidents and enforcement actions to Defra, which are published annually at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/env24-fly-tipping-incidents-and-actions-taken-in-england. This excludes the majority of private-land incidents.

Data for the 2023/24 reporting year will be published later this year.