Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Latest News (from Department Twitter Feed)

24 Oct 2020, 10:16 a.m.: Today the @UN celebrates its 75 anniversary. At the most recent General Assembly we committed to protecting 30% of the UK's land by 2030. Biodiversity loss is occurring at an alarming rate and we need to work together globally to take action. #30by30 #UNDay #UNDay2020 https://t.co/vWnlqvCoFt - Link
23 Oct 2020, 4:25 p.m.: We’re pleased that the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill is now at the Second Reading stage at @HouseofCommons. The most serious perpetrators of animal abuse could face a max penalty of 5 years in prison. Find out more: https://t.co/xiA7bYFvAs https://t.co/mk6zEvE5N0 - Link

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

Date	Type	Title
Oct. 15	Oral Questions	Oral Answers to Questions
May. 22	Urgent Questions	Transport Emissions: Urban Areas
Oct. 21	Westminster Hall	Right to Food in Legislation
Oct. 01	Adjournment Debate	Fly-tipping: Penalties

View All Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Commons Contibutions

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - Bills and Acts in the Current Session

Title	Last Event	Next Event Date	Last Updated
Direct Payments to Farmers (Legislative Continuity) Act 2020	Royal Assent (Minutes of Proceedings) 30 January, 2020		31 Jan 2020, 9:30 a.m.
To make provision for the incorporation of the Direct Payments Regulation into domestic law; for enabling an increase in the total maximum amount of direct payments under that Regulation; and for connected purposes.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - Laid Secondary Legislation

Dates	Department	Title	Type
Laid 22 Oct 2020 In Force Not stated	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs	Common Fisheries Policy (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 Parliamentary Status - Text of Legislation	Draft affirmative procedure
These Regulations are made in exercise of the powers conferred by section 8(1) of, and paragraph 21 of Schedule 7 to, the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (c. 16) in order to address failures of retained EU law to operate effectively and other deficiencies (in particular, under section 8(2)(b), (c), (d) and (g)) arising from the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union.
Laid 22 Oct 2020 In Force Not stated	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs	Agricultural Products, Food and Drink (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 Parliamentary Status - Text of Legislation	Draft affirmative procedure
Explanatory text not available

View All Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secondary Legislation

Petitions addressed by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Current Signatures	Title	Petition Deadline
247,048 Petition Closed	Ban the use of all non-recyclable and unsustainable food packaging Gov Responded - 18 Jun 2019 Debated on - 24 Jun 2019	5 Jun 2019 closed 1 year, 4 months ago
Today the Earth is at a crisis point due to our plastic consumption, and as a result, people in the UK are more willing than ever to engage in recycling. Yet so much food packaging remains completely, frustratingly unrecyclable. Let's aim for the UK to lead the world with a 100% recycling rate.
186,226 Petition Closed	Reject calls to add Staffordshire Bull Terriers to the Dangerous Dogs Act Gov Responded - 5 Jul 2018 Debated on - 16 Jul 2018	22 Dec 2018 closed 1 year, 10 months ago
PETA, an organisation that is meant to be dedicated to protecting animals, has proposed to the UK government that it should add Staffordshire Bull Terriers to the dangerous dogs act, effectively banning them outright. Breed Specific Legislation is not the solution to the problem of dog attacks.
148,248 Petition Closed	Ban the sale of puppies by pet shops & all commercial 3rd party dealers. Gov Responded - 20 Mar 2018 Debated on - 21 May 2018	1 Sep 2018 closed 2 years, 1 month ago
Removing puppies for sale from litter & mum often creates sick, traumatised, dysfunctional dogs. Puppies should be seen with their mum & transporting them to a different place for sale harms welfare. Regulating commercial 3rd party sales is ineffective to prevent harm & a ban is therefore necessary.

View All Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Petitions

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee Home Page

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, and the Select Committee will occasionally publish formal reports of their findings.

Open Inquiries

Flooding Agriculture Bill: Trade Standards Labour in the food supply chain The work of DEFRA COVID-19 and food supply Fisheries Negotiations Air Quality Public Sector Procurement of Food Tree Planting and Woodlands UK-Norway Framework Fisheries Agreement

Closed Inquiries

Government support to the dairy sector during the COVID-19 pandemic 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

Recent Select Committee Publications

Thu 19 Nov 2020 - Call for Evidence
Wed 11 Nov 2020 - Call for Evidence
Sat 31 Oct 2020 - Call for Evidence
Fri 23 Oct 2020 - Correspondence with Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating to the interim Office for Environmental Protection
Fri 23 Oct 2020 - 20 October 2020

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Publications

Most Recent Publications

Date	Title	Type
Oct. 23	Check if you need an environmental permit	Guidance and Regulation
Oct. 23	Government backs Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill as it takes crucial step forward	News and Communications
Oct. 23	Businesses trading timber urged to prepare for change	News and Communications

View All Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Publications

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Written Questions

Written Questions are submitted by Members of Parliament and the House of Lords to receive information or updates from a Department.

Departments are required to respond in a timely fashion and provide a response or requested information. Written Questions can compel detailed and specific information to be produced, and are frequently used as the source of news stories about the work of a Department.

Latest Written Question

Date	Title	Questioner
23 Oct 2020, 2:19 p.m.	Scott Mann MP (Conservative - North Cornwall)	Scott Mann MP (Conservative - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support the recreational fishing sector in respect of negotiations on the UK's future relationship with the EU. Answered by Victoria Prentis - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) The UK will become an independent coastal state at the end of 2020 and will no longer be bound by the EU’s common fisheries policy or its outdated and unfair method for sharing fishing opportunities. The Government’s position in negotiations on a future relationship with the EU on fish is reasonable and straightforward and seeks to secure the best outcome for all UK fishers, including the recreational sector. The UK wants a simple, separate fisheries framework agreement which reflects our rights under international law and which provides for annual negotiations over access and fishing opportunities based on the scientific principle of zonal attachment.

View All Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Written Question