Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the press release entitled Roadmap to rebuild trust in water sector unveiled in major new report, published on 21 July 2025, what proportion of the £104 billion water infrastructure investment will be funded by (a) water companies, (b) the public purse and (c) private third-party investors.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Over the next five years water companies will spend £104 billion on investment and operation combined. This is more spending than at any previous price review.
Ofwat set out in its final determinations that £44 billion of this spending would be on new infrastructure and resources.
In the first instance, this will be provided by private investors. Ofwat has estimated that investors will provide £12.7 billion in new equity during the spending period. The remainder will be funded by water companies, in part through debt in order to spread the costs of investment over the lifetime of the new assets.
In line with the funding model for the water industry, debt and equity investors will be repaid over time through customer bills.
Business plans for all water companies have been published by Ofwat.
Water company investment plans will require no contributions from general taxation.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the press release New drainage standards tackle pollution in England’s communities, published on 19 June 2025, if he will list the (a) flooding and (b) drainage experts that were consulted prior to the development of the new standards.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A range of stakeholders including expert consultants, devolved administrations, local authorities, arms length bodies, water companies, drainage experts, environmental groups and developers were consulted.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the press release entitled New drainage standards tackle pollution in England’s communities, published on 19 June 2025, if he will list the stakeholders that were consulted on the development of the new standards.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A range of stakeholders including expert consultants, devolved administrations, local authorities, arms length bodies, water companies, drainage experts, environmental groups and developers were consulted.
Asked by: Lizzi Collinge (Labour - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with (a) landowners and (b) Natural England on the (i) risk of wildfire in areas of moorland that is not actively managed and (ii) potential impact of policies of non-intervention in rewilded moorland areas.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government has engaged with public and private landowners, and Natural England, throughout the consultation process on amending The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021. The revised regulations, which were laid before Parliament on 9 September 2025, aim to make these landscapes more resilient to wildfire. We are encouraging land managers to develop good quality wildfire management plans.
We also held workshops with a wide range of land managers to inform the new Heather and Grass Management Code. This is being drafted by Natural England and will set clear standards for managing habitats including moorlands.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of granting National Trail status to the Icknield Way.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government remains committed to enhancing access to nature and will continue to work closely with Natural England, National Trails UK and relevant partners to understand and respond to the needs of our National Trails.
We currently have no plans to create any new National Trails. We will be completing the King Charles III England Coast Path and Coast to Coast in 2026, as well as developing the nine new national river walks.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether Monkeys will be included in the government's proposed hunting trophy ban.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is continuing to engage with relevant stakeholders to help determine the most appropriate scope for the ban on the import of hunting trophies from species of conservation concern. Species of conservation concern are listed primarily on Appendices I and II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) according to the level of threat international trade has on their conservation status. This includes a large number of primate species.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Independent - Poole)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 26 June 2025 to Question 61000 on Hunting, what recent progress he has made to ban trail-hunting.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Work is ongoing to determine the best approach to deliver the manifesto commitment to ban trail hunting. We have committed to running a consultation to ensure those with an interest can input. We will share further details in due course.
Asked by: Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what provisions they are putting in place to ensure that precision-bred crops can be developed and commercialised in the United Kingdom, following the announcement of the sanitary and phytosanitary agreement with the EU on 2 June.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The secondary legislation needed to implement the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 for plants in England was passed into law on 13 May 2025 and, following a six-month implementation period, the new regulatory system is due to commence on 14 November 2025.
We will agree a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement to make agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier, cutting costs and red tape for British producers and retailers. We have been clear about the importance of being able to support the use of new and innovative technologies. We remain committed to moving forward with the Precision Breeding Act.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on the UK's natural capital accounts.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) is being legislated under Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. The NRF will provide a more streamlined experience for developers and better outcomes for protected habitats and species.
The benefit of the NRF to the UK’s natural capital accounts will depend upon the specific Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs) that are brought forward under its provisions. The requirement for an EDP to meet the overall improvement test before it can be made by the Secretary of State, supported by robust monitoring, reporting, and remediation safeguards, will ensure a positive impact.
An impact assessment for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill was published on 6 May 2025 and may be referred to for further details of the expected outcomes of the Bill.
Asked by: Ben Goldsborough (Labour - South Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered increasing funding for the Capital Grants scheme, in the context of levels of demand.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As of 1 August, strong demand for the Government’s £150 million Capital Grant offer means that all available funds for this round have now been allocated.
We plan to make further improvements to the offer for future rounds. We expect to open a new round for farmers to secure more funding during 2026. Other Countryside Stewardship capital grants which remain open for applications now are Woodland Tree Health grants, Capital grant plans, woodland management plans, Protection and Infrastructure grants and Higher Tier capital grants.