Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many responses her Department received to the consultation entitled Amending the hydrofluorocarbon phasedown schedule.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
137 responses to the consultation were received. Defra is currently considering their contents.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of growing water reed for the purposes of thatching materials within the Great Fen project.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra, Natural England, and Environment Agency are working closely with our Great Fen partners to look at the benefits of paludiculture (wetter farming) and trialling a range of diversification options. This is vital to enable thriving and sustainable rural businesses, protection of our precious lowland peat resources, and enhance biodiversity. The Great Fen provides opportunity to act to test these principles, and will be looking at the benefits of growing reed and a host of other crop types for food and fibre.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Wyre Forest (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made (1) the potential cost savings, and (2) the fire reduction benefits, of mandatory nationwide kerbside collection of waste batteries and small electrical items.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra has not carried out a formal assessment of the potential cost savings and fire reduction benefits of mandatory nationwide kerbside collection of waste batteries and small electrical items.
Defra has however worked closely with industry and Material Focus on Material Focus’ UK electricals and portable batteries collections review (see attached), which was published in January. Material Focus is funded by the compliance fee that operates under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2013 and is paid by electrical producers if they do not meet annual recycling targets set by the government. This review indicated that although kerbside collections impacted the amount of recycling collected, the picture is complex and various other important factors may influence the 'best collection method' for each local authority.
Fires in waste are a significant concern, and we are closely engaged with industry, including waste disposal operators, on the issue. The Government has already taken action to ban disposable vapes - one of the main ways in which lithium-ion batteries end up in general waste. We are currently considering options for reform of the batteries regulations in the UK and are in the process of engaging further with industry and other stakeholders on those options.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding was allocated to (a) major capital flood defence schemes and (b) minor or maintenance-type schemes within the 151 flood defence schemes delivered in the Government’s first year.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
During 24/25 and 25/26, this Government has invested a record £2.65 billion in new flood defences with at least 52,000 properties set to be better protected by March 2026. Between July 2024 and July 2025, this investment funded work to complete 151 flood schemes. A scheme is considered complete when the flood asset will better protect properties from flooding.
The completion of the 151 schemes during this period means more than 24,000 homes and businesses are now better protected.
Of the 151 schemes, 70 were newly constructed flood defences, 58 were significant capital refurbishment/replacement of existing older assets (to either extend the life of the asset or increase the standard of protection it provides) and 23 delivered flood resilience measures to properties.
The 151 schemes include projects in all regions of England. Further details of flood schemes invested in by the Government since 2024 can be found on gov.uk and a list of projects to be funded in 26/27 will be published in March.
Delivering on the Plan for Change, this Government is investing at least £10.5 billion in our flood defences until 2036 – the largest flood programme in history – a record investment that is projected to benefit nearly 900,000 properties.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what were the ten largest flood defence schemes by capital value included within the 151 schemes delivered in the Government’s first year, and when each of those schemes commenced.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
During 24/25 and 25/26, this Government has invested a record £2.65 billion in new flood defences with at least 52,000 properties set to be better protected by March 2026. Between July 2024 and July 2025, this investment funded work to complete 151 flood schemes. A scheme is considered complete when the flood asset will better protect properties from flooding.
The completion of the 151 schemes during this period means more than 24,000 homes and businesses are now better protected.
Of the 151 schemes, 70 were newly constructed flood defences, 58 were significant capital refurbishment/replacement of existing older assets (to either extend the life of the asset or increase the standard of protection it provides) and 23 delivered flood resilience measures to properties.
The 151 schemes include projects in all regions of England. Further details of flood schemes invested in by the Government since 2024 can be found on gov.uk and a list of projects to be funded in 26/27 will be published in March.
Delivering on the Plan for Change, this Government is investing at least £10.5 billion in our flood defences until 2036 – the largest flood programme in history – a record investment that is projected to benefit nearly 900,000 properties.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish a regional breakdown of the 151 flood defence schemes, including start date, completion date and total project cost for each scheme.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
During 24/25 and 25/26, this Government has invested a record £2.65 billion in new flood defences with at least 52,000 properties set to be better protected by March 2026. Between July 2024 and July 2025, this investment funded work to complete 151 flood schemes. A scheme is considered complete when the flood asset will better protect properties from flooding.
The completion of the 151 schemes during this period means more than 24,000 homes and businesses are now better protected.
Of the 151 schemes, 70 were newly constructed flood defences, 58 were significant capital refurbishment/replacement of existing older assets (to either extend the life of the asset or increase the standard of protection it provides) and 23 delivered flood resilience measures to properties.
The 151 schemes include projects in all regions of England. Further details of flood schemes invested in by the Government since 2024 can be found on gov.uk and a list of projects to be funded in 26/27 will be published in March.
Delivering on the Plan for Change, this Government is investing at least £10.5 billion in our flood defences until 2036 – the largest flood programme in history – a record investment that is projected to benefit nearly 900,000 properties.
Asked by: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative - Chester South and Eddisbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Environment Agency has made of the proportion of the 151 flood defence schemes that were already in construction or procurement prior to July 2024.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
During 24/25 and 25/26, this Government has invested a record £2.65 billion in new flood defences with at least 52,000 properties set to be better protected by March 2026. Between July 2024 and July 2025, this investment funded work to complete 151 flood schemes. A scheme is considered complete when the flood asset will better protect properties from flooding.
The completion of the 151 schemes during this period means more than 24,000 homes and businesses are now better protected.
Of the 151 schemes, 70 were newly constructed flood defences, 58 were significant capital refurbishment/replacement of existing older assets (to either extend the life of the asset or increase the standard of protection it provides) and 23 delivered flood resilience measures to properties.
The 151 schemes include projects in all regions of England. Further details of flood schemes invested in by the Government since 2024 can be found on gov.uk and a list of projects to be funded in 26/27 will be published in March.
Delivering on the Plan for Change, this Government is investing at least £10.5 billion in our flood defences until 2036 – the largest flood programme in history – a record investment that is projected to benefit nearly 900,000 properties.
Asked by: Melanie Ward (Labour - Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's proposed timeline is for banning cages in relation to hens and pigs.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The recently published Animal Welfare Strategy sets out that ending the use of cages and crates is a key priority for this Government.
We are currently consulting on a proposed timeline to ban the instalment of new enriched ‘colony’ cages for the keeping of laying hens and any other caged systems used for pullets and breeder layers from 2027 and the use of existing cages from 2032.
As set out in the Animal Welfare Strategy we will be consulting on pig farrowing crates and a proposed timeline for the transition away from the use of farrowing crates to alternative systems: either flexible or free farrowing.
Asked by: Peter Fortune (Conservative - Bromley and Biggin Hill)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much their department spent on X and xAI since July 2024.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 29 January 2026 to the hon. Member for Windsor, UIN 106863.
Asked by: Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat - Wells and Mendip Hills)
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 Answer of 4 February 2026 to Question 109797, how many of the 3, 442 documents for which an Annex VII was submitted between 28 October 2025 and 2 February 2026 (a) have now passed the eight week deadline and (b) of that number, how many have not supplied sufficient geo-tagged photographic information proving arrival at their intended destination.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Of the 3442 annex VII documents referenced (now revised to 3281 following further data assurance) 1,891 have reached the eight-week deadline. Annex VII forms submitted after the 15 December 2025 are not yet due.
Of these 1891, 1,370 have not been returned with the post-shipment information required, including geotagged photographs.
521 Annex VII forms were returned. 458 met the requirements, including geotagged photos, 63 did not. The Environment Agency (EA) is actively pursuing the remaining returns of the outstanding Annex VII and those who are non-compliant. Further actions may include prohibiting further shipments and/or enforcement.
The EA is continuing to assure the data that is received so there may be further amendments in the final figures.