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

Emma Reynolds
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)

Green Party
Adrian Ramsay (Green - Waveney Valley)
Green 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
Angela Eagle (Lab - Wallasey)
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
Monday 20th October 2025
Select Committee Docs
Wednesday 24th September 2025
13:00
Select Committee Inquiry
Thursday 11th September 2025
Written Answers
Monday 20th October 2025
Fisheries: Patrol Craft
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost to the public purse was …
Secondary Legislation
Tuesday 16th September 2025
Environmental Protection (Wet Wipes Containing Plastic) (England) Regulations 2025
These Regulations, which apply in relation to England, prohibit persons from supplying or offering to supply wet wipes containing plastic …
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
Monday 20th October 2025
22:30

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
Sep. 04
Oral Questions
Jan. 30
Urgent Questions
Oct. 15
Written Statements
Sep. 11
Adjournment Debate
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, which apply in relation to England, prohibit persons from supplying or offering to supply wet wipes containing plastic (see definitions in regulation 2).
These Regulations amend the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/158) (“the 2021 Regulations”), which regulate the burning of specified vegetation on peatland in England.
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).

Trending Petitions
Petition Open
34,624 Signatures
(11,567 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
11,131 Signatures
(1,812 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
8,414 Signatures
(573 in the last 7 days)
Petitions with most signatures
Petition Open
34,624 Signatures
(11,567 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
21,361 Signatures
(192 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
11,131 Signatures
(1,812 in the last 7 days)
Petition Debates Contributed
109,019
Petition Closed
21 May 2025
closed 5 months 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.

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

104,341
Petition Closed
22 May 2025
closed 4 months, 4 weeks ago

Chris Packham, Ruth Tingay and Mark Avery (Wild Justice) believe that driven grouse shooting is bad for people, the environment and wildlife. People; we think grouse shooting is economically insignificant when contrasted with other real and potential uses of the UK’s extensive uplands.

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
Animal and plant health
21 Oct 2025, 9:30 a.m.
At 10:00am: Oral evidence
Katie Pettifer - Chief Executive at Food Standards Agency (FSA)
Geoff Ogle - Chief Executive at Food Standards Scotland (FSS)

View calendar - Save to Calendar
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee - Oral evidence
Work of the Department and its arm’s-length bodies
28 Oct 2025, 9:30 a.m.
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 Climate and weather resilience 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

13th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2 September 2025 to Question 69634 on Swifts: Bricks, if she will make it her policy to amend the Statutory Biodiversity Net Gain metric to allow the installation of swift bricks in new housing to count towards biodiversity net gain.

Swift bricks cannot be counted towards Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) units, which must be calculated using the statutory biodiversity metric or its small sites version. The metric does not account for species-specific features, which are typically installed to mitigate the loss of features in the built environment.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the local authorities his Department is working with in Cambridgeshire to deliver the NO2 Programme.

The Government is supporting 64 local authorities through the NO2 programme specifically to develop and implement measures to address their Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) exceedances in the shortest possible time. No local authorities in Cambridgeshire were identified as within scope of the NO2 programme.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
14th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to provide additional funding for the Marine Management Organisation.

On 11 June 2025, the Chancellor announced the outcome of the Spending Review 2025. The Spending Review 2025 set departmental budgets until 2028-29 for day-to-day spending, and until 2029-30 for capital investment. Defra is currently conducting business planning, which will set budgets for Arms Length Bodies including the Marine Management Organisation. It is not possible to confirm additional funding for the Marine Management Organisation until this process has concluded.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle Asian hornets.

Defra is continuing to follow an eradication strategy against Yellow Legged Hornet (also known as Asian Hornet) to prevent this invasive non-native species from establishing in GB. Contingency action is delivered by the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit (NBU). As of 10th October 2025, the NBU have found and destroyed a total of 143 Yellow Legged Hornet nests.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of existing legislation to ensure that foals are not entered into competitive races.

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the 2006 Act), it is an offence to cause any animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for its welfare. Anyone who is cruel to an animal, or does not provide for its welfare, may be banned from owning animals. They may also face an unlimited fine, be sent to prison, or both.

The 2006 Act is backed up by the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Horses, Ponies, Donkeys and Their Hybrids which provides guidance on how to meet the welfare needs of equines. The Code states that any training should be appropriate to the age, experience and condition of the animal, which includes training for races.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2025 to Question 75416 on Dangerous Dogs, when the withdrawal scheme will become active.

We are currently working to develop a withdrawal scheme so that owners who no longer believe that their dog is an XL Bully can apply to have their certificate of exemption for their dog withdrawn. Information about this process will be available soon.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2025 to Question 75416 on Dangerous Dogs, if she will consider introducing an interim scheme until the withdrawal scheme is active.

We are currently working to develop a withdrawal scheme so that owners who no longer believe that their dog is an XL Bully can apply to have their certificate of exemption for their dog withdrawn. Information about this process will be available soon.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending enforcement powers to cover incidents where dogs are not kept under control in public before they become dangerously out of control.

The police and local authorities have a range of powers available to tackle dangerous dogs and irresponsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog. 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 reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce to explore measures to promote responsible dog ownership, including the consideration of enforcement. We look forward to receiving the findings and recommendations from the taskforce in due course.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has he made in delivering the Livestock Information Transformation Programme.

Defra's Livestock Information Transformation Programme (LITP) is delivering significant progress towards modernising England's livestock traceability systems. LITP will enable faster response to animal disease outbreaks, provide data to help improve animal health and welfare, give further assurances on food safety, support productivity, and facilitate trade.

LITP has completed the initial design and development phase for the new Livestock Information Service (LIS), which will replace outdated species-specific systems with a single, multispecies platform capable of near real-time movement reporting.

The pilot phase for the new cattle service will begin in December 2025 with selected cattle keepers, with wider availabillity to all cattle keepers across England planned over 2026.

Livestock traceability data from England, Wales and Scotland will continue to be integrated, enabling Chief Veterinary Officers to track livestock locations and movements across the UK. This ensures we maintain a robust biosecurity management, providing a more efficient system for both Government and industry.

Following cattle implementation, additional species will be added on to LIS, with timelines to be confirmed once cattle rollout is complete.

This programme represents the Government’s commitment to modernising livestock traceability and will deliver enhanced disease control capabilities, improved animal welfare monitoring, and stronger support for trade and the country’s farmers.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with EU negotiators on the inclusion of UK animal welfare standards within the proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement.

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, and helping to reduce the pressure on prices and increase choice in the shops.

The agreement will cover SPS standards and controls and also wider agrifood rules related to food labelling, organics, and key marketing standards and compositional standards.

Details are subject to negotiation, but we have been clear about the importance of being able to set high animal welfare standards.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the UK's withdrawal from the EU on (a) biosecurity arrangements and (b) the illegal importation of food products.

The biosecurity arrangements and regulatory frameworks for imports are no longer the same as when we were in the EU. Since leaving the EU, we have put in place sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) rules for importing food products from the EU into Great Britain and amended SPS rules for importing food products from the rest of the world in line with the Border Target Operating Model.

The Government Major Projects Portfolio has approved a monitoring and evaluation plan for the Borders, Boundaries and Trade Programme which will explore questions relating to the performance and effectiveness of the Border target Operating Model.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff have been employed by the Dover Port Health Authority in each of the last 20 years.

Defra does not hold this information. Dover District Council is designated as port health authority for the Port of Dover.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) increasing levels of funding and (b) widening the responsibilities for the Border Force to include animal products originating from the rest of world.

Border Force is funded by Home Office. Defra has committed £3.1 million for Dover Port Health Authority to work in partnership with Border Force in seizing meat smuggled via the Port of Dover in 2025/26, additional to over £9 million of funding provided to date.

Border Force is responsible for enforcing the Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 2011 in England in relation to animal products in any place, other than Border Control Posts, where goods are subject to customs supervision.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help protect barn owls in Sussex, in the context of the decline in breeding numbers in 2025.

The decline of the barn owl is attributed to several factors including the loss of suitable habitat, which limits the availability of hunting grounds; the use of rodenticides; road traffic collision; and the loss of traditional nesting sites.

To address their decline nationally, agri-environmental schemes are supporting barn owls by the funding of habitat creation, such as rough grassland for hunting, and by supporting the provision of nest boxes in suitable locations.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of designating Cornish lobster as a protected product under the Protected Geographical Indication framework.

The Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) framework plays a vital role in championing food and drink products that are regionally distinct and nationally important, helping to preserve heritage, support rural economies, and promote high-quality British produce. A number of celebrated Cornish foods are already protected - Fal Oyster PDO, Cornish Sardines PGI, Cornish Clotted Cream PDO, Cornish Pasty PGI and Darnibole wine PDO.

The designation process is producer-led. As with any prospective name, the Department would welcome an application to protect “Cornish Lobster”. The application would need to give evidence of widespread agreement amongst the lobster fishing fleet of its reputation, exactly what it is, how it is produced or caught and where it comes from. Should producers wish to pursue this, we will carefully consider their case in line with the established criteria under the UK GI schemes.

More information, including how to apply can be found at Protected geographical food and drink names: UK GI schemes - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to mandate method-of-production welfare labelling for (a) pork, (b) chicken and (c) eggs.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for York Central, Rachael Maskell, on 8 October 2025, PQ UIN 76016.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she plans to take to ensure accuracy of method-of-production labelling for (a) domestic producers and (b) importers.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for York Central, Rachael Maskell, on 8 October 2025, PQ UIN 76016.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's consultation entitled Fairer food labelling, which closed on 7 May 2024, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to mandate method-of-production welfare labelling for (a) pork, (b) chicken and (c) eggs.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for York Central, Rachael Maskell, on 8 October 2025, PQ UIN 76016.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to improve transparency in method-of-production welfare labelling for (a) pork, (b) chicken and (c) eggs.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for York Central, Rachael Maskell, on 8 October 2025, PQ UIN 76016.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's consultation entitled Fairer food labelling, which closed on 7 May 2024, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to mandate method-of-production welfare labelling for (a) pork, (b) chicken and (c) eggs.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for York Central, Rachael Maskell, on 8 October 2025, PQ UIN 76016.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to secure long-term public budgets for nature recovery.

We are prioritising investment that supports the Government’s Plan for Change and builds work to reform Defra to drive growth, while maintaining our commitment to farming, food security, and nature’s recovery.

This Government has committed a record £11.8 billion allocation to deliver sustainable farming and food production over this parliament. This includes increasing spend on nature-friendly farming including Environmental Land Management schemes to £2 billion by 28/29.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many investigations were commenced by her Department of English-registered fishing vessels over ten metres in length for fishing outside six nautical miles of UK waters in each year since 2020; and how many and what proportion of those investigations resulted in (a) charges being brought and (b) successful prosecutions.

Marine Management Organisation (MMO) does not publish investigations, only prosecutions. The table below lists all cases where charges were brought resulting in successful MMO prosecutions in court of UK 10m and over vessels which resulted from inspections at sea outside of 6 nautical miles from baselines (there were no unsuccessful prosecutions).

UK Vessels

2020

0

2021

1

2022

0

2023

0

2024

1

2025 to date

2

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost to the public purse was of fisheries patrol operations in English waters in each year since 2020.

Fisheries patrol operations in English waters are undertaken by the Marine Management Organisation utilising two leased patrol vessels. The cost of these vessels is detailed in MMO's annual reports as follows:

Year

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26*

Vessel Costs

6,735,829

6,836,401

6,501,914

6,282,640

6,489,608

3,487,538

  • * is the half year to 30 September 2025.
Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the Environmental Land Management payment scheme in supporting farmers with a clear roadmap to 2030.

This Government has committed a record £11.8 billion allocation to deliver sustainable farming and food production over this parliament. This includes increasing spend on nature-friendly farming including Environmental Land Management schemes to £2 billion by 28/29. As a result of the Government’s determination to get more farmers to participate, there are now 50,000 farm businesses and half of all farmed land now managed under our schemes – with more money being spent through these schemes than at any point.

We are now working with farmers, farming and environmental organisations to develop the Farming Roadmap, which will set the course of farming in England for the next 25 years. It will set out how farming will, must and can evolve in response to changing markets, technologies, and environmental pressures - and how government will support that transition.We are committed to an ongoing process of iterating and maturing the Roadmap as we learn from farmers what they need to succeed.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment with the Home Secretary of the potential merits of giving port health authorities stop, search and seize powers.

The Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 2011 already give port health authorities in England, search and seize powers in relation to animal products.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many tonnes of fish were caught in English waters by EU-registered fishing vessels in each year since 2020.

Table 1. Annual live weight (tonnes) landed from English waters by EU-registered fishing vessels from 2020 to 2023.

2020

2021

2022

2023

210,000

160,000

120,000

150,000

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
13th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of rent increases in agricultural tenancies on UK food production; and what support the Government is offering tenant farmers.

Defra monitors farm rents in England annually and the most recent farm rents data publication shows changes in farm rents per hectare vary according to the type of tenancy agreement, type of farmland and by location. A range of economic factors can affect UK food production including output prices, input costs, global trade, market demand and public support policies.

Schemes delivered under the farming budget are open to tenants to help them produce food and also deliver environmental benefits. The Government has appointed a Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector to support collaborative relationships across the tenanted sector.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of transferring Products of Animal Origin enforcement (a) powers and (b) funding to port health authorities.

The Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 2011 designate port health authorities in England, as enforcement authorities for animal products. Defra has committed £3.1 million for Dover Port Health Authority to work in partnership with Border Force in seizing meat smuggled via the Port of Dover in 2025/26, additional to over £9 million of funding provided to date.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of increasing the powers of local authorities to (a) monitor and (b) take steps to help tackle (i) air pollution and (ii) health issues caused by heather burning for grouse shooting during the burning season.

Local authorities are responsible for monitoring and assessing air quality within their areas and have powers to act when exceedances of air quality objectives are identified.

As a result of the recent amendments to the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021, any burning on peat deeper than 30cm in Less Favoured Areas is prohibited except under licence. The promotion of alternative land management methods, in place of unnecessary burning will reduce the harmful smoke emissions that impact our communities.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has (a) direct and (b) real time access to systems that monitor EU-registered fishing vessels that are fishing in English waters.

Fishing activity in English waters is monitored by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). MMO receives positional data and electronic logbook (elog) catch data for all foreign fishing vessels of 12 metres or more in length. Data from these vessels is received with the same frequency as for UK vessels. Live positional data is required to be transmitted at least once every two hours and electronic logbook data is required to be submitted at least once per day whilst at sea. Once transmitted, data is automatically forwarded to the UK by the relevant fisheries authority and is received by MMO in close to real-time.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that supermarkets are required to use packaging that is recyclable through household recycling systems; and whether she has considered taking legislative steps to promote the use of such packaging.

The Government is taking several steps to incentivise the use of use or recyclable packaging by supermarkets and other producers.

Under the UK wide Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) scheme, which came into effect on 1 January 2025, producers are incentivised to reduce their material footprint and use easier to recycle packaging by being required to bear the end-of-life costs associated with packaging that they place on the market. The Scheme Administrator, PackUK, can modulate (increase or decrease) the household packaging waste disposal fees for each category of packaging a producer supplies. This will reflect the environmental sustainability of the packaging and provide an incentive to the producer to use more environmentally sustainable packaging.

Additionally, under Simpler Recycling, every household and workplace (such as businesses, schools, and hospitals) across England will be able to recycle the same materials in the following core groups: metal; glass; plastic: paper and card; food waste; garden waste (household only). This includes cartons (as part of the plastics recyclable waste stream). More consistent collections will help reduce contamination, improve material quality and boost recycling rates.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on the animal welfare of greyhounds exported to (a) China, (b) Pakistan and (c) elsewhere.

The Department is not aware that there is a widespread problem with the welfare of greyhounds being exported to a) China, b) Pakistan or c) elsewhere.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many investigations of EU-registered fishing vessels were commenced by her Department in each year since 2020; and how many and what proportion of those investigations resulted in (a) charges being brought and (b) successful prosecutions.

Marine Management Organisation (MMO) does not publish investigations, only prosecutions. The table below lists all cases where charges were brought resulting in successful MMO prosecutions in court of EU vessels in each year since 2020 (there were no unsuccessful prosecutions).

EU Vessels

2020

1

2021

1

2022

2

2023

2

2024

0

2025 to date

1

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total value of landings was from fly-seine fishing operations in English waters by (a) EU-registered and (b) English-registered fly-seine vessels for each year since 2015.

Table 2. Annual value (GBP) landed from fly-seine fishing operations in English waters by EU-registered and English-registered fly-seine vessels from 2015 to 2023.

Vessel Registration

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

EU

9,400,000

12,200,000

15,500,000

15,400,000

14,700,000

12,800,000

12,700,000

15,900,000

16,900,000

England

2,800,000

3,100,000

2,400,000

1,500,000

3,000,000

3,100,000

3,800,000

8,900,000

10,400,000

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure whether existing policies are rural proofed.

The Government has made a commitment that all policy decision-making should be rural proofed, ensuring that rural areas are not overlooked and that the intended outcomes are deliverable in rural areas. Defra leads on rural proofing, but individual departments are responsible for ensuring that their policy decision-making is considered through this lens.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she has taken to tackle illegal dog fighting in the last two years.

Dog fighting is illegal under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Defra advises members of the public who have evidence of cruelty to animals to report it to the relevant local authority. They have powers under the 2006 Act to investigate allegations of cruelty, poor welfare, or neglect of animals.

Since The Online Safety Act 2023 came into force in March 2025, social media firms must remove online content facilitating animal torture, including the promotion of, or footage depicting, illegal dog fighting.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
13th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how the Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector will ensure that the voices of small-scale and marginal tenant farmers are represented in policy discussions and recommendations.

The Commissioner will proactively engage across the sector as part of his wider role to gather intelligence and insights on how the sector operates within the Agricultural Landlord and Tenant Code of Practice for England. All tenant farmers and other parties to tenancy agreements can raise an enquiry, concern or issue with the Commissioner. The Commissioner will work closely with the joint Defra / industry Farm Tenancy Forum, including on trends and issues raised and provide insights on how to improve practice in the sector for industry and government to consider.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce in-ovo sexing technology to end the routine culling of day-old male chicks in the UK egg industry.

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

In its 2024 ‘Opinion on alternatives to culling newly hatched chicks in the egg and poultry industries’, the Animal Welfare Committee considered a range of technologies that could help end the routine culling of male chicks by identifying or determining the sex of chick embryos before hatching. In recent years there has been rapid global progress in the development of these technologies, and we welcome the UK egg industry’s interest in the development of day zero sexing technology.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
13th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department's planned timetable is for publishing its Animal Welfare Strategy; and if she will make it her policy to ensure that the Animal Welfare Strategy includes steps to end the use of cages for farmed animals.

We remain firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The use of cages for farmed animals is an issue which we are currently considering very carefully.

This government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Prime Minister announced that we will be publishing an animal welfare strategy later this year.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
13th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Tenant Farmers Commissioner on agricultural productivity in Buckinghamshire.

The Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector in England has been appointed by the Government to strengthen relationships and collaboration between tenant farmers, landlords and advisers in all parts of England including Buckinghamshire. Tenant farmers, landlords and advisors working in the tenanted sector in Buckinghamshire can contact the Commissioner to raise an issue or enquiry relating to tenancy matters through the Commissioner’s webpages at Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector: role and services - GOV.UK. The Government is committed to keeping the effectiveness of this approach under review.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
13th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to bring forward legislative proposals to improve the level of transparency of method-of-production welfare labelling for (a) pork, (b) chicken and (c) eggs.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for York Central, Rachael Maskell, on 8 October 2025, PQ UIN 76016.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
14th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to re-open the Sustainable Farming Incentive.

We are working closely with farmers and industry stakeholders to design a future Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer that fairly and responsibly directs funding. Further details about the reformed SFI offer will be announced in due course.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
13th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department plans to publish the results of the call for evidence on the fur market in Great Britain, which closed on 28 June 2021.

The call for evidence on the Fur Market in Great Britain was undertaken by the previous Government. A summary of responses will be published in due course.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the robustness of rural proofing in Government policy.

The Government has made a commitment that all policy decision-making should be rural proofed, ensuring that rural areas are not overlooked and that the intended outcomes are deliverable in rural areas. Defra leads on rural proofing, but individual departments are responsible for ensuring that their policy decision-making is seen through this lens.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will consider appointing a cross-departmental Minister for Rural Communities.

Defra has responsibility for rural communities and leads on rural proofing, but individual departments are responsible for ensuring that their policy decision-making is rural proofed.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to improve data processing at the Marine Management Organisation.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is working with Defra and the Government data community to improve the overall data management and governance of all data it holds. This work is guided by the Data Maturity Assessment for Government Framework and underpins the efficiency and quality of data processing by the MMO.

More specifically, MMO is currently reviewing its Fisheries data and IT estate, and defining a longer-term strategic vision in order to drive investment in improving services for our customers, and the underpinning data quality which is vital in order to manage fisheries sustainably.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an estimate of the number of agricultural businesses that have been affected by the suspension of the Sustainable Farming Incentive in (a) West Sussex, (b) East Sussex and (c) Brighton and Hove.

Following the closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) Scheme, the Rural Payments Agency re-opened the SFI 2024 offer to eligible farmers who had started but not submitted an application as at 11 March 2025, and those who were eligible under one of three exception groups.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help mitigate the potential impact of US bioethanol imports on (a) animal feed prices and (b) UK producers.

Defra continue to monitor potential impacts on feed prices and the wider food sector from the recent changes. By-products of the bioethanol process are used in the agri-food sector. These include Distillers’ Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS) which is used in high protein animal feed as well as CO2 which is used in slaughter, packaging, and beverage carbonation. DDGS also comes from other sources and there are other ingredients that can be used.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Oct 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of tropical forest protection on the stability of UK food supply chains.

Tropical forests provide a range of ecosystem services which affect agricultural production. Their protection and restoration can therefore play a vital role in supporting global food supply stability.

The Government is taking robust action to boost UK food security, turn the tide of nature’s decline, and prepare for the impacts of climate change and nature loss. This includes investing in nature protection and restoration both domestically and internationally, and delivering £11.6 billion in International Climate Finance by the end of 25/26 as part of our Plan for Change. The Government is also considering its approach to addressing global deforestation linked to UK supply chains and will set out its approach in due course.

Angela Eagle
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)