Asked by: Lord Roborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Blake of Leeds on 26 October (HLWS426), what discussions they have had with Natural England on changing its restrictions on heather burning.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 are managed by Defra, with Natural England acting as a consultee on licence applications. Defra continues to work closely with Fire and Rescue Services, who provide advice on licence applications where appropriate. There are no current plans to review the Regulations.
Asked by: Lord Roborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what actions resulted from the first meeting of the flood and drought resilience taskforce on 14 October.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Flood and Drought Resilience Taskforce agreed on 14 October to establish dedicated Action Groups on:
Asked by: Lord Roborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration the flood and drought resilience taskforce has given to farmers as part of its assessment of national preparedness for potential flooding this winter.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Flood and Drought Resilience Taskforce has given substantial consideration to farmers in assessing flood preparedness this winter through its annual assessment of preparedness for autumn and winter. The National Farmers Union, Tenant Farmers Association, Nature Friendly Farming Network, Country Land and Business Association are members of the Taskforce.
Asked by: Lord Roborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress the flood and drought resilience taskforce has made to improve preparedness for potential flooding this winter.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Floods and Drought Resilience Taskforce met on 14 October to consider flood preparedness for winter. It confirmed that local and national preparedness in England has overall improved compared to 12 months ago. Progress includes enhancements to national river, groundwater and coastal flood modelling and new national forecasting services.
Asked by: Lord Roborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to take account of international relations when considering the nationalisation of a private company with overseas investors and lenders.
Answered by Lord Sarwar - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government welcomes overseas investment and recognises the important contribution it makes to the UK economy. The Government is committed to maintaining the UK as an open, stable, and attractive destination for international investment, and takes appropriate account of the UK’s international relationships and obligations in developing policy.
Asked by: Lord Roborough (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 strategic compatibility between a future UK–EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement and the UK's membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is currently negotiating a UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement to reduce barriers to trade, improve the flow of agrifood goods and maintain high standards of biosecurity. The department expect the agreement with the EU to be consistent with Defra’s international obligations and have entered negotiations with the EU in full awareness of the department’s international commitments, including under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Asked by: Lord Roborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are seeking legal advice about potential litigation risks from other international trade counterparties resulting from a future UK–EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement; and if so, to which departments will this be provided.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government considers matters relating to legal risk and potential legal risk across the range of government work, and has the benefit of expert in-house legal teams who advise across the whole range of government work.
Asked by: Lord Roborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Hayman of Ullock on 1 July (HL Deb col 1066), whether they have asked for an exception carve-out for precision breeding and gene editing in the UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement negotiations.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We remain committed to implementing the Precision Breeding Act and enabling the safe development of innovative genetic technologies.
Under the UK‑EU Common Understanding, it is recognised that there will be areas where the UK will retain its own rules. The detail of those is subject to ongoing negotiations, and it would not be appropriate to comment further.
Asked by: Lord Roborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to help farmers diversify their income through nature-based solutions to environmental issues.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is committed to supporting the growth of nature services markets, providing new ways for farmers to diversify revenue and increase business resilience. Opportunities for individual farms vary, depending on their farming system, local demand for nature services, and their appetite for diversification.
This Government does not have a quantified assessment of the cumulative revenue opportunities for carbon and nature markets by 2030 but is acting to increase demand. This includes extending mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, establishing the Nature Restoration Fund, and growing the role of nature-based solutions for the water system through reforms outlined in “A New Vision for Water”.
The Government’s £13m Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund supported more than 130 projects – many involving farmers – to attract private finance. The Government is also working with the British Standards Institution to outline clear standards, so farmers can take up market opportunities with confidence.
Asked by: Lord Roborough (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 revenue opportunity for the farming community from carbon and nature markets by 2030.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is committed to supporting the growth of nature services markets, providing new ways for farmers to diversify revenue and increase business resilience. Opportunities for individual farms vary, depending on their farming system, local demand for nature services, and their appetite for diversification.
This Government does not have a quantified assessment of the cumulative revenue opportunities for carbon and nature markets by 2030 but is acting to increase demand. This includes extending mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, establishing the Nature Restoration Fund, and growing the role of nature-based solutions for the water system through reforms outlined in “A New Vision for Water”.
The Government’s £13m Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund supported more than 130 projects – many involving farmers – to attract private finance. The Government is also working with the British Standards Institution to outline clear standards, so farmers can take up market opportunities with confidence.