Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
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 (a) adequacy of services provided to farmers by the Rural Payments Agency and (b) effectiveness of the work of that agency since 5 September 2025.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ensuring the adequacy of services provided by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) and the effectiveness of the RPA is a priority. Since 5 September the RPA has opened the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier Scheme and supported the recent announcement regarding extensions to Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier agreements, which the RPA will now operationalise. I have met the interim CEO and the newly appointed permanent CEO of the RPA and will ensure there is regular and effective Ministerial oversight of the Agency’s performance.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what engagement she has had with the Tenant Farmers Association since her appointment.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ministers have engaged with the Tenants Farmers Association (TFA) and regularly engage with many farming stakeholders. The Government is committed to ensuring agricultural tenancies are fair and collaborative and will work with the TFA to achieve this.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
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 Environment Agency’s enforcement and sanctions policy, updated 2 October 2025; and whether she has discussed this document with the Environment Agency's board since her appointment.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency’s (EA) principal aim is to protect and enhance the environment and contribute to sustainable development.
The EA’s enforcement and sanctions policy, last updated on 10 October 2025, sets out how the organisation aims to use its enforcement powers efficiently and effectively to secure compliance with laws that protect the environment.
The department works closely with EA officials at every level to assess performance and delivery and provide constructive challenge and support.
Defra ministers meet regularly with the EA Chair and Chief Executive to discuss performance across the EA’s remit.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
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 had recent discussions with the British Pest Control Association on its document entitled A manifesto for public health pest management, published in June 2024.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
No Minister at Defra has held discussions with the British Pest Control Association on its document entitled ‘A manifesto for public health pest management’, published in June 2024.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
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 had discussions with her counterparts in the devolved Administrations since her appointment.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Since her appointment the Secretary of State has held meetings to discuss a range of shared priorities with the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands in the Scottish Government, and the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs in the Welsh Government.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to meet the leadership of the National Farmers' Union.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As part of their Ministerial responsibilities, both the Secretary of State and her farming Minister meet routinely with farming organisations.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to meet the (a) President and (b) Vice President of the Ulster Farmers' Union.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As part of their Ministerial responsibilities, both the Secretary of State and her farming Minister meet routinely with farming organisations.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to meet the leadership of the Countryside Alliance.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As part of their Ministerial responsibilities, both the Secretary of State and her farming Minister meet routinely with farming organisations.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, , what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle safety risks associated with landfill sites.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
It is important that waste is managed safely in a way which does not pose risks to people or the environment.
Operators of landfill sites in England are required by the Environmental Permitting (England & Wales) Regulations 2016 to hold an environmental permit. The regulatory framework in place is designed to serve operators and protect the local community. Where poor performance does occur the Environment Agency has a range of powers to bring sites back into compliance and, where necessary, to take enforcement action against operators.
The Government also recognises the importance of managing land contamination, including from historic landfill sites, to protect human health and the environment. Under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities have a statutory duty to inspect their areas to identify contaminated land and require appropriate remediation where necessary. Defra supports local authorities in fulfilling their duties through the Contaminated Land Statutory Guidance, which sets out the legal framework for risk assessment and decision-making under Part 2A.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
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 25 April 2025 to Question 45551, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including (a) Portsmouth Urban Area, (b) Reading/Wokingham Urban Area, (c) Sheffield Urban Area, (d) The Potteries and (e) Tyneside in the 2024 National Compliance Assessment.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Portsmouth Urban Area, Reading/Wokingham Urban Area, Sheffield Urban Area, The Potteries and Tyneside are all included in the 2024 national air quality compliance assessment. The national assessment is based on a combination of monitoring and modelling which has been specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010 for formally assessing compliance with air quality limits.