Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
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 impact of mandatory method-of-production labelling on sales for UK farmers.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are considering the potential role of method of production labelling reform as part of the ongoing development of the Government’s wider animal welfare strategy.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
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 impact of mandatory method-of-production labelling on consumer choice.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are considering the potential role of method of production labelling reform as part of the ongoing development of the Government’s wider animal welfare strategy.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
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 impact of method-of-production labelling on animal welfare standards.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are considering the potential role of method of production labelling reform as part of the ongoing development of the Government’s wider animal welfare strategy.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of progress towards meeting 2026 air quality compliance limits in Greater Manchester.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra’s ‘Air Pollution in the UK report 2024’ which includes the annual assessment of compliance with the Air Quality Standards Regulations, was published on 30 September 2025. This contains information specific to the Greater Manchester Urban Area.
We agreed an £86m investment led clean air plan for Greater Manchester in January 2025 to address exceedances of nitrogen dioxide. This will see the city benefit from cleaner buses; local traffic measures and upgrades to the taxi fleet to help clean up the region’s air. We are continuing to work closely with Greater Manchester Authorities to monitor its delivery and in order to ensure compliance with NO2 limits in the shortest possible time.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to improve air quality monitoring in Manchester Rusholme constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Local authorities are responsible for monitoring and assessing local air quality in their areas.
At a national level, air quality monitoring is undertaken across Greater Manchester at multiple locations, including Salford Eccles, Manchester Picadilly, Tameside A635, Bury Whitefield Roadside, Shaw Crompton Way and Manchester Sharston, measuring either NO2 and/or PM2.5.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department plans to publish the Air Pollution in the UK 2024 Compliance Assessment Summary report.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra’s ‘Air Pollution in the UK report 2024’ which includes the annual assessment of compliance with the Air Quality Standards Regulations, was published on 30 September 2025. The report can be accessed on gov.uk: Air pollution in the UK 2024 - GOV.UK
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
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 plans to increase access to (a) affordable and (b) nutritious food in deprived communities through (i) subsidies, (ii) planning measures and (iii) local food programmes.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Towards a Good Food Cycle, the UK Government food strategy for England, published on 15 July, sets out the Government's plans to transform the food system. A UK government food strategy for England - GOV.UK.
The outcomes set out in the strategy include an improved food environment that supports healthier and more environmentally sustainable food sales, and access to all for affordable, healthy food, particularly those on low incomes.
The Government already supports some groups to be able to buy and eat fruit and vegetables, through policies like the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme (for 4-6 year olds in state-funded schools throughout England) and Healthy Start (for pregnant women and parents/carers who have young children and are in receipt of benefits).
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
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 8 July 2025 to Question 63553 on Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control, what nitrogen dioxide concentrations were monitored in the Greater Manchester reporting zone at (a) A34 Bridge Street, (b) A34 Quay Street, (c) A664 Shudehill, (d) Lever Street in Manchester, (e) A49 Chapel Lane and (f) King Street West in Wigan.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Plan modelling predicted localised nitrogen dioxide (NO2) hotspots in 2026 at A34 Bridge St, A34 Quay St, A664 Shudehill and Lever St in Manchester, and at A49 Chapel Lane and King St West in Wigan.
The monitored annual mean NO2 concentrations in 2023 on A34 Bridge Street, A664 Shudehill and Level Street in Manchester were 44.9, 58.6 and 55.7 µg/m³ respectively. Defra does not currently hold finalised 2023 monitoring data for the localised hotspots on A34 Quay Street in Manchester, and A49 Chapel Lane and King Street West in Wigan. We are working with Greater Manchester to obtain up to date monitoring data and this will be assessed as it becomes available.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of methane reduction measures on (a) air quality and (b) public health.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises that methane contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone, a harmful air pollutant, and is also a significant greenhouse gas. That is why the Government are taking action to drive down emissions of this pollutant.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce methane emissions from agriculture through (a) dietary changes, (b) manure management, (c) innovation in feed additives and (d) other methods.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
The Carbon Budget Delivery Plan (CBDP), published in 2023, outlines measures to reduce methane in the agricultural sector and meet our Carbon Budget 4-6 commitments.
Defra is actively exploring ways to reduce methane emissions, including through scientific research into livestock management, feed, and breeding. The Government will set Carbon Budget 7 by June 2026 outlining the next phase of the UK’s net zero pathway, including future policies to further mitigate methane from agriculture.
In particular, we are supporting access to nutritious food and healthier diets through our ambitious Food Strategy. The Government respects individual dietary choices for a healthy diet, as set out by the NHS Eatwell Guide. Adherence to the Eatwell Guide has been shown to improve both health and environmental outcomes, with appreciably lower environmental impact than the current UK diet.
To support manure management, the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund provides grants to improve farm productivity, slurry management and animal health and welfare, which contribute to methane reductions.