Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many SPS-related (a) documentary checks, (b) identity checks and (c) physical inspections are carried out on UK agri-food consignments entering the EU each day.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra does not hold the data for controls undertaken by European Union Border Control Posts. Such information is held by EU Central Competent Authorities.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
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 effectiveness of regulatory measures to prevent repeated water supply failures during winter in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water companies have a statutory duty to provide a supply of wholesome water under the Water Industry Act 1991 and associated water quality regulations. Additionally, the Security and Emergency Measures Direction 2022 (SEMD) requires companies to ensure continuation of their water distribution functions during an emergency.
Water companies are also Category Two Responders under the Civil Contingencies Act (2004) and have duties to plan for emergencies. Water companies also engage with their Local Resilience Forums in understanding risk, planning and exercising.
This Government has been clear there is no excuse for poor performance, and that water companies must take seriously their role in meeting the public and regulators’ expectations. The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) regulates water company performance against SEMD requirements. The DWI has a range of tools to hold companies to account, including serving companies with enforcement orders.
The Independent Water Commission made several recommendations on increasing resilience across the water sector and on strengthening the enforcement powers available to the regulator for SEMD. The Government is preparing to respond to these recommendations and our White Paper will set out more detail on our approach.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce levels of food waste in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra funds the groundbreaking UK Food and Drink Pact, a voluntary agreement with industry to tackle food waste in supply chains. We also fund a programme of action delivered by The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), to tackle household food waste and help people buy what they need and use what they buy. Through the farm surplus fund, we have allocated £13.5 million and are working with farmers and charities in England to ensure more surplus fresh produce is redistributed to those who need it most.
Surrey Heath Borough Council has received over £35,000 to help transition to weekly food waste collections. As confirmed in the outcomes of the Spending Review 2025, ongoing resource funding for food waste services from 1 April 2026 will be included in the Local Government settlement.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help tackle littering in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Local councils are responsible for tackling litter in their area. The role of central Government is to enable and support local action. In the Pride in Place Strategy this Government has committed to bringing forward statutory enforcement guidance on both littering and fly-tipping, modernising the code of practice that outlines the cleaning standards expected of local authorities, and refreshing best practice guidance on the powers available to local authorities to force land and building owners to clean up their premises.
We are also targeting some of the more commonly littered items to reduce the presence of these on our streets. The sale of single-use vapes was banned from 1 June 2025 and a Deposit Return Scheme will go live in England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland in October 2027. Plastic drinks bottles and metal drinks containers make up 55% of litter volume. The Deposit Return Scheme will cover plastic and metal drinks containers (like bottles and cans), and the goal is to reduce litter and help keep our streets, rivers, and oceans clean.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in phosphate levels in river water-courses in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Act sets targets to reduce phosphate entering rivers from sewage treatment. In Surrey Heath, the phosphorous permit at Camberley STW will be reduced to 0.25 mg/l as part of a Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) improvement scheme.
The Environment agency is actively working with water companies to review nitrate levels in the river Thames and influence the safeguard zone action plans.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in nitrate levels in river water-courses in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Act sets targets to reduce phosphate entering rivers from sewage treatment. In Surrey Heath, the phosphorous permit at Camberley STW will be reduced to 0.25 mg/l as part of a Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) improvement scheme.
The Environment agency is actively working with water companies to review nitrate levels in the river Thames and influence the safeguard zone action plans.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) protect dormice habitats in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is not currently monitoring hazel dormice habitats in the Surrey Heath constituency. Surrey’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) will map specific proposals for habitat creation and improvement that will support many species such as hazel dormice, which are considered a priority species in the LNRS.
Hazel dormice, their breeding sites and resting places are legally protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an estimate of the cost to British businesses of not securing a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement with the European Union.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra commissioned research highlights significant non-tariff measure costs for exporting GB agri-food and plant products to the EU:
The SPS Agreement will significantly reduce these costs. The details of the Agreement are subject to negotiation.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to improve (a) nutrient pollution control and (b) ecological water quality in river water-courses in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency works closely with the relevant industries to mitigate these impacts. Wastewater inputs will be reduced via the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), which Thames Water are committed to deliver. Agricultural nutrient sources are addressed through farm inspections and enforcement where necessary and Natural England advisors operate in the catchment.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is undertaking to support public engagement on (a) climate and (b) nature issues in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK Government provides a range of funding, incentives and advisory support to nature restoration and climate action across the country.
Surrey County Council is the responsible authority for preparing the Surrey Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), which will agree priorities for nature recovery in the area and identify and map the best locations for action to be taken to benefit nature and the wider environment. The Surrey LNRS has recently completed public consultation and is now preparing to be published.
On climate, we are also committed to working in partnership with local Government, recognising the essential role that local communities play in mitigating and adapting to climate change. Our support includes the Local Authority Climate Service, a tool which provides Met Office climate data to local authorities based on their specific geographic areas, enabling them to take more effective decisions based on their local risk landscape.