Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of clause 9 (c)(5) of the Bathing Water (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2025 on public information on water quality.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Regulation 9 of the Bathing Water (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2025 amends Regulation 15A of the Bathing Water Regulations 2013 and requires the appropriate Minister to prepare and publish a report on the bathing season or seasons for that year.
It broadly makes the same provision for publication of annual reports as under the previous Regulation 15A but with consequential changes to reflect that there will be a discretion to set different bathing seasons under amendments made by Regulation 5 of the 2025 Regulations. There is no change in the frequency of reports (annual) nor in the content of the reports required.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
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 role of importers and processors of grain and animal feeds in strengthening food chain security and resilience.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Food security is national security and is of the utmost importance. UK Food security is built on supply from diverse sources, strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes. Imports supplement domestic production and ensures that any disruption from risks such as adverse weather or disease does not affect the UK's overall security of supply.
The Department continues to assess the resilience of the agri-food supply chain through regular engagement with industry and cross-government coordination.
Together with the devolved administrations, Defra has established the UK Agricultural Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG) to monitor and assess the impact of market developments across the UK. It monitors UK agricultural markets including price, supply, inputs, trade and recent developments, enabling it to provide forewarning of any atypical market movements.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the department has plans to implement in-ovo sexing technology.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20 October 2025 to the hon. Member for Warrington South, PQ UIN 80064.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
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 merits of using closed mineral extraction sites to aid flood alleviation, rather than infilling with waste.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires that planning authorities should provide for restoration and aftercare of mineral sites at the earliest opportunity to be carried out to high environmental standards. This should include, through provision of a landscape strategy, restoration conditions and aftercare schemes as appropriate.
Responsibility for the restoration and aftercare of mineral sites, including financial responsibility, lies with the mineral site operator and, in the case of default, with the landowner.
A revised NPPF was published in December 2024. The government will consider whether further changes are necessary to manage flood risk when we consult on planning reform, including national policy related to decision making.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
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 11 November 2025 to Question 88109 on Bathing Water Regulations 2013, what her planned timetable is for that policy development and research.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
DEFRA is engaged in a programme of work to ensure the Bathing Water (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2025 can be implemented effectively, including feasibility studies to support Core Reform 2 and a pre-implementation research project on Core Reform 3. In addition, the Department is exploring how any evidence to support the delivery of wider reforms, including expanding the definition of bathers to include other water users and introducing multiple monitoring points at sites, might be developed. The timeline for detailed policy development and research will depend on the outcome of initial scoping work. DEFRA will engage with local and national stakeholders as this work progresses.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
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 developer-led wastewater misconnections on sewage treatment works capacity; and what plans she has to strengthen enforcement powers for (a) water companies and (b) local authorities on developer wastewater misconnections.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Most modern homes will have sewerage systems that separate wastewater from surface water, and discharge each into separate drains. Property owners are legally responsible for resolving misconnected pipework on their property; public misconnections are the responsibility of water companies.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
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 1 July 2025 to Question 63264 on Reforms to Bathing Water Regulations 2013 and with reference to the Written Statement Reform of 28 October 2025 on The Bathing Water Regulations 2013, what her planned timetable is for the implementation of the wider reforms.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In November and December 2024, the Government, jointly with Welsh Government, consulted on Reforms to The Bathing Water Regulations 2013, in the first shake-up to the Bathing Water Regulations since they were introduced. On 28 October 2025 the Department laid before Parliament a statutory instrument which incorporated the three core reforms and several technical amendments consulted on.
The consultation also sought views on two wider possible reforms. We have begun policy development and research, including immersion studies to determine how best to implement these reforms in future and take into account any potential environmental, societal and access impacts. We will share information regarding timetables for potential implementation of these wider reforms following the conclusion of the studies and after further policy development.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
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 the Environment Agency on their decision to remove opposition to new housing developments that would be connected to the Oxford Sewage treatment works in Oxfordshire.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A multidisciplinary EA team worked with Thames Water to develop a strategic approach to managing wastewater capacity challenges in Oxford. This provided a framework for the EA to no longer object to developments, instead providing clear advice on the risks and how the regulatory process is now ensuring water quality is protected and environmental objectives would be met.
Following this outcome, the EA are continuing to engage with local authorities, Thames Water and developers through quarterly meetings to track delivery of the improvements to the Oxford STW and ensure wastewater capacity is delivered in this critical growth area.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in levels of funding allocated to National Trails since 2018 on those trails.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government remains committed to enhancing access to nature and will continue to work closely with Natural England, National Trails UK and relevant partners to understand and respond to the needs of our National Trails. We know it requires significant efforts and commitment from local authorities and trail partnerships to keep our trails accessible to the public.
The Government will continue to work with Natural England and our partners in support of our National Trails and to ensure that the public can confidently access our trail network. Despite the challenging fiscal environment, Defra has committed to supporting National Trails UK with a continuation of Protected Landscapes Partnership funding, individual grant, and Access for All funding. There are no current plans to assess National Trails specifically against year-on-year funding.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
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 28 January 2025 to Question 25560 on National Trails UK: Finance, what his timetable is for announcing the funding settlement for (a) National Trails UK, (b) the Thames Path National Trail and (c) The Ridgeway National Trail in 2024/25.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Funding settlements to National Trails UK are not announced, and individual National Trails are not funded separately. In 24/25 NTUK received a combination of funding through the Protected Landscapes Partnership, direct grants and Access for All funding.