Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when (a) he, (b) Ministers and (c) officials in his Department last held discussions with (a) the Scottish Fishermen's Federation and (b) other fishing industry representatives before the UK-EU Summit 2025.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 52791. Most recently, the Secretary of State, the Fisheries Minister, or Defra officials spoke with key industry representatives, including from the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, on 19 May.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of fish caught in UK territorial waters was caught by (a) UK vessels and (b) EU vessels in each of the last three years for which data is available; what his Department's policy is on the application of the zonal attachment principle for determining fishing quotas after June 2026; and what estimate he has made of how catch percentages will change.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK does not collect data on catches of fish at a level of detail that allows us to determine the proportion of catch made by UK or EU vessels in UK territorial waters. However, under the TCA, 149, 152, and 152 EU vessels were licensed to fish in the UK 6-12 nautical mile zone at the start of 2023, 2024, and 2025 respectively. This compares to 5,418 registered UK fishing vessels in 2023.
The UK seeks to ensure sustainable exploitation of fisheries through the establishment of comprehensive total allowable catch sharing underpinned by the principle of zonal attachment. UK fishing quotas for shared stocks with the EU are set in the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). UK shares will gradually increase until 2026, after which further changes are a matter for the TCA Partnership Council.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
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 made an assessment of the potential impact of freezing EU fishing quotas at current levels beyond 2026 on the (a) the economy, (b) UK seafood exports and (c) seafood processing facilities in North East Scotland; whether he has made a comparative assessment of the potential impact of (i) annual and (ii) multi-year fishing agreements with the EU on Scottish coastal communities; and what steps he is taking to maintain market access for Scottish seafood products.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
UK fishing quotas for shared stocks with the EU are set in the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). UK shares will gradually increase until 2026, after which further changes are a matter for the TCA Partnership Council. Fishing opportunities available to the UK fleet are agreed in annual negotiations based on advice from the International Council for Exploration of the Seas (ICES). Defra publish a report each year which assesses the year-on-year change in UK fishing opportunities.
The UK has agreed new multiannual fisheries access arrangements with the EU providing certainty for the UK fishing fleet (including those linked to Scottish coastal communities) and unlocking wider benefits to grow the economy. This includes a new SPS agreement that will make it easier to sell British fish to our largest trading partner.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what consultation his Department has undertaken with (a) the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, (b) the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations and (c) other fishing industry representatives on the UK's negotiating position on fishing rights ahead of the EU summit on 19 May 2025.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Fisheries Minister meets regularly with representatives from across the UK fishing industry. This includes meeting with both the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation and National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations on 26 February 2025 as part of the Seafood Scotland 25th anniversary and the NFFO parliamentary reception. During meetings with these and other fishing industry representatives the implementation of the UK-EU TCA is often discussed, including (but not limited to) the setting of annual fishing opportunities, the work of the Specialised Committee on Fisheries, and the end of the fisheries access adjustment period in 2026.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of changes in farm investment since the Autumn Budget 2024; and if he will provide detailed analysis and findings for (a) the agricultural sector overall and (b) specific farm types including (i) poultry, (ii) dairy, (iii) livestock, (iv) arable, (v) mixed, (vi) hill, (vii) croft, (viii) owner-occupied and (ix) tenanted farms.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Data on farm investment income is available in the table 5 series of Farm Accounts in England. These tables only show data for 2022/23 and 2023/24: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/farm-accounts-in-england-data-sets#:~:text=Table%205.
The Farming Business Survey does not have data for Autumn 2024. We are currently collecting the 2024/25 data. Data on farm investment income for 2024/25 will be published in December.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
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 to proactively screen for foot and mouth disease outbreaks in the UK.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK has robust contingency plans in place to manage the risk of Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) as set out in the Foot and Mouth Disease Control Strategy for Great Britain supported by the Contingency plan for exotic notifiable diseases of animals in England.
Defra’s controls to prevent FMD outbreaks in Great Britain include strict prohibitions on the imports of animals and certain untreated products of animal origin from countries in which FMD is present; a comprehensive veterinary surveillance system to detect new and emerging disease threats; and active follow up and veterinary investigation of any suspect reports of notifiable disease.
Whilst early detection of notifiable disease incidents is critical, preventing incursions of FMD is the best line of defence. To protect the UK’s freedom from FMD these measures have been stepped up in response to recent FMD outbreaks in Hungary, Slovakia and Germany. In addition to restrictions on imports from affected areas, we have also extended restrictions on personal imports. Travellers are no longer permitted to bring meat or dairy products from cattle, sheep, goats, or pigs into Great Britain from any EU country for personal use.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
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 2 December 2024 to Question 15988 on Agriculture: Inheritance Tax, on what evidential basis his Department (a) determined that 73% of claims will be for less than £1 million and (b) used to identify the proportion of the remaining 27% of affected estates that are active family-run farms; and what information his Department holds on the proportion of agricultural land sales purchased by (i) large corporations and (ii) investment firms in (A) Scotland and (B) the UK in each of the last five years.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As referenced in the answer to PQ 15988, 73 per cent (1,264 of 1,730) of claims by estates for agricultural property relief in 2021-22 were for properties valued below £1 million. This is calculated using a table published by HM Treasury using HMRC data in Summary of reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief, statistical annex (30 October 2024).
According to further analysis of HMRC claims data published by HM Treasury, in 2026/27 the reforms are expected to result in up to 520 of the estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those also claiming business property relief, paying more inheritance tax. This means almost three-quarters (1,260 of 1,780) of estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those that also claim for business property relief, will not pay any more tax as a result of the changes in 2026-27, based on the latest available data. See the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s letter to the Chair of the Treasury Select Committee, Dame Meg Hillier MP: committees.parliament.uk/publications/45691/documents/226235/default/.
Defra has not made an assessment of the proportion of farming businesses that are “family-run farms”. Defra does not hold information on the purchasers of agricultural land. The Government’s assessment relates to claims for agricultural property relief and business property relief. The qualifying conditions for these reliefs are set out in Part 5 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to ban the use of neonicotinoids in UK agriculture.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Three neonicotinoids – clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam – have not been authorised for general use as pesticides since 2018 because of the risks they pose to pollinators.
An application for emergency use of the neonicotinoid pesticide Cruiser SB, containing thiamethoxam, on sugar beet in England in 2025 was not approved.
Both during our election campaign and while in office, this Government has given a commitment to end emergency authorisations for these three pesticides. The next steps towards delivering this commitment were set out in a published policy statement and in a written statement to Parliament on 6 January.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
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 3 February 2025 to Question 26353 on Tyres: Recycling, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of financial support available for increasing domestic tyre processing capacity.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra has not completed an assessment as described; however the Government offers a range of support to businesses looking to invest in recycling infrastructure in the UK, including through the British Business Bank and National Wealth Fund, and financial support continues to be available for increasing domestic tyre processing capacity through Innovate UK responsive programmes and more targeted programmes focused on resource efficiency.
As explained in response to PQ 26353 on 3rd February, the Secretary of State has convened the Circular Economy Taskforce to help us develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England. Together we are considering the evidence for interventions right across the economy and are exploring a wide range of levers to drive circularity, including in the recycling sector, as we develop our strategy.
Asked by: Harriet Cross (Conservative - Gordon and Buchan)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what precautions his Department is taking regarding the ongoing avian influenza outbreak to prevent its spread among (a) commercially kept birds, (b) domestically kept birds and (c) wild birds.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra’s approach to avian influenza is set out in the Notifiable Avian Disease Control Strategy for Great Britain supported by the Mitigation Strategy for Avian Influenza in Wild Birds in England and Wales. Swift and humane culling of birds on infected premises coupled with good biosecurity are used to prevent disease spread.
Avian Influenza Prevention Zones (AIPZ) mandating enhanced biosecurity are in force across the UK The AIPZs apply to all bird keepers whether they have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock. In addition, mandatory housing for kept birds is in force in England across the unitary authorities of the East Riding of Yorkshire, the unitary authority of York, the City of Kingston upon Hull and all districts in Cheshire, Herefordshire, Merseyside, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Shropshire Suffolk and Worcestershire and all areas of Northern Ireland to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of disease occurring.
Additional biosecurity measures also apply in disease control zones in force surrounding infected premises. Certain higher risk bird gatherings have also been prohibited. Guidance for keepers on maintaining scrupulous biosecurity to protect their flocks has been published at gov.uk/bird-flu.