Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
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 the current Noise Regulations in protecting (a) animals, (b) veterans and (c) other vulnerable people from harm.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Protections are in place to avoid significant noise impacts through our planning system, environmental permitting regulations, vehicle and product standards, and noise abatement legislation.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
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 her EU counterparts on the potential introduction of multiuse pet passport for UK pets that are valid for travel to the EU.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As announced at the UK-EU Leaders' Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, which will mean taking pets on holiday into the EU will become easier and cheaper.
Instead of getting an animal health certificate each time you travel, owners will be able to get a multiuse pet passport valid for travel to the EU.
In the meantime, owners will still need an Animal Health Certificate for their dog, cat or ferret if they are travelling from Great Britain to an EU country.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will take steps to create new river trails for multi-use access.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of supporting access to nature, including along our rivers. We are actively engaging with stakeholders to identify suitable locations for the nine new national river walks. Wherever possible, we aim to incorporate multi-user access to ensure inclusivity.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
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 give Environment Agency a responsibility for improving (a) entry and (b) exit points for inland rivers to help support recreation.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of access to nature for people’s health and well-being. The Environment Agency currently enhances recreation where it can demonstrate value for money, by integrating safe river entry and exit points into flood and asset management schemes. Access improvements are typically funded through navigation service improvements, asset renewal, or new flood alleviation projects, often with partnership contributions.
This approach delivers multi‑benefit outcomes; flood resilience, environmental protection, and recreational use, ensuring rivers remain accessible while safeguarding communities and respecting natural habitats.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
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 potential merits of expanding access rights for (a) paddling, (b) swimming and (c) other non-motorised craft on inland waters.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of access to nature for people’s health and well-being. We are considering our approach to improving access, including to unregulated inland waterways, and are committed to working with stakeholders as this develops.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
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 set out a plan with (a) clear aims for stakeholders and (b) other steps to tackle issues facing chalk streams.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Chalk streams are embedded in our plan to reform the water industry. The Government has announced an ambitious programme of reforms to clean up our rivers, lakes, and seas for good. Subject to consultation, we will abolish Ofwat and create a new, powerful, and integrated regulator, including a regional element to ensure greater local involvement in water planning and allow all sources of pollution to be addressed across the river catchment.
The Government is investing £1.8 million through the Water Restoration Fund and Water Environment Improvement Fund for locally-led chalk stream clean-up projects across affected regions. Through the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), over 1000 improvement projects are planned within chalk stream catchments between 2024-2029.
The Government recognises that catchment planning is a vital part of improving the water system. Local Catchment Partnerships are a well-established way to plan and deliver improvements to water quality, manage quantity and reduce flood risk. Following the IWC report and the Costa Beck Court of Appeal judgment, we are moving to a catchment-based model and developing a targeted, ground-up approach to review and identify new measures in a small number of catchments.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
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 improve Catchment partnerships for chalk streams.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Chalk streams are embedded in our plan to reform the water industry. The Government has announced an ambitious programme of reforms to clean up our rivers, lakes, and seas for good. Subject to consultation, we will abolish Ofwat and create a new, powerful, and integrated regulator, including a regional element to ensure greater local involvement in water planning and allow all sources of pollution to be addressed across the river catchment.
The Government is investing £1.8 million through the Water Restoration Fund and Water Environment Improvement Fund for locally-led chalk stream clean-up projects across affected regions. Through the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), over 1000 improvement projects are planned within chalk stream catchments between 2024-2029.
The Government recognises that catchment planning is a vital part of improving the water system. Local Catchment Partnerships are a well-established way to plan and deliver improvements to water quality, manage quantity and reduce flood risk. Following the IWC report and the Costa Beck Court of Appeal judgment, we are moving to a catchment-based model and developing a targeted, ground-up approach to review and identify new measures in a small number of catchments.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
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 increase regenerative farming.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Regenerative agriculture is based on an understanding that the health of the entire food system is intrinsically linked to soil health.
Healthy soils, rich in nutrients and organic matter, abundant pollinators and clean water, are essential for sustainable food production. We will support farmers and land managers to help restore nature, to safeguard our long-term food security, support productivity and build resilience to climate change.
We are investing £2.7 billion a year into sustainable food production and nature's recovery. Overall, farmers and land managers will benefit from an average of £2.3 billion a year through the Farming and Countryside Programme and up to £400 million from additional nature schemes, including those for tree planting and peatland restorations. Funding for the Environmental Land Management schemes paid to farmers will increase by 150% from £800 million in 2023/24 to £2 billion by 2028/29.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
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 merits of bringing Thames Water into special administration.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There is a high bar for the use of a Special Administration Regime (SAR). The current law states that Special Administration can only be initiated if the company becomes insolvent, can no longer fulfil its statutory duties or breaches an enforcement order.
The company remains financially stable. However, the Government is closely monitoring the situation and stands ready for all eventualities – including being ready to apply for a SAR if necessary.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
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 prevent illegal sewage dumping in chalk stream rivers.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Fixing the systemic issues in the water system is essential to addressing the multiple pressures facing chalk streams. Restoring these waterbodies to better ecological health is a core ambition of this Government’s overall programme of work to clean up rivers, lakes, and seas for good. Subject to consultation, we will abolish Ofwat and create a new, powerful, and integrated regulator, including a regional element to ensure greater local involvement in water planning and allow all sources of pollution to be addressed across the river catchment.
Our Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan already categorises chalk streams as high priority sites, ensuring that they are prioritised for improvement as part of the record £11 billion investment to improve nearly 3,000 storm overflows in England and Wales. Additionally, our protections through the Water (Special Measures) Act will hold polluters accountable and ensure these iconic British habitats are preserved for future generations.