Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 assess the merits of suspending mandatory border control point checks for consignments of equine semen sent from approved EU centres.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
All consignments of equine germinal products imported into GB from the EU and EFTA countries are required to undergo import controls at a designated Border Control Post. A facilitation scheme remains in place to address logistical issues associated with the import of chilled equine germinal products. The SPS agreement, currently being negotiated between GB and the EU, will largely supersede the current import requirements and significantly reduce the burden on GB industry.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to question 103472 of 6 January 2026 regarding border control, what her plans are for the 2026 breeding season.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Equine germinal products are a high-risk commodity and require 100% documentary and identity checks upon import from the EU under the Border Target Operating Model.
For the 2026 breeding season, the Government will continue to maintain the existing system of official import controls. Specifically, all consignments of equine germinal products imported from the EU and EFTA will be subject to import controls at a designated Border Control Post; with the facilitation scheme available for chilled equine germinal products, where conditions apply.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 (a) maintain and (b) ensure the accuracy of flood gauges.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) operates a national maintenance and data assurance programme for its river gauging station network. This includes routine inspection, calibration and maintenance, alongside systematic data quality checks to monitor performance and identify any issues requiring intervention.
These activities are supported by live remote monitoring, providing confidence that river level and flow data remain accurate and reliable. Together, they ensure that gauging stations can be trusted to support the EA’s flood warning services across England, including in Shropshire.
Flood warnings are not based on gauging data alone. They are informed by multiple data sources, modelling outputs and forecasts, combined with the professional judgement and experience of trained flood warning staff, providing a robust and resilient approach to protecting communities.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 accuracy of data provided by flood gauges in Shropshire.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) operates a national maintenance and data assurance programme for its river gauging station network. This includes routine inspection, calibration and maintenance, alongside systematic data quality checks to monitor performance and identify any issues requiring intervention.
These activities are supported by live remote monitoring, providing confidence that river level and flow data remain accurate and reliable. Together, they ensure that gauging stations can be trusted to support the EA’s flood warning services across England, including in Shropshire.
Flood warnings are not based on gauging data alone. They are informed by multiple data sources, modelling outputs and forecasts, combined with the professional judgement and experience of trained flood warning staff, providing a robust and resilient approach to protecting communities.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 meet with representatives of the horse breeding industry from North Shropshire to discuss the impact of import and export processes on their businesses.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Secretary of State’s private office handles all meeting requests. Please contact them directly to request a meeting.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 impact of the change in the level of the Canal and River Trust’s grant settlement since 2017 on the safety and integrity of inland waterways.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The current 15-year Government grant provided to the Canal and River Trust was adjusted for inflation for the first 10 years between 2012 and 2022, with the agreement clearly stating that the final five years of the grant from 2022 to 2027 would be capped at the 2022 level, which is £52.6 million a year. This represented 22% of the Trust’s total 2024/25 income of £232 million. The majority of its funding is from commercial and charitable sources, including its £1billion investment endowment. The Trust continues to have the agreed objective of reducing reliance on Government funding and progressively moving towards greater financial self-sufficiency by developing alternative income streams.
A comprehensive review of the grant funding in 2022 concluded that there was a case for continued Government funding, and the new 10-year grant of £401 million between 2027 and 2037 will continue to support the Trust.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 protect watercraft operating on the canal network.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Responsibility for the safety of watercraft operating on the canal network rests with the navigation authorities concerned. Requirements for insurance and compliance with the Boat Safety Scheme standards form part of the conditions set by the navigation authorities for licences to operate on their waterways.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 the structural integrity of the canal network.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Responsibility for ensuring the structural integrity of the canal network rests with the navigation authorities concerned. The largest navigation authority is the Canal and River Trust, with some 2,000 miles of waterways. The Government is currently providing the Trust with an annual grant of £52.6 million to support maintenance of the network infrastructure and has agreed a further £401 million grant for the ten years 2027-2037.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 merits of establishing an emergency contingency fund to support (a) waterways-dependent businesses and (b) tourism in the context of the December 2025 canal breach in Whitchurch.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra’s relationship with the inland waterways sector focuses on providing grant support for the two largest navigation authorities, the Canal and River Trust and the EA Navigations, which between them cover around 2,630 miles of waterways. This support contributes to the infrastructure maintenance of their networks, while respecting their operational independence to manage their waterways for the benefit of businesses and tourism.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 produced a recent risk assessment for the impact of canal embankment breaches on narrowboats.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Responsibility for the safe operation of canals rests with the navigation authorities. In the case of the Canal and River Trust, Defra officials meet the Trust’s senior management team to discuss the Trust’s work and use of the Government grant funding, as well as engaging regularly with the Trust throughout the year on any matters as they arise.