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 biosecurity procedures are in place for (a) detained and (b) uncollected meat consignments at UK border control posts to prevent the transmission of African Swine Fever.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
All consignments of pork and pork products are checked at bio-secure border control posts to ensure that they have been effectively treated to mitigate the risk of African Swine Fever or they originate from a region declared free of the disease. Border Force with the support of Port Health Authorities carry out checks at the border to identify, seize and destroy illegally smuggled meat.
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, how many consignments of pork meat and associated products originating from Spain have been seized at UK borders since 28 November 2025.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The seizure data for detained consignments associated with a specific disease outbreak is recorded locally by Port Health Authorities. Defra does not record this information centrally.
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 take steps with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to help improve mental health support for farmers.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Secretary of State regularly holds confidential discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, including improving mental health support for farmers.
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 her Department is taking to help support the financial viability of farming businesses in North Shropshire constituency.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Supporting farmers in North Shropshire and across the country is a key priority for the Government.
We have allocated a record £11.8bn to sustainable farming and food production over this parliament. We are targeting public money where it delivers most value, including actions that support nature to produce good food, and providing grants to help the sector access cutting-edge technology and techniques.
We have started to make the supply chain fairer, so farmers are protected in contracts with supermarkets, and are unlocking new markets for British produce to fuel growth.
We will continue our work to make farming and food production more profitable in the decades to come. We are working with farmers, farming and environmental organisations to develop the Farming Roadmap, which will set the course of farming in England for the next 25 years.
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 help support dairy farmers in North Shropshire constituency.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK dairy sector is highly resilient and adaptable and continues to supply healthy and affordable products in spite of the many challenges it has faced in re-cent years.
This Government recognises that food security is national security, and that it requires a resilient and healthy food system that works with nature and supports farmers. That is why we are introducing new deals for farmers to boost rural economic growth and strengthen food security.
Ensuring fairness in supply chains is key for UK dairy farmers and supporting the sustainability of the sector. The Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024, which fully came into force on 9 July 2025, improve fairness and transparency, requiring dairy contracts to include clear terms on pricing, termination, and prohibiting unilateral changes.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 86349 on Flood Control: Shropshire, if she will provide a breakdown of the projects being funded, including the level of funding for each project, in North Shropshire constituency during 2024 to 2026.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Project Name | Parliamentary Constituencies - Project Area | Total (£) | Breakdown of totals (£) | ||||||
Total 24/25 | Total 25/26 | GiA 24/25 | GiA 25/26 | Local Levy 24/25 | Local Levy 25/26 | Private Contributions 24/25 | Private Contributions 25/26 | ||
Severn Valley Water Management Scheme | Multiple constituencies benefit which include North Shropshire | 2,366,256 | 1,925,908 | 2,366,256 | 1,925,908 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Demonstrator Project - Nature Based Solutions - Morda Depave | North Shropshire | 120,410 | 168,923 | 120,410 | 168,923 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Demonstrator Project - Nature Based Solutions - Perry and Peatlands | North Shropshire | 112,406 | 337,406 | 112,406 | 337,406 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
River Morda Mitigation Measures | North Shropshire | 0 | 400,000 | 0 | 200,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 200,000 |
Gobowen Flood Alleviation Scheme Ordinary Watercourse Flooding Shropshire | North Shropshire | 0 | 50,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50,000 | 0 | 0 |
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 the press release titled Record investment to protect thousands of UK homes and businesses, published on 4 February 2025, how much of the £2.65 billion of funding announced for flood defences will be allocated to (a) projects along the River Perry, and (b) protecting housing and businesses in Gobowen.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
a: The Environment Agency is developing the Severn Valley Water Management Scheme. This will provide a strategic holistic approach in the Upper Severn catchment, including the River Perry, to manage flood risk and explore how natural processes can be delivered at scale, complimented by traditional engineering approaches. The total value of this strategy within the announcement (24/25-25/26) is £4.3m million.
In addition, £290k is being invested in a Demonstrator project in Oswestry, North Shropshire, to ‘de-pave’, and create new, water absorbing greenspaces. This will improve drainage and slow the flow of water in the built environment.
Also £450k is being invested to investigate the rewetting of lowland peat in the Perry catchment.
b: Shropshire Council have secured £50,000 from the English Severn and Wye Regional Flood and Coastal Committee to investigate a flood scheme to protect approximately 100 properties and rail infrastructure in Gobowen.
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 her Department will carry out a risk assessment on the impact of the Environment Agency ceasing maintenance of the River Perry.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
On the River Perry, the EA has not ceased maintenance activities. The EA continues to carry out critical maintenance work, focussing on significant obstructions, like fallen trees blocking the river channel.
The EA’s maintenance approach on the River Perry is to focus on specific communities at risk of flooding as this is found to offer the greatest benefit in reducing flood risk.
The primary responsibility for river maintenance rests with individual landowners. The Environment Agency (EA) prioritises its public funded maintenance activities on main rivers, focussing efforts where they have the greatest benefit.
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 the press release titled Record investment to protect thousands of UK homes and businesses, published on 4 February 2025, how much of the £2.65 billion of funding announced for flood defences will be allocated to projects in (a) North Shropshire constituency and (b) Shropshire.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Within the current Flood Risk Management investment programme 2021–2026, over £15 million has been invested in Shropshire to reduce flood risk to people and property. Between 2024 and 2026 over £5 million of investment will benefit the North Shropshire constituency to reduce flood risk.
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 his Department is taking to protect homes and businesses in North Shropshire from flooding this winter.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) is committed to working with partners and communities to prepare for flooding this winter. The EA responds to incidents and manages flood risk, operates a 24/7 service to warn and inform, continually monitors the weather and river networks, and issues alerts and warnings when required. Preparing for and during flooding, the EA’s teams carry out essential operational activities by checking assets and removing obstructions that increase flood risk.
Please help by encouraging people to sign up to the EA’s new and improved free flood warning service which can be accessed here: Get flood warnings by text, phone or email - GOV.UK