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 she has made of the potential impact of changes to stocking density regulations on production levels in chicken farms.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
No recent changes have been introduced to on farm poultry stocking density regulations. We are aware that many poultry producers are switching to lower stocking densities in response to a retailer led voluntary initiative as part of the industry’s Better Chicken Commitment. We continue to monitor the poultry market but have yet to see any significant fall in poultry production since the industry’s adoption of lower stocking densities.
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 reduce landfill use by 2028.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are developing policy options for the near elimination of biodegradable municipal waste to landfill, following publication of a call for evidence and a summary of responses published earlier this year.
The Collection and Packaging Reforms – Simpler Recycling, Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) and a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) – will help stimulate investment in recycling services across the UK and support our ambition to recycle 65% of municipal waste by 2035. The Circular Economy Strategy for England, which we plan to publish in the coming months, will contain further proposals to reduce our reliance on landfill.
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 the (a) location and (b) number of animals affected by outbreaks of botulism was in each month of 2025.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Information from the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s (APHA) surveillance network indicates one botulism outbreak in GB in 2025, affecting 712 cattle between August up to 8 September. The cases have been spread across Derbyshire, Essex, Northants, Pembrokeshire and Shropshire. This incident is currently being investigated by the FSA who have taken precautionary action to protect animal and public health, including the removal of an animal feed product from the market and the prevention of animals showing signs of botulism from entering the food chain.
When large scale or serious incidents are reported, Defra and APHA take a One Health response and work collaboratively cross-agency to manage any threats.
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 discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on making clear recycling labels mandatory for pharmaceutical packaging.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is committed to introducing mandatory recycling labelling for packaging. We are aiming to do this in 2028 once we have reviewed the potential to bring forward an approach that is consistent with the provisions being established under PPWR for the EU.
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues. The Secretary of State has not yet had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the details of the labelling requirements as this is still to be developed following review of the EU equivalent regime.
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 discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on mandating the (a) size and (b) clarity of recycling labels on consumer plastic products.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is committed to introducing mandatory recycling labelling for packaging. We are aiming to do this in 2028 once we have reviewed the potential to bring forward an approach that is consistent with the provisions being established under PPWR for the EU.
Analysis has been undertaken on the impact of recycling labels on the waste management system and we will update this analysis in our upcoming options and impact assessment for labelling regulations.
The Secretary of State has not yet had discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the details of the labelling requirements as this is still to be developed following review of the EU equivalent regime.
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 he has made of the potential impact of unclear recycling labels on the waste management system.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is committed to introducing mandatory recycling labelling for packaging. We are aiming to do this in 2028 once we have reviewed the potential to bring forward an approach that is consistent with the provisions being established under PPWR for the EU.
Analysis has been undertaken on the impact of recycling labels on the waste management system and we will update this analysis in our upcoming options and impact assessment for labelling regulations.
The Secretary of State has not yet had discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the details of the labelling requirements as this is still to be developed following review of the EU equivalent regime.
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 he is taking to ensure that recycling labels are (a) clear and (b) readable for consumer plastic products.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is committed to introducing mandatory recycling labelling for packaging. We are aiming to do this in 2028 once we have reviewed the potential to bring forward an approach that is consistent with the provisions being established under PPWR for the EU.
Analysis has been undertaken on the impact of recycling labels on the waste management system and we will update this analysis in our upcoming options and impact assessment for labelling regulations.
The Secretary of State has not yet had discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the details of the labelling requirements as this is still to be developed following review of the EU equivalent regime.
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 his Department has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of checks for illegally imported meat at the Port of Dover.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
Defra is working closely with the Home Office and the Food Standards Agency to tackle this issue with the support of Border Force, Port Health Authorities and local authorities, to ensure that operations around illegal meat imports are as efficient as possible.
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 his Department plans to increase the level of funding provided to Dover Port Health Authority to carry out pro-active vehicle spot checks.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
Defra is providing £3.1 million to Dover Port Health Authority for the financial year 2025/26, in addition to investing over £9 million since 2022.
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 the cost to the public purse was of maintaining the Dover Bastion Point facility in each year since it was first in public use.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
The information requested is commercially sensitive and therefore cannot be released.