Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 establish a financial support scheme for farmers, graziers and landowners impacted by major wildfires, equivalent to the Farming Recovery Fund available for flood events.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Through the Farming Recovery Fund, this Government provided an exceptional, one-off recovery payment to support farmers affected by Storms Babet, Henk and severe wet weather to help cover the uninsured costs of restoring farmland. The Government recognises the impacts of the changing climate and through the recently published Environmental Improvement Plan has committed to fund research to address the risk of wildfire. This will develop our understanding of actions we can take to naturally reduce the risk of wildfires. The Government is not considering introducing a specific fund targeting damages caused by wildfires at this stage.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Further to the DEFRA 2024-25 annual report and accounts, HC 1388, 12 November 2025, p.147, whether Nick Joicey has permanently left her Department as a civil servant.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Nick Joicey is currently on secondment from Defra. He remains a Civil Servant and, in line with standard practice, continues to be on Defra's headcount during the period of the secondment.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what is the estimated amount of average household water and drainage bills, per household which is not receipt of the social tariff, that pays for the cross-subsidy to the social tariff.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Companies decide, in consultation with their customers and organisations representing customers, which household customers fund social tariffs and how much they pay.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 30 June 2025 to Question 57658 on Water Charges, if he will make it his policy to use his powers under the Water Industry Act 1999 to provide directions or regulations to Ofwat that will stop the introduction (a) rising block/progressive water tariffs, and (b) seasonal water tariffs, on family homes.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Innovative approaches are being taken to trial new charges aiming to make bills more affordable and is engaging with industry leaders to drive further progress.
Ofwat called on companies to conduct charging trials aimed at supporting affordability and other sustainability goals such as reducing demand. Ofwat amended their charging rules to make it easier to conduct trials.
Companies can design their charges to provide benefits and incentives in a range of ways. Ofwat regulates charging trials by requiring companies to set fair charges for all customers, and ensure all trials are consistent with good practice principles.
There are several trials taking place, or planned, across all companies between now and 2030. These trials could benefit consumers by making water bills more affordable for more households. Companies must consult with the Consumer Council for Water in developing their trials to ensure that the appropriate safeguards are in place ensuring vulnerable consumers are adequately protected or excluded from the trials.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 spending by (a) her Department and (b) Natural England on (i) the upland Brood Management Scheme and (ii) the Southern Reintroduction project; and how many hen harrier chicks fledged under each of those schemes.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
These programmes were created as part of the Joint Action Plan for the Recovery of the English Hen Harrier Population, put in place in 2016.
The Hen Harrier brood management trial and the Southern Reintroduction project were funded by Defra and led by Natural England as part of the Hen Harrier Action Plan. Natural England spent £80,800 over the five-year (2019-2023) brood management trial. During the trial 15 nests were brood-managed, and 58 chicks were subsequently released.
Natural England spent £572,272 on the Southern Reintroduction project between March 2021 and October 2025. No chicks fledged in this period. The decision was taken to close the Southern Reintroduction programme this year.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 31 October 2025 to Question 85203 on Peatlands: Fires, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the response by the National Fire Chiefs Council of 23 May 2025 to her Department's consultation entitled Heather and Grass Burning in England.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As set out in my answer of 31 October, the National Fire Chiefs’ Council (NFCC) responded to Defra’s consultation on heather and grass burning in England earlier this year. Their response is published on their website.
The NFCC’s response was considered as part of the consultation analysis exercise. I also met with representatives from the NFCC and Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) to discuss their response prior to finalising the amendments to the Heather and Grass etc Burning (England) Regulations 2021. Defra, NFCC and FRS continue to work together in this area.
Defra is not involved with the IDEAL UK FIRE project but will consider the outcomes of this study when fully published, as with all new evidence in this area.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 85821 on Controlled Burning, what discussions she has had with the Natural Environment Research Council on the publication of its study on the role of prescribed burns in reducing wildfires; and whether her Department has contributed to that study.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As set out in my answer of 31 October, the National Fire Chiefs’ Council (NFCC) responded to Defra’s consultation on heather and grass burning in England earlier this year. Their response is published on their website.
The NFCC’s response was considered as part of the consultation analysis exercise. I also met with representatives from the NFCC and Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) to discuss their response prior to finalising the amendments to the Heather and Grass etc Burning (England) Regulations 2021. Defra, NFCC and FRS continue to work together in this area.
Defra is not involved with the IDEAL UK FIRE project but will consider the outcomes of this study when fully published, as with all new evidence in this area.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 implications for her Department's policies of the ongoing Natural Environment Research Council study on the role of prescribed burns in reducing wildfires.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra will consider the outcomes of this study when published, as with all new evidence in this area.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 19 September 2025 to Question 76603 on Peatlands: Fires, whether (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have received representations from the National Fire Chiefs Council on that issue.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) responded to Defra’s consultation on heather and grass burning in England earlier this year. Their response is published on their website: 250523-Heather-and-Grass-Burning-in-England-Consultation-Response-FINAL.pdf.
I also met with NFCC to discuss their consultation response, prior to the amendments to the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 being finalised. Defra and NFCC, as well as representatives from various Fire and Rescue Services, continue to work together in this area.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 the (a) ban on controlled heather burning on deep peat and (b) definition of deep peat on the risk of wildfires.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Evidence shows that burning is damaging to peatlands and can increase their long-term vulnerability to wildfires. The amendments to The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 significantly increase the area of peatland protected, helping to reduce the impacts of wildfire in the future.
The Government’s full response to the public consultation, which includes sections on wildfire and peat depth, can be found here - Summary of responses and government response - GOV.UK.