Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many water bodies are classified as failing to meet good ecological status for which the latest data is available; and what steps she is taking to help improve the quality of water in water bodies.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The last full classification update was produced in 2019 when 3893 water bodies of a total of 4651 were failing to meet good ecological status in 2019.
The Independent Water Commission, tasked by the Government to produce recommendations to transform how our water system works, delivered its final report 21 July 2025. This included recommendations intended to restore our rivers, lakes and seas to good health for future generations.
The Government will respond to the recommendations in full via a White Paper and will introduce a new water reform bill, bringing forward root and branch reform to secure better outcomes for customers, investors and the environment.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
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 ensure that water companies are penalised for (a) repeated illegal sewage discharges and (b) other repeated breaches of environmental regulations.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We will not let companies get away with illegal activity and where breaches are found, the Environment Agency will not hesitate to hold companies to account.
The Water (Special Measures) Act provides the most significant increase in enforcement powers to the regulators in a decade, giving regulators the teeth they need to take tougher action against water companies. These include new powers to enable the Environment Agency to recover costs associated with their enforcement of the water industry.
A consultation has been launched to expand and strengthen the current range of financial penalties available to the Environment Agency in a bid to clamp down on more offences. Water companies who commit environmental offences could face quicker penalties of up to £500,000, under changes being considered by the government.
The Environment Agency has also increased water company inspections to 10,000 per year from April 2025 as part of the Government’s wider focus to hold companies accountable and improve our water environment.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
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 falling grain prices on domestic producers.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Cereals and oilseeds are internationally traded commodities, and their supply chains are dynamic and responsive to global market developments. These developments may be influenced by the global market disruption, weather conditions, or currency fluctuations.
Support is being provided through the Environmental Land Management schemes, which reward sustainable farming practices and help improve soil health and long-term productivity. These schemes are designed to enhance the resilience and profitability of arable farmers, including those in the cereals sector.
The Department is also investing in innovation and research to help farmers adopt more efficient and sustainable practices, such as precision agriculture and crop breeding. Officials continue to monitor market conditions closely and engage regularly with industry to ensure that policy and support remain responsive to the needs of grain producers.
In addition, the Government’s food strategy sets out a vision for a more sustainable and competitive food system, including trade that supports British standards and expands export opportunities for UK producers.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
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 rising input costs on grain producers.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Cereals and oilseeds are internationally traded commodities, and their supply chains are dynamic and responsive to global market developments. These developments may be influenced by the global market disruption, weather conditions, or currency fluctuations.
Support is being provided through the Environmental Land Management schemes, which reward sustainable farming practices and help improve soil health and long-term productivity. These schemes are designed to enhance the resilience and profitability of arable farmers, including those in the cereals sector.
The Department is also investing in innovation and research to help farmers adopt more efficient and sustainable practices, such as precision agriculture and crop breeding. Officials continue to monitor market conditions closely and engage regularly with industry to ensure that policy and support remain responsive to the needs of grain producers.
In addition, the Government’s food strategy sets out a vision for a more sustainable and competitive food system, including trade that supports British standards and expands export opportunities for UK producers.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
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 support grain producers.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Cereals and oilseeds are internationally traded commodities, and their supply chains are dynamic and responsive to global market developments. These developments may be influenced by the global market disruption, weather conditions, or currency fluctuations.
Support is being provided through the Environmental Land Management schemes, which reward sustainable farming practices and help improve soil health and long-term productivity. These schemes are designed to enhance the resilience and profitability of arable farmers, including those in the cereals sector.
The Department is also investing in innovation and research to help farmers adopt more efficient and sustainable practices, such as precision agriculture and crop breeding. Officials continue to monitor market conditions closely and engage regularly with industry to ensure that policy and support remain responsive to the needs of grain producers.
In addition, the Government’s food strategy sets out a vision for a more sustainable and competitive food system, including trade that supports British standards and expands export opportunities for UK producers.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
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 reduced milling premiums on farmers.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Department has not conducted an assessment of the impact of reduced milling premiums on farmers. However, the Government recognises that fluctuations in quality-based market premiums, including those for milling wheat can affect farm incomes and business resilience.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
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 grain imports produced to standards lower than those required in the UK on domestic producers.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain. For the cereal crops that are produced domestically, the UK has been over 80% self-sufficient for a number of years. Due to environmental and climate conditions the UK milling industry require a certain level of imports of high protein milling wheat year on year to meet consumer demand.
The Department has not undertaken an assessment of the impact of grain imports produced to standards lower than those required for domestic producers. However, we recognise the importance of maintaining high production standards to protect consumer confidence, food safety, and the competitiveness of British farmers.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
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 extending enforcement powers to cover incidents where dogs are not kept under control in public before they become dangerously out of control.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The police and local authorities have a range of powers available to tackle dangerous dogs and irresponsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog. Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to encourage responsible dog ownership, to ensure dog control issues are addressed before they escalate and to make sure the full force of the law is applied. As part of this work, we reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce to explore measures to promote responsible dog ownership, including the consideration of enforcement. We look forward to receiving the findings and recommendations from the taskforce in due course.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to review the Weeds Act 1959.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government regularly monitors the effectiveness of its legislation. At present we are not planning to review the Weeds Act 1959.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
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 prevent executives from water companies that have been sanctioned for releasing sewage into waterways from receiving bonuses.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is clear that transformative change across the water sector is needed to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas, and modernise the sector for decades to come.
Unfair bonuses have been banned under new powers given to Ofwat within the Water (Special Measures) Act which came into force on 06 June. Under Ofwat’s rules, companies are not permitted to pay bonuses to water bosses that oversee poor environmental and customer outcomes. This delivers on a key manifesto commitment and has been backdated to apply to any bonuses relating to the financial year from April last year.
Additional information can be found at GOV.UK.