Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
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 enforce the ban on piglet thumping.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Any allegations of poor animal welfare are investigated by the Animal and Plant Health Agency, and where there are non-compliances with the regulations, appropriate action is taken. The local authority, as an appropriate enforcement agency, may initiate prosecution action for animal welfare offences where there is sufficient evidence.
Due to serious concerns about the welfare consequences of a manual percussive blow to the head, it is not a permitted method for killing piglets. In 2022, animal welfare regulations were amended to permit the use of a non-penetrative captive bolt device as a killing method for neonate piglets, kids and lambs, within certain parameters. This has provided a method of killing on farm for these species that is practical and humane.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with supermarkets on the potential impact of online-only discounts on older people without smartphones.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ministers and officials in the department regularly engage with retailers on a wide range of issues affecting consumers, including affordability and access to food.
The Government expects retailers to consider the needs of all customers, including older people and those who may find it difficult to access online services. Supermarkets are responsible for their own pricing and promotional strategies, but we know that many offer a range of in-store and online discounts to ensure fair access.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce regulations under the Animal (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023 on the domestic (a) sale and (b) advertising of low welfare animal activities taking place abroad.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire, Pippa Heylings on 23 September 2025, PQ UIN 73101.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
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 to increase the number of local authorities providing Ministers with results from risk assessments of private water supplies.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Local authorities have a regulatory duty to provide the Secretary of State (in practice, the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI)), with a summary of the results from the risk assessment no longer than 12 months after the day on which it was carried out. Local authorities are regularly reminded of their duties, and where they may not be being complied with, in DWI’s annual report on the quality of private water supplies in England. We would expect local authorities to comply with their statutory duties.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the number of recommendations for improvements to private water supplies have been issued as a result of risk assessments in the last year.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
231 notices were served in England. 114 were received by central Government.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the number of private water supplies registered in Newton Abbot constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In 2024, Teignbridge reported 598 private water supplies on their register. In the Newton Abbot area specifically, one private water supply is registered.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
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 bring forward legislative proposals to require private water supplies to be registered with a local authority who can (a) test them and (b) risk assess them.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Local authorities need only risk assess and monitor private water supplies that they are aware of that are large, shared, or where the water supply is used as part of a commercial or public activity. Supplies to single domestic dwellings need only be risk assessed and monitored if the owner or occupier of the dwelling requests it, and they may monitor at their discretion.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on private water supply risk assessments to ensure consistency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Drinking Water Inspectorate publishes and maintains a suite of risk assessment tools on its website. These tools are designed to meet the risk assessment requirements of the Private Water Supplies (England) Regulations 2016 (as amended). It is not mandatory to use the tools.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
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 5 June 2025 to Question 52410 on Sewers, when she plans to commence Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is strongly committed to requiring standardised SuDS in new developments.
We believe that these outcomes can be achieved through either improving the current planning led approach using powers now available or commencing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
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 23 September 2025 to Question 75766 on Bottom Trawling: Teignmouth, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of banning bottom trawling in the remaining 60% of the south Devon coast.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority is responsible for assessing the impacts of fishing in its district, taking an evidence-based approach to the introduction of any restrictions, including a ban on bottom trawling, in consultation with stakeholders.