Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she is taking steps to ensure that water companies provide low income customers with cheaper social tariffs.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government expects water companies to ensure their customers know what support schemes are available and how to access them if they need help. Companies offer a range of support schemes for customers struggling to afford their bills, including social tariffs, WaterSure, debt support schemes, financial hardship funds, flexible payment plans and payment breaks.
All companies voluntarily offer social tariff schemes for households – each setting their own eligibility criteria and level of support. Defra is working with water companies to ensure social tariffs are more consistent and taken up by those most in need. Defra also expects companies to hold themselves accountable for their public commitment to end water poverty by 2030.
Additionally, the Government has committed to reforming the WaterSure scheme to extend scope and increase support to low-income households who have higher water usage due to medical needs or three or more children.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether all species of Zebra will be included in the proposed ban on hunting trophies.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is continuing to engage with relevant stakeholders to help determine the most appropriate scope for a ban on the import of hunting trophies from species of conservation concern. Timeframes for introducing legislation and details of its scope will be provided once the Parliamentary timetable for future sessions is determined.
Species of conservation concern are listed primarily on Appendices I and II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) based on the level of threat that international trade poses to their conservation status.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the health of the sea horse population in Poole harbour.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Protected sites do afford some protection to habitats associated with seahorses. Seahorses are also a protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; but the legislation makes no provision for monitoring or reporting on the condition of the population.
Seahorses are known to be present in Poole Harbour and seahorse surveys have been carried out by the Seahorse Trust; evidence of their presence has also been identified from surveys not focused on the species. Collectively the evidence indicates a resident population of seahorses found year-round in the harbour.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what timescale her Department has for banning trophy hunting imports.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is committed to banning the import of hunting trophies from species of conservation concern.
Timeframes for introducing legislation will be provided once the Parliamentary timetable for future sessions is determined.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to publish a consultation on amending the Hunting Act 2004.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Department has no plans to publish a consultation on amending the Hunting Act 2004. The Department will consult early this year on how to deliver a ban on trail hunting.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department plans to publish a consultation on trail hunting; and with which organisations she plans to discuss the scope.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting in line with our manifesto commitment. Defra will consult early this year on how to deliver a ban on trail hunting.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
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 investigate payments made to the (a) Chief Executive and (b) Chief Financial Officer of Wessex Water in the year up to June 2025.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ofwat has reviewed water companies' compliance with its performance related executive pay Prohibition Rule for bonuses paid to directors who are members of the regulated company's board in relation to the 2024-25 financial year.
Ofwat reported on its assessment of companies who had triggered the rule, including Wessex Water, in November 2025: Performance-related-executive-pay-–-2024-25-assessment.pdf
The report confirmed that all companies had complied with the rule and had prohibited relevant performance related pay as defined in the Water Industry Act 1991.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
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 amend water company regulations to ensure that companies banned from making bonus payments are not able to continue doing so.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water company executives are now required to meet high standards relating to consumer and environmental matters, and financial resilience. In June 2025, unfair bonuses at six companies were banned.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
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 amend regulations on the pay of water company executives.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water company executives are now required to meet high standards relating to consumer and environmental matters, and financial resilience. In June 2025, unfair bonuses at six companies were banned.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
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 held discussions with Natural England on their Recovering Nature for Growth, Health and Security strategy.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Natural England worked closely with Defra and other stakeholders in development of their new strategy entitled 'Recovering Nature for Growth, Health and Security', which has been shared and discussed with Ministers. The strategic outcomes and approaches described in the strategy align with Defra and Government priorities.