Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
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 with Cabinet colleagues of the effectiveness of the ban on disposable vapes on the outbreak of fires.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Selling single-use vapes has been banned since 1st June 2025 due to the harm that they cause to the environment, with over 5 million of these products being thrown away each week in 2023. This will help to prevent the environmental harms caused by vapes, including the risk of fires. We will continue to monitor the impact and remain engaged with industry to ensure that they have the desired positive environmental impact and will not hesitate to act further to tackle the environmental impact of vapes if needed.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with South East Water on water supply following issues at a treatment works on Saturday 29 November 2025.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Defra Secretary of State and Minister for Floods and Water have had frequent discussions with South East Water’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) since 29 November. This includes direct phone calls with the CEO by the Secretary of State and Minister for Floods and Water. The Minister for Floods and Water has also chaired three meetings which have been attended by South East Water’s CEO as well as senior leaders from the Local Councils and the Drinking Water Inspectorate.
Defra officials have held numerous discussions with South East Water CEO and officials, including direct calls with the CEO. They have also participated in Tactical Coordination Groups and Strategic Coordination Groups held by the Kent Local Resilience Forum. These have been attended by South East Water.
Officials from the Drinking Water Inspectorate have also engaged with the company as part of their full investigation into the incident. Further details of which can be found online.
Ministers and Officials will continue to engage extensively with South East Water on this incident until it is resolved.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
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 put in contingencies in areas that have sudden water outages.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water companies have a statutory duty to provide a supply of wholesome water under the Water Industry Act 1991 and associated water quality regulations. Additionally, the Security and Emergency Measures Direction 2022 (SEMD) requires companies to ensure continuation of their water distribution functions during an emergency.
Water companies are also Category Two Responders under the Civil Contingencies Act (2004) and have statutory duties to plan for emergencies. As Category Two Responders water companies are members of their Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) and work in partnership to understand risk and develop contingencies such as response plans.
Defra has a work programme of strategy, policy, research, operational and regulatory enforcement activity dedicated to improving the resilience of the water sector. This includes the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) who regulate water company performance against SEMD requirements. They have a range of tools to hold companies to account, including serving companies with enforcement orders.
Most sudden water outages are managed at a local level by the affected water company in conjunction with other LRF members as appropriate. However, where the scale or complexity of an incident demands central government co-ordination or support, Defra will provide this to facilitate all relevant parties to work together effectively.
The Independent Water Commission made several recommendations on increasing resilience across the water sector and on strengthening the enforcement powers available to the regulator for SEMD. The Government is preparing to respond to these recommendations and our White Paper will set out more detail on our approach.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
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 the management of Avian Influenza outbreaks in a) Norfolk and b) the UK.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Following the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry and other captive birds in the UK, Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) together with the Devolved Governments and their delivery agencies have stood up their well-established outbreak structures to control and eradicate disease, restore normal trade, and assist local communities’ recovery.
Avian Influenza Prevention Zones (AIPZs) mandating enhanced biosecurity are currently in force across the UK. These apply to all bird keepers whether they have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock. Additional national housing measures are also in force across the whole of England, Wales and Northern Ireland to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of the disease.
To control and manage outbreaks in Norfolk, APHA has put in place additional biosecurity measures in disease control zones surrounding infected premises. These controls include mandatory housing for all poultry and captive birds which are located in the 3km Protection Zone surrounding an infected premises. Bird keepers can check where disease control zones are in force on our interactive map.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
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 10 June 2025 to Question 57744 on Meat: Smuggling, how much illegally imported meat has been seized under Defra's African Swine Fever Programme since 19 April 2025.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We do not hold assured data on the amount of illegally imported meat seized under Defra's African Swine Fever Programme.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
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 auto-clearance of goods on the enforcement of biosecurity controls.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Border checks undertaken by competent authorities are an important element of the system designed to manage biosecurity risks.
The SPS controls at the border on EU goods implemented under the Border Target Operating Model provide assurance that the underlying systems of controls are working as intended. This includes import conditions, certification signed by veterinarian and plant authorities in exporting countries, risk assessments, border checks, and other intelligence led controls.
Auto-clearance applies to goods that fall into lower-risk categories established under the BTOM’s risk-based approach, ensuring that its impact on the enforcement of biosecurity controls is minimal while supporting the flow of goods.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to provide Port Health Authorities with statutory powers to (a) stop, (b) search and (c) seize illegal meat imports.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 2011 already give port health authorities in England, search and seize powers in relation to animal products. Defra is considering the recommendations in this area in the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s report on meat smuggling and will respond shortly.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
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 improve public awareness of the rules on importing products of animal origin; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the models used in New Zealand.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is mindful of international examples, such as models used in New Zealand, when considering approaches for improving public awareness of rules for importing products of animal origin. Defra has worked in partnership with other Government departments, ports, airports and international travel operators to improve public awareness of the rules. Defra has issued public communications about the rules via press release, social media and GOV.UK, and published posters for operational partners to display.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
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 establishing national taskforce to tackle illegal imports of (a) meat and (b) animal products.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is considering this recommendation in the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s report on meat smuggling.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
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 increase public awareness of the steps people whose homes are at risk of flooding should take to help mitigate that risk.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We welcome the publication of the Environmental Audit Committee's ‘Flood resilience in England’ report on 13 October. The department is considering its recommendations, including a national audit of flood resilience assets and on increasing public awareness of both flood risk and public bodies’ statutory duties.