Asked by: Robbie Moore (Conservative - Keighley and Ilkley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the National Fire Chiefs Council changed its advice to her Department that its Heather and Grass Burning regulations could increase the danger to firefighters and the public.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Defra continues to work closely with the National Fire Chiefs Council and Fire and Rescue Services on matters relating to wildfire.
In addition, Local Fire and Rescue Services provide advice on all heather and grass burning licence applications relating to wildfire mitigation.
Asked by: Robbie Moore (Conservative - Keighley and Ilkley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she supports the calls from the National Fire Chiefs Council and the Climate Change Committee for better coordination of the Government’s approach to the increasing wildfire threat.
Answered by Mary Creagh
A coordinated cross-Government approach is essential to mitigate the impacts of wildfire.
Defra is working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the lead department on wildfire, to strengthen cross-Government coordination across the full wildfire cycle, from risk assessment and prevention / mitigation to response and recovery.
Asked by: Robbie Moore (Conservative - Keighley and Ilkley)
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 adequacy of current regulations and airline policies relating to the air transportation of brachycephalic dog breeds; and if she will take steps to improve the safety and welfare of such animals during air travel.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Current pet travel arrangements preserve the UK’s high standards of biosecurity and animal welfare.
Operational arrangements at airports in Great Britain mean that most pets must travel in the hold to ensure that the necessary import checks are carried out. The only animals that are authorised to travel in the cabin of a commercial aircraft into Great Britain are Recognised Assistance Dogs.
Where animals are transported in the hold, there are rigorous requirements in place to make sure that their welfare needs are met during transport. Carriers must make sure that air quality and quantity, temperature and pressure is maintained whilst the animals are onboard. The length of journey determines how much food and water must also be provided. Stringent requirements are also in place for pet transport containers under the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Live Animals Regulations (LAR), with space and ventilation concerns paramount.
Asked by: Robbie Moore (Conservative - Keighley and Ilkley)
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 on UK agricultural innovation and environmental protection of the closure of the Silsoe Spray Applications Unit.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the role that Silsoe Spray Applications Unit (SSAU) has played in supporting precision agriculture and innovation to the UK’s agri-food sector. Whilst the closure of SSAU reduces capability in the UK, alternative facilities with comparable infrastructure are available internationally to the UK pesticides sector.
The Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy commits over £200 million to the Farming Innovation Programme (FIP) up to 2030, with over £180m so far awarded to projects to support Agri-Technology research and innovation. The current round of the FIP Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) fund is currently open and closes 3rd June 2026 with further rounds opening from 4th June.
Asked by: Robbie Moore (Conservative - Keighley and Ilkley)
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 make an assessment of the potential (a) economic and (b) employment impact of Natural England’s current approach to licensing gamebird releases in Special Protected Areas.
Answered by Mary Creagh
A post-implementation review was conducted in 2024. It recommended that the Order should remain in force. This is until Defra can conclude that unregulated gamebird release does not have a significant effect on the conservation objectives of a European site. Alternatively, it would remain in force until viable options for monitoring and regulating gamebird release are identified.
Asked by: Robbie Moore (Conservative - Keighley and Ilkley)
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 plans to take to assess the potential (a) employment, (b) tourism, (c) wider supply chains and (d) other (i) economic and (ii) conservation losses for rural economies of any proposed licensing conditions for recreational gamebird shooting.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Defra officials will begin with evidence gathering and any proposed changes will be subject to public consultation. Defra is committed to working with the sector and other stakeholder groups as this work progresses.
Asked by: Robbie Moore (Conservative - Keighley and Ilkley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her planned timetable is for (a) evidence gathering and (b) consultation around licensing for gamebird release; and what steps the Department plans to take ensure that the process is reflective of views across the (i) shooting and (ii) conservation sectors.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Defra officials will begin with evidence gathering and any proposed changes will be subject to public consultation. Defra is committed to working with the sector and other stakeholder groups as this work progresses.
Asked by: Robbie Moore (Conservative - Keighley and Ilkley)
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 had with (a) rural groups and (b) the shooting sector ahead of announcing her intention to explore licensing for gamebird shoots in England.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Defra officials will begin with evidence gathering and any proposed changes will be subject to public consultation. Defra is committed to working with the sector and other stakeholder groups as this work progresses.
Asked by: Robbie Moore (Conservative - Keighley and Ilkley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what lessons Natural England has drawn from the performance of its nutrient mitigation scheme when designing its Environmental Delivery Plans and its future management of the nature restoration fund.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Natural England's Nutrient Mitigation Scheme (NMS) demonstrates the value of a strategic, catchment-level approach over site-by-site mitigation. Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs) will build on this approach with Natural England’s NRF and NMS teams working collaboratively to consider best practices including the value of working with local stakeholders to identify and deliver solutions that have the greatest impact and secure value for money. The Government has committed to returning to Parliament once the first nutrient EDPs are made to provide a statement on initial learnings. EDPs covering other environmental issues will only be made after Parliament has considered that statement.
Asked by: Robbie Moore (Conservative - Keighley and Ilkley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much public funding was allocated to Natural England for its nutrient mitigation scheme in 2022.
Answered by Mary Creagh
In 2022/23 the (then) Government allocated £30 million over three years to Natural England for the Nutrient Mitigation Scheme. Natural England used this to prepare, facilitate and administer a scheme in accordance with the Secretary of State Direction (see here) to address development pressures in catchments where the scheme could deliver the most impact.