Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the (a) sustainability and (b) economic resilience of small-scale shellfish fisheries post-Brexit.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Fisheries Act 2020 enshrines in law the Government’s commitment to sustainable fishing, including to produce Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) to ensure our stocks are being fished sustainably and the marine environment is protected.
Through FMPs we are working to further develop and implement effective, evidence-based management to deliver long-term sustainability of our important shellfish fisheries.
Once the new partnership with the EU is implemented, we expect the SPS Agreement will allow exports of undepurated Class B live bivalve molluscs from GB to the EU to resume.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of forthcoming legislation relating to IVMS licensing on small-scale shellfish fisheries.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
All English under 12 metre fishing vessels have been required to have a functioning iVMS system on board since 12 May 2025. iVMS provides vessel level data on position, course, and speed for under12 m English fishing vessels including those involved in small-scale shellfish fisheries. This information will be used to support decisions on fisheries management planning, conservation efforts, statistical and scientific analysis, compliance, and law enforcement.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will conduct a review of Southern Water’s stakeholder engagement with local fisheries on (a) pollution and discharge events and (b) development in Thames Estuary.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is putting customers at the heart of the water system. While stakeholder engagement is a matter for individual water companies, customers will be able to hold water company bosses to account through powerful new customer panels that are being developed. Ministers have met with all company boards to ensure they understand the Government’s drive to transform the water sector and to hear how they plan to meet their obligations to customers and the environment.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking with the Ministry of Defence to deliver the target to protect and manage 30 per cent of the land and sea for nature by 2030.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
To deliver our 30by30 commitments Defra works closely with arms-length bodies and other departments, including the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
This includes through the National Estate for Nature Group, of which the MoD, which manages extensive estates, is a member.
Natural England and other Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNCBs) also support the MoD in managing land to enhance biodiversity, and in minimising the impacts of their operations on Marine Protected Areas. We are working across Government, including with the MoD, to publish our delivery strategy for 30by30 on land in England.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of changing the date for the award of the Wider Service Medal from 2018 to 2011.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Wider Service Medal was introduced to provide medallic recognition for operational activity that delivers a significant and direct contribution to UK objectives in rigorous circumstances, but not necessarily in roles exposed to physical risk.
The date of 11 December 2018 was determined as a clearly defined point in time when Her Late Majesty The Queen approved the initial concept of the Wider Service Medal. At that time there was no intention to include any retrospection, so using December 2018 as the start date for the Medal is considered a balanced approach that recognises the original discussions and Her Late Majesty’s initial approval.
The Department has no plans to review the date of December 2018.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Marine Management Organisation is taking to ensure that cumulative impacts of offshore developments are properly assessed in relation to fisheries.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has two roles involved in assessments of offshore developments in two parts:
For marine licences we undertake consultation including a public consultation as part of the assessment process. This can involve consultation with the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) as our scientific advisors who provides comments on the impacts to fishing and fish and shellfish ecology. The public consultation period allows anyone to provide comments on the impacts of the development. Through the Regional Fisheries Groups (RFGs), marine licensing applications with potential to significantly impact fishing activities within 12 nautical miles are shared with the inshore fishing sector at consultation stage to improve visibility and ensure potential impacts are considered by the fishing industry.
The MMO also has a mapping system that highlights the fishing effort, fish ecology and other developments within the area of the proposed development and makes all decisions in line with the Marine Plan(s) for the area the development is in, and the applicant must submit a full assessment of their impact against the plan. All this information is used to make a decision on the impacts of the project on fisheries to make a positive determination on the project.
For NSIP projects the MMO reviews the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) which includes Fish and Shellfish Ecology and Commercial Fisheries chapters. MMO provides comments on these and highlights the areas that are subject to spatial squeeze, areas including species or habitat type that may be impacted by developments. MMO also consults the Cefas as our scientific advisors who also provides comments on the impacts to fishing and fish and shellfish ecology. In addition, MMO asks developers to ensure updates to documents are made in relation to any fisheries comments from other interested parties. It is for the Secretary of State for each application to decide on the impacts of fishing and if the project needs any restrictions or additional information.
The MMO is taking further steps to ensure the data we have is used to provide detailed up to date knowledge of the potential cumulative impacts from offshore development. All data from offshore developments is being included on the marine data exchange, managed by The Crown Estate.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Marine Management organisation is taking to ensure fair and proportionate enforcement across domestic and foreign flagged vessels operating in UK inshore waters.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is responsible for the enforcement of fisheries regulations within the English sector of UK waters. Foreign flagged fishing vessels are not permitted to fish within the 0-6nm zone and access to the 6-12nm zone is restricted to those foreign vessels which have a historic track-record of access and meet certain criteria around gear types and engine power. The MMO monitors the movements of all foreign and UK fishing vessels within English waters using Vessel Monitoring System tracking data and alarms are received when a vessel is detected travelling at fishing speeds within an area where they are not permitted to fish. All alarms are investigated and enforcement action taken according to the MMO’s compliance and enforcement strategy when non-compliance is detected.
The MMO also operate two Offshore Patrol Vessels which carry out inspections at sea of fishing vessels within English waters. Inspections are targeted according to a risk-based approach incorporating considerations including vessel size, gear type, history of compliance and received intelligence. In FY 2024/2025, 368 UK vessels and 244 non-UK vessels were inspected at sea.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Marine Management Organisation is taking to ensure (a) adequate support and (b) fair enforcement of the IVMS license condition for under 12m vessels.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
Regarding adequate support
Introduction of the I-VMS licence condition was communicated to industry in March 2025 before coming into force on 12 May 2025 for English licensed vessels. It is an interim measure to support English vessel owners be as prepared as possible for when the legislation comes into force, by ensuring vessels have a type-approved device installed and also so we can work with owners and suppliers to address any technical or logistical issues.
MMO continues to work with I-VMS device suppliers to assist industry with any issues with I-VMS devices to try and resolve them. We are aware both suppliers are currently experiencing a high volume of enquiries. Fishers are able to contact a dedicated MMO I-VMS helpline which is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, by calling 01900 508618, or email ivms@marinemanagement.org.uk.
Regarding fair enforcement
Where MMO are informed fishers are taking steps to be compliant by arranging installation or working with suppliers to resolve issues, they will take a measured approach to any enforcement activity under the licence condition.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the level of equity of access for children to healthcare checks in independent schools in the UK.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Access to healthcare services is based on the clinical needs of the individual. The type of school a child attends does not affect their eligibility for access to NHS healthcare services. Parents or carers with concerns about their child’s health can speak to their GP who can make a referral to the relevant healthcare services. The NHS will consider referrals based on clinical need.
It remains the case that the NHS is free at the point of use and provides care to anyone who needs it.
Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Independent - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to end the (a) exploration, (b) extraction, (c) export and (d) import of fossil fuels by the United Kingdom.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has consulted on the implementation of its commitment to not issue new oil and gas licences to explore new fields and will respond in due course. It does not intend to revoke existing licences.
The Government has announced it will introduce new legislation to restrict the future licensing of new coal mines in Great Britain. The last coal fired power station closed in October 2024.
The Government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan paves the way to decarbonising the wider economy by 2050 as it pursues the electrification of heat in buildings, transport, and industry.