Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
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 Government is taking to engage with rural communities in the development of nationwide policies.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government believes that it is important that rural communities have the opportunity to help shape decisions that affect them. As rural affairs lead, Defra continues to encourage all Government Departments to rural proof their policies, including engaging rural stakeholders in their public consultations and engagement processes. Defra also facilitates engagement with rural people and businesses via its Rural Insights Forum - a group of stakeholders that represent rural communities. Rural representatives and sector specific experts are also engaged with Defra’s Rural Taskforce, which will consider the value and contribution of rural communities and businesses in achieving the Government’s priorities.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation agreement includes provisions for mutual recognition of (a) agri-input standards, (b) fertilisers and (c) pesticides.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Technical Barriers to Trade chapter of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) provides the structures to address non-tariff barriers for businesses. Annex 14 to the TCA recognises the equivalence of organic regulations between EU and UK, facilitating trade in organic products. The TCA does not otherwise make binding provision for mutual recognition of technical regulations in relation to agri-food standards, pesticides and fertilisers.
On 19 May, the UK and the EU agreed the principles for a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement to make agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier, cutting costs and red tape for British producers and retailers. The agreement will cover SPS standards and controls and also wider agrifood rules related to food labelling, organics, and key marketing standards and compositional standards – as well as pesticides. This will further bring down costs for UK businesses by removing the majority of regulatory trade barriers to agrifood trade.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of local abattoir closures on small-scale livestock farmers; and what steps his Department is taking to support the viability of local meat processing infrastructure in rural areas.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the vital role smaller abattoirs, and the accompanying infrastructure play in supporting local livestock producers, sustaining rare and native breeds, providing skilled employment opportunities and maintaining a resilient, competitive food supply chain.
Defra is aware of the potential impacts local abattoir closures can have on small-scale livestock farmers, including reduced access to slaughter facilities and increased costs. While the wider meat processing sector remains resilient, we understand the unique pressures faced by some smaller operators.
To support the viability of smaller abattoirs, Defra continues to work closely with sector stakeholders including through the Small Abattoirs Working Group and the Small Abattoirs Task and Finish Group. These groups help identify challenges faced by the sector and support the development of practical solutions to improve sustainability.
It is recognised that there are many different and varied reasons why abattoirs close, and that closures can impact the access livestock producers have to local slaughter facilities. While the Government does not intervene in individual business decisions, it is committed to working with the sector to help, where possible, mitigate pressures abattoirs face.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Land Use Framework will be updated to include details on wildfires.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government consulted on land use in England earlier this year. While it did not specifically ask about wildfires, the consultation included questions on how we could better support landowners and land managers to adapt to climate change impacts. The consultation responses are being analysed and will inform the Land Use Framework that will be published in due course.
In 2024 and 2025, the Government has funded a National Resilience Wildfire Advisor to assess what additional national wildfire capabilities might be needed to increase resilience to wildfire risk, and to ensure coordination of approaches across sectors.
Defra regularly engages with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and other Government departments in addition to bodies such as the National Fire Chiefs Council and the England and Wales Wildfire Forum, to monitor and review sector-led improvements and mitigations. Defra also encourages landowners and land managers to undertake wildfire risk assessments and consider mitigating actions as part of good quality wildfire management plans.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
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 farmers in South Northamptonshire with sustainable agriculture practices.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
At February’s National Farming Union Conference, the Secretary of State announced a raft of new policies to put money in the pockets of farmers in South Northamptonshire and across the country.
We remain committed to investing £5 billion of funding in the farming budget over two years and are on track to do so. This is the highest budget for sustainable food production and nature’s recovery in our history.
We will be working closely with farmers and industry stakeholders to design a future SFI offer that fairly and responsibly directs funding. Further details about the re-formed SFI offer will be announced following the spending review in summer 2025.
We plan to launch the new Higher Tier scheme later this year; Capital Grants will re-open in summer 2025; we continue to move forward with Landscape Recovery; we are increasing payment rates for Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreement holders to recognise their ongoing commitment to delivering environmental outcome; and we are making £110 million available for new grant competitions to support research and innovation, technology and equipment for farmers.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK-EU sanitary and phytosanitary agreement on fertiliser (a) regulation and (b) availability for farmers in the UK.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Fertiliser product regulation does not fall within the scope of the UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement.
Fertiliser is a global market. Ensuring a resilient supply chain involves maintaining diverse sources, domestically and through international imports. The UK sources fertiliser from a wide range of countries including the EU. The UK-EU sanitary and phytosanitary agreement has not changed this situation.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to protect local biodiversity in South Northamptonshire.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Work is ongoing in South Northamptonshire to protect biodiversity. The constituency has a number of protected areas that provide for a host of notable habitats and species, from the ancient woodlands of the Whittlewood Forest Site of Special Scientific Interest to the rich wetland systems of the Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits Special Protection Area.
Farmers are helping to recover nature through Countryside Stewardship schemes, protecting these special sites and creating wildlife corridors, so species can move and colonise new areas.
Defra is buffering and expanding wildlife rich woodlands through grant support for woodland creation and tree cover expansion. And Natural England provides advice to developers and local authorities, to ensure that nature is firstly protected and all opportunities are taken to create new wildlife rich spaces through the planning system.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
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 help support farmers to transition to regenerative agriculture.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Although the term “regenerative agriculture” does not have a legal or universally accepted definition, and is used variably, it is based on an understanding that the health of the food system is intrinsically linked to soil health.
Healthy soils that are rich in nutrients and organic matter, abundant pollinators and clean water are essential for sustainable food production. We will support farmers and land managers to help restore nature, which is vital to safeguard our long-term food security, support productivity and build resilience to climate change.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans for an extensive mapping exercise identifying the most suitable sites for renewable energy sources to be carried out as part of the Land Use Framework.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In October 2024, the Secretary of State for The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), along with Scottish and Welsh governments, jointly commissioned the National Energy System Operator to develop a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan: the first ever spatial energy plan for Great Britain, to support a more actively planned approach to energy infrastructure across both land and sea.
The analysis underpinning the Land Use Consultation for England has fed into the development of the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan’s methodology. DESNZ and Defra will continue to work closely to ensure that the SSEP and the Land Use Framework work together cohesively alongside other sector plans.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on the negotiation of a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement with the EU.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK and EU are like-minded partners with similarly high standards. We have been clear that the trading relationship can be improved, hence why we are seeking to negotiate an SPS agreement to help boost trade and deliver benefits to businesses and consumers in the UK and the EU. It’s too early to discuss specific areas in detail and we will not be providing a running commentary on discussions with the EU.