Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason her Department is not considering providing financial support to homeowners for the treatment or removal of Japanese knotweed; and what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of current guidance available to homeowners for managing this species.

The treatment or removal of Japanese knotweed is the responsibility of the homeowner and Defra has no plans to offer financial support.

Defra has not reviewed its current guidance, as no new evidence has emerged that would make a further review necessary. Existing guidance on preventing spread and treatment — most recently updated in February 2026 — remains in place.