Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the number of families dependent on food banks.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has committed to producing a Food Systems Strategy which will provide an opportunity to set out how the food system can deliver for growth, health and the environment. A particular focus will be ensuring that families in poverty can afford healthy food which will improve child welfare, reduce the burden on the NHS, and benefit UK productivity in the long term.
Moreover, the Child Poverty Taskforce is working to publish a comprehensive strategy to tackle child poverty. This includes consideration of how the Government can tackle the key drivers of essential costs for low-income families, such as food.
The Government has put in place several measures to support the households who face the greatest hardship, including the Fair Repayment Rate for debt deductions in Universal Credit, which means approximately 1.2 million families will keep more of their award each month. The Household Support Fund in England has also been extended until 31 March 2026, which will mean those most in need can continue to access support towards the cost of essentials, such as food, energy and water. We are investing over £30 million in the rollout of free breakfast clubs in every primary school, so that every child is well prepared for the school day and can achieve their full potential.
Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
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 (a) bring forward legislative proposals to (i) formally recognise, (ii) protect and (iii) otherwise support the management of Cornish hedges and (b) provide funding for such hedges in the form of (A)Sustainable Farming Incentives and (B) capital grants.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Certain hedgerows are protected from removal under the Hedgerows Regulations 1997 if they meet specific criteria. The Management of Hedgerows (England) Regulations 2024 introduced management rules into domestic legislation to protect hedgerows on land used for agriculture in England.
The Sustainable Farming Incentive was developed to recognise the large variety of locally and nationally important hedges and hedgerows we see across England. In 2023, the hedgerow offer was launched and expanded in 2024. This includes an offer to maintain earth banks or stone-faced hedge banks (BND2). Those with Cornish hedges will be eligible to apply for both offers to ensure their hedgerow is maintained. We will continue to review what additional policies may be required to protect and enhance the ecological and cultural value of hedges and hedgerows in England.
Grants have been made available to support Cornish hedges under the Capital Grants offer. In 2024 the scheme supported agreements to plant over 4,000 miles of new hedgerows across England, creating essential habitats for at-risk species of birds and mammals. In November, the Capital Grants scheme was closed to new agreements following unprecedented demand this Autumn. We are forecast to spend more on capital grants this year than ever before. We currently are reviewing the Capital Grants offer to ensure funding goes further to improve outcomes for food security and nature conservation and will provide an update in early 2025. We have allocated the largest ever budget for sustainable food production through the farming budget.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, for each of the most recent five years for which data are available, what was the total amount of public expenditure that has been allocated to companies or charities for the purposes of (1) anaerobic digestion and (2) redistributing surplus food for human consumption.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Over the last 7 years, the department has spent approximately £13 million of funding on supported redistribution organisations across the country.
This year, under the new Government, Defra announced £15 million to ensure that farm produce that would often go to waste or be eaten by animals is provided to a network of food banks. This helps the department reach its zero waste targets and ensures that the country's most vulnerable people have a ready supply of healthy food that is grown by British farmers.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when she plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Wokingham on Food Banks and Universal Credit, dated 4 October 2024.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HM Treasury officials reviewed the correspondence and feel that it would be more appropriate for a response to be provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Colleagues from DWP have confirmed acceptance of this case and the hon. Member for Wokingham will receive a response from them in due course.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
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 tackle trends in the (a) number of abandoned pets and (b) pressure on animal rescue centres.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra regularly meets animal welfare stakeholders to understand issues and trends affecting the sector.
Defra welcomes the support that the animal sector has provided through pet food banks and financial support with veterinary treatment; and the financial support that the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes (ADCH) provided to its members experiencing financial difficulties due to cost-of-living pressures.
The animal sector offers helpful advice to potential pet owners on the responsibilities that come with pet ownership including free guides on the estimated lifetime costs of owning a pet.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of preventing Job Centres from distributing food vouchers on levels of access to foodbanks.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Under the previous administration, the Government introduced a new food charity signposting slip to replace the one previously used, removing personal data to better comply with our departmental obligations, including our GDPR responsibilities, and to improve our signposting process. The new slip does not change our DWP policy, and our Jobcentres continue to provide customers with guidance to find additional support, including signposting to emergency food support when appropriate.
Asked by: Mark Sewards (Labour - Leeds South West and Morley)
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 tackle the abandonment of domestic animals.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra regularly meets animal welfare stakeholders to understand issues and trends that are affecting the sector, including the impact of the rise in the cost of living on pet keepers and welfare organisations. Defra welcomes the support that the animal sector has provided through pet food banks and financial support with veterinary treatment.
The animal sector offers helpful advice to potential pet owners on the responsibilities that come with pet ownership including free guides on the estimated lifetime costs of owning a pet.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress the Environment Agency and Natural England have made on facilitating reinstatement of the Avon Valley footpath between Christchurch and Burton.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The closure of the footpath in this location is because there are breaches in the banks of the Hampshire Avon along Winkton Common upstream of Christchurch. These breaches have worsened over the last 6 months because of the exceptionally high-water levels in the river.
The Environment Agency (EA) is working with the Meyrick Estate, South West Water (SWW), Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP) and Natural England (NE) to understand and mitigate the long-term implications. We are jointly exploring potentially significant environmental benefits in the form of new wetland habitat, but there are a number of important considerations, such as assets owned by SWW which run across the common.
While the EA is neither responsible nor funded to maintain the banks of the river in this location, we are supporting Natural England in their work with the Meyrick Estate to identify a long-term alternative route for the footpath. NE have worked with the Meyrick Estate on a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier application which will include a review of public access in this area and aim to identify a new sustainable route for the footpath.
We recognise that the situation is frustrating for those who want to access the Avon Valley footpath, but changes in river levels associated with climate change do mean that the historic route is likely to be unsustainable.
Asked by: Ben Spencer (Conservative - Runnymede and Weybridge)
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 effectiveness of the Environment Agency's (a) actions and (b) policies in managing flood risk from watercourse in riparian ownership.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, the Environment Agency (EA) has a strategic overview of the management of all sources of flooding and coastal change and are the lead authority for managing the risk of flooding from main rivers, estuaries and the sea.
Landowners are responsible, under common law, for maintaining the bed and banks of any watercourses that run through their land in a state which avoids flooding on their neighbours’ or other land. This common law duty also extends to keeping watercourses and culverts clear of anything that could cause an obstruction, either on their own land or downstream if it is washed away.
The EA has published guidance on owning a watercourse on GOV.UK, and has supplemented their riparian guidance with Your Watercourse: rights and roles to help Risk Management Authorities, EA staff, and landowners have more effective conversations on this matter.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
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 take steps to support for landowners to maintain stretches of waterways on their land to help mitigate future flooding risk.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
All farmers and land managers are encouraged to manage the land in a way that supports and enhances the environment while reducing impacts on others, such as climate risks.
Where there is a watercourse, riparian landowners are required under common law to keep watercourses clear of anything which could cause an obstruction to the flow of water on their land, or downstream if washed away. This includes maintenance of the bed and banks, as well as any trees or shrubs growing on the banks. They must also ensure that any structures such as culverts, trash screens and mill gates are cleared of debris and allow the flow of water.
The new Environmental Land Management schemes aim to help the environment while supporting farming and food production. These will include support for farmers and land managers to adopt Natural Flood Management approaches in a way that reduces flooding and coastal erosion risks to local communities.