theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_970
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_970

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has he made in delivering the Livestock Information Transformation Programme. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Defra's Livestock Information Transformation Programme (LITP) is delivering significant progress towards modernising England's livestock traceability systems. LITP will enable faster response to animal disease outbreaks, provide data to help improve animal health and welfare, give further assurances on food safety, support productivity, and facilitate trade.

LITP has completed the initial design and development phase for the new Livestock Information Service (LIS), which will replace outdated species-specific systems with a single, multispecies platform capable of near real-time movement reporting.

The pilot phase for the new cattle service will begin in December 2025 with selected cattle keepers, with wider availabillity to all cattle keepers across England planned over 2026.

Livestock traceability data from England, Wales and Scotland will continue to be integrated, enabling Chief Veterinary Officers to track livestock locations and movements across the UK. This ensures we maintain a robust biosecurity management, providing a more efficient system for both Government and industry.

Following cattle implementation, additional species will be added on to LIS, with timelines to be confirmed once cattle rollout is complete.

This programme represents the Government’s commitment to modernising livestock traceability and will deliver enhanced disease control capabilities, improved animal welfare monitoring, and stronger support for trade and the country’s farmers.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_971
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_971

Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending enforcement powers to cover incidents where dogs are not kept under control in public before they become dangerously out of control. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The police and local authorities have a range of powers available to tackle dangerous dogs and irresponsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog. Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to encourage responsible dog ownership, to ensure dog control issues are addressed before they escalate and to make sure the full force of the law is applied. As part of this work, we reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce to explore measures to promote responsible dog ownership, including the consideration of enforcement. We look forward to receiving the findings and recommendations from the taskforce in due course.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_972
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_972

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2025 to Question 75416 on Dangerous Dogs, if she will consider introducing an interim scheme until the withdrawal scheme is active. \p Dame Angela Eagle: We are currently working to develop a withdrawal scheme so that owners who no longer believe that their dog is an XL Bully can apply to have their certificate of exemption for their dog withdrawn. Information about this process will be available soon.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_973
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_973

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of trends in the number of sanitary and phytosanitary transfers between the UK and EU since 2020 on the economy. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Government is required to conduct an impact assessment when new or changing policies, strategies, services or projects are proposed that could have a significant impact on the economy, business, voluntary organisations, or the environment. Defra implemented changes to cross-border sanitary and phytosanitary processes in 2024 when it implemented its Border Target Operating Model (BTOM). The impact assessment was published https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2024/115/pdfs/ukia_20240115_en.pdf) and contains an estimated cost to business. As a major programme the BTOM will also be subject to formal evaluation, which assesses the value and impact of the work post delivery through a structured process of analysis. The evaluation process is expected to run over the next few years.

It should also be noted that the UK trade team of ONS also publish a variety of different statistics that quantify trade between the UK and EU over time (Published data - Office for National Statistics).
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_974
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_974

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of existing legislation to ensure that foals are not entered into competitive races. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the 2006 Act), it is an offence to cause any animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for its welfare. Anyone who is cruel to an animal, or does not provide for its welfare, may be banned from owning animals. They may also face an unlimited fine, be sent to prison, or both.

The 2006 Act is backed up by the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Horses, Ponies, Donkeys and Their Hybrids which provides guidance on how to meet the welfare needs of equines. The Code states that any training should be appropriate to the age, experience and condition of the animal, which includes training for races.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_975
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_975

Mary Kelly Foy:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle Asian hornets. \p Mary Creagh: Defra is continuing to follow an eradication strategy against Yellow Legged Hornet (also known as Asian Hornet) to prevent this invasive non-native species from establishing in GB. Contingency action is delivered by the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit (NBU). As of 10th October 2025, the NBU have found and destroyed a total of 143 Yellow Legged Hornet nests.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_976
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_976

Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to provide additional funding for the Marine Management Organisation. \p Dame Angela Eagle: On 11 June 2025, the Chancellor announced the outcome of the Spending Review 2025. The Spending Review 2025 set departmental budgets until 2028-29 for day-to-day spending, and until 2029-30 for capital investment. Defra is currently conducting business planning, which will set budgets for Arms Length Bodies including the Marine Management Organisation. It is not possible to confirm additional funding for the Marine Management Organisation until this process has concluded.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_977
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_977

Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the UK’s reliance on imported produce from countries facing high climate-related agricultural vulnerabilities. \p Dame Angela Eagle: To ensure a consistent supply of food, the UK relies upon a combination of strong domestic production from the UK’s agricultural and food manufacturing sectors, and a diverse range of overseas supply sources. Trade supports UK food supply resilience. This is due to the UK having diverse trade routes, strong international supply and purchasing power.

At home, the Government’s recently published  Good Food Cycle identifies priority outcomes for resilient domestic production for a secure supply of healthier food, and also to create conditions for the food sector to thrive and grow sustainably, including investment in innovation and productivity, and fairer more transparent supply chains. We have allocated £11.8 billion to sustainable farming and food production over this parliament.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_978
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_978

Steve Barclay:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to re-open the Sustainable Farming Incentive. \p Dame Angela Eagle: We are working closely with farmers and industry stakeholders to design a future Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer that fairly and responsibly directs funding. Further details about the reformed SFI offer will be announced in due course.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_979
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_979

Luke Taylor:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to bring forward legislative proposals to improve the level of transparency of method-of-production welfare labelling for (a) pork, (b) chicken and (c) eggs. \p Dame Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for York Central, Rachael Maskell, on 8 October 2025, PQ UIN 76016.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_980
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_980

Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Tenant Farmers Commissioner on agricultural productivity in Buckinghamshire. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector in England has been appointed by the Government to strengthen relationships and collaboration between tenant farmers, landlords and advisers in all parts of England including Buckinghamshire. Tenant farmers, landlords and advisors working in the tenanted sector in Buckinghamshire can contact the Commissioner to raise an issue or enquiry relating to tenancy matters through the Commissioner’s webpages at Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector: role and services - GOV.UK. The Government is committed to keeping the effectiveness of this approach under review.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_981
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_981

Laura Kyrke-Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department's planned timetable is for publishing its Animal Welfare Strategy; and if she will make it her policy to ensure that the Animal Welfare Strategy includes steps to end the use of cages for farmed animals. \p Dame Angela Eagle: We remain firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The use of cages for farmed animals is an issue which we are currently considering very carefully.

This government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Prime Minister announced that we will be publishing an animal welfare strategy later this year.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_982
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_982

Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce in-ovo sexing technology to end the routine culling of day-old male chicks in the UK egg industry. \p Dame Angela Eagle: We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards.

In its 2024 ‘Opinion on alternatives to culling newly hatched chicks in the egg and poultry industries’, the Animal Welfare Committee considered a range of technologies that could help end the routine culling of male chicks by identifying or determining the sex of chick embryos before hatching. In recent years there has been rapid global progress in the development of these technologies, and we welcome the UK egg industry’s interest in the development of day zero sexing technology.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_983
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_983

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how the Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector will ensure that the voices of small-scale and marginal tenant farmers are represented in policy discussions and recommendations. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Commissioner will proactively engage across the sector as part of his wider role to gather intelligence and insights on how the sector operates within the Agricultural Landlord and Tenant Code of Practice for England. All tenant farmers and other parties to tenancy agreements can raise an enquiry, concern or issue with the Commissioner. The Commissioner will work closely with the joint Defra / industry Farm Tenancy Forum, including on trends and issues raised and provide insights on how to improve practice in the sector for industry and government to consider.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_984
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_984

Robin Swann:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she has taken to tackle illegal dog fighting in the last two years. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Dog fighting is illegal under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Defra advises members of the public who have evidence of cruelty to animals to report it to the relevant local authority. They have powers under the 2006 Act to investigate allegations of cruelty, poor welfare, or neglect of animals.

Since The Online Safety Act 2023 came into force in March 2025, social media firms must remove online content facilitating animal torture, including the promotion of, or footage depicting, illegal dog fighting.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_985
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_985

Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure whether existing policies are rural proofed. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Government has made a commitment that all policy decision-making should be rural proofed, ensuring that rural areas are not overlooked and that the intended outcomes are deliverable in rural areas. Defra leads on rural proofing, but individual departments are responsible for ensuring that their policy decision-making is considered through this lens.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_986
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_986

Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total value of landings was from fly-seine fishing operations in English waters by (a) EU-registered and (b) English-registered fly-seine vessels for each year since 2015. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Table 2. Annual value (GBP) landed from fly-seine fishing operations in English waters by EU-registered and English-registered fly-seine vessels from 2015 to 2023.

Vessel Registration

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

EU

9,400,000

12,200,000

15,500,000

15,400,000

14,700,000

12,800,000

12,700,000

15,900,000

16,900,000

England

2,800,000

3,100,000

2,400,000

1,500,000

3,000,000

3,100,000

3,800,000

8,900,000

10,400,000
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_987
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_987

Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many investigations of EU-registered fishing vessels were commenced by her Department in each year since 2020; and how many and what proportion of those investigations resulted in (a) charges being brought and (b) successful prosecutions. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Marine Management Organisation (MMO) does not publish investigations, only prosecutions. The table below lists all cases where charges were brought resulting in successful MMO prosecutions in court of EU vessels in each year since 2020 (there were no unsuccessful prosecutions).

EU Vessels

2020

1

2021

1

2022

2

2023

2

2024

0

2025 to date

1
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_988
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_988

Claire Hazelgrove:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on the animal welfare of greyhounds exported to (a) China, (b) Pakistan and (c) elsewhere. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Department is not aware that there is a widespread problem with the welfare of greyhounds being exported to a) China, b) Pakistan or c) elsewhere.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_989
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_989

David Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that supermarkets are required to use packaging that is recyclable through household recycling systems; and whether she has considered taking legislative steps to promote the use of such packaging. \p Mary Creagh: The Government is taking several steps to incentivise the use of use or recyclable packaging by supermarkets and other producers.

Under the UK wide Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) scheme, which came into effect on 1 January 2025, producers are incentivised to reduce their material footprint and use easier to recycle packaging by being required to bear the end-of-life costs associated with packaging that they place on the market. The Scheme Administrator, PackUK, can modulate (increase or decrease) the household packaging waste disposal fees for each category of packaging a producer supplies. This will reflect the environmental sustainability of the packaging and provide an incentive to the producer to use more environmentally sustainable packaging.

Additionally, under Simpler Recycling, every household and workplace (such as businesses, schools, and hospitals) across England will be able to recycle the same materials in the following core groups: metal; glass; plastic: paper and card; food waste; garden waste (household only). This includes cartons (as part of the plastics recyclable waste stream). More consistent collections will help reduce contamination, improve material quality and boost recycling rates.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_990
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_990

Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has (a) direct and (b) real time access to systems that monitor EU-registered fishing vessels that are fishing in English waters. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Fishing activity in English waters is monitored by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). MMO receives positional data and electronic logbook (elog) catch data for all foreign fishing vessels of 12 metres or more in length. Data from these vessels is received with the same frequency as for UK vessels. Live positional data is required to be transmitted at least once every two hours and electronic logbook data is required to be submitted at least once per day whilst at sea. Once transmitted, data is automatically forwarded to the UK by the relevant fisheries authority and is received by MMO in close to real-time.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_991
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_991

Siân Berry:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of increasing the powers of local authorities to (a) monitor and (b) take steps to help tackle (i) air pollution and (ii) health issues caused by heather burning for grouse shooting during the burning season. \p Emma Hardy: Local authorities are responsible for monitoring and assessing air quality within their areas and have powers to act when exceedances of air quality objectives are identified.

As a result of the recent amendments to the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021, any burning on peat deeper than 30cm in Less Favoured Areas is prohibited except under licence. The promotion of alternative land management methods, in place of unnecessary burning will reduce the harmful smoke emissions that impact our communities.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_992
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_992

Ben Goldsborough:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of transferring Products of Animal Origin enforcement (a) powers and (b) funding to port health authorities. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 2011 designate port health authorities in England, as enforcement authorities for animal products. Defra has committed £3.1 million for Dover Port Health Authority to work in partnership with Border Force in seizing meat smuggled via the Port of Dover in 2025/26, additional to over £9 million of funding provided to date.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_993
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_993

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of rent increases in agricultural tenancies on UK food production; and what support the Government is offering tenant farmers. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Defra monitors farm rents in England annually and the most recent farm rents data publication shows changes in farm rents per hectare vary according to the type of tenancy agreement, type of farmland and by location. A range of economic factors can affect UK food production including output prices, input costs, global trade, market demand and public support policies.

Schemes delivered under the farming budget are open to tenants to help them produce food and also deliver environmental benefits. The Government has appointed a Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector to support collaborative relationships across the tenanted sector.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_994
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_994

Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many tonnes of fish were caught in English waters by EU-registered fishing vessels in each year since 2020. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Table 1. Annual live weight (tonnes) landed from English waters by EU-registered fishing vessels from 2020 to 2023.

2020

2021

2022

2023

210,000

160,000

120,000

150,000
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_995
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_995

Ben Goldsborough:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment with the Home Secretary of the potential merits of giving port health authorities stop, search and seize powers. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 2011 already give port health authorities in England, search and seize powers in relation to animal products.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_996
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_996

Cameron Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the Environmental Land Management payment scheme in supporting farmers with a clear roadmap to 2030. \p Dame Angela Eagle: This Government has committed a record £11.8 billion allocation to deliver sustainable farming and food production over this parliament. This includes increasing spend on nature-friendly farming including Environmental Land Management schemes to £2 billion by 28/29. As a result of the Government’s determination to get more farmers to participate, there are now 50,000 farm businesses and half of all farmed land now managed under our schemes – with more money being spent through these schemes than at any point.

We are now working with farmers, farming and environmental organisations to develop the Farming Roadmap, which will set the course of farming in England for the next 25 years. It will set out how farming will, must and can evolve in response to changing markets, technologies, and environmental pressures - and how government will support that transition.We are committed to an ongoing process of iterating and maturing the Roadmap as we learn from farmers what they need to succeed.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_997
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_997

Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost to the public purse was of fisheries patrol operations in English waters in each year since 2020. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Fisheries patrol operations in English waters are undertaken by the Marine Management Organisation utilising two leased patrol vessels. The cost of these vessels is detailed in MMO's annual reports as follows:

Year

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26*

Vessel Costs

6,735,829

6,836,401

6,501,914

6,282,640

6,489,608

3,487,538
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_998
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_998

Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many investigations were commenced by her Department of English-registered fishing vessels over ten metres in length for fishing outside six nautical miles of UK waters in each year since 2020; and how many and what proportion of those investigations resulted in (a) charges being brought and (b) successful prosecutions. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Marine Management Organisation (MMO) does not publish investigations, only prosecutions. The table below lists all cases where charges were brought resulting in successful MMO prosecutions in court of UK 10m and over vessels which resulted from inspections at sea outside of 6 nautical miles from baselines (there were no unsuccessful prosecutions).

UK Vessels

2020

0

2021

1

2022

0

2023

0

2024

1

2025 to date

2
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Cameron Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to secure long-term public budgets for nature recovery. \p Dame Angela Eagle: We are prioritising investment that supports the Government’s Plan for Change and builds work to reform Defra to drive growth, while maintaining our commitment to farming, food security, and nature’s recovery.

This Government has committed a record £11.8 billion allocation to deliver sustainable farming and food production over this parliament. This includes increasing spend on nature-friendly farming including Environmental Land Management schemes to £2 billion by 28/29.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1000
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1000

Alex Brewer:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's consultation entitled Fairer food labelling, which closed on 7 May 2024, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to mandate method-of-production welfare labelling for (a) pork, (b) chicken and (c) eggs. \p Dame Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for York Central, Rachael Maskell, on 8 October 2025, PQ UIN 76016.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1001
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1001

Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of designating Cornish lobster as a protected product under the Protected Geographical Indication framework. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) framework plays a vital role in championing food and drink products that are regionally distinct and nationally important, helping to preserve heritage, support rural economies, and promote high-quality British produce. A number of celebrated Cornish foods are already protected - Fal Oyster PDO, Cornish Sardines PGI, Cornish Clotted Cream PDO, Cornish Pasty PGI and Darnibole wine PDO.

The designation process is producer-led. As with any prospective name, the Department would welcome an application to protect “Cornish Lobster”. The application would need to give evidence of widespread agreement amongst the lobster fishing fleet of its reputation, exactly what it is, how it is produced or caught and where it comes from. Should producers wish to pursue this, we will carefully consider their case in line with the established criteria under the UK GI schemes.

More information, including how to apply can be found at Protected geographical food and drink names: UK GI schemes - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1002
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

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Cameron Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to incentivise private investment in large nature recovery projects. \p Mary Creagh: Defra has put in place a number of interventions to scale up private sector investment in nature recovery projects across England. These include:

We are analysing responses to our call for evidence on expanding the role of the private sector in nature recovery and will set out next steps in due course.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1003
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1003

Cameron Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on integrating nature risks into broader security and risk planning. \p Mary Creagh: Nature risks are recognised in the Government’s National Security Strategy 2025: Security for the British People in a Dangerous World. Its implementation will ensure these risks inform security and risk planning across Government.

Together with my Cabinet colleagues the Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, and Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Ed Miliband, I was pleased to attend the recent Countdown to COP30: mobilising action for climate and nature event hosted by the Natural History Museum. My ministerial team and I look forward to continuing cross- government discussions as we prepare for the 30th United Nations climate change conference in Bélem, Brazil.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1004
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1004

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made in delivering the Collections and Packaging Reforms programme. \p Mary Creagh: The Government has passed or is on track to pass all the necessary legislation to deliver the Collection and Packaging Reforms Programme, and making strong progress on achieving our target of 65% recycling by 2035 in England, after a decade of stagnating recycling rates.

For Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR), The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations came into effect on 1 January 2025 and on Friday 27 June 2025, PackUK confirmed 2025 base fees (fees for Year 1 of pEPR) for eight packaging material categories. Packaging producers liable under the regulations have been invoiced this month.

In January 2025, the legislation for the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers in England and Northern Ireland came into force. A new organisation called UK Deposit Management Organisation Ltd (UK DMO) will run the scheme, and were officially appointed in May 2025 (England & NI) and June 2025 (Scotland). UK DMO will engage regularly with shops, drinks companies, environmental groups, and the public to help design and run the scheme.

Simpler Recycling has now come into effect for all workplaces with 10 or more full-time equivalent employees in England. This requires workplaces to separately recycle dry mixed recycling (plastic, metal, glass), paper and card, and food waste. By 31 March 2026, local authorities will be required to collect the core recyclable waste streams from all households in England. This includes introducing weekly food waste collections for all homes, unless a transitional arrangement applies (a transitional arrangement is where a local authority has agreed a later implementation date set in regulations). Micro-firms (workplaces with fewer than 10 employees), have until 31 March 2027 to comply, and plastic film collections from all households and workplaces will also be required by then.

Finally, to help tackle the problem of illegal waste practices and outdated record-keeping, we are introducing mandatory digital waste tracking, which will become available for all permitted and licensed sites receiving waste in April 2026 and mandatory for permitted and licensed waste receiving sites from October 2026 in the first phase.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the impact of white-tailed eagle predation on livestock. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Government has not discussed the impact of white-tailed eagle predation on livestock with the Scottish Government.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to collect data on livestock losses attributable to white-tailed eagle predation. \p Dame Angela Eagle: A formal reintroduction of white-tailed eagles on the Isle of Wight has released 45 birds, since 2019. All the eagles in southern England are fitted with GPS tags, collecting high resolution data of their movements. Detailed diet monitoring has revealed no livestock losses related to the eagles, with fish and waterbirds identified as the most important components of their diet.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1007

Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support community-led biodiversity initiatives in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Mary Creagh: Surrey County Council is the responsible authority for preparing the Surrey Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), which will agree priorities for nature recovery in the area and identify and map the best locations for action to be taken to benefit nature and the wider environment.

The Surrey LNRS has recently completed public consultation and is now preparing to be published.

Defra is supporting community-led biodiversity initiatives in the Surrey Heath constituency primarily through the development of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), led by Surrey County Council. Backed by over £250,000 in Defra funding, the LNRS provides a locally tailored framework to identify and prioritise actions for nature recovery, habitat restoration, and species protection.

The strategy is being co-developed with input from local communities, landowners, and stakeholders, ensuring that it reflects the unique environmental and social context of Surrey Heath. Defra's Arm's Length Bodies, including Natural England, Environment Agency and Forestry Commission, are actively involved in shaping the LNRS, contributing expertise and aligning national priorities with local delivery. This collaborative approach empowers local action and ensures that biodiversity initiatives are grounded in shared evidence and ambition.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1008

Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to provide funding to support farmers for non-lethal mitigation measures for white-tailed eagle predation. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Government has no plans to provide funding to support farmers for non-lethal mitigation measures for white-tailed eagle predation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1009

Navendu Mishra:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department's animal welfare strategy will include a plan for reviewing progress towards meeting the goals of that strategy. \p Dame Angela Eagle: This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Department is engaging with key animal welfare stakeholders as part of the development of our overarching approach to animal welfare. The Prime Minister announced that we will be publishing an animal welfare strategy later this year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

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Ruth Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the European Food and Safety Authority's recent report on the welfare of American mink, red and arctic foxes, racoon dogs and chinchilla kept for fur production, published in July 2025. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) to produce a report on what constitutes responsible sourcing of fur. This is due to be completed in 2025 and will be published on GOV.UK thereafter.

We are also aware that the European Food Safety Authority has published a report on the welfare of fur animals and are reviewing its findings.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1011

Laura Kyrke-Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what legislative steps she is taking to tackle illegal deforestation in supply chains; and what her planned timetable is for introducing a regulatory framework to tackle this issue. \p Mary Creagh: The Government recognises the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation. The Government is currently considering its approach to addressing the impact of the use of forest risk commodities in our supply chains and will set out its approach in due course. We are committed to ensuring that any regulatory framework is robust, proportionate and effective in addressing deforestation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1012

David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the effectiveness of the Small Producer Exemption under the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme. \p Mary Creagh: To ensure the effectiveness of the small producer exemption under the Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme, we will keep these thresholds under review, noting that any changes, such as raising the exemption threshold, would impact on disposal fees and recycling obligations for those producers who remain obligated. We will conduct a proactive review of this after two years, allowing time to assess the impact of the scheme and ensure that it remains fair, proportionate, and effective in driving environmental outcomes without placing undue burden on small businesses.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1013

Wera Hobhouse:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, under what circumstances would she consider withdrawing from the Aarhus Convention. \p Mary Creagh: The United Kingdom Government is committed to the effective implementation of its international obligations and has no plans to withdraw from the Aarhus Convention.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1014

Mohammad Yasin:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to review the regulations governing the passage of pets to and from the United Kingdom to simplify the process for owners who meet all health and documentation requirements. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Government takes the importation of pets seriously and is committed to preserving the United Kingdom’s high standards of biosecurity and animal welfare.

We carefully monitor the effectiveness of our pet travel rules to ensure they safeguard our biosecurity and remain proportionate for pet owners.

As announced at the UK-EU Leaders' Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, which will mean taking pets on holiday into the EU will be easier and cheaper.

Instead of getting an animal health certificate each time they travel, pet owners will be able to get a multiuse pet passport valid for travel to the EU. We are expecting to start negotiations in the autumn, once the EU has confirmed their mandate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1015

Suella Braverman:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations her Department has received from farmers on the accessibility of the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Defra is working closely with farmers and industry stakeholders to design a future Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer that will better target the SFI in an orderly way towards our priorities for food, farming and nature. Information and plans for the next iteration of the scheme will be published in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1016

Stuart Andrew:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the UK Health Security Agency’s conclusion that the risk to the general public from avian influenza remains very low when determining policy on poultry shows. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Regulation 6 of the Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (England) Regulations 2006, as amended, sets out the legal basis for permitting gatherings of poultry or other captive birds. In England, a licence to hold a bird gathering may be granted by Defra if a veterinary risk assessment has been carried out, and if the gathering, including the movement of birds to and from it, would not significantly increase the risk of the transmission of avian influenza virus. These risk assessments focus on the risk as it relates to birds.

Detailed risk assessments can be found on GOV.UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1017

Sammy Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of Extended Producer Responsibility costs on the beer and pub sector. \p Mary Creagh: The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues, including the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on a range of issues, including the potential impact of Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) costs on obligated producers, local authorities and the waste management sector. The updated assessment of the pEPR scheme, published in October 2024, evaluated overall effects on packaging producers without disaggregating by sector.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1018

Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of tropical forest protection on the stability of UK food supply chains. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Tropical forests provide a range of ecosystem services which affect agricultural production. Their protection and restoration can therefore play a vital role in supporting global food supply stability.

The Government is taking robust action to boost UK food security, turn the tide of nature’s decline, and prepare for the impacts of climate change and nature loss. This includes investing in nature protection and restoration both domestically and internationally, and delivering £11.6 billion in International Climate Finance by the end of 25/26 as part of our Plan for Change. The Government is also considering its approach to addressing global deforestation linked to UK supply chains and will set out its approach in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_1019

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help mitigate the potential impact of US bioethanol imports on (a) animal feed prices and (b) UK producers. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Defra continue to monitor potential impacts on feed prices and the wider food sector from the recent changes. By-products of the bioethanol process are used in the agri-food sector. These include Distillers’ Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS) which is used in high protein animal feed as well as CO2 which is used in slaughter, packaging, and beverage carbonation. DDGS also comes from other sources and there are other ingredients that can be used.