theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Steff Aquarone:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has considered developing an invasive American signal crayfish eradication strategy in (a) England and (b) Norfolk. \p Mary Creagh: American signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) are listed as Species of Special Concern and actions such as their commercial use, release into the environment and transport are banned under the Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019.

Signal crayfish are also subject to management measures aimed at containing and controlling their populations where possible. This means that in England this species is more closely regulated through a system of Exclusion and Containment zones to prevent further spread.

Crayfish trapping in the ‘exclusion zones’ is only allowed for conservation, scientific, or fisheries management purposes, and no commercial use of any kind is permitted.

Trapping of signal crayfish is allowed in the containment zones (where an authorisation has been granted), but sale of live Signal crayfish is not permitted. Crayfish must be dispatched at the place of capture or taken to a licensed processing facility. Facilities are not licensed to obtain or receive crayfish taken from exclusion zones. To reduce the threat of this species being spread further, there is a total ban on the movement of live crayfish outside of licenced activity.

More information about the public consultation which led to this policy can be found here.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with stakeholders from the fishing industry. \p Daniel Zeichner: The Fisheries Minister and officials regularly engage with stakeholders across the UK fishing industry through established forums and working groups, including producer organisations, trade associations, and Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities. The Department also works closely with the devolved governments and Arms’ Length Bodies to ensure a joined-up approach to fisheries management.

Most recently, the Secretary of State and the Fisheries Minister visited Newlyn at the end of July to meet representatives of the Cornish fishing sector, and the Fisheries Minister visited Northern Ireland on 20 and 21 August, which included discussions with fishermen, processors and industry leaders in Portavogie, Ardglass and Kilkeel.
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Navendu Mishra:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the National Wildlife Crime Unit in tackling wildlife crime in the North West. \p Mary Creagh: Defra supports the valuable work of the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) and is providing £424,000 to the Unit in 2025-2026. It is satisfied with the NWCU’s effectiveness. The NWCU helps prevent and detect wildlife crime by obtaining and disseminating intelligence, undertaking analysis which highlights local or national threats, and assisting law enforcers with investigations. Defra has a strict grant reporting mechanism in place with the Unit whereby each quarter it provides qualitative and quantitative information setting out how Defra funding has been spent. In 2024-25 the NWCU provided support on wildlife crime cases to every local police force in the North West and indeed the whole of the UK.
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Dr Neil Hudson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help tackle the designer breeding of (a) brachycephalic cats, (b) bully cats, (c) hybrid cats and (d) other cats. \p Daniel Zeichner: Defra commissioned the Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) to examine the welfare implications of current and emergent feline breeding practices. The report can be found here. The Government is carefully considering its recommendations.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help improve the resilience of farming infrastructure in extreme weather. \p Daniel Zeichner: We are providing farmers and land managers with the support needed to help restore nature, which is vital to safeguard our long-term food security and build resilience to climate change. There are currently record numbers of farmers taking part in farming schemes such as the Sustainable Farming Incentive. As of April 2025, these schemes supported 885,000 hectares of arable land being farmed without insecticides; 330,000 hectares of low input grassland being managed sustainably; and 85,000 kilometres of hedgerows being protected and restored.

In the recent spending review, we allocated a record £11.8 billion to sustainable farming and food production over this parliament, the largest budget for sustainable food production in our country’s history.

This means:
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Greg Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of hares shot during the period when sale is prohibited under the Hares Preservation Act 1892 in the latest period for which data is available. \p Daniel Zeichner: Defra holds no official statistics on the number of hares shot in England. The Act aims to protect hares by prohibiting the sale of hares in England from March to July inclusive.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of trends in air weapon attacks on domestic animals; what steps he is taking to improve data collection of these incidents. \p Mary Creagh: Defra does not hold data on cases of domestic animals being attacked with air weapons.

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 Government keeps animal welfare policy under review and is committed to ensuring that animals are protected from unnecessary suffering.
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Navendu Mishra:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take to ensure that the ban on hunting trophy imports (a) is robust and (b) does not allow any hunting trophies to enter the UK. \p Mary Creagh: The Government committed to banning the import of hunting trophies in its manifesto and we will deliver on this. Defra continues to engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure that we can implement a robust ban on the import of hunting trophies from species of conservation concern in the most effective way.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with animal welfare organisations on tackling the misuse of air weapons against pets. \p Daniel Zeichner: Defra regularly engage with animal welfare organisations on a range of issues. Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, 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.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support vineyard businesses in West Dorset constituency. \p Daniel Zeichner: The Government is committed to supporting rural economies and ensuring the UK has a thriving and diverse economy that promotes local jobs and boosts growth.

The English wine sector is one of the fastest growing agricultural sectors, which continues to attract domestic and foreign investment. Defra is committed to working with the sector to support its ambitions, drive growth and exports and ensure it provides high-quality jobs in rural communities.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support local authorities in their efforts to identify and remove traces of toxic lead in soil. \p Emma Hardy: Lead is a naturally occurring element in soils due to the weathering of rocks and minerals, and elevated concentrations can result from historical industrial activity. The Government recognises the importance of managing land contamination to protect human health and the environment. Under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities have a statutory duty to inspect their areas to identify contaminated land.

Defra supports local authorities in fulfilling their duties through the Contaminated Land Statutory Guidance, which sets out the legal framework for risk assessment and decision-making under Part 2A. In addition, the Land Contamination Risk Management (LCRM) framework, recently updated by the Environment Agency, provides technical guidance on assessing, managing and remediating land contamination in line with current best practice.
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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive Scheme on the natural environment in Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire constituency. \p Daniel Zeichner: Agriculture is a devolved policy area, and the Sustainable Farming Incentive is an England-only scheme. There is therefore no impact on farmers in the Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire constituency.
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Rosie Duffield: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. \p 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.
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Rosie Duffield: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. \p 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.
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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on the total quantity of ash produced annually from the burning of biomass at the Drax power station. \p Mary Creagh: The quantities of various waste streams produced at Drax are required to be reported to the Environment Agency using the national Pollution Inventory system. For 2024 the figure for ash from biomass was just over 300,000 tonnes.
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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on whether ash from biomass burned at the Drax power station is (a) spread on agricultural land, (b) used in cement production or (c) sent to landfill. \p Mary Creagh: Of the 300,000 tonnes of biomass ash produced in 2024, ca 65,000 tonnes (22%) was used in the cement industry with the remainder being landfilled.
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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 ensure that ash produced from the burning of wood pellets is disposed of in a manner that is safe for (a) the environment and (b) public health. \p Mary Creagh: Drax power station is regulated by the Environment Agency (EA) under the conditions of its environmental permit and is required to operate in such a way as to minimise the risk of pollution. Ash generated at Drax Power Station is sent to the adjacent Barlow Mound landfill for disposal.

Barlow Mound landfill is for ash and other specified wastes from Drax and is regulated under a separate environmental permit and includes controls to monitor and minimise the impact on the environment. This includes monitoring to assess potential impacts to both surface and groundwater around the site.

For public health the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a consultee for Environmental Permitting decisions made by the EA in relation to sites such as power stations.
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David Taylor:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made on the creation of the Western Forest. \p Mary Creagh: In March 2025, the Government launched the first new National Forest in 30 years, the Western Forest. The forest will see 20 million trees planted across the West of England and create at least 2,500 hectares of new woodland, bringing nature closer to people, helping to prevent flooding, supporting wildlife, and contribute to our nature and legal environment targets.

As the accountable body for the Western Forest, the Forest of Avon Trust is working with the National Forest Company and regional partners, recruiting a strong team to mobilise the project, scoping the most suitable sites for the creation of the forest’s foundations, and raising awareness of the project across the region.
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Ian Roome:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress his Department has made on developing a new Pet Passport scheme between the UK and the European Union. \p Daniel Zeichner: 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 you travel, you will be able to get a multiuse pet passport valid for travel to the EU.

The European Commission has published a draft SPS mandate for negotiations pending approval through the Council of the European Union.
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Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many inspections Natural England has conducted on Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Cornwall in each of the last five years; and what the average response time is for investigating reported concerns about land management on those sites. \p Mary Creagh: Natural England does not carry out ‘inspections’ on SSSIs but undertakes condition assessments on SSSIs. These allow NE to identify changes in the condition of site features and identify any concerns about site management.

The Rural Payments Agency undertakes compliance inspections for agri-environment schemes including those covering SSSIs and will alert Natural England of any issues identified by their inspections.

Investigation response times vary depending on the risk and significance of the negative impact on the SSSI. For example, in a case of damage to a SSSI grassland caused by overgrazing Natural England will contact the land manager immediately and seek a voluntary solution. If a voluntary solution cannot be agreed Natural England will look to serve a stop notice to prevent further damage and allow further investigation.
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Claire Hughes:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to improve biodiversity. \p Daniel Zeichner: Improving biodiversity is crucial and we have a set of statutory nature targets, which we will deliver through a range of mechanisms, all underpinned by the £7 billion nature budget. We have recently had the landmark moment for conservation when we enabled the wild reintroduction of beavers in a managed way. The upcoming Environmental Improvement Plan will set out key priorities to enhance the natural environment.
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Graham Stuart:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support farmers. \p Daniel Zeichner: This Government is investing £11.8 billion into sustainable food production and nature’s recovery, with funding for Environmental Land Management schemes increasing by 150% by 2028/29.

There are currently record numbers of farmers in the schemes, with more money being spent through these schemes than ever before.
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Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to review the guidance provided to land managers of designated (a) heritage and (b) conservation sites in relation to balancing (i) agricultural use, (ii) environmental protection and (iii) public access rights. \p Mary Creagh: There are a range of heritage and conservation site designations in England affording high levels of protection. Guidance for these designations is continually reviewed to ensure it balances priorities for food production, nature recovery and access to nature.
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Phil Brickell:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential impact of increasing public access to the outdoors on public health. \p Emma Hardy: The Government recognises health and wellbeing benefits of outdoor access and is taking action to increase opportunities for everyone to engage with nature through nine new national river walks and three new national forests.

We work closely with DHSC to embed improved access to nature as part of preventative healthcare through, initiatives such as green social prescribing.
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Amanda Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve biodiversity in coastal areas impacted by algae overgrowth. \p Emma Hardy: In the most ambitious target on water pollution in history, we will halve sewage pollution by 2030.

We are restoring our waterways to good health so communities can once again take pride in their rivers, lakes and seas.

We are abolishing Ofwat and establishing a new, single, powerful regulator. We are ending the era of water companies marking their own homework by ending operator self-monitoring. And we are ensuring greater local involvement in planning decisions around water.
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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered the potential merits of re-introducing the imposition of dog licences. \p Daniel Zeichner: We have no plans at this time to reintroduce an annual registration scheme or dog licenses. The old dog licence was repealed by the Local Government Act 1988 because it cost more to administer than the revenue it generated and was in effect an ownership registration scheme. Now that microchipping and registration on a compliant database is mandatory, this is no longer necessary.
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Mr Will Forster:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support water security. \p Emma Hardy: We are pushing ahead with reform under our Plan for Change, which includes £104 billion of water investment, cutting leaks by nearly 20% and building nine reservoirs

Working with the National Drought Group, the Government is stepping up the response to the dry weather, ensuring companies follow their drought plans and supplies remain secure.
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Calum Miller:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to allocate adequate resources to support households at risk of flooding in Bicester and Woodstock constituency. \p Emma Hardy: This Government will invest £7.9 million over the next ten years in the largest ever flood programme.

This will boost resilience and benefit 840,000 properties by 2035–36.

The programme will launch in April 2026 and I encourage all local areas to work with the Environment Agency to explore options for future flood schemes.
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Joe Powell:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to protect communities vulnerable to flooding. \p Emma Hardy: After 14 years of Conservative Government, we inherited England’s flood defences in their worst state on record.

That is why this Government has announced the largest flooding programme in history to protect homes and businesses across the country.

We will invest £7.9 billion over 10 years protecting 840,000 properties.
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Rachel Gilmour:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will consider the human health risks to (a) children and (b) adults of spot on pet treatments containing (i) fipronil and (ii) imidacloprid; and if he will take steps to address this. \p Daniel Zeichner: Veterinary Medicinal Products (VMPs) undergo a thorough assessment by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) before they are authorised for marketing in the UK. This includes a product-specific user risk assessment that considers all those that may come into contact with the medicine, including adults and children. This assessment considers the identified hazards of the medicine, the likely exposure to adults and children when VMPs are used as recommended, and concludes on the likely risks to humans. The identified risks are mitigated using appropriate packaging and user safety warnings on the product information supplied with the medicines. Once authorised for marketing, pharmacovigilance reporting provides further data from use of these medicines in real-world situations, and these data are used to consider any changes required to reduce identified risks, such as updating the user safety warnings. All VMPs are authorised based on a Benefit: Risk assessment, which accounts for the therapeutic benefits to the treated animals, the potential for reduction of zoonotic diseases in humans, and the possible risks identified to humans and animals. The benefits must outweigh the risks before a product can be authorised and may be removed from the market if shown that this is not the case after authorisation.
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Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the state of the UK dairy sector. \p Daniel Zeichner: This Government recognises that food security is national security, and that this requires a resilient and healthy food system that works with nature and supports our farmers, including those in the UK’s world leading dairy sector.

Our dairy industry is a vibrant and resilient sector worth £5-£6 billion at farm level, and many times that when the milk produced is processed into a diverse range of products and commodities. This has helped make the dairy industry the UK’s largest agricultural sector accounting for 19% of total 2023 UK agricultural output, bringing significant value to our economy.
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Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what financial support he is giving to farmers to conduct tuberculosis tests on their cattle. \p Daniel Zeichner: The Government funds the cost of routine bovine tuberculosis (bTB) testing through contracts with veterinary delivery partners.

The Government also pays compensation for cattle compulsorily slaughtered to control the spread of bTB.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to prevent the spread of bluetongue BTV3 disease among animals in England. \p Daniel Zeichner: Defra’s disease control measures aim to limit the spread of infection, whilst balancing the burdens of controls against the benefits of eradication of bluetongue.

Defra acted quickly to contain bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) when the first case was detected on 26 August 2024, implementing zones with movement controls on susceptible livestock to prevent spread. These disease control restrictions have been adapted in response to new findings and there is now a single restricted zone (RZ) covering the whole of England. This change was made because the area in England where disease has been found is now too large for movement restrictions to remain an effective and proportionate way of controlling the disease.

Vaccination remains the most effective long-term approach for reducing the impacts of bluetongue disease throughout the UK. Defra has permitted the use of vaccines for BTV-3 and these vaccines are now widely available for vets to prescribe in England.

We urge farmers to consider vaccination in consultation with their private vet.

Defra and APHA continue to test animals with suspect clinical signs and remain vigilant for any new serotypes or changes in clinical signs, and are working closely with key industry stakeholders to review how we approach controls for BTV-3.
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Mike Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will require water companies to re-evaluate wastewater management plans in the context of increased housing targets. \p Emma Hardy: The Government secured a record £104 billion of private investment into the water sector that will provide infrastructure including 9 new reservoirs and waste water treatment works across the country. This will support the building of 1.5 million new homes and new businesses including data centres and giga factories that will power economic growth, new jobs and higher wages. Our new Water Delivery Taskforce will ensure this vital infrastructure is delivered on schedule.
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Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the National Beef Association. \p Daniel Zeichner: We engage regularly with a number of key stakeholders, including the National Beef Association, to discuss a wide range of issues affecting the beef sector that are important to both producers and processors.
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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help improve water quality. \p Emma Hardy: The Government has secured a record £104 billion of private sector investment that will fund the rebuilding and repair of broken sewage pipes so we can cut sewage pollution into our waterways. We are also reforming agriculture to drastically reduce run-off into rivers. Together with our radical reform of water regulation and the regulator, this Government has all the building blocks in place to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_489

Katie White:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to create more national parks. \p Mary Creagh: Natural England have the statutory responsibility for identifying areas for new National Park designations. The Government is committed to supporting our existing Protected Landscapes to become greener, wilder and more accessible.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_490

Sarah Bool:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what correspondence his Department has had with the Friedrich Loeffler Institute on the development of a vaccine for Bluetongue Virus serotype 12. \p Daniel Zeichner: Defra has not had any correspondence with the Friedrich Loeffler Institute regarding the development of a vaccine for bluetongue virus serotype 12. However, Defra continues to work closely with key domestic and international partners, including vaccine manufacturers, to monitor the availability and development of vaccines for bluetongue virus, including serotype 12.
wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_491
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_491

Aphra Brandreth:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding is available to farmers to support them in the transition away from the use of cages for livestock animals. \p Daniel Zeichner: Defra remains firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and will continue to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare Grant recently offered funding support to commercial laying hen and pullet keepers in England, to refurbish or replace existing housing to improve health and welfare, including those transitioning from colony cages to high welfare non-cage systems. Initial applications closed on 18 September 2024, and all applicants have been contacted to notify them of next steps.

The use of cages and other close confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which the department continues to consider very carefully.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_492

Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support community-led models of food (a) production and (b) distribution in rural areas. \p Daniel Zeichner: Food security is national security. The Good Food Cycle, the UK government food strategy for England, published on 15 July, sets out the government's plans to transform the food system. A UK government food strategy for England - GOV.UK.

A resilient and healthy food system requires a whole-of-society approach – one that is centered on people and community and that addresses food insecurity and resilience in both rural and urban areas, so everyone has access to more healthy and sustainable food.

The food strategy will also explore where we can go further, including community led food production and distribution, to create and promote a vibrant food culture at national, regional and local level. We will set out more detail as the work progresses.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_493

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Solicitor General, how many employees in her Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year. \p Lucy Rigby: The Attorney General’s Office follows Civil Service Commission guidance on recruitment of its staff and remunerates consistent to Cabinet Office rules. All government departments are required to publish the salaries of Senior Civil Servants in their Annual Report and Accounts laid in parliament.

I would direct the MP for Great Yarmouth to the HM Procurator General and Treasury Solicitor Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25, published on gov.uk.
wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_494
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_494

Jayne Kirkham:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many trials have adjourned as a result of contractors failing to deliver prisoners to trial in the last year. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The question has been interpreted to mean ineffective trials that do not start on their intended start date and need rescheduling. Trials can become ineffective for many reasons, owing to the action or inaction of the parties, or of the courts. Delays or failures to bring prisoners to court are one such reason.

Data on trial effectiveness at the criminal courts, by reason for ineffectiveness, is published as part of the Criminal court statistics quarterly series.

Applying the “reason” filter in the pivot table in Trial Effectiveness at Criminal Courts document enables the reader to select reasons why trials have been ineffective. Tab 14 shows instances where the defendant’s not having been produced by prisoner escort and custody services led to an ineffective trial. This includes all instances where a prisoner was not produced on time, regardless of whether the contractor was at fault. The most recent publication can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-court-statistics-quarterly-january-to-march-2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_495

Liz Saville Roberts:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of retrospectively removing deductions of saved living costs from miscarriage of justice compensation awards made before August 2023. \p Alex Davies-Jones: Individuals who have had their convictions quashed following an out of time appeal are eligible to apply for compensation through the statutory Miscarriages of Justice Application Service. Compensation payments made after 6 August 2023 no longer have saved living expenses deducted. The Government considered the importance of certainty and ensuring the finality of concluded settlements and, in July 2024, decided not to depart from the established principles of public policy under which policy changes apply prospectively only.
wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_496
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_496

Sarah Coombes:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of drivers convicted of (a) dangerous driving and (b) careless driving offences in the last five years were repeat offenders. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The information requested is provided in the tables attached.

Safety on our roads is an absolute priority for this Government. That is why the Department for Transport is committed to delivering a new Road Safety Strategy – the first in over a decade. They will set out the next steps on this in due course.

Table (xlsx, 20.9KB)
wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_497
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_497

Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2025 to Question 62255 on Legal Aid, how many of the Public Family Law Legal Help Fee Level 1 matter starts were for clients who were children, in each of the five years. \p Sarah Sackman: The requested information can be found in the below table:

Financial Year

Public law family Level 1 - children

2020-21

36

2021-22

21

2022-23

18

2023-24

21

2024-25

27

Data is derived from the Legal Aid Agency’s (LAA) Official Statistics: Legal aid statistics data files - GOV.UK. The LAA also publishes a more user-friendly tool to analyse this data which can be accessed here.

Please note that as Public Law Family cases are delivered as Controlled Work, legal aid providers are permitted to self-grant legal aid under delegated functions. This means there is no application to the LAA. Data is therefore derived from claim submissions sent to the LAA at the end of the case. It is possible therefore that a small number of cases reported in the table above were opened in the previous financial year.
wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_498
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_498

Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress she has made in upgrading court buildings in the Tees Valley. \p Sarah Sackman: Historical underfunding has resulted in challenges across the court and tribunal estate. That is why this Government has announced a boost in court capital maintenance and project funding from £120 million last year, to £148.5 million for 2025/26.

In 2025, HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has so far completed upgrades to the security systems, fire systems and lift alarm systems at Teesside Justice Centre, as well upgrades to the lift alarm system at Teesside Combined Court. HMCTS is planning to undertake a range of refurbishment works, such as redecoration, carpeting and furnishing at Darlington County Court, Darlington Magistrates’ Court, Teesside Justice Centre and Teesside Combined Court.

HMCTS is also exploring the cost and feasibility of replacing the heating systems at Darlington Magistrates Court and is considering proposals to replace the windows and exterior cladding at Teesside Justice Centre.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_499

Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the compatibility of super injunctions with (a) governance and (b) transparency. \p Sarah Sackman: It is for the courts to determine individual applications for interim injunctions to restrain publication of confidential information (and the existence of the injunction) on the merits of each case, and in accordance with the law and specific Practice Guidance.

The Practice Guidance on Interim Non-Disclosure Orders was issued by the then Master of the Rolls as part of the implementation of the Superinjunctions Committee’s recommendations, which he chaired and whose final report was published in 2011. It provides detailed guidance on the law, principle of open justice and model court orders.

These applications will generally be argued on the competing balances of Articles 8 and 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the right to freedom of expression as against the right to reputation and privacy. The public interest is an important element the court will take into account.

The Government has no plans to reform the law.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_500

Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has had discussions with the Solicitors Regulation Authority on steps to monitor internal employment practices within regulated firms. \p Sarah Sackman: The Ministry of Justice has not held discussions with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) on monitoring internal employment practices within regulated firms. Regulation of the legal profession in England and Wales operates independently of government. Responsibility for regulating the sector sits with the approved regulators, overseen by the Legal Services Board (LSB), as designated under the Legal Services Act 2007.

The SRA is responsible for regulating the professional conduct of solicitors and law firms in England and Wales. Given the sector’s independence, it would not be appropriate for the Ministry of Justice to interfere with the operational matters of regulated firms. However, the Department maintains regular engagement with the SRA on strategic and policy matters affecting the legal services sector.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-04)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-04 conversation_501

Ian Sollom:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to help ensure that the Judicial Appointments Commission fulfils its statutory duty to (a) appoint solely on merit (b) avoid discrimination in the appointing of judges. \p Sarah Sackman: The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) is independent from government. It has a statutory duty under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 to select candidates solely on merit, to select only people of good character, and to have regard to the need to encourage diversity in the range of persons available for judicial selection.

The JAC is governed by an independent Board of Commissioners, appointed by His Majesty the King on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor. A key objective of the Board is to ensure the JAC is upholding its statutory functions and duties.

The JAC submits annual reports to Parliament about its performance and is also subject to independent reviews. Ministry of Justice officials also meet the JAC Chair and Chief Executive regularly.

The JAC also applies quality assurance checks throughout the selection process to ensure proper procedures are followed and standards are maintained. Further information can be found here: JAC Diversity Update July 2025.